When I saw on Taste Tidewater's Facebook post that there were only 3 spots left for their Oyster &…read moreWine tour, I reserved the same day! It is also my birthday month and have had my eye on this tour for awhile. It was fate! Not knowing what to expect, I jumped the gun and paid immediately. When Rex, the owner, sent the itinerary, I saw 3 local restaurants, Catch 31, Rockefeller's, & Tautogs. My first thoughts were, "I hope this isn't lame...", "I could go to these places myself..." The group met at Virginia Aquarium for an optional tour inside for the first 30mins. I arrived late. Now, I wish I made it on time to hear more about oysters. Rex tried finding the group for me & we walked all around the museum. It was way too crowded, I was late, & didn't mind waiting. Perhaps walkie talkies as a communication tool for the husband & wife team. Not just for late arrivals. :) Could be distracting too but, just a suggestion. The aquarium attendants had no idea who or where the group was. I did appreciate the effort. Not many would help me catch up with group especially, since I was late. Our first stop was Catch 31. Table was set and ready to go. We had three chefs(one including one of our guides, Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton) and the sommelier at our table. They educated us about the oysters & wine. They walked us through the various types of oysters & wine, regions, how to eat, & how to taste. We were served 4 oysters each from one of the 7 regions & two wine tastings. There were condiments and crackers on the table. I thought this was definitely the most informative restaurant out of the three. Next stop was Rockefeller's. Again, tables were set & wine was poured! No menu w/ descriptions. We had 2 raw oysters and 2 oysters rockefeller. Then, we were served hush puppies w/ pimento cheese which were amazing. Last, was coconut cake! This restaurant had more food offerings which was good because after several glasses of wine, I was hungry & others were too!! Last stop was Tautog's. They sat us outside & setup was more buffet style. Glasses of wine were on a table for us to pick up as we walked in. The presentation was beautifully prepared. They had 3 of their house sauces which were delicious! I thought the sauces were needed with these oysters. Others agreed. Didn't taste as fresh as the previous restaurants. I believe they were Lynnhaven and I've had Lynnhaven oysters before. So, not a reflection on the tour. There was also fresh cut fruit on the oyster platters. Only because TT asked, my recommendations would be: * Posting sample itineraries on social media * Clearer description of what to expect with regards to food so people know whether or not they should eat prior to the tour or pack a snack/sandwich. * Website shows they would be "happy to provide water and light snacks." None were offered. * Market/advertise the 10% off Yelp Check-in offer * Advise up front the 10% off Yelp Check-in is NOT valid for the Oyster & Wine tour. A portion of proceeds go towards non-profit which I totally understand & appreciate, just set the expectation. Overall, this was a lovely experience that one can comfortably do solo! I did and I truly enjoyed! Hands down. I am so happy to see a company like this on the East Coast and executing with such class. Please don't think this is a drunken wild party bus. It is a tasteful informative experience with subject matter experts who also enjoy partaking in libations while sharing their knowledge! :) I hope to see more food tours added to their current list. Rex, Lisa, & Chef Patrick were cordial, knowledgable, fun, and professional. Thank you so much for a memorable experience!

I went on the vineyard tour for a bachelorette party!! It was a fabulous time! Lisa, our tour…read moreguide, was knowledgeable, informative, and very hospitable!! Looking forward to the opportunity the either do a brewery tour or a different vineyard tour in the near future!!

The members of the staff I have met are good dudes and seem to really enjoy their jobs. The…read moreparticular Waverunners I rented had 115 hp and were not governed so they really moved out. These guys also worked with me and stayed late so I could get a second machine that was not available until then. Great work guys!

