Golden Hinde, London

Ahoy, history buffs and aspiring pirates! From 1577 to 1580, the not-so-charming Sir Francis Drake - a pirate, slave trader, and all-around troublemaker - sailed around the globe aboard this vessel, plundering enough loot to out-earn Queen Elizabeth I herself. Not bad for three years’ work on the high seas...

More recently, in the 1970s, someone thought, “Hey, let’s rebuild that thing!” Thus, the full-sized replica we see today was born. This modern-day Golden Hinde didn’t just sit still - oh no. It clocked over 160,000 kilometers (that’s 100,000 miles, landlubbers), circumnavigating the globe once and then playing floating museum at ports all over the U.S. coastline. Finally, in 1995, it dropped anchor permanently in London.

Nowadays, the ship continues its swashbuckling mission with a lively weekend crew dressed in Tudor garb. Onboard, you’ll find three decks stuffed with historical curiosities and the charming scent of 16th-century discomfort. Cram yourself onto the gundeck - where most of Drake’s 80-strong crew slept, often elbow-to-elbow with sheep and goats - and you’ll wonder how they didn’t mutiny just for legroom.

For the wee ones, there are puppet shows, pirate training camps, and all the Yo-ho-ho their little hearts can handle. Grown-ups, worry not either - sea shanty choirs often drop anchor here, belting out maritime tunes that’ll make you want to hoist a pint and sing along...