Things to Do in Whitman

The trainers at Hidden Hollow Farm and Stables help students of all ages and backgrounds build horsemanship skills and confidence on a safe 18-acre farm. Denise and Amy each bring more than 15 years of experience to the equine education of guests, and Amy has helped riders to national competitions. In addition to personal instruction in private lessons, the farm also offers progressive learning in an eight-week introductory program, summer enrichment during a riding camp, and elevated cake fights during a horseback birthday party. The stables house 20 horses and ponies, all of which are ridable year-round.

Headless Indian chiefs. Vengeful witches. Treacherous generals. Though they may seem like figures in a horror novel or modern newspaper, they are all characters featured in Colonial Lantern Tours of Plymouth's intriguing and true-life historical tours. For more than 25 years, the staff of enthusiastic history buffs has traversed the scenic pathways of Plymouth and neighboring Boston, pointing out sites of interest while regaling guests with tales of the region's diverse history—from legendary ghosts to ghoul-inhabited tunnels to educational tales of pilgrim settlers and Native Americans. Tours meander through town squares, down hidden alleyways, and past historic harbors, guided by the light of 17th-century lantern replicas. Docents also offer seasonal Halloween-, Thanksgiving-, and Christmas-themed trips that detail colonial holiday customs, such as topping every tree with a bust of Benedict Arnold. To date, Colonial Lantern's yarns—at once macabre and enlightening—have enthralled numerous reporters from a variety of publications, such as the Los Angeles Times.

In 1949, the USS Salem began its 10-year career patrolling the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. A flagship of the 6th Fleet during the Cold War era, it served as a “Lady of Diplomacy,” using its massive canons to impress ambassadors, not to fire on enemies. The ship also made headlines in 1953 when it harbored refugees from Greece following a massive earthquake.

Today permanently docked in Quincy Fore River Shipyard, the Salem is one of the last preserved naval heavy cruisers in the world. Three quarters of the ship is used to honor the history of those who served, with features including a Navy SEALs exhibit, the USS Newport News Memorial Room, and a US Navy Cruiser Sailor Memorial. In addition to memories, the Salem also hosts birthday parties and overnight adventures filled with simulated battles and real-life survival instruction. If they listen closely, visitors might even hear some of the spooky sounds that earned the ship a feature on the SyFy channel’s Ghost Hunters in 2009.

Cape and Islands Golf Shop is the latest incarnation of a golf-accessory store that has served the Hyannis area for more than 20 years. Kevin Cullivan recently reopened the shop under its current name, combining his two decades of golf expertise with the knowledge and skills of industry veterans Keith Rose and Brendan Army. The trio's more than 50 years of combined experience allows them to ensure each customer gets the right equipment for his or her needs. They also welcome representatives from top golf-gear brands for club-fitting events, which take into account a golfer's height, favored hand, and the number of languages in which he or she can yell, "Fore!"