Begrudgingly, I am rating Lake Fairfax with 4 stars. Let me preface by saying I am not an…read more"outdoor-sy" type of gal. Spas and sparkling rosé...more my speed, but I am always up for different experiences. Having said that...I've experienced it, and umm...with mosquito bites still itching, this was cool...not sure if I would say, "yes" again. While he set up the tents, I went to grab a margarita. Upon my return, I was impressed with the setup. Who knew camping could be "chic"? lol. After sending my daughter pics, she said it was, "glamping," not "camping." Lol Honestly, I enjoyed. Just hated the bugs. I love to read. If you do too, bring a good book. The camping ground is spacious. You're assigned a lot where you set up your tent(s). Seems like he had the entire gamut -- blow up couch, blow up bed, portable grill, speakers for music, bug repellent, food, and libations ;-) You will hear everything that is nature at night. I swear I heard a fox howling/barking. All-in-all, it was a cool experience...five days later, still itching from those bites. Oh! There's a water park too...arrive early to get in because they do have a capacity limit.

Wayyyyy back in the day, my dad bought a RV, and the one place that I can explicitly remember us…read moregoing, was Lake Fairfax Park. I also remember having a great time on the lake paddle boating and swimming in the big "L" shaped pool. Fast forward decades later, I have taken a liking to camping. I still consider myself a novice, and over the last 3yrs, I have accumulated some cool stuff. I have an annual camping trip with a large group next month, but I wanted to do a small intimate trip to one of my favorite childhood places. I must say, Lake Fairfax has one big change from when I was a child. It now has a HUGE waterpark that has giganic water slides as soon as you enter. I was a little disappointed to hear from the check-in Park attendant, who had the personality of a disinterested teenager, that the L shaped pool I referenced was no longer there. My picture of laying poolside or chillin in the pool were shattered, because with waterparks, comes tons and tons of young kids.. and honestly, I would just rather not..LOL! Once we made it to our assigned camping lot, I was super pleased at how close we were to the extremely clean rest rooms that were equipped with showers. The camping site was noticeably quiet, almost library quiet, so that suprised me a little. I didn't want to disrupt the flow, so I kept my speaker at a low level. :) All in all, I had a memorable experience at Lake Fairfax Park and I can definitely see myself coming back sometime next Spring/Summer!!

Denny is amazing. We had so much fun. Learned historic facts but also current events. Highly…read morerecommend Denny and his food suggestions. -Nora and Doug

My wife and I took a private sunset cruise with Embark DC from 5:00-7:00 pm, starting in Georgetown…read moreand ending at The Wharf. It was absolutely amazing! Our captain, Denny, could not have been better -- he was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the entire experience so enjoyable. We saw beautiful sights along the Potomac, learned some interesting history, and had an unforgettable evening. Highly recommend Embark DC for anyone looking for a special way to experience Washington from the water!

Highly recommend Penguin Paddling. We spoke to Dan and got a one hour 1:1 session…read more.. This was perfect for an adult and an 8yr old- both new to kayaking. Mr. Carlos took us out and he was so nice and engaging. My daughter said he was the best!! We'll be back!!

The whole process was very easy and enjoyable. I filled out the waiver online. Parking was easy,…read morelittle difficult to find penguin paddles from the road, but just walk towards the water behind the restaurant on the main strip. Easy rental, chill experience. Everyone, even the Boston Terrier, had a blast!

This was so much fun! Hands down all the gold stars will go back!! My 11 year old son loved it too!read more

Overall, we had a great experience. Scott checked us in quickly and was pleasant to talk with. We…read morewere lucky enough to have the mountaintop camping site to ourselves since no one else booked for this week( likely due to the extreme heat and 4th of July holiday). The bathhouse was clean and had hot water. Most campsites only have lukewarm or cold water. There were also an abundance of toilet facilities and they were well maintained/cleaned. The view of the Potomac was breathtaking and the only downfall was that the camping sites are relatively close to each other both on the mountain and at the river's edge. I do recommend this center, however, and we will likely return when back in the area!

