Best things to do in Plymouth at night
Plymouth is the South West’s second largest city (after Bristol), and there’s plenty to do day or night here – whatever your tastes!
It’s a naval port, student city and residential centre, which means that there’s a real mix of nightlife.
Here are the best things to do in Plymouth at night!
See a show at Theatre Royal Plymouth
By painma – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40629939
Theatre Royal Plymouth sits in the heart of the city.
Big touring musicals share the stage with experimental new writing and stand-up acts in The Drum, its smaller studio space.
If you’re visiting in winter, this is a wonderful warming activity, but there’s a full programme in the summer too!
Explore the Barbican after dark
The Barbican is Plymouth’s oldest quarter and its most atmospheric at night. It’s also my favourite part of the city!
Streetlights reflect on the cobbles, and the smell of the harbour drifts between pubs, seafood restaurants and bars. For dinner, I love pizza at The Stable (a West Country chain) or The Harbour. The Boathouse is fun for drinks, too!
Try Genting Casino Plymouth on Union Street
Genting Casino Plymouth stays open until 4 a.m. on Union Street.
Inside, the tables light up for blackjack, roulette, mahjong and three-card poker, with live gaming from 6 p.m. onwards.
There’s a bar serving cocktails, beers and gins, plus large screens showing live sport.
It’s all live action, so is quite different to online games like non gamstop casino platforms, but it’s a bright, lively space sitting within Plymouth’s nightlife circuit, halfway between the Barbican and North Hill.
Listen to live music on the waterfront
There’s live music in Plymouth many nights of the week.
The Junction hosts indie and rock gigs in a low-lit space near Mutley Plain, while The Treasury, a converted bank close to the Hoe, leans towards jazz and acoustic sets.
In summer the waterfront stages outdoor performances, but even in winter you’ll find open-mic nights and student bands.
Eat late in Royal William Yard
Royal William Yard, a previous naval yard, has been renovated into one of the South West’s most stylish evening spots!
The limestone warehouses now hold restaurants such as The Hook & Line, Le Vignoble and Hub Box.
String lights cross the courtyard, and the tide laps below the quay walls. It’s the perfect date night location!
Watch the city lights from Plymouth Hoe
Plymouth Hoe is a lovely place for an after-dinner walk.
Smeaton’s Tower stands lit above the Sound, and from the railings you might see a ferry – ships depart Plymouth and head to France and Northern Spain.
Sunsets over the Tamar are glorious from here, too!
Discover late-night bars and cocktails
There’s an abundance of classy drinking venues throughout Plymouth!
The Treasury serves well-made classics in a grand setting, while Tigermilk at the Duke boasts a “secret” cocktail lounge”
The B-Bar under the Barbican Theatre mixes Asian food with live funk and soul, and Cosmic Kitchen’s evening events pull in a friendly crowd. You can plan an entire night without leaving the centre!
Join the energy on North Hill
North Hill is where the student nightlife takes over.
Cheap pints. DJs. Packed dance floors, all nights of the week!
Popular student venues are Switch and Underground, which stay open until the small hours. Not my kind of thing these days, but I remember having a good few nights out in Plymouth when some of my friends were at university in the city!
Play late at Paradise Island Adventure Golf
Inside The Barcode at Drake Circus you’ll find Paradise Island Adventure Golf. The space spans 16,000 square feet across two 18-hole tropical-themed courses, filled with glowing lagoons, shipwreck props and jungle sounds that make you forget you’re indoors!
After you finish your round, head upstairs to The Bunker for snacks, drinks or even a bottomless brunch if you come back at the weekend.
Enjoy some games at Spinners Plymouth
On the lower ground floor of The Barcode, Spinners Plymouth hosts duckpin bowling, electric darts, shuffleboard, clay shooting simulators and interactive golf. These are all played under soft neon and blossom-tree lighting. Sessions run until midnight on weekends!
Between games, the bar serves cocktails, craft beers and pizzas straight from the oven. Early evening suits families, with children welcome until 7 p.m., but later is for a livelier crowd!
