Had such a great time horseback riding and touring the vineyard! Louisa was wonderful, and the…read morehorses were so well-trained, sweet, and clearly well cared for. My horse (Duck) was lovely, and I honestly didn't want the ride to end! My only callout would be that I wish we got a little more time riding the horses, especially given the price. That said, it was still such a beautiful experience from start to finish. Definitely coming back!

ALERT: Please use the bathroom before coming here. When arriving to the farm I asked to use the…read morerestroom and she offered me a roll of toilet paper and directed me to a literal barn stall where there were horses and cows in there (not toilet seat, not even a porta-potty) . Personally I was not comfortable exposing my lady parts to a pile of hay/dirt/mud with animals looking at me . I held it for an hour. Yesterday my good friend and I went horseback riding with who I'm assuming to be Louisa Rice. We did the Ice cream trail at 03:30pm today and let me just humbly share, unfortunately the 3 stars are for the 3 horses and not Louisa. Firstly, I'm only assuming the horse riding instructor's name was Louisa because she didn't introduce herself as the instructor upon my friend and I's arrival . I'm assuming it was her name because, that was the name listed in the booking confirmation via email. Upon our arrival she was clearly very annoyed and didn't want to be there. I am assuming this because she didn't introduce herself, she gave us little to no instruction before getting on the horses, she never asked if we had any prior experience with horseback riding and remained with a passive aggressive/rude disposition for the majority of the session. The instructor today had us immediately hop on the horses without a demonstration first even though we quite literally have no experience with horseback riding lol . I know super safe ... Once we actually got on the horses with some help and guidance, she gave us what I would describe as a 60 second crash course... This was not enough time for us to properly learn how to steer/guide the horses in different directions or know what to do in case of an emergency. The three horses she chose was Juno (normal/mild) temperament, Duck (Very sensitive to touch and hyperactive) and Oden. She made us aware that Oden was old (20 years old), had a history of abuse and that he had an attitude today. Just the fact that she mentioned he had an attitude and had to pop the his butt with her hand to get him to move closer to me....Immediately, why would she give me that horse to ride??? Oden should have been specifically Louisa's horse to ride for the session today in my opinion. Given that I have no experience with horses, let alone experience with horses who have attitudes, are stubborn and in an elderly state, to me, this was already neglectful on Louisa's part. As we rode the trail, there were multiple times that I remained 6 + feet behind Louisa, my friend and their horses while riding Oden. At this point Louisa was doing what I believe to be yelling instructions, but how was I supposed to hear any of what she was saying being 6+feet behind??I did my best to keep Oden safe given her poor instructions or lack thereof. The most terrifying portion is when we had to make a sharp right turn at the cross walk. At this time, Oden was not as receptive to the pulling of the reigns and ended up scratching his leg on the pillar . It was very scary and he was bleeding . Louisa's response during this time was to ask me "why do you have your hands up to you boobs?" And to "look where I'm going" I don't know if she was trying to guide me, but I am not sure what she was talking about at this time. She also asked me to "fix myself" when getting off of Oden referring to my breasts again . This was very strange . I am not sure why she kept making references to my breasts ??? At the point where I was off the horse we made it to the ice cream stop (By the way, the Ice cream is not included in the $165 you pay, you have to buy the ice cream yourself). Louisa remained with the horses while she let my friend and I purchase ice cream and then shortly after, left me and my friend Shakila unsupervised with all 3 horses at least 3 times. She left us with the horses while she left to gather napkins and water to clean Oden. Her instruction was to hold the rubber rope while she left, that's it. Oden looked to be actively in distress, walking in circles, moving around constantly and even tried to back away from me a couple of times while I held the rubber rope as instructed. I was very afraid and I expressed this concern to Louisa several times. Unfortunately she was very dismissive and communicated with me that she would let me know if there was something to be worried about. How could she do this if she had been walking away multiple times for minutes while oden was in distress?? We also did not get to brush the horses as per the ice cream trail package . Overall the horses were not to blame for Louisa's unsafe conduct . One good thing is that there is a very sweet farm dog here !

Fully disappointed with customer service! even 1 star is a good mark for this farm, it's zero! they…read morescheduled private classes on the same time and field as group classes, as a result almost all the time you just waiting for free space. horses often is too tired to do a run. Would not recommend anyone!

