Easy to start, challenging to do, and perplexingly fun. Now my teenager won't stop searching for…read moreclimbing boots and planning to join the local gym on a monthly subscription. Thanks Rockytop! :)

The climbing area is fantastic and they also have a separate gym! The staff is really friendly and…read morehelpful.

We had the absolute most amazing time with Lester! He was a wonderful tour guide and also taught us…read moremuch more about caves than we expected to learn. He taught us how to safely spot or catch someone in front of us if they're falling back, he taught us the different whistle signals used, and how to use a compass! I had no idea that I didn't even know how to use a compass in the first place. Once he navigated us about halfway to our ending point, he had one of us navigate the rest of the way using the cave map and our compass, and then had us switch on the way back (there were 2 of us). We had never caved before, but he saw that we are the active type, so he not only led us horizontally through spaces, but we also got to go vertical and climb up and down spaces. I couldn't stop raving about our experience afterwards. This tops the list of most exciting things I've ever done, and most unique as well because I can't say I know anyone else who has ever done caving. On our way home, we stopped by Luray Caverns and it was really cool walking through with newfound appreciation. We were able to point out things and appreciate how it was formed in ways we never would have beforehand. The only issue is we wished we could have strayed off the beaten path and explore more nooks and crannies the public doesn't get to see! If you're questioning whether to book a tour with Wild Guyde, I would without a doubt recommend it. If you think you might get claustrophic, I had the same fear going into this, but the cave is very open and even when you're crawling you still have plenty space around you that you don't feel trapped. Plus, you don't have to do anything you don't want to or feel comfortable with! I promise you won't regret it.

Amazing! Worked with our family to elevate our first underground adventure. Loved the emphasis on…read moresafety and empowered us to go out on our own. 10/10

You will not be disappointed when you book with Shenandoah Mountain Guides!…read more My buddy and I were fortunate to have Andy Nichols (business owner) be our guide for the day and could not have been happier with the experience! Andy WILL BE one of the coolest people you will meet in your lifetime: Incredibly knowledgeable of the science behind the outdoors, has a vast history of the area you will explore/climb, a wonderful motivator/coach, a perfect story-teller, and overall great guy!

Andy, the owner, is truly an expert on the Shenandoahs. Highly knowledgeable, friendly, ready to…read morework with people at all ability levels. He worked with my two sons, ages 12 and 14, to teach them the basics of rockclimbing, and within a few hours, the boys -- and me, too! -- were scaling cliffs of a couple hundred feet. Don't worry, he has all the proper gear, and safety is a priority. I would definitely recommend him and his company, and we hope to book again with him soon. By the way, he is a former Eagle Scout and former Scoutmaster, and he is a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor for rockclimbing and probably a few other things.

Inside a 1938 movie theatre that once was segregated is State Climb, a climbing gym open to all…read more Operating as a non-profit, State Climb asks visitors to either join as a member or pay what you can. My friends and I went right when they opened at 3 p.m. on a Friday in October. Here's our experience: 1) Instructions: Two staff members taught us how to tie knots, belay, etc. Once we had the hang of it, they stayed with us to make sure we were climbing safely and/or had any questions. They were great instructors and very personable. 2) Walls: There are four different climbing walls and three ropes. Two walls you can climb without roping in and two others you rope in. (One had an automatic belay machine.) If it's your first time, but you want to climb high, go to the tallest wall and follow the blue markers. 3) Space: It's in the space that was the stage of an old theater. It's kept clean and comes with a training area, restrooms, changing rooms, etc. 4) Staff: When you check in, they give you shoes to climb. (There are cubbies to place your shoes in.) If you didn't sign a waiver online, they'll have you sign when you enter. Every staff person we met was very nice and helpful!

Great climbing, diverse climbs that are changed often. Plenty of challenging climbs but also plenty…read moreof easy ones. High ropes too.

Brought my 10 year old grandson here and he had the best time. Excellent option he liked much…read morebetter than the trampoline place. He will continue to want to go back when he visits. They had plenty of beginner level climbs available. He loved the challenge.

