I can't recommend The Fred enough. We held our wedding here in September 2025. It's nestled in a…read morequiet, cozy area of Ghent, and we loved the natural gardens for our photos. Their pricing was also perfect for our tight budget. We felt so lucky finding this gem. Eleise was wonderful. She always answered emails or made herself available when I wanted to visit the venue twice more after signing the contract. We had just under 50 guests, and the space worked beautifully for the romantic and intimate setting we wanted. We had an outdoor ceremony and used both the indoor and outdoor spaces for our cocktail hour and reception. The only thing I wish had been different was being allowed to set up a little bit the day before. I was told it wasn't permitted due to past negative experiences. We were able to rehearse our outdoor ceremony the day before, but didn't have access to the indoor space. Because of that, there was a lot to do on the wedding day, and my crew simply didn't have enough time to get everything done. That wasn't The Fred's fault, I should've delegated things a little better and asked for more help. Looking back, even a couple of hours the day before just to walk through the space with my planning team and place stickies around the place explaining my vision would have helped tremendously. Just something to consider when choosing your venue.

I've been here many events ago and recently had my own event here. The guy running the place is…read morealways nice and accommodating. The center is in the beautiful part of the Ghent area. I wish they can do something about the landscaping because It looks like big bushy weeds growing everywhere but I'm sure that's part of the "look" For the inside there are 2 floors you can make use of that includes a kitchen on the first floor. The center itself is spacious and for what I needed it for, it fit the need. The place is dated and could need some major remodeling.

This is a fun place to visit, especially around the Christmas season…read more I must say I hardly ever step foot in here unless an event is taking place. As a result, my recent visit here was during the Christmas holiday season 2016. During this time, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday the center offers several fun filled activities for the children - well for the whole family. So bring the newborns to great grandmas for a day or two of fun and lasting memories. Events as such: pictures with Santa, arts & crafts, cookie decorating, face painting and ornament making just to name a few are offered in December. And far as I can remember these sort of events have been in existence since the center opened some time ago. You can usually find out about these events online through PortsVaEvents or just by being in the Old Towne area of the city. Circulars and fliers are posted. Again, I haven't shopped nor have I browsed in the center, but from just passing I have noticed different crystals and novelty items are sold here. it's a small house turned into a small shop, very cute. It's also decorated on the inside and outside with Christmas holiday decor. If you choose to not partake in any of the activities, the scenery outside makes for a great background during Christmas time. I'd like to think this place is worth a visit, especially if you are in the area. Oh did I mention...these activities during the days mentioned above in December are FREE!!!! My type of fun!! Parking is available on the street, but if you're one of the unlucky ones, parking garages are within walking distances. And the garages are FREE of charge. The Old Towne area of the city offers several: shops, restaurants and much more. Everything is within walking distance. It's definitely a family oriented town especially during the holiday season. It's a great day to have a great day!!

Not super impressed - not going to lie…read more At Christmas, when we visited, there is an event inside this center which, from the website, seems like it's a Christmas Market or winter wonderland experience. So my friends visiting from out of town and I drove from ALL the way in Pungo to this - only to find that it's $3 entry per person (no biggie) but is mostly for children, there were no vendors selling anything anywhere, very little food or drink, and the displays are more like the dated animatronic Christmas teddy bears from malls of years past. Maybe ok for small small children, but not something for adults by any means, and not paid entry. Major disappointment. I'm glad this is here for locals and I'm sure it has it's time and place. But the description on the website was completely misleading. We looked around the gift shop and roamed the town before heading to downtown Norfolk for more adult friendly Christmas things to do.

It was so good! I love scary haunted house and this one delivered. They don't just rely on cheap…read morejump scares but use a lot of amazing special effects, great actors, and interactive props to really get you into the scenes. And it was so long! I really feel like they give you a lot of experience for one haunt. One of the best haunted house I've seen in awhile and I've been to a lot of them in my travels over the years. Definitely worth it!

I am not sure what usually goes on here but last night, a bunch of friends and I came here for the…read morehaunted house they put together apparently every year. As we were dropped off at the curb, we noticed a scary clown waiting for us to come in. As we entered, we walked through the temple and checked in with our tickets. We were then shown to the "lobby area" where they had many tables out and concessions available for purchase. The line was not too long. We probably waited 10-15 minutes. They had us put together with a couple making it 6 of us. We watched a couple videos that explained what to expect. I think it was pretty good. They had a bunch of loud sounds, great lighting and scary props. I do not want to give too much away but I feel like it was put together pretty well. I would definitely recommend going.