We have been with Christine V, the owner, since she ran a much smaller barn. She purchased and…read moremoved Red Gate Farm to Bluemont, VA in 2017. It's a gorgeous barn with wonderful horses and ponies. Just the most gorgeous grounds and we usually have a picnic there right after lessons to take advantage of the beautiful views! I think people have to understand you may not always get to ride or show with the horse or pony that you want and that's just part of the sport, unless you actually lease the horse or pony.

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!

We spent a full day at River Riders, splitting our time between the Harpers Ferry Waterpark in the…read moremorning and the Aerial Adventure Park in the afternoon. It was a great combination for both the kids and adults. The inflatable waterpark kept the kids busy for the entire session. El Jefe, the large slide, and Thor, the climbing tower and slide, were our favorites. I strongly recommend booking one of the first sessions during the summer. We went early when it was less crowded, and it became noticeably busier later. In the afternoon, we completed the green and blue aerial trails. Both were a lot of fun, and the progression from one to the next worked well. Overall, River Riders is an excellent choice for families or groups looking for an active full day near Harpers Ferry.

I am posting this review to urge prospective guests to exercise extreme caution and to call on…read moremanagement to address severe safety oversights. Despite having prior rafting experience and maintaining strong physical fitness, this individual tubing trip presented hazardous conditions with virtually no on-water safety support. ​Key Issues Observed: ​No Helmets Suggested or Required: Helmets were not recommended, suggested, or provided for navigating rocky rapids. I capsized and hit my head on submerged rocks--a dangerous hazard that warrants clear guidance and mandatory head protection. ​Zero Rescue Personnel: No river guides or safety kayakers were stationed along technical sections. When participants were pinned against rocks or stranded in strong currents, there was no staff to assist. ​Inadequate Instruction & Extreme Strain: Relying solely on arm paddling through boulder gardens offers minimal control and quickly causes physical exhaustion, even for fit individuals. ​Equipment Failures: Some tubes were punctured by sharp rocks, leaving guests stranded in turbulent water with no emergency extraction protocol. Commercial river outfitters have a basic duty of care to provide essential protective gear, clear instruction, and active supervision. I strongly advise making sure these safety practices are in place before booking unless you have experience and are comfortable without the precautions.

Such a beautiful nature walk. I feel very fortunate to have this preserve so close to my house…read more What a great escapade for me and my dog! Love that there are areas to sit and just enjoy the outdoors and nature. Very well maintained and felt safe for a solo female. Highly, highly recommend!

I look forward to walking through the Preserve with my little dog on a weekly basis. I'm not sure…read moreif it is my dog or myself who likes the Preserve better! Even with the recent hot, humid weather, the hike has been enjoyable because of the shading provided by the beautiful trees and the available resting areas. Parking has never been an issue although I have recently noticed more cars when I visit. It looks like even more people are visiting and enjoying the trails!

This was one of the funnest experiences I've had in awhile! So much so that I'm even going to…read moreignore how hard it was to find the actual creek to canoe/kayak/raft in & once you're in the area, you're lucky if you have one bar of cell reception. That said, we found our location, with the intention of rafting until we met a nice gentleman with loads of experience and advice considering we were newbies. My fiancé and I chose to Kayak so we could be together. We opted to kayak on the calmer side of the creek to get our feet wet. No pun intended and enjoyed one of the most beautiful, relaxing scenic experiences ever. Next time, we're going to go on the four hour aggressive side of the creek experience & I will edit this to talk about that experience. That said, I had the greatest time and can't wait to return in two weeks.

