Plymouth campsites

As a port town, the waterfront is a great place to start to take in all the city has to offer. Plymouth Hoe boasts excellent views of the beautiful bay known as Plymouth Sound and is a great place to watch the ships go by.

Smeaton's Tower is the postcard landmark here, which was part of a former lighthouse that was dismantled and moved from Eddystone Rocks to be re-erected at Plymouth Hoe. It was renowned to be a major step forward in lighthouse design and is a great place for family photos.

If you fancy getting out on the water, The Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre has a range of great activities including windsurfing, kayaking, coasteering and stand-up paddleboarding available for all ages. Or simply enjoy the sun at Tinside Lido, an open air sea water pool. 

And after your stroll along the front, take a load off with a bite to eat at one of the many cafés, bars and restaurants in the Barbican area. A visit to Plymouth Gin Distillery is a must for adults. 

Families looking for a fun filled day out will get exactly that at the National Marine Aquarium which has a range of marine life including sharks and stingrays and even has a sunken WWII plane in one of the tanks. Nearby Treasure Island is a pirate-themed play area, with mini-golf and lots of other bits to keep youngsters well entertained.

West Hoe Park offers lots of green space, trampolines and crazy golf - and the indoor trampoline park at Super Tramp Plymouth is perfect for any rainy days.

Walkers will love exploring parts of the 630-mile-long South West Coast Path, while Plymbridge Woods and Burrator Reservoir are also both great for a stroll. If you prefer pedal power, the Plym Valley Cycle Trail is a gentle route along a disused railway.

Back in town, Curious About Plymouth offer walking tours of the city for both kids and adults. 

Plymouth has a range of fascinating architecture too, including Saltram House, which is a grand Georgian mansion with enticing gardens and parkland that is maintained by National Trust. There are also a variety of great museums and art galleries to visit including the Devonport Naval Heritage Centre which shows the history of Plymouth’s dockyard.

The Peninsula Arts Gallery works alongside Plymouth University to showcase up and coming artistic talents and is a brilliant way to spend an afternoon musing over their artwork. For more culture, the Theatre Royal has shows running all year.

Further afield, outdoorsy folk should definitely make time for exploring Dartmoor National Park with its vast moorland and wild ponies. The South Devon Heritage Coast has everything from castles to steamtrains, while beautiful Buckfast Abbey - part of an active Benedictine monastery - is not too far.

Salcombe and Bigbury-on-Sea (with tractor rides over to Burgh Island) are also well worth visiting - as are a number of local beaches including Bovisand, Wembury, Challaborough and Bantham.