A Must-See Winterfest Experience! I had such a magical time…read moreat Winterfest on the Wisconsin battleship! I went last Wednesday with family, and exploring the ship completely decked out in lights was honestly unforgettable. I knew ahead of time that they offered mocktails and cocktails, but I was not prepared for the surprises waiting onboard--like fresh donuts and spiked hot chocolate! Speaking of which... the spiked peppermint hot chocolate with a shot of white chocolate peppermint bark RumChata has officially changed my life. I don't think I can go back to regular hot chocolate for the rest of the season. It's the perfect holiday drink, and clearly a huge hit with the 21+ crowd. Beyond the festive drinks, Winterfest had so much more to offer, including a charming winter mini circus with magic and other fun acts. It was genuinely enjoyable for both kids and adults. I loved the added light displays leading up to the ship and throughout Town Point Park--they make the whole area feel like a glowing winter wonderland. Even if you can't make it onboard for the full Winterfest experience, the nighttime walk from the Pagoda in lights to Town Point Park is absolutely worth it. Such a wonderful holiday outing for families, friends, and anyone looking to soak up the season!

A totally family friendly/cute date activity! My bf and I had never been to this event and…read moreapparently we heard they brought it back from not doing it in a few years? We had fun walking around and looking at all the lights strung across the huge ship. It made the otherwise bland, metal jungle a welcoming, light-wonderland of fun! We ended up coincidentally walking past one of the giant light up trees found on the hull and the back of the ship, in time for the Grinch to come out comically and ask everyone to help light the tree up! A beautiful fellowship Will be bringing my family next year!

The Thoroughgood House has been a feature in my life since I first moved to Virginia Beach. It…read moresits on a portion of the 5,350 acre 1635 land grant to Adam Thoroughgood along the Lynnhaven River. Nestled in the back of the Thoroughgood neighborhood, the lure of its colonial history has drawn visitors for many years. It's also a central point for activities in the neighborhood. During my son's elementary days, field trips to the house were greatly anticipated. This time, before its acquisition by the City of Virginia Beach, provided a wonderful interpretation. One downstairs side of the house was 17th century with the other side 18th century. It was beautiful. I mourn the loss of the period pieces and wonder what the city did with the treasures. During that time period there were many school buses that traveled Thoroughgood Drive for field trips, I haven't seen them during recent years. After the City of Virginia Beach took ownership there was a reinterpretation that closed the house for many years. The beautiful previous interpretation has been abandoned. ;( For many years there were conflicting opinions on the construction date based on evidence in the construction materials. The city dated its construction as about 1712, which may or may not be correct. It was obvious that the house hadn't been the original home of Adam Thoroughgood. That house was most likely in what is now the Baylake Pines neighborhood. The homes then were near a waterway. A hurricane changed the course of the Lynnhaven River causing the nearby Lynnhaven Parish Church to be moved and the graveyard to be under the Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River. Legend is that many years ago boys swimming in the river felt the tombstones, now most likely covered by the river's silt. Regardless of the interpretation and the controversy of who built the home, it's well worth a visit. Explore the early colonial period and experiences of the family who first owned the property many of us live on. What archeological items could be hiding under our grassy lawns?

I never realized they organized such fun and informative events. They really do an excellent job…read moreexecuting them. They have the perfect team and tour guides that are passionate about what they do. I've been back to the house, three or four times. One would think, do I truly need to return, AGAIN? The answer is yes. It's the same house but you will find some new information and history each time you visit for their various events. They've held a Highland tea on the lawn, where we learned about the history of perfume and listened to the technical skills of a bagpipe player, donning A kilt while sipping on tea and enjoying a lovely presented table setting with a charcuterie board and petite fours. Or a ghost tour, learning about the local ghosts and stories of the ill informed and misguided public re: determining one's innocence on whether they were a witch to playing ghost hunters and holding conversations by the bonfire. They have great Christmas events showcasing the various holiday traditions as well as their history and how a typical Christmas dinner would look. VB History museums truly make learning fun and entertaining!

We had a lovely time at the Chrysler Museum…read more Wonderful pieces to browse, and SO many! You can absolutely spend an entire day in here. The museum is beautifully designed. The layout of the museum is also easy to navigate. We look forward to coming back!

LOVE the Chrysler!!! Favorite thing about this museum is…read morethat depending on your day the art strikes you differently. Favorite cousin and I came to spend some time at the museum. Fairly confident she will be back.

Just went to this place and although the sign on the door says they are open at 10 on Fridays and…read moreeven though we arrived at 11 am when it was to be open, it was closed. It's annoying as we specifically drove into town with kids to go there. It is Friday June 1 2018...

What a gem of a museum! There's the two parts of this historic house that hold the fire and police…read moremuseum. Both sides are set up really nicely. They have quite a bit of historical items. Both the Curator and assistant are retired Norfolk police officers. They have so much knowledge of the history of the city and it's fire and police services. They were extremely friendly and welcoming with my child. We had a great time and learned so much!

State of the art facility. I've came here for my son volleyball tournaments. There are so many…read morecourts, it's great to see so many teams coming out from all around. The food court is pretty awesome, it's a lot like a cafeteria, with hot and cold snacks. There is no alcohol here fyi.

The facility itself is exceptional with great flooring and nets for volleyball. The downside is…read morethat the lack of noise filtration and no acoustic paneling in the entire playing area makes it exceptionally noisy and difficult to even have a conversation with a person sitting next to you.