**This is stop 4 on my list "Road Trips Around DC: Canoeing and Civil War History in MD"**…read more This company is wonderful! They essentially work with you to figure out if kayaking or canoeing is better (mostly dictated by water level that day), teach you pointers before you get in the water, and even give you a map and a zip lock bag for valuables before sending you on your merry way down the river... You show up at their address at Devil's backbone (about 15 minute drive from Antietam Battlefield and Inn at Antietam, both also part of my list) and it's a residence with a big garage. It seems deceiving until you notice all the kayaks and canoes laying around which are the dead giveaway. They have a wonderful dog who may be the first to greet you and they spend time with you to make sure you are comfortable with your kayak or canoe and with the map. Life jacket and ore(s) included of course. They let you know if there are any downed trees or other obstacles and how to navigate around them which is clutch. It's a national park and you're literally canoeing through the battlefield so the river isn't exactly maintained routinely, so pay attention to what you're told about downed trees (lean forward, not back when going under a low hanging tree). The run is awesome! We did the "most asked for" which is labeled as such on their website from Devil's Backbone to Burnside Bridge (an important battlefield site) and it was about 8 miles or 4 hours. The map they give you is very detailed so you know exactly where you are and when to get out. They meet you at the end to drive you back to your car which is nice so you're not totally on your own. This really felt like genuine canoeing to me- not commercialized, rock and tree obstacles along the way to challenge you, and not even that many houses along the river so you really feel like you're at one with nature. Oh, and there are lots of cows mooing to cheer you on along the way. Arranging the trip and paying for it are super simple. just call them and they have a great sense of humor and after just a mere minute, you know they care and want you to have a great time. Their website has a ton of information so don't be overwhelmed- just comb through it and it's as thorough as you can get: what to bring, what not to bring, what to wear, the water level and rapid categories that you'll see, as well as local places to stay and eat (this is how I found Inn at Antietam). If the water is at such a height to allow you to pull over for lunch, ask them where it is best to do so. At one point, it seemed on the map that there's a general store close to the river if someone stays behind with the gear! Again, ask them. Go on a weekday- we were the only paddlers we saw on the whole river and we ran into only a family wading into the water. Otherwise, we were totally isolated and it was wonderful and peaceful. Bring sunscreen. Bring a sense of adventure. The owners are super and have great stories. You'll love it.

LOVE Harper's Ferry. I'm a huge history buff. I used to come here as a child my dad would take us…read more So many memories . Parking is very busy mid day so come early, they also have a parking area then you can shuttle to the town, so check that out before coming. If you love the story of John Brown then this will bring everything to life. When we came the govt was shut down so I couldn't go to the wax museum :'(. I recommend bringing a picnic basket and eating on the grassy area near the river. You can also make a hike day out of everything and hike up the town past the beautiful Catholic Church at the top, hike back down, go over the bridge, and explore over there. Best place ever.

Having lived in Virginia for over three decades, before making the Valley of the Sun home, gave me…read morethe opportunity of visiting incredibly beautiful, vast, extraordinary and historical areas of Virginia, Maryland, DC and West Virginia - some of the most beautiful country America has to offer. West Virginia is by far an underrated state having so many natural and manmade wonders. As well as one of our most adventurous terrains. Harpers Ferry offers something for nearly everyone, from outdoor recreation and history to really quiet riverside walks and ranger-led programs. In historic Downtown, museums and exhibits tell many sides of and dark memories around Harpers Ferry, including the John Brown Museum and John Brown's Fort, Black Voices: African American History, the Industry Museum, and period sites such as the Boarding House, Dry Goods Store, White Hall Tavern, and the Confectionery. Other featured sites include Harper House, the Master Armorer's Quarters, the Civil War Museum, and the Provost Marshal Office. One can stroll the rivers Shenandoah and Potomac converge there and admire the train crossing and the tunnel across the way. Picnicking by the riverside is a wonderful afternoon pastime. Nice and cool streaming waters, especially of a hot and muggy summer's day. Although usually a bustling tourist location, it offers a unique solitude because of its surrounding hills, mountains, trees and overall nature. I have never tired of visiting Harpers Ferry, despite its cruel and violent history, it remains tranquil, beautiful and serene. If you're ever in West Virginia, this is a must visit!

This place is exactly what you need. I can't say enough about Makendra and her Farm. Her passion…read morefor her horses and teaching is tangible. Both me and my daughter ride there but I am often requested by my daughter if she can just go hang out at the farm. The energy, people and overall pleasantness of the farm is a true escape. I love each and every one of her horses and have learnt a tremendous amount of horse care knowledge from Makendra. She is interested in the connection you have with the horse you ride, she wants the experience to be both educational but fun and enjoyable at the same time. Don't pass on the opportunity to visit Tsaheylu, you would be missing out.

This review is not only my testament to Makendra's teaching ability and skill, but also her…read moredemeanor and patience with horses and riders. She's an amazing instructor, rider and trainer. If I could afford it, I'd buy one of her homebreds!!!