The Mayflower Steps is a twentieth century commemorative feature built close to the site where the Pilgrim Fathers left aboard the repaired Mayflower, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to live in North America. Today boat trips leave from there for tours of Plymouth Sound, although the original site is believed to be where the Admiral McBride public house now stands. (Although the Mayflower Steps still are where tourists stand and look)

Visit the historic Plymouth Gin distillery on the Barbican, from where Plymouth Gin has been shipped all over the world.

• Plym valley cycle path, accessible from the North East of the city this path follows the Plym valley firstly alongside an old railway line and then on it through beautiful countryside all the way to Tavistock; there is little infastructure along the path, so any food or drink should be picked up before leaving Plymouth (there is a large supermarket nearby). [5] on the first large viaduct out of Plymouth Falcons can often be seen in a nearby quarry, this makes the path popular with bird watchers.
• Plymouth Pavilions known simply as the Pavilions this earmarked to be demolished entertainment centre hosts big bands time to time, ten pin bowling, laser games, ice skating and the Pavillions funpool containing flume rides, jacuzzi, wave machine and even an indoor beach. The centre is to the west of the city centre on Union Street.
• Take a boat tour Plymouth boasts one of the best natural harbours in Europe and maybe even the world, taking to the water can give you a new view on the city. most boats leave from the Barbican, often on the 'Mayflower Steps' a variety of boat trips are available, lasting between 1-3 hours, taking in the Navy dockyard, Brunel's Bridge and the Hoe foreshore but various different destinations are available. Sound Cruising run most trips
• Sport Plymouth has two professional sports teams - Plymouth Argyle football club and Plymouth Albion rugby union club, both of which play in their respective sports' second tier. Both are (relatively speaking) cheap to get into and are good family days out, although you may wish to exercise caution if Argyle's local rivals Exeter, Bristol City or Cardiff are in town. Trouble is unlikely due to a high police prescence and if you use your common sense you are likely to be safe. Be sure to check the fixture lists before setting out.

• The National Marine Aquarium [3] is Britain's foremost aquarium and the deepest in Europe. You'll find it located near the historical Barbican area, which includes Britain's oldest bakery (Jacka's), and the Mayflower Steps from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for the New World in 1621.
• Plymouth Hoe, the scene of Sir Francis Drake's apocryphal game of bowls prior to his taking on the Spanish Armada in 1588.
• Saltram House, as seen in the beginning of 'Sense and Sensibility'; (Ang Lee, 1999)the artist Sir Joshua Reynolds's Patrons the Parker Family lived here, and the house has design elements by Robert Adams.
• The Barbican, where some more of Sense and Sensibility was filmed, also one of the most old areas of Plymouth.
• The Royal William Yard, once the place from which the British Navy was provisioned. The naval presence in Plymouth is immense: the city is home to the largest naval base in western Europe, which is open to the public on Naval Days.
• Plymouth Theatre Royal is the largest provincial producing theatre in the UK and one of the best attended. They have produced and co-produced West End plays in London and on Broadway, New York, as well as in Plymouth itself. It also plays host to the occasional Royal Shakespeare Company production and has seen Shakespeare productions from acclaimed Japanese director Yukio Ninagawa.

Museums

• Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery On the ground floor there is a permanent natural history gallery, first floor temporary exhibition galleries, Cottonian Collection gallery and refurbished balcony cases will re-open on Saturday 3 May 2008. The permanent first floor art gallery and China Connection gallery are due to re-open in July 2008. The refurbished ground floor and other remaining spaces are due to re-open in autumn 2008. The museum is opposite the university on Drake Circus
  
• The Royal Citadel Built following the English Civil War, this was England's principal fortress featuring outstanding examples of 17th-century baroque architecture. To keep guard over Plymouth Sound and harbour this fort is open only on Tuesdays for guided tours at 2.30. The citadel is up on the Hoe.
• Plymouth Dome Perched up on the Hoe this information center provides interactive and hands-on displays are the hallmark of this attraction, where visitors may sail aboard the Mayflower, explore an Elizabethan Street and stand at the edge of Plymouth Sound.
• Plymouth Synagogue Plymouth's synagogue is the oldest remaining Ashkenazi house of worship in an English-speaking country.

