Things to Do in Plymouth

Two of the main places to visit in Plymouth, Massachusetts are on the waterfront at Pilgrim Memorial State Park, home to Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II, and inland at Myles Standish State Forest, where you can camp, swim, hike and bike in over 12,400 acres of pine forest. The National Monument to the Forefathers is in town, the Myles Standish Monument is in neighboring Duxbury, and Scusset Beach is on Cape Cod Bay in Sagamore. All five are run by DCR, the state parks agency.

Plymouth Rock and Pilgrim Memorial State Park

DCR's waterfront park at 79 Water Street holds Plymouth Rock under its portico, the Mayflower II museum ship, and views over Plymouth Harbor. DCR says it draws more than a million visitors a year. It is open sunrise to sunset.

Within the park DCR lists Cole's Hill Burial Ground, the Massasoit Statue, the Pilgrim Sarcophagus, the William Bradford Statue, the Pilgrim Mother Garden, Frazier Memorial State Pier and an amphitheater. The Mayflower II itself is managed by Plimoth Patuxet Museums, so check their site for its hours and tickets.

Parking along the park is two-hour metered parking, $1.25 an hour from 9 am to 7 pm, April 1 through November 30, according to DCR. Dogs are allowed.

National Monument to the Forefathers

On Allerton Street in Plymouth stands an 81-foot granite monument, completed in 1889, that DCR describes as a Victorian-era interpretation of what drove the Pilgrims to leave England. DCR opens it April through November, dawn to dusk, with free parking on site. Dogs must be on a leash.

Myles Standish Monument, Duxbury

The forest's namesake has his own monument in Duxbury. On Captain's Hill in Duxbury, 200 feet above sea level, DCR's Myles Standish Monument State Reservation has a 116-foot granite shaft crowned by a 14-foot statue of Standish. When it is open, you can climb 125 steps to a small viewing area with views across the South Shore, from the Blue Hills to Cape Cod.

• Open weekends 9 am to 5 pm, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
• Free parking. Picnic tables in summer.
• Rain and heavy wind close it. Children must be with an adult. It is not wheelchair accessible.

Myles Standish State Forest

Inland from the waterfront, the forest is the outdoor side of a Plymouth trip: 13 miles of hiking trails, over 15 miles of paved bike path, a summer swimming beach at College Pond, and close to 400 campsites. DCR's booking page calls the campground a great home base for exploring historic Plymouth.

Scusset Beach State Reservation

For salt water, DCR's Scusset Beach in Sagamore sits at the southwest corner of Cape Cod Bay with 1.5 miles of beach. Walk the jetty to watch ships pass through the Cape Cod Canal. Lifeguards are on duty from Juneteenth to Labor Day. In 2026 the day parking fee was $14 for Massachusetts plates and $40 for others, May 23 to October 12.

A Day That Covers Both

1. Morning on the waterfront: Plymouth Rock, the harbor and the statues at Pilgrim Memorial State Park.
2. Drive to the Forefathers Monument on Allerton Street (April through November).
3. Afternoon in the forest: a swim at College Pond in summer, or the easy East Head Reservoir loop from Forest Headquarters any time of year.
4. Stay over at one of the four camping ponds, May into October.

Good For

• History plus outdoors in one trip.
• Families who want free or cheap stops: the Forefathers and Standish monuments have free parking.

Maybe Skip If

• You're visiting in winter and want the monuments. Forefathers opens April through November, the Standish Monument only on summer weekends.