Things to Do in Norwell

The ferry etches white waves into the rippling, blue expanse of Cape Cod Bay as it speeds away from Plymouth. From his cabin on the top deck, the captain––a licensed skipper armed with more than 20 years of seafaring experience––slides his sunglasses over his eyes to shield them from the morning sun that gilds the waters in its glittering beams. From their seats on one the ferry’s two open decks or inside the 100-foot enclosed cabin, passengers gaze at historic sites as they listen to a narrated history of Plymouth Harbor.

Champions of introducing visitors to the area’s storied past, Waterfront Enterprises’ crew members shepherd guests back and forth between Plymouth and Provincetown during daily three-hour roundtrips throughout the summer months. The U.S. Coast Guard-inspected ferry sidles up to Provincetown’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a five-hour stopover, granting visitors a window in which to explore the community’s abundant sights. Guests can peruse local art galleries before stopping for lunch at a restaurant or hitting the Cape Cod National Seashore to comb the beach for shells capable of broadcasting the soothing sounds of the sea or Enya. After an afternoon of wandering, sightseers hop back on the carpeted, climate-controlled vessel to return to Plymouth as evening draws near.

First established in 1913, the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra proudly embraces a storied history that saw the group blossom from a 30-piece ensemble to a professional symphony orchestra of 75 musicians. Steven Karidoyanes has marshaled this acoustical army as its music director since 1994, leading them in performances at venues across the state.

After years of blending her own hypoallergenic soaps to accommodate the needs of her daughter's sensitive skin, Pamela Carousso reserved space at her first farmer's market, attracting an immediate and dedicated fan base. Now, more than 15 years later, she still crafts her own handmade soaps and bath products in small batches. After expanding with the help of business partner Steve Carousso, the company now offers natural products such as talc-free mineral eye shadows, as well as stationery and accessories.

A variety of classes are offered at the shop six days a week and two times per day. Students can concoct their own lathering agents, stirring cauldrons of molten fixings and bubbling essential oils over crackling electric fires. Carousso spins thorough instructions and covers safety procedures that help guests avoid being bitten by a Bunsen burner.

While majestic chestnut stallions, brown and white pinto mares, and blond pony hunters roam Herring Brook Farm’s 28 acres of open ranch land, owner Mary Beth McGee lopes among them on a bronze steed, training juniors and adults hunter and jumper techniques for competitions and show. Spurred by a lifelong love of horses, she took up coaching more than 20 years ago, leading a number of her students to national finals while instilling the fundamentals of proper horse care in everyone she teaches. When not showing horses and their pet humans how to leap fences, brick walls, or Shaquille O'Neal, Mary Beth opens her farm to horse shows, where tenderfoot colts and wizened horses prance and pose in an indoor ring with a heated viewing room. She also raises horses for sale or lease and runs summer youth riding camps and dressage programs with the help of her capable staff.

Hingham Civic Music Theatre's members and 21-person ensemble fully realize the production with period costumes and handmade sets. Since 1948, the company has given local theater aficionados the chance to practice their craft in fully staged productions of beloved works.