Indoor activities in Plymouth

Top of the list of indoor activities in Plymouth simply has to be the National Marine Aquarium. It’s the largest public aquarium in the UK, and opens its doors to more than 300,000 visitors every year.

Taking you on a virtual journey from local waters of the Plymouth Sound all the way to The Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the National Marine Aquarium is split into different zones that showcase fish from all around the world. In the Biozone you can find Nemo, and his fellow clownfish friends alongside lionfish, seahorses, and a giant Pacific octopus. The Atlantic Ocean zone is home to the largest and deepest single tank in the UK. In its two million litres of water, there are lemon sharks over eight feet long, stingrays, barracudas, and many more spectacular species.

Best of all, it’s around the corner from our Lockyers Quay hotel, so you can walk there in a couple of minutes. It’s a really fun and interesting indoor activity if you’ve got a couple of hours to spare during your stay in Plymouth. Plus they run all kinds of events including feeding shows, informative talks, tours, and hands on workshops, to encourage people to engage with our blue planet.

There’s no better way to stay fit and have fun than a trip to Clip ’n Climb Plymouth. The indoor climbing centre is chock-a-block with fantastic climbing challenges for all ages and skill levels.

There’s no better way to stay fit and have fun than a trip to Clip ’n Climb Plymouth. The indoor climbing centre is chock-a-block with fantastic climbing challenges for all ages and skill levels.

After checking in, you’ll receive a 30-minute briefing session that shows you the fundamentals of climbing and how to stay safe, then you’ll be let loose to take on the various climbing walls and activities Clip ’n Climb has to offer.

There are walls, ropes, speed challenges, rotating obstacles and more to test you. The difficulty levels are colour coded, so if there’s one wall you particularly like you can master it over and over again. And if you do get stuck, the staff and instructors are really friendly and will be happy to help you get to grips with whichever wall you want to conquer.

Live Escape Rooms is Plymouth’s top rated Fun & Games activity on TripAdvisor. People just can’t seem to get enough of testing themselves against these fun challenges.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of escape rooms, you play in teams of between four and eight people to try and escape from a locked room. You’ll need to work together to decipher all sorts of clues, codes and symbols – but watch out for the ones that are meant to lead you astray – to win your freedom. And to add to the tension, you’ll be racing against the clock – you have an hour to escape, otherwise, you’ll have to suffer the shame of simply being released.

In total, Live Escape Rooms have four different challenges at any one time. They’re great for families, groups of friends or as a team building event. But be warned, escape rooms can be extremely addictive; thousands of people have played across the world, and 99% would visit again.

For the fast and the furious amongst you, Plymouth Karting rounds off our list of the city’s top indoor activities. Anyone from the age of eight upwards can take to the track, which will be music to the ears of any youngsters who want to show Mum and Dad who the real rulers of the roads are.

There are three kinds of kart to choose from depending on age, and you’ll receive a full briefing and all the right safety gear before you hit the tarmac. The track itself is all indoors, and has been designed to be drivable even for those that have never been behind the wheel. That’s not to say it’s boring though. Not at all! When you pick up the pace, it’s great fun and challenging in equal parts, and you’ll need your wits about you if you want to overtake anyone!

Plymouth Karting also has its own laser tag arena, spread over three levels and spanning a huge 6,000 square feet. It’s great fun, but it can get extremely competitive, especially when there are six teams battling it out at once. It’s worth noting that, just like the go-karts, children have to be eight years or older to play.