Dorey Park isn't too close to me, so my first visit was for the Richmond Renaissance Faire a couple…read moreof weekends back. I attended on the sweltering hot Saturday, and I would've loved more shade as I almost passed out around midday. The park itself is expansive with plenty of areas for parking. It seemed to be well-kept and had on-site facilities. I could see why this would be a good event venue. Just wish we could control the weather! I'd go back for future events.

Very well kept park & recreational areas in the Sandston (eastern henrico) territory…read more Building available for a great venue to have different events with good space, tables, chairs. That the renter decorates how they like! The past few years, some spring and summer festivals take place out there!

Fun splash pad for the kids! Bathrooms were clean, plenty of parking…read more We came in from out of town and the kids wanted to go swimming. 3 pools we checked out were closed and the YMCA wasn't doing daily passes. There kids were so sad. Luckily I saw this splash pad as we were driving. Glad we found this place!

Trish the Belly Dancing instructor is awesome!! My first class today & the vibe of the class was a…read moreblast, looking forward to going again!!!!

Worst gym experience of my life. I was working out with athletic shorts, sports bra, and a flowy…read moretank top. I was approached and told i would have to wear a t shirt because my gym attire was " inappropriate." I have never felt more shamed nor targeted as a female in my entire life. What a shame! Do not go here unless you want to wear a track suit while working out. Disgusting staff and management whom need to be fired. As a paying customer with a membership I will NEVER return here and will encourage my friends, co workers, and family to not do so as well. Female misogyny comes in many forms at the rec center gym!

the hours are pretty bad but the staff upfront only has 1 non lazy worker. I was rudely spoken to…read moretrying to get a day pass with 3 workers upfront and there was only one person in line infront of me. the staff was worried about getting off more than doing work.

First time at this park and it's beautiful! Even though the park was pretty crowded, I never felt…read morelike there were too many people. Plenty of public spaces for picnics, etc. Henrico parks & rec were setting up for an earth day celebration so it seems like a great place to get together and celebrate. The park is super clean and plenty of parking.

Really nice park that has good walking trails, a kids playground, and other amenities.read more

I visited this center for a private event last weekend…read more I heard about this center before and wanted to check it out, but never got around to it. I still really didn't check it out last Saturday. I only walked in the front door - to the right - and the event was in the banquet rooms to the right. If I had to guess about two rooms were used to accompany about 100 people. Overall, I was please with the center. I did see young boys enjoying the facility. I did notice this center is only open from 12p-4p on Saturdays. Unlike most recreation centers in the area, this one looks to be the the largest or in close competition with others in the city. Plenty of parking! Check them out when time permits. Have fun and enjoy life :)

This center is huge and so amazing. I came here because of tge google reviews and they were so on…read morepoint. Greeted with kindness, everything is spotless, seniors are working out, I mean really pumping iton. I am motivated. The parking lot is wonderful too. Spaces are wider than usual to accommodate newer vehicles. The mixture of ages is very nice. I am jazzed by the positive attitudes and smiles. Loving it.

I've had a great experience at Princess Anne Recreation Center. I mainly use the weight room, which…read moreis very clean and well maintained. It can be a little crowded at times, but overall people have good gym etiquette and wipes are always available to clean equipment. My only suggestion would be a bit more space--especially in front of the mirrors for free weights, since that area can feel tight. I took one class that was slightly more advanced than I expected, but the instructor offered modifications and everyone was welcoming. The front desk staff are consistently friendly and helpful. I haven't used the pool myself, but family members have and really enjoy it. Overall, it's a solid facility with a positive atmosphere.

The recreational centers in our area are a great alternative to gym memberships. They are more…read moreaffordable especially if you have a family and they offer so many options. There is something for everyone regardless of age. The facilities are well maintained and staffed. Everyone is so friendly and professional. From the moment you walk in someone is greeting you with a smile. What I've noticed that has made an impression on me is that everyone I have encounter seems happy to work there. I highly recommend the centers in our area. I have been to four different ones and I have been impressed with all of them.

Always a great meal, kid friendly, lots of TVs for games, service is excellent too!! Thanks…read moreGarland!!

What a hidden gem! Great place to have a shaded walk and nice playground for the kids.read more

It was only the second time I had been to this Rec Center. Neither time included activities. The…read morefirst was to check out the walking lanes in the pool. This time was for an event being held in a large meeting room off the lobby. The location is on the portion of Newtown Road where the road turns east & the remainder is called Diamond Springs Road. This portion of the road actually runs between Haygood Road and that split. On the campus of buildings are also two elementary schools. The land, previously a farm, was donated to the city by the Williams Family, There are definite positives & negatives to the indoor pool. It appeared from my viewpoint to be slightly smaller than that of Bayside Rec Center. The walking lanes are fantastic for those who enjoy or need that experience for therapeutic reasons. But it does take away from the pool space for those who go to swim or just splash. There are outside activities that aren't available at Bayside. A large connected & fenced splash area was great for younger kids running through the water on a hot day. It gave the feel of a series of stationary underground sprinklers. I viewed an enclosed skate board ramp. Adjacent to that was something being used that was below ground level. I'm not sure what type of activity was involved. I didn't venture further down the meeting room hall. But the large glass window room in which my event was held was great & very accessible. One big flaw was the lack of handicapped parking spaces. I only saw four & had to park in hinterlands in terrible heat. This Rec Center is a great addition to this part of Bayside. It's walking distance from a lot of condo's & apartments. So kids can get there very easily in the summer. The Williams family's land donation is being put to good use.