Great for kids birthday! We just had my nephew's 8th bday party there and the staff was so great…read morewith the kids! Very patient and kind with each child. It is a serious rock climbing gym so I would make sure your kids are able to listen to and follow instruction for their and others safety. My nephew has climbed before and they definitely let him try some of the harder routes. Party room was great, staff consistently asked if we needed anything or if they could help in any way. The manager also came by and checked on us which was awesome. Overall great experience!

Nice gym with good boulders. A little steep for a day pass if you're only here to boulder. Also the…read morebathrooms are a mile away from the actual gym (have to exit and walk down 3 different hallwas) and are a little dark/dingy. Plenty of parking, friendly staff, and most importantly - to me - good quality problems that you can spend a couple hours on. I don't like the color/circuit grading (prefer V scale) but the climbs themselves are good.

Went here for a day pass with a friend to check out Peak since we were in the area. Coming from…read moreNorthern Virginia (Sportrock), it was nice to see visit another gym outside of the area. The grading system here is pretty fair. Found most of the grades to be very accurate to the V scale that they use. They have plenty of routes on Top Rope and Bouldering for all skill levels, and also have a long comp wall as well! With a variety of holds on slab, caves and overhang, you can definitely gets some miles in at this gym. some of the walls here are kind of high from what I'm used too, so it was a little scary getting to the top. The gym is also clean and very spacious. Plenty of walls to go around so peak hours shouldn't be so bad. I haven't experienced it since I'm not from the area, but the space is huge. Overall, a very nice gym. Clean, spacious and accurate grades. Definitely recommend this climbing gym!

Great place for a kids birthday celebration! Staff is very helpful and friendly. They work well…read morewith younger kids.

My husband and I love VR. We had never rock climbed until we walked in the door this past June and…read moresince then we have been hooked. It's very family-friendly, we climb with our son who just turned 5 two weeks ago and we also sneak over occasionally to climb with just the 2 of us. They keep things fresh by updating the walls often. The staff is friendly and very helpful. We now not only have a family membership but we all own our own gear since we go there so often. Highly recommend!

Great climbing gym here in NOVA. The Sterling location has plenty of bouldering walls alongside…read morewith Top Rope/Lead and Auto-Belay. The Sterling location isn't as big as some of the other climbing gyms, but it is plenty for a climbing session. I will say, the one issue of this location is that since it's a little small, the bouldering section is a little cramped in spacing compared to their other location in Alexandria. Not a a big problem at all, but can be during peak hours. Their staff here are very nice and friendly as well. Always a good group of people being welcoming to new guests and members. The facility itself is also well kept and clean.

Fun experience to past some time. I recommend a Day Pass currently $20. You can come and go as you…read moreplease. To make it even funnier make sure you a harness it's worth it. You can climb higher and not worry about falling. We have already been a few times so thinking about membership may be a good idea. Give it a try!

Everything. Great overhangs and a lot of different climbs…read more All the climbers have great rapport with the owners who are very supportive of them.

Brought a Boy Scout Troop to Rapp Rocks on a Saturday morning. Communication leading up to the…read morevisit was great, safety instruction was thorough and well received, and the kids had a great time. Fun experience.

Tom was an amazing guide, he truly made the experience one of a kind!! we had a blast and I would…read moredefinitely come back again!

Wow! This is an amazing, once in a lifetime experience! It was my first via ferrata and I had an…read moreamazing time. There were 8 of us on a beautiful weekday afternoon in October with our guide, Andrei. First, huge shoutout to Andrei. He was funny and energetic, but he also kept an eye on me because I have a fear of heights. He would magically appear in the difficult sections and talk me through them. He was encouraging without being condescending, and he was really empathetic. I didn't feel like a burden to the group and I had an excellent time. He deserves all good things in life! What to bring- they require you to bring at least a liter of water so bring a small bag and add some snacks too. If you have a camel back or another bag with a water bladder that will be your best bet, because there are only a couple opportunities to take a water bottle out of your bag. Also, buy some sort of strap for your phone beforehand or you won't be able to take photos or videos. Is it hard? I don't think it's that physically challenging, although it might help if you have been rock climbing before, even if it's just in a gym. I think everyone found some section emotionally challenging, whether it was the head wall, the bridge, or the whole thing like me lol. It's definitely doable for the average person! There are also a couple places to get off if it's too much for you. This was incredible, amazing, fantastic- just so cool! Go, you won't regret it!