Once you consider Devon, it’s often the coast and countryside which spring to thoughts – understandably so, however don’t overlook the county’s greatest metropolis, as you’ll discover a string of issues to do in Plymouth with children.
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As a result of whereas Exeter is the historic capital of Devon, Plymouth has some nice household sights, whether or not you’re visiting Devon on a wet day with children, seeking to hit the seashore, take a ship journey or get outside.
And there are some nice free days out in Plymouth with children too – I’ve rounded up my choose of the very best, from the great Nationwide Marine Aquarium and exhibitions of The Field to a historic lighthouse and state-of-the-art immersive enjoyable.
Nationwide Marine Aquarium, Plymouth
The most important public aquarium within the UK, you don’t have to attend for a wet day in Devon to go to the Nationwide Marine Aquarium, however as we found, it’s good if you want an indoor exercise.
With quirky trivia concerning the sea creatures inside, an opportunity to look out into Plymouth Sound, 400 totally different species on show and many family-friendly actions, it’s additionally an incredible choice in case you’re visiting Devon with toddlers in addition to older children.
Tickets have to be prebooked, with timed entry slots. The aquarium is open year-round.
Try my 13 causes to go to the Nationwide Marine Aquarium with children
The Field, Plymouth
The humanities and cultural hub of The Field has a mixture of everlasting galleries and momentary exhibitions – and even higher, there’s no entry cost in case you’re in search of free days out in Devon with children.
The shows have hyperlinks to Plymouth’s previous – every thing from a mannequin woolly mammoth to the figureheads of ships, together with a complete host of details about town’s seafaring previous, together with interactive screens and pictures exhibiting a number of the most well-known journeys which began in Plymouth.
Children can choose up free trails to observe as they discover, designed for all ages, with half a dozen totally different subjects, or step in entrance of a inexperienced display screen to attempt their hand as a TV presenter.
Open year-round. Click on right here for opening occasions and to e-book tickets. There’s a cost for some momentary exhibitions.
For extra free days out in Devon with children, try my high picks
The Mayflower Museum
Opened to have fun the four-hundredth anniversary of the Mayflower setting sail from Plymouth for the New World, the Mayflower Museum is a good way to introduce children to this specific a part of town’s maritime historical past.
There’s a youngsters’s path by means of the museum, every thing from the Mayflower ship and its passengers (together with baby passengers), to life and tradition of the Wampanoag Nation, the Native American tribal nation residing within the a part of Massachusetts the place the Mayflower made landfall.
Set over three flooring, there are additionally displays wanting on the affect of English colonialism to become older children pondering, plus a mannequin of the Mayflower itself inbuilt 1970 by apprentices at Devonport Royal Dockyard, on a 1:11 inch scale.
The Barbican, together with the Barbican touchdown stage for ferries, and the Mayflower Steps Memorial are each proper on the doorstep too, the beginning level for the Mayflower Path.
Plymouth Hoe
Yow will discover a number of the metropolis’s finest views from Plymouth Hoe, the massive inexperienced area overlooking Plymouth Sound (town’s pure harbour, additionally recognized merely as The Sound).
The general public park is the proper spot to get pleasure from some downtime with the household and let little ones stretch their legs. You possibly can take a stroll alongside the promenade, hunt for the park’s many statues and monuments, get pleasure from a picnic within the solar, and discover the peaceable sensory backyard, in addition to following the Hoe Path stroll.
It’s right here that Sir Francis Drake was enjoying bowls when information of the advancing Spanish Armada was acquired – confidently ending his sport earlier than heading out to defeat the invading fleet. His statue stands just some metres from the bowling inexperienced to at the present time.
In addition to being a beautiful area to calm down and take within the scenic views, The Hoe can also be house to many extra of the very best issues to do in Plymouth with children, equivalent to Smeatons Tower, The Royal Citadel, and Tinside Lido (scroll down for extra particulars).
Smeaton’s Tower
Smeaton’s Tower is a historic lighthouse that sits because the centrepiece of Plymouth Hoe, and it’s one of many metropolis’s most iconic and recognisable landmarks.
The lighthouse was initially constructed on the Eddystone reef (round 12 miles off Plymouth’s shoreline) in 1759. However when it was found that the rock it was standing on was starting to erode, it was taken down and moved – stone by stone – to its present place.
