Much of Plymouth city centre was blitzed during the Second World War but has now been rebuilt. There is a wide-ranging area of shops including the Amarda Centre and Drake Circus shopping mall. Eating out is a pleasure with many restaurants offering international cuisine. The Theatre Royal has a good selection of productions ranging from Shakespeare to Pantomime. Plymouth Pavilions is the venue for pop concerts and exhibitions. The city also has museums and art galleries.
Plymouth is best known for The Hoe where it was reputed Sir Francis Drake played a game of bowls when England was about to be invaded by The Spanish Armada. The hoe is a large green open space area facing the sea and has magnificent views of Plymouth Sound and Drake’s Island. It is a very pleasant area to stroll around or to relax on one of the many seat provided. There is frequent activity on the water, including ferries, fishing trawlers, warship movements, and sailing boats. The Eastnet yacht race ends in Plymouth. Plymouth also has a very large National Marine Aquarium.
Plymouth is an ideal base for touring and car rental Plymouth is an excellent option to visit Buckland Abbey, a few miles north of the City, and nearby Dartmoor National Park and the pretty towns of Okehampton and Tavistock. The adjacent county of Cornwall is also a great touring area with its seaside villages and towns, dramatic coastline and a sea which is a paradise for surfers.