Opening Hours

• • Tuesday to Friday - 10am to 5.30pm
  • Saturday and Bank Holiday Mondays - 10am to 5pm
• Smeaton’s Tower high on the Hoe, this landmark of Plymouth was constructed on Eddystone reef in 1759 at a cost of £40,000, but was taken down in the early 1880s when it was discovered that the sea was undermining the rock it was standing on. It was then moved to Plymouth Hoe, it is openly yearly and entrance fee is £2 for adults and £1 for concessions.
• Elizabethan House on the the Barbican for more information [4]
• Merchant's House A historic building tucked away down one of the city's oldest streets - the Merchant's House is Plymouth’s finest surviving example of a 16th/17th century residence. During the 17th century it was home to three Plymouth mayors including privateer William Parker, a friend of Sir Francis Drake.

Plymouth's city centre area is home to dozens of shops, including three department stores in close proximity to each other (Debenhams, House of Fraser, Derry's) as well as a new 1980s style covered shopping centre, which opened in October 2006. It is called Drake's Circus, includes Marks and Spencer and Boots, fashion chain Zara, shoe shop Sole Trader, and youth fashion brand Bershka. There is a vast Primark and the west country's largest branch of Spud U Like. Plymouth is the home of Plymouth Gin, and if you are into English Gin you may want to pick some up form the city it was distilled in even if the business is now owned by Pernod.

The 'Independent Quarter', to the West, offers different cheap and down-market shopping. There is no branch of John Lewis Waitrose or Ikea in the city.

For a city of its size, Plymouth does not have many fine restaurants, though it is home to the Tanners Restaurant run by brothers James and Chris Tanner. James is a well-known chef on British television. There are many good restaurants in the wider area. Among them: The Horn of Plenty at Chagford.

The [Plymouth Barbican|Barbican] has a very continental feel about it with restaurants and bars lined up along the quayside, the Barbican has probably the best variety of restaurants in Plymouth, varying from Chinese to Traditional. As with any major city, there are plenty of takeaway and fast food retailers within easy distance of most parts of Plymouth. Naturally, any visitor to the Westcountry should try a traditional pasty, a meat and potato mix wrapped in pastry. Try Ivor Dewdney's pasties to eat like the locals have done for over seventy years, or try the wonderfully entitled Oggy Oggy Pasty Company.

• Tanners Restaurant, Prysten House, Finewell Street, Tel 01752 252001, [6]. Probably the best restaurant in Plymouth.
• Lanten Restaurant on Cornwall Street (city center) Cypriot and Greek Fare
• Cafe India in Stoke Village is a highly regarded Indian restaurant in Plymouth.
• Platters on the Barbican Very reliable seafood dishes, try the scallops as a starter, and if you have room the large fish and chips.
• Capt' Jaspers, [7]. 'World Famous for Fine Food' a great value eating place on the barbican.
• Plymouth of course has all the usual fast food fare you could want (or not want); overall don't expect many great surprises.

Plymouth city Council supply a list of all food establishments here [8]

• The Dolphin public house on the Plymouth Barbican, a view of how pubs used to be.
• The Millbridge Inn in Millbridge, Plymouth,a Ferkin pub this usually has live music on a Friday and Saturday night.
• The China House at Coxside, this has great views over the harbour to the Barbican.
• The Lord Louis in Plympton is a suburban steak house.
• Pubs, clubs and bars due to the massive student population Plymouth has pretty much every national chain and plenty of local talent, good drinking areas include the Barbican, the area around the University and Mutley - it is not recommended to go down the Union Street on Friday or Saturday nights (but if you do there are a good few pubs and clubs)