We searched online for a boat rental company for the Hot Springs Area and Great White Rentals was…read morethe first site to come up. We read the reviews and assumed since they were all so good and their website looked good they were a legit company. We called and talked to a nice lady on the phone a week prior to us coming to visit for a week long vacation with 6 of our grandkids. Let her know we had a pontoon and would like to rent a nice boat to spend 2-3 days on the lake tubing, skiing, and riding around while we were here. I asked about the two nicer boats on the website and she said they had some really clean boats and she could get us 8 in one no problem. So reserved the premium one over the phone. When we arrived the next week they called the day before and requested to be paid the of the amount in cash. I thought this was strange for a company, but agreed and went to back to get cash for the next morning. (First red flag) When they arrived with the boat it was a 22 year old tri-toon, very weathered, and let's just say, well used. (Second red flag) Seats ripped, awning held together with bungee cords and straps, rear ladder was bungee strapped up, horn was broken, so we have a whistle, interior lights broken lenses, radio didn't work, the anchor was an 8 pound mushroom anchor you would use for a johnboat, would certainly not hold a 24' pontoon. The life vest they provided were just as old as the boat. We only had 4 we could use old of the 10 they sent. There's no tow bar to pull from, so the drivers says yeah you will have to tie onto one of the toons, really??? I expressed my frustration with the delivery driver, which went no where, I called the office and talked to a lady who said she had only been answering phones for a few months and had never actually seen the boats. (Third red flag). I asked at this point was this a company or was this just individuals renting out their boats and cabins? She answered just individuals, they don't have an actual office. She advised she would get with the owner of the boat to see if they can do anything but they didn't have any other boats available. By now I'm frustrated but I have 6 grandkids ages 13-8 looking at me excited to go boating and waiting to get on the boat. They could care less what it looks like or if it's going to leave us stranded, they just want to go. lol I go ahead and take the boat and make the best of what we have throughout the day. When they pick up the boat I was expecting a little humility and at least an half ass excuse, but all I get was "sorry this wasn't what you expected, thank for re ring with us though". We check on other rentals in the area the next morning and found that they actually have newer boats and are quite a bit less expensive. I also went back and reviewed their website to see if I missed anything and over reacted. What I found was a couple of the reviews were from the delivery guys family, the delivery driver is actually in the pictures. So I wonder if the 23 reviews are actually real at this point. Moral of the story, don't stop doing research when you find a good website or good reviews. Keep checking around, we paid 730 dollars for a 22 year old worn out boat and motor for 8 hours and could have gotten a 2 year old boat with a bigger motor, for 520 dollars at 2 other rental places right down the road. If you're renting your own equipment that's great, just be upfront about it !

Unique Tours is top notch. I take about 50 8th graders to Washington, DC. every year and we won't…read moreuse anyone else. He is so very patient with our kids. He communicates efficiently and works dillegently to get us to where we need to go all day every day. The motor coach is always clean and pristine. The best part about Unique Tours is of course the most important, the safety. The driver is impeccable, navigating the roads perfectly and with ease. I feel so very safe in the motor coach, even excellent defensive driving when other people drive recklessly. I not only would 111% recommend Unique Tours but I would even say any other motor coach would be second rate.

From the owner: We are a coach bus company that takes pride in giving you an above your expectations experience. We…read morecall that the Unique Tours Way!!

I've been on two wine tours, as well as a wine tasting at a friend's house. I had so much fun that…read moreI recently hosted a wine tasting of my own. My friends raved! The Virginia wines were excellent, and everyone loved the history lesson. Now I have another group of friends who are jealous and want me to host a wine tasting for them. I also love the fact that it's a local business. Deanna's (the owner's) friends and family love to help with her tours, and they are the nicest people. I plan on continuing to support Fruits and Roots Wine Tours, and I'd recommend them to EVERYONE!