SUP was a lot of fun! Our instructors were Monty and Sabrina, very young, but seemed experienced…read moreand competent. They gave us a quick 101 and then we were off! They went around Lake Anne with us checking in to see if we were doing OK or had any questions. At one point, my husband and I felt a little restless, so we just sat and relaxed. Or got on our knees to paddle board. Whatever floats your boat (board)! We'll definitely be back next year to take advantage of the returning option for $29. Nice to spend some time out on the water, especially on a nice breezy day.

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) is their expertise! I discovered Surf Reston through a friend of mine…read more She had taken SUP with them and had said great things. My first experience with SUP was at the Georgetown marina. There was no lesson. I had gone with friends who had SUP'd but it was new to me. It was scary and the Potomac is a beast to paddle. When I read and saw the Facebook photos of the classes and events run by Surf Reston, I knew this place would take care of me. Sign up was easy, it's all done online. Before I signed up, I had a few questions. I texted them and received responses right away! Once we arrived we saw the staff working diligently to get all the boards and life jackets together. We got a very detailed land lesson(about 10-15 min) and then the rest of the time was on the water. Steve and Sabrina were awesome. They know their stuff. My main issue is getting from the knee position to the Stand Up position. They had a few helpful tricks and then I was standing! They take lots of photos and sent them to us the very same day. The location is one of the Reston Lakes. We were on Lake Newport. It was very calm and we had the lake to ourselves. Once on there water we were free to paddle on our own. Steve and Sabrina were always there if we needed anything. Everything from questions, to registration to event was perfect. They offer group discounts so ask about it. If you are curious about SUP, then this is the place to try it out!

I was a long time customer of Prince William Marina. I bought my boat through them and kept it at…read morethe marina for over 15 years. Just recently sold it and am now 'between boats...' I have nothing but praise for the team at Prince William. They are professional and prompt with everything. The boatel experience is the best way to do your boating on the Potomac. The boat is high and dry when you are not using it, but is always in the water, fueled and ready to go when you want it. Boats stored in a boatel retain their resale value because they just do not age! They are not sun damaged, they do not get marine growth, they do not get vandalized... It is the best way to protect your investment. The marina has a great clientel and local yacht club. They have a heated pool for customers and it is open longer than your neighborhood pool - it is a great place to hang out and meet new friends when you can't or don't want to be out on the hook. The restaurant at Prince William is only okay - Honestly though, I have found that all the waterfront restaurants on the Potomac are lacking - between no real winter business and no real weekday business during the season, none of them can retain quality chiefs or wait staff. But you can get a decent burger and fries here - about all you would expect or need after a day on the water. The bar is lively with a full band schedule. It has a regular crowd that can be a bit sketch at times. Lots of nice Harley's in the parking lot next to the BMW's and SUV's if you are into the biker crowd. But it is generally a pleasant mix of people and I've never heard of any problems. Boating is not cheap - looking at some of the reviews, it seems that other reviewers may have had different expectations. PW Marine's service department does have high rates, but they are in the normal range for waterfront repair yards. The quality of their work is OUTSTANDING. You get what you pay for. I'll definitely be back when I'm ready for my next (bigger) boat... Thank you PW Marine for helping with all the great boating memories we have!

Wow. BLACK people do not buy or store here. Racist people and Austin takes the cake they have the…read moreworse service and Austin will laug in your face all family and they will get mad at you if you want to leave there boat motel or slips. Damaged my boat with fork lift and fish finder was loosen and sitting on the floor and cover post bent. I never really took the boat out and they tore it up

I just finished the Cheat Lite program and could not recommend this program more to new…read moreintermediate boaters. I feel like a confident class 3 boater after this course. We had water levels all over the place this spring and they did such a great job of picking rivers with good water levels and making every trip and practice as fun and safe as possible. The program is extremely popular so make sure you sign up the first day it is offered.

