South Shore-Plymouth Hingham, MA

Plymouth was the site of the first American colony when the Mayflower landed in 1620, and the town was founded in 1621. Located 40 miles south of Boston, rope making, fishing and shipping were the important industries of the area during the 19th century, but today tourism leads the economy. Plymouth is the largest town in the South Shore area and also ranks as one of the largest cities in Massachusetts.

Pilgrim Memorial State Park, the smallest park in the Massachusetts park system, has the most visitors of any park in the state. Here you can find Plymouth Rock and the National Monument to the Forefathers. The state established this park in 1921 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the pilgrims’ landing.

A living history museum, Plimoth Plantation recreates the 1627 Plymouth settlement. Visitors can see tour guides dressed in period outfits and see a replication of an actual farming homestead from the past. Visitors can also tour the Mayflower II, a full-sized replica of the original ship.

Located on Court Street, the Pilgrim Hall Museum houses some of the rarest and most complete collection of artifacts from the pilgrims. See Myles Standish’s sword, William Bradford’s Bible and a sampler made by Myles Standish’s daughter. Visitors can also learn about the Wampanoag, the Native American people who were at Plymouth when the Mayflower landed.

In August each year, downtown Plymouth comes alive for the Downtown Plymouth Waterfront Festival. Over 250 craft and food vendors set up shop downtown. Kids enjoy the fun-zone area, and the festival makes for a great family day.

Residents and visitors to the Plymouth area have a variety of seafood restaurants to choose from when they’re hungry, and Blue-Eyed Crab Caribbean Grill has the best menu selections around. Start off your meal with banana garlic chicken wings, perfectly spiced and served with a tropical crème dipping sauce. A local favorite entrée is the lobster and shrimp bucatini pasta, served with cherry tomato a la rhum sauce, basil, sweet peas and mozzarella cheese.

Take a drive down a winding dirt road to get to Rye Tavern. Serving seasonal fare, this restaurant enthusiastically supports the farm-to-table movement, and you can taste the freshness in every dish. Locals highly recommend starting with the crispy Brussels sprouts, served with sunflower seeds and gorgonzola cheese. For a seafood entrée, the seared sea scallops with parsnip and pear hash melt in your mouth. Beef lovers enjoy the bison top sirloin, served with a red beet risotto, braised greens and wild mushrooms. Save room for dessert, as the homemade tiramisu perfectly tops off your meal.

For homestyle yet upscale Italian fare, Patrizia’s features only the freshest ingredients prepared in a simple, rustic Italian style. The menu changes often, using seasonal produce and fresh seafood, but if the salmon pappardelle pasta happens to be on the menu, definitely order it. The homemade pasta, made perfectly, shines in tortelli di ricotta e spinaci con burro e salvia, a spinach- and ricotta-filled ravioli served with a sage butter sauce.

After a day touring the sites around Plymouth, stroll into the British Beer Company for a brew. While there is no food sold at this BBC location, the beer selection more than makes up for it. Over 15 different craft beers are on tap, and the pub also has a nice selection of bottled beer. Grab a pint of Guinness, or try something different such as a Hobgoblin, a full-bodied British import.

If you want wings, Speedwell Tavern on Main Street has 20 different styles of wings to choose from. Choose from dry rubs such as Jamaican jerk and garlic herb, and top off the wings with dipping sauces such as Kentucky bourbon or Thai peanut.

Transportation in and around Plymouth consists of multiple options for residents and visitors alike. Route 3, also known as Pilgrim’s Highway, is the main route between Cape Cod and Boston, making traveling from Plymouth convenient.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has rail service from Plymouth north to Braintree and South Station in Boston, providing easy transportation for those commuting for work or shopping in the Boston area.

Serving Plymouth and surrounding areas, Mayflower Taxi accepts Uber from riders, and fares start at $4. During the summer tourist season, the taxi company has 24-hour service, with reduced hours during the rest of the year.

Bus service through Plymouth and Brockton costs residents $27 for a round-trip excursion from the Plymouth/Duxbury area to South Station in Boston, allowing riders to avoid the limited available parking spaces in Boston.

The South Shore region has numerous park and recreation facilities available to residents and visitors.

Morton Park, Plymouth’s largest park, has approximately 200 acres of forest and shoreline for visitors to enjoy, including 2 1/2 miles of hiking trails and swimming beaches. Bring along a picnic lunch, and enjoy the beautiful setting.

Myles Standish State Park features 35 miles of equestrian trails, 15 miles of biking trails and 13 miles of hiking trails to explore. Camping, fishing and canoeing through the forest provide a breathtaking experience for nature lovers of all ages. Although dogs are allowed in the park, they must be leashed. Proof of up-to-date rabies vaccination are needed to camp overnight with dogs.

Rentals in the area averaged $1,100 in 2012; higher than the national average, electricity costs in Plymouth runs approximately $219 per month, or 31.9 per cent higher. Basic phone services cost $38.25 compared to the national average of $27.95, or 36.9 percent higher. Overall, the cost-of-living index is 2.8 percent higher than the rest of Massachusetts and 35.4 percent higher than the national average.

Located in Braintree, the premiere shopping destination is the South Shore Plaza. The mall features large-name retailers such as Nordstrom, The Cheesecake Factory and Sur La Table. With convenient parking, a multitude of fine shops and a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, shoppers can find plenty of items to browse through during their visit.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with a cupcake from Piece of Cake, located on Water Street near the waterfront. It also serves freshly baked cookies, and if you have a large party or wedding, makes amazing cakes for any event.

Dirty Water Distillery, located on Water Street, produces local spirits with a modern taste. As cranberries grow locally, the distillery features them in Bogmonster, its version of cranberry gin. Family recipes show up in some of its liquors as well, such as Velnias, a traditional Lithuanian honey liquor made from the owner’s grandfather’s recipe. The shop doesn’t have traditional hours but happily arranges tour and tasting for interested patrons.

As the largest open-air shopping center in the area, Colony Place has 40 shops and 10 restaurants all in one area, making eating and shopping incredibly convenient. Charming Charlie has stylish women’s fashions, and you can find several jewelry stores and children's stores.

Dillon and Company has antique shops in Duxbury and in Plymouth. Antique hunters appreciate the antique and reproduction English and French furniture, as well as beautiful paintings and lighting fixtures.

The Plymouth Farmers Market is held at Plimoth Plantation. The outdoor market runs from June through October, and they also have an indoor winter market starting in October. Residents and visitors can find fresh, local, organic produce; chicken and duck eggs; and fresh seafood among the large variety of vendors.

A favorite local grocery store, The Market in Plymouth carries the freshest seafood in town, and residents rave about the entire meat department. Fifteen minutes west of Plymouth, residents also shop at Berry Guys, a small grocery shop that doesn’t take credit cards but has a very nice selection of locally grown and made products.