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!!

First let me just say, our tour guide (Shelley) was fantastic! 5000/5 or 100000/10 or whatever!…read moreAbove and beyond. The 4 stars are purely because I can't go lower for her. Probably would give a 2.5/3 otherwise. As far as the stories/tour go... let me just preface this by saying I've done a lot of walking ghost/paranormal tours amongst other things. The stories felt pretty anemic, and this certainly did not need to be a walking tour for those stories. Not a lot of actual ghost stories were told, and very few of the stories actually occurred at the stopping points. They were mostly all (low key) related, however. Cool history and a nice way to see some art, memorials, and an historic site (the outside) around town, though. A better route where stories actually occurred would make more sense, but I enjoyed the walk and local lore nonetheless. I was sad the ghost plushie I added on did not match the advertised photo. That's probably on me. I collect paranormal/supernatural plushies and trinkets and already have one like I got. Wasn't tour specific at all. Tl;dr Tour is fun (historical/lore wise). Not super ghosty. Nice walk.

Great stories, nice pace, Guide was animated & spoke loudly & clearly, & he asked if his pace was…read moreokay for the group. Would recommend.

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 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 did the haunted walk tour with a group on 9/12. The tour guide was boring. The explanations were…read morevery brief so there was more walking than learning. I, along with a few others left about halfway through.

I did the ghost tour last night 9/12 with a large group. I am sorry to say I was very disappointed…read more I have done several ghost walks and this was the worst. The stories were mediocre, the tour guide was subpar. I was counting the minutes till it concluded. Don't waste 25 dollars for this tour.

We booked a custom private tour with Trish and had a great time. She has a ton of historical…read moreknowledge on everything from Thomas Jefferson's experience at William & Mary to how different bricks were made in the Colonial era. If you want something more in depth than the standard Colonial Williamsburg script, this is it!

Thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour. We learned so much. This was an efficient way for us to visit…read moreWilliamsburg and learn by a local expert who obviously loves Williamsburg, loves history and loves to educate. Highly recommend.

A twilight Norfolk Cenetery tour was fun at Elmwood. The subject was death, disease and surgery in…read morethe Victorian period. I could not resist the topic since I'm in healthcare. The eight stones visited had all different causes of death from syphilis, epilepsy, surgery and even teething. One had a corner report listing cause of death as "ate too much ice". The Norfolk Society for Cemetery's typically offer the tours on Friday and Sunday's throughout the year for $5 with different topics. The trio of cemeteries utilized, Elmwood, Cedar Grove and West Point off Princess Anne Road in Norfolk are the oldest in the city. I have visited all three in the past with curiosity. For those interested go to the Norfolk Society website. Also they will host an annual 5k run From Here to Eternity. "Silent Guardians of Forgotten Tales". October 11th.

We took this tour around Halloween but it would be fun any time. Our guide was in a full costume…read morefrom centuries ago and brought both wit and history as he explained who the souls were buried underneath our feet. Norfolk is an old historic town with much to learn about the people who once inhabited it. The $5 donation goes towards preserving the grounds and headstones so your visit makes a difference in preserving history. Wear shoes comfortable for uneven ground and have fun!

5.6 miles long. No trash. Nice people who like to be active…read more Parking on either side you come in on although there's no physical address on Maps. I love this trail because it's the longest I know in Hampton roads. There're Mom's with strollers. Whole families. Mini field trips with small children. Bikers. Skateboarders.... Everyone. Of course it's shaded because of all the trees. Just be careful because it's so soothing to walk, you might end up at the end and have to walk right back to your car lol. And if you didn't plan on waking over 11 miles... that could be tricky. My feet were sore for two weeks when I made that mistake with the wrong shoes on. Happy trails!!

Great tour guides friendly and personal great deals. They know what their talking about with the…read morehistory of Williamsburg enjoyed my self and the ghost tours and staff tremendously

We went on this tour last night and had an awesome time! Witch Gracie and Mr Pirate were…read moreoutstanding tour guides! If you're in the area and haven't gone, what are you waiting for?

Mary Veal and the Colonials were quite the treat. My job went on a staff retreat in Portsmouth and…read morehad the privilege of going on a walking tour with this amazing team. I love the characters that were portrayed by the actors and their narratives. All of the sites that we went to were quite remarkable. I wasn't aware that so many historic homes that meant a lot to America's history lined the streets of Olde Town Portsmouth (and many are in tact and well-kept). I was also impressed by all of the African American history that they weaved into their tour as well as their homage to the Emancipation Oak in Hampton and 1619 - which mean a lot to my hometown of Hampton, VA. Mary was a definite hoot, letting my tour group in on the favorite pastime of women of the 18th and 19th century - gossip! Her funny tales and songs made the walking tour a hilarious and cheeky treat!

From the owner: History Alive provides costumed character guides from many different time periods in our nation's…read morehistory, beginning with Mary Veale and the Colonials representing the 1600s and 1700s and extending to Columnist Jeffrey Wilson representing the 1800s and 1900s. We specialize in walking tours and excursions, but also offer school field trips and programs, classes, entertainment, and events.

I had lost my wallet and a wonderful bus driver named Ms.Wanda helped me find it and her words are…read moreso soft spoken i will forever be thankful for her helping me.

Everything about our trip was amazing. The bus was super clean and very modern. Of all, having…read moreWanda as our driver made it even more special. She was very careful when driving and super energetic and polite. Love everything about the trip.... Definitely recommend it