Since my go-to rec center was having a check-up, I have been trying out different rec centers in…read morethe area. I'll say that I had a very pleasant experience at Williams Farm. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea this rec center even existed, but I'm glad that I know about it. The rec center has all of the features of the other local rec centers - pool, open gym, weight room, cardio machines, indoor track, clean (very important) locker rooms, and free (and plentiful) lockers. Extra points for the showers in the locker room because each shower has an additional partition so one can shower in one partition and change in the other. The weight room is pretty comparable to a smaller gym's, but the center has all the equipment that one would need for a general workout. Actually, I think this center's weight "room" (or should I say weight open space) is a bit larger than a couple of the other VB rec centers. I noticed this rec center had a few bench presses and deadlift squat apparatuses. This is in contrast to my regular rec center, which has only one of each. I really enjoyed that the rec center has plenty of large windows so the weight room and indoor track receive plenty of natural sunlight, which leads to a cheerful workout . . . at least for me. The staff was pretty much nice and very helpful in providing directions to different parts of the gym. While this rec center is somewhat out of the way for me, I definitely will visit when my local recenter is closed.

A community center is supposed to be a place where you can hold club meetings, throw a birthday…read moreparty, enjoy the pool, and, yes, take a class and work out in the gym. This place is just a gym with too many rules. Here's what I've been asked to stop doing or even leave for: Swimming too slowly in the pool lanes Not playing tennis in the tennis court (my child and I were the only ones there, and we were playing) Bringing a child younger than 9 or 14 onto the track Playing basketball with a basketball brought from home. All the others are ALWAYS taken. They confiscated my ball. Going the wrong way in the pool. The lifeguard didn't realize that going against the current is a form of exercise. Walking the track instead of running Stopping next to the track Sitting on the exercise equipment. It had a chair that I chose to sit on for two minutes. No one was around. Today, two fellow members kicked me out because I had flip-flops on. They were right about it being against the rules, but it just reminded me of the pervasive culture of entitlement and snobbery that exists at this location. For context, I have memory issues, which is why I had flip-flops on at the gym.

Love this recreation center. One of the reasons to feel good about being a VA Beach resident is…read morethat you get an annual membership for $120 and you get access to all the amenities (pool, gym, track, locker room, etc) and classes (tai chi, Zumba, yoga, etc ). Not only at this location but also other recreation centers as well! Parking is ample. You get full view of the pool to the left of the entrance and then the welcome/reception desk and even a peek at the indoor court. The membership signup was a breeze, the staff was helpful. Flyers of class schedule, pool and gym schedule and other locations are all available by the bulletin stand where you take schedule printouts. I cannot wait to start my early morning classes!

I see no reason to not go all the way providing Bow Creek Recreation Center a full 5 stars…read more It's the newest center in Virginia Beach being completely rebuilt around 8-10 years ago. This was my first visit since it's not in my area. However, I attended a pickleball clinic that was available. Plenty of parking and the area was clean. The center is back in a neighborhood is really the only negative, but not enough to deduct a full Star. There is an outdoor playground at the entrance. It appears a track too! Staff was welcoming when I checked in and directed me to the gym. Bow Creek has a high ceiling entrance of glass. The pool is the first thing you notice. My visit will focus on the gym and clinic. The two staff of Kat and Rob were great providing and overview of the game of Pickleball. I had never played and did not know the rules, the two hour clinic involved actually playing to learn. I walked out with confidence to actually play a game. I'm a huge fan of Virginia Beach Recreation and Bow Creek is a shining example of our new eras of centers. My understanding is others will be renovated/rebuilt over the next 10 years.

Bow Creek recreation center is is a nice surprise. It's not necessarily in a bad neighborhood, but…read moreit's nestled into a squarely working class one. As a city recreation center, it's one of several across VAB that offers a gym, pool, classes, event spaces, pickle ball, etc. There is a very nice pool inside when you first enter and they always have activities going on. I recently visited bc I wanted to rent one of their event rooms for a baby shower. I had a bit of an issue at first bc they were short on staff but was able to view the rooms and come back a few days later to sit and write out the paperwork and make payment. The event staff are excellent and it's such a good deal to be able to rent a room here with tables and chairs! They're so easygoing and helpful. I couldn't be happier. My event isn't until April but they furnish as many tables as you need and chairs for 30 people per room - so you can rent the half room with partition up for $45 an hour, or the full room for double with partition down and it fits 60. One of the rooms is larger and a few of them have water views and a small sink. I will update once we have our event but I'm thrilled with the service so far.