The 72-foot-high tower is now open to the general public, and you may climb the staircases to achieve the historic lantern room, for extra fabulous views over town and its environment.
The steps and ladders to achieve the highest of the tower are pretty steep, so it’s not the best choice in case you’re carrying a child or toddler. However the stairs are definitely doable for little legs as Claire from Devon with Children found.
The Royal Citadel
Situated to the east of Hoe Park, The Royal Citadel is a big 350-year-old clifftop fortification that was initially constructed to defend town from Dutch invasion.
At present, the imposing fortress continues to be used as a working navy base, so you may solely go to on a guided tour. Excursions run just a few occasions every week, so be sure you test dates and e-book prematurely (and don’t be late!)
On the two-hour tour, younger historical past buffs can be taught all concerning the metropolis’s navy historical past from an attractive and educated native information. As you wander by means of the baroque gates and alongside the ramparts, hold an eye fixed out for the various cannon and benefit from the views over the harbour.
The tour could not seize the eye of youthful visitors and little ones who need to run round on their very own (it’s good to keep on with the group) but it surely’s positively an fascinating expertise for older youngsters and youths.
West Hoe Park
When you’re exploring The Hoe, don’t overlook to take a slight detour to West Hoe Park, one other of the very best locations to go to in Plymouth with children.
The small park is jam-packed with thrilling rides and sights for the entire household to get pleasure from. You’ll discover a big journey playground, a household pleasant mini golf course, a miniature practice, trampolines, a bouncy citadel, a merry-go-round, and extra.
And if you get hungry, cease for an ice cream or indulgent loaded waffle from the Ocean Metropolis snack hut on the southern fringe of the park.
In case you’re in search of concepts of extra Plymouth parks to go to with children, discover a full record right here, together with Mount Clever Park, looking throughout to Cornwall and down onto Royal William Yard and residential to Mount Clever swimming swimming pools, a number of summer season out of doors swimming pools together with a child’s pool
Tinside Lido
Relationship again to 1935, this huge out of doors swimming pool on Plymouth Hoe allows you to take a step again in time and benefit from the quintessential British seaside expertise of yesteryear.
Due to its stunning Artwork Deco fashion and sweeping views throughout the harbour, the historic Lido was voted one of many high 10 out of doors swimming pools in all of Europe. Which actually isn’t a lot of a shock when you see it.
Children of all ages will love splashing round within the large saltwater pool and getting soaked by the central fountain. There’s additionally a big sundeck for folks to keep watch over their children whereas absorbing the solar and having fun with the attractive views over the water.
Tinside Lido is open through the summer season months, often from Might. Prebooking strongly suggested and important throughout busy durations.
Market Corridor
Opened in 2021, Plymouth’s Market Corridor is a state-of-the-art digital innovation and studying area. It’s house to the most important immersive dome in Europe and the second largest on the earth.
The 15-metre-tall dome incorporates a 210-degree display screen that guarantees a tremendous full-scale digital actuality expertise with no need a headset.
The most effective Plymouth sights for households, there are many exhibits and experiences good for kids of all ages. Current household exhibits embody ‘Outer House: Aliens and Guardians’, ‘Dinosaurs: A Story of Survival’, and ‘Legend of the Enchanted Reef’.
Every of the exhibits lasts between 30 and 45 minutes, which is nice for shorter consideration spans too. Youngsters’s tickets could be bought for as little as £1.50, whereas grownup tickets value between £3.50-£5.50, making it one of many metropolis’s most inexpensive household experiences as effectively.
Take a ship journey
Expertise Plymouth from a unique perspective on a enjoyable sightseeing cruise of the massive harbour and delightful Devon shoreline.
Plymouth Boat Journeys runs a family-friendly one-hour scenic harbour cruise, which takes you previous Plymouth Hoe and Drake’s Island, earlier than pulling into Devonport Royal Dockyard, the most important naval base in western Europe, the place you could be fortunate sufficient to identify warships and nuclear submarines.
The corporate additionally runs particular themed cruises for households and children all year long, such because the Household Summer time Sundowner, the Youngsters’s Pirate Disco Cruise, and themed Halloween and Christmas Cruises. Maintain an eye fixed out for particular occasions throughout your go to.