Calleva's River School offers a well-paced series of whitewater kayaking courses to help get your…read morefeet (and everything else!) wet in this exciting sport. The friendly instructors are very knowledgeable and coach to your level of development. This is a great school to build skills and gain an introduction to the community having fun on the Potomac.

I had a private lesson with Cheddar last week & it was fantastic! He was easy going, helped me with…read morecomfort in the boat and building my skillset. I know that sometimes I learn a little differently than the average person and Cheddar listened to what I had to say and was able to tailor the experience to something that worked best for me and my brain. I came away from the lesson feeling more confident and excited about a future that includes some whitewater kayaking. I'm excited to keep learning with Potomac Paddlesports and next time I want to arrange a private lesson I will definitely request Cheddar as my instructor. I would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone.

Took some whitewater kayaking classes a few years ago, really enjoyed it…read more Ashley was one of my teachers - not sure if she's still there but she was my favorite.

Tubing Review: We had an amazing time. Was is exhausting,…read moreyes. Worth it, yes! Owen was great. He was a great driving the stick shift bus back to the outfitters. It was nice being dropped off and picked up. We did have issues with our card online, but when I called in to book, Nancy was helpful. She got us all situated and sent an email to confirm. We filled out waivers online which was a breeze. We watched a quick safety video, picked up our lifevest and were on our way. The water was the perfect temp, and it was clear. Tips: bring snacks and water. You are out there 4-5 or longer hours. Especially if the water is low, which ours was. We used a waterproof bag and had no issues. We used a tube with a cup holder which was nice. I wore my life vest out of precaution even though I can swim, plus it made it comfortable for my to use it as a neck rest. I've noticed people mention in previous reviews that the bus was dirty ect. Um, you're in the woods. If you get picked up after many other groups the bus will be dirty as everyone is wet coming out of the water no matter what activity you choose. I would not own a brand spanking new vehicle for this type of environment and job. Used is best and saves money I'm sure. Wear a hat and sunglasses, put in that sunscreen. Bring a waterproof phone case/bag. You will have no service out there so put it on airplane mode and use it as a camera.

Fun experience for floating down the river! Great service, chill vibes, great staff... I'd go back!read more

Very rude and impersonal on the phone when I called to ask about my sailing class after I put a…read moredeposit down. I tried to give my availability and was cutoff---she said I will contact you if we have an instructor. Ok, well I can't just drop everything when you call to go sailing, please take my updated a availability? I hope other employees are better-suited to customer service and maybe kayaking and other options are still worth it, just wanted to let everyone know of my experience. I've never left a bad review, but I was excited to learn to sail, sad this had to be my experience. On to the next place!

Learning to sail had been on my bucket list forever so when I saw that the Mariner Sailing School…read moreoffered sailing lessons for adults every week of summer I decided to sign myself up for my own "summer camp". I have to tell you that learning to sail was an excellent decision because I actually learned to sail a 19 foot flying scot independently! My lessons consisted of four 2.5 hour morning sailing lessons out on the Potomac, Monday through Thursday. The sailing school also offers adult weeknight and weekend classes and different kids camps. The instructors split my class up into groups of two or three, went over some of the materials and then out onto the water we went to learn how to rig the boat and raise the sails. My instructor Ray was awesome, he taught us what we needed to know and even pushed us to run docking drills by ourselves on the last day of classes. Yes, at times the lessons were super challenging and nerve wracking, but once you get some practice time in, you'll get the hang of it. It's worth it to learn how to sail. I myself now find sailing enjoyable and ridiculously relaxing. Everyone I have encountered at the marina either teaching lessons, working in the office or out on the dock have been super friendly and helpful. They give you a free week of practice sails after your lesson so that you feel totally comfortable sailing independently and the people at the dock give plenty of tips to help you continue to hone your beginner skills.