Every year Plymouth City Council organises a bonfire and fireworks display that attracts a large crowd. The event at Plymouth Hoe also includes games and entertainment from local radio stations, fairground rides and food stalls.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Smeaton's Tower in Plymouth is a triumph of 18th-century engineering and was initially built on the treacherous Eddystone Rocks, 14 miles out at sea. Moved by the Victorians to Plymouth Hoe, it has now been restored to its original glory.
Available :
Daily; not Mon or Sun
The Merchants House in Plymouth takes visitors on a journey back in time. A historic building in one of the city's oldest streets, today this 16th/17th-century residence is a mini museum crammed with artefacts, curiosities and photographs.
Available :
Mar - Oct 2013; not Mon or Sun (annual)
England's oldest working distillery is still turning out fine Plymouth Gin and is happy to let you in on the secret of how it's made with a tour of the production process.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
The Plymouth City Museum and Fine Art Gallery houses a wide variety of collections covering the fine and decorative arts, natural history and human history. Special displays include fine examples of Plymouth porcelain, Joshua Reynolds paintings and the precious 18th-century Cottonian collection of Old Masters, rare prints and books.
Available :
Daily; not Mon or Sun
On the first Wednesday of every month, Plymouth's Barbican Theatre B Bar hosts The Comedy Club, a stand-up night featuring up-and-coming and renowned comedians from the UK and overseas.
Available :
Feb 2013 (monthly)
The Plymouth Mayflower is an interactive visitor attraction located close to the Mayflower steps, from where the Pilgrim Fathers left for the "New World" on the Mayflower ship.
Available :
Daily
A genuine Tudor sea captain's home, the Elizabethan House in Plymouth contains period furniture and fabrics, sloping oak floors and beams and a winding staircase. The kitchen and garden have also recently been restored.
Available :
Mar - Oct 2013 (annual)
Plymouth's Christmas lights are switched on from the Guildhall City Square every year by a local celebrity, attracting a large crowd. The event signals the beginning of late-night shopping on Thursdays and there is plenty of family entertainment too.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Discovery Surf School provides professional coaching for all ages and levels, with the emphasis on safe, quality tuition in small groups. Learn to surf in safety with a beginner course, improver lesson or develop your surfing skills with an advanced coaching session. Lessons usually take place at Bigbury-on-Sea, a short hop from Totnes.
Available :
Daily
Saltram House is a magnificent Georgian mansion overlooking the Plym estuary just outside Plymouth. Built in the 18th century, it boasts beautiful gardens by Robert Adams and was chosen as the location for the film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
Available :
Daily; not Fri
Dubbed "Glastonbury for books", the Port Eliot Festival in St Germans has everything from cabaret performances, film screenings and art showings to poetry slams, engaging literary discussions, artistic workshops and a host of fun activities to amuse the kids.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
Within the 700-year-old Buckland Abbey is a beautiful 16th-century Great Hall and memorabilia from the time of Elizabethan seafarers Sir Francis Drake and Sir Richard Grenville. Walks, workshops and a fabulous monastic barn make this Yelverton attraction worth visiting.
Available :
Feb - Mar 2013; Fri, Sat, and Sun only (various dates)
Set in an area replete with healing energy, Grimstone Manor offers year-round courses and retreats to help boost the ego, make people happier and allow for some serious time out.
Available :
Daily
The spectacular setting of medieval Dartington Hall and a great line-up of top-class authors and literary figures makes the Ways With Words Festival one of Britain's premier literary gatherings. Each year the hall welcomes a wide range of star guests.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
Travel gently back in time on a Great Western Railway coach pulled by a steam engine, as you ride on the South Devon Railway between Totnes and Buckfastleigh.
Available :
Mar - Nov 2010 (annual)
Widecombe Fair at Fair Field is one of the most well-known country occasions in Devon. This traditional agricultural show has stalls and events, from the ugliest vegetable display to family dog shows, gymkhanas, maypole dancing and bale tossing.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
Dominating the upper end of the town, Totnes Castle is a classic example of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle. Walk the battlements of this English Heritage castle and take in views over the River Dart and towards Dartmouth, Dartmoor and beyond.
Available :
Jan - Apr 2013; Weekends only (various dates)
There aren't many towns where a visit to the council headquarters is a major experience, but Totnes Guildhall is truly fascinating. Built in 1553 on the ruins of the medieval priory, it has served as court, prison and meeting place.
Available :
Apr - Oct 2013; Weekdays only (annual)
Follow the meandering River Dart from Totnes on the river path to Dartington. Starting at the Steamer Quay in Totnes, the riverside trail passes through copses and alongside old mills. You can also take steamer trips south to Dartmouth.
Available :
Daily
This "haunted" castle tells a medieval story of a Norman family - the Pomeroys - and Elizabethan renovation with its adjoining mansion. Wander through the gatehouse to Berry Pomeroy's ruins for views of the ravine below.
Available :
Apr - Oct 2013 (annual)
With hundreds of different-sized crafts taking part, the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta presents three days of action-packed, family-oriented, adventurous fun. Events are held at Dartmouth Port.
Available :
Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
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