Or hop onto the Barbican, Royal William Yard & Mount Edgcumbe ferry service, which hyperlinks the three websites, letting you cruise from Plymouth to Cornwall, the place you may discover Mount Edgcumbe Home and nation park earlier than crusing again throughout the Sound to Plymouth once more.
Royal William Yard
In addition to with the ability to choose up a ferry, there’s lots to tempt you to Royal William Yard with children. As soon as a victualling yard for the Royal Navy, the place ships would tackle provides, now it’s house to eating places, a cinema, a begin level for boat journeys and someplace to get artistic.
Households can take a stroll alongside the Geo Path, winding round Royal William Yard and alongside the South West Coast Path to uncover 380 million years of geological historical past.
Then head to Ocean Studios for kids’s mini-maker classes, in addition to an opportunity to see exhibitions of labor by native artists, or craft classes at Hub Field.
Or lease paddleboards to get out onto the water beneath your personal energy, or have a swim within the tidal pool at Firestone Bay, with a sloped entry that’s nice in case you’re visiting with youthful swimmers or little ones who need to paddle.
Go to Drake’s Island
Take a ferry from the Barbican touchdown stage over Plymouth Sound to discover Drake’s Island – named for Sir Francis Drake, who was governor of the island within the sixteenth century, it regularly misplaced its previous title of St Nicholas’s Island.
Tucked away within the waters of the Sound between Devon and Cornwall, there’s an opportunity to identify seals napping on the rocks close by earlier than taking a two-hour tour to discover additional.
The tour is a good introduction to the historical past of the island, which was used as a jail within the seventeenth century, and later as an observatory. Spot the 4 big cannon as you wander the previous paths and thru tunnels.
You’ll even get to search out out the reply as to whether the island is formally a part of Cornwall or Devon…
Make a journey to the seashore
With its improbable coastal location on the Devon and Cornwall border, Plymouth is only a quick distance from a number of pretty sandy seashores.
Only a 15-20 minute drive from town centre, Bovisand Seashore is among the finest family-friendly seashores near Plymouth.
Sheltered by the encompassing cliffs, the secluded bay hides a big sandy seashore with clear waters and tide swimming pools which can be good for paddling with youthful youngsters. There are additionally loads of facilities close to the seashore, together with a carpark (which prices £5 a day), a restaurant, and public bogs.
In case you’re visiting town in summer season, or having fun with some sudden sunshine, a visit to Bovisand Seashore makes for an incredible household day trip in Plymouth. It’s value realizing that no canine are allowed on the sands between Might 1 and September 30.
In case you have some additional time and need to discover extra, head somewhat additional south to take a look at Wembury Bay and its many rock swimming pools – one of many finest seashores in Devon with children.
Jennycliff Seashore is barely nearer, though this little cove has a pebble seashore quite than sand, and has its personal rock swimming pools to discover.
Set throughout the South Devon Space of Excellent Pure Magnificence (AONB) and on the South West Coast Path, there’s free automotive parking and canine are allowed year-round. There’s a steep path down in case you’re planning a visit to Plymouth with toddlers although.
Saltram Home
Round 20 minutes from Plymouth metropolis centre, this elegant Georgian home was owned by the Parker household from 1712 for nearly 250 years, and you may nonetheless see a lot of the unique assortment at Saltram Home.
Children are more likely to be extra within the reality there are common new trails, plus alternatives to decorate up and take a look at actions inside, with additional seasonal occasions geared toward households.
Open many of the 12 months, however there are decreased hours through the winter months and the home is closed utterly throughout a part of the winter. Click on right here for opening occasions and tickets.
Clip’n’Climb Plymouth
Situated simply to the north of town centre, Clip ‘n Climb is the UK’s largest indoor climbing centre and an incredible place to spend a wet day in Plymouth with children.
The thrilling journey park has an enormous choice of climbing partitions appropriate for kids 4 years and above, in addition to a lot of different enjoyable obstacles and challenges.
There’s additionally a gentle play space for youths beneath 4 in case you’re visiting Plymouth with toddlers, so the climbing centre is a enjoyable day trip for the entire household, from tots to teenagers.
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Nationwide Marine Aquarium copyright MummyTravels, all different pictures courtesy of Depositphotos
