>Wondering what to do after Thanksgiving? Thinking that maybe it’s time to hit the road and rediscover America during the holiday season? Why not combine it all by climbing into a Monaco RV and making an early December trek to the place that started it all? Just roll on over to the nation’s most celebrated rock – in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Located about 40 miles south of Boston, Plymouth calls itself “America’s Hometown,” a nod to the famed Pilgrims who arrived there on the Mayflower in 1620. Today, the pilgrims are tourists who come for a whale watching excursion, an afternoon of deep sea fishing, a hike or ride horseback at Myles Standish State Forest, a relaxing game of golf at several nearby courses, or to savor New England chowder at several restaurants. But most people come for the history.
Yes, there is actually a Plymouth Rock, where the sea-weary Pilgrims from the Mayflower first set foot in the New World. The Cornerstone of the Nation, as it is sometimes called, may be the coolest rock this side of Stonehenge, and it is certainly the most symbolic site in town. But it is hardly the most educational. For instance, Pilgrim Hall Museum, built in 1824, houses the actual possessions of the Pilgrims and tells the story from the perspective of the natives – the Wampanoag “People of the Dawn” who inhabited the area for several millennia before the Pilgrims arrived.
To gain an even greater understanding of the natives and the settlers, steer your RV to Plimoth Plantation, located 2½ miles south of Plymouth Rock on Route 3A. A living history of the 17th-century Plymouth Colony, it offers a re-creation of both a Wampanoag home site and a 1627 Pilgrim village, where costumed role players stay in character, taking on life histories and viewpoints of early 17th century settlers. It also offers 17th-century style meals.
But the highlight of any journey to Plymouth is a visit to Mayflower II, a replica of the famed late 16th-century merchant ship, built from the same Devon oak in Brixham, England. Just a few blocks from Plymouth Rock, it is an opportunity to imagine sailing with the folks who landed there. After making your way past several dockside exhibits, you can explore the decks of the ship – the Round House where the journey was plotted and the Great Cabin occupied by the ship’s master – while chatting with costumed players who won’t stray from character (no matter how hard a landlubber may try).
Stepping aboard Mayflower II is like embarking on a journey to a new world, like setting a course for discovery. Then again, if you arrived in Plymouth in a Monaco RV, you’ve already experienced that.
Pilgrim Memorial State Park: 508-866-2580
Pilgrim Hall Museum: 508-746-1620, www.pilgrimhall.org
Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II: 508-746-1622, www.plimoth.org