I found this tour on groupon and I called Deanna to get tickets for me and my friend. She was super…read morenice and I was super excited to go on this tour. The tour comes with complimentary breakfast and lunch. We got picked up at the little station behind Freedom Car Wash and Wawa. The bus was brand new and very comfortable. They had a selection of apple cinnamon muffins, sweet potato pastries, grapes, and strawberries with blueberries for breakfast. The muffins and sweet potato pastries made by a contestant on Master Chef Junior and the muffins were great. I didn't have the pastries because I don't like sweet potatoes. We were offered a bag with water and a granola bar with brochures for wineries and some for the ones we were going to. The was also a scent bag with soy candle samples from Pink Zebra. They smelled great. Next on the list was gathering the rest of the group for the trip from Norfolk. Once we got everyone, we were offered mimosas; candor l cranberry or orange. We chose orange. Deanna introduced herself, daughter, and granddaughter. She also introduced those who she knew who were on the trip. She provided some great historic facts like the origin of witchduck. She discussed the history of Virginia wine and information about Virginia Born presidents. Our first stop was New Kent Winery and our host was great and very polite. The tasting was very informative and fun. Their wines were fantastic and the Vineyard was amazing. It wasn't on the itinerary, but Deanna put it on there. Next was Michie Tavern. We had lunch there and the buffet was great. The wine tasting, not so much. Third stop was Baubersville and the wine was ok. We weren't really a fan of the environment because I felt out of place even though I was dressed pretty nicely. Last stop was Horton and our host was amazing! We had so much fun! We will definitely do this tour again in the fall because it was great and it was so much fun! Happy to have been part of the inaugural trip!

I've been using Agape Bus Tours since 2018 to take our groups to Pittsburgh Steelers games, and…read morethey have consistently exceeded expectations. Their professionalism is top-notch, and the buses are fantastic. One feature that stands out is the ability to connect our computer, allowing us to engage riders with fun activities like Kahoot games. Plus, we can watch football games during the ride to and from the stadium, which is a huge bonus for our group of fans. Agape's team is always reliable, making the experience smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. I have nothing but great things to say about their service, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a top-tier travel experience! We used Ms. Melissa, Mr. Al, for the last couple of trips and they were both fantastic.

We will be using them for our upcoming Site and Sound trip. The owner and staff have always…read moreanswered our calls and emails. They have given us nothing but the best service thus far!

Capt. Jay and Wendell brought so much warmth to our chilly trip!…read more Hanging out with them (and the sweetest Labrador, Libby) felt like a boat day with a couple of old friends. Easy conversation, good fishing holes, and a solid overall trip. 10/10 recommended booking with this company "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning!"

We booked the sunset cruise and every part of the experience exceeded our expectations. Captain Jay…read morewas extremely knowledgeable, courteous, and friendly. We were able to bring our own food and drinks onboard, and had the option to play whatever music we wanted. We told Jay that we wanted to see dolphins, and he knew exactly where to go for that. We did end up seeing lots of dolphins, and Jay also gave us a lot of fun facts about dolphins as well. I would 100% recommend taking a ride with Jay, for any of the available tours, and I already can't wait to come back to VA beach to take a ride with him again!

Perfect weather! An amazing time had by all. Pro tip request Kurt he's super friendly,…read moreknowledgeable, and a real cutie.

While visiting friends in Norfolk for my birthday, we took a boat ride with Electrified Marina. We…read morewent out for happy hour and watched the sunset. We brought our own wine and cheese tray, were able to relax, visit and enjoy the evening. The best part was the fact that since the boat is electric we didn't have to yell over a loud motor. A perfect way to end the day. Thank you!! Geri Thomas San Diego, CA

Highly recommend! We had an amazing private sunset cruise with Native Island Sailing. Our family…read moregroup of 7 loved every minute--beautiful views, a smooth, quiet solar powered electric boat, and a great price (less than individually pay for a public boat tour!). Captain Brian was the perfect guide: relaxed, friendly, and full of local knowledge when asked. The coastline is stunning and full of stories--just ask. An unforgettable experience!

From the owner: **For booking and questions contact us directly via website nativeislandsailing.com, email…read moreinfo@nativeislandsailing.com, or by calling us at 757-751-0730. Now booking for Summer 2023! For more information about our charters and for frequently asked questions, please visit nativeislandsailing.com Native Island Sailing offers sailing charters on the Chesapeake Bay for special occasions and small groups. Our charters are on Ellen Ripley, a 38-ft sailing catamaran, the first zero-emissions, all-electric, powered by 100% renewable energy charter in Hampton Roads. Powered by nature. Departs daily out of Hampton, Virginia.