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!!

Had a really nice time touring Cavalier Distillery! The history alone is worth the visit, but the…read moretasting really sealed the deal. We did the extra tasting of the Old Cavalier (highly recommend!) and couldn't leave without the Hye Rye, the Old Cavalier, and that incredible Bourbon Cream. Love seeing the dedication that goes into hand-bottling every single bottle. These will be staying well-stocked in my bar from now on! We'll be back for sure. Here's to the Cavalier Distillery!

We did the advanced tasting with the addition of the Old Cavalier. The tasing was delightful. The…read moreproducts are well crafted, and the ambiance of the tasting room was very enjoyable. I would recommend this tasting to anyone in the Virginia Beach area, and I would recommend the additional pour of the Old Cavalier. My only critique would be that we seemed pressed for time and a bit rushed. Maybe allow a little more time for the tour/tasting so the customers have more time to savor.

Amazing. I was so impressed with the view and the great tour guide. The tour guide was so polite…read moreand professional, that you don't come across such great people who take pride in what they do.

Amazing tour guides great experience altogether definitely going to do this again next time we come…read moreto Virginia Beach

This is a very nice and friendly environment to take your family on a dream ride in the air for…read moretours around the beach or to see the horses or the beautiful sunset I would definitely recommend this business for you guided tour the owner is a very nice gentlemen and real easy to get to talking to and he makes you feel comfortable and wants you to enjoy your tour me and my girlfriend enjoyed our tour and will definitely be back again for another. Thanks Black Creek for making this a great night.

From the owner: Premium helicopter toursread more

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!

Rented one of the big wheel bikes for a solo trip into Back Bay. A very knowledgeable staff member…read moremade the experience easy and recommended more things to do for the future. I'll definitely be back. Thanks.

5 star location where you can rent stand up paddle boards, bikes and kayaks. We rented paddle…read moreboards and kayaks yesterday. There is only one guy there so we carried our boards across the lawn to put in on a sandy beach that was right in the bay. Excellent spot and fantastic scenery. Today we went back and rented mountain bikes and rode up into false cape state park. The bikes weren't in great condition and we had to make adjustments ourselves. This could easily be a 5 star spot with more attention to maintaining equipment and getting staff to spend a little time offering advice and adjusting equipment to fit the client. If you know what you're doing, it's great. If you are a novice, you might be disappointed or a bit freaked out (in the middle of the bay struggling to get your paddle board back in or stuck in the park with a bike that keeps falling out of gear). Luckily we had experienced people in our group who kept the above from happening...

Every year we visit the Outer Banks Vineyard, and every year the service keeps getting better! The…read morestaff is engaging, helpful, and make you feel like you are hanging out with friends. If you like sweet wines like me, you have to visit when you are in the Outer Banks.

We had an amazing time! Brian was our guide to the winery. He was so informative, friendly, and…read moremade an amazing time better. Our pourer was Emily, she was very knowledgeable answered all questions about the wine and very friendly. I think it is a must do. You are on vacation. Splurge on yourself it is worth the price. We went with a group of 6 and left with 12 bottles. Not home with 12 ;-) The Wine is so great and there is something for everyone.

This is a nice and exciting "sight seeing" excursion. The wife and I really enjoyed our ride.read more

Had a great time out in the boat, pretty cool seeing a navy seal boat which was used in prior…read moremissions ! Saw tons of dolphins and the ocean front as well ! We were lucky enough to see a beautiful wedding on the beach ! The owner runs the company through a big truck parked by the marina and he was very nice! I would bring my family there if we go back just for the experience