We had the absolute most amazing time with Lester! He was a wonderful tour guide and also taught us…read moremuch more about caves than we expected to learn. He taught us how to safely spot or catch someone in front of us if they're falling back, he taught us the different whistle signals used, and how to use a compass! I had no idea that I didn't even know how to use a compass in the first place. Once he navigated us about halfway to our ending point, he had one of us navigate the rest of the way using the cave map and our compass, and then had us switch on the way back (there were 2 of us). We had never caved before, but he saw that we are the active type, so he not only led us horizontally through spaces, but we also got to go vertical and climb up and down spaces. I couldn't stop raving about our experience afterwards. This tops the list of most exciting things I've ever done, and most unique as well because I can't say I know anyone else who has ever done caving. On our way home, we stopped by Luray Caverns and it was really cool walking through with newfound appreciation. We were able to point out things and appreciate how it was formed in ways we never would have beforehand. The only issue is we wished we could have strayed off the beaten path and explore more nooks and crannies the public doesn't get to see! If you're questioning whether to book a tour with Wild Guyde, I would without a doubt recommend it. If you think you might get claustrophic, I had the same fear going into this, but the cave is very open and even when you're crawling you still have plenty space around you that you don't feel trapped. Plus, you don't have to do anything you don't want to or feel comfortable with! I promise you won't regret it.

Amazing! Worked with our family to elevate our first underground adventure. Loved the emphasis on…read moresafety and empowered us to go out on our own. 10/10

You will not be disappointed when you book with Shenandoah Mountain Guides!…read more My buddy and I were fortunate to have Andy Nichols (business owner) be our guide for the day and could not have been happier with the experience! Andy WILL BE one of the coolest people you will meet in your lifetime: Incredibly knowledgeable of the science behind the outdoors, has a vast history of the area you will explore/climb, a wonderful motivator/coach, a perfect story-teller, and overall great guy!

Andy, the owner, is truly an expert on the Shenandoahs. Highly knowledgeable, friendly, ready to…read morework with people at all ability levels. He worked with my two sons, ages 12 and 14, to teach them the basics of rockclimbing, and within a few hours, the boys -- and me, too! -- were scaling cliffs of a couple hundred feet. Don't worry, he has all the proper gear, and safety is a priority. I would definitely recommend him and his company, and we hope to book again with him soon. By the way, he is a former Eagle Scout and former Scoutmaster, and he is a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor for rockclimbing and probably a few other things.

Sent my grandson to camp with State Climb and he loved it!! Everyone is super laid back. Very…read moreflexible with making up time and registration... Definite unique variation to normal camp:)

Inside a 1938 movie theatre that once was segregated is State Climb, a climbing gym open to all…read more Operating as a non-profit, State Climb asks visitors to either join as a member or pay what you can. My friends and I went right when they opened at 3 p.m. on a Friday in October. Here's our experience: 1) Instructions: Two staff members taught us how to tie knots, belay, etc. Once we had the hang of it, they stayed with us to make sure we were climbing safely and/or had any questions. They were great instructors and very personable. 2) Walls: There are four different climbing walls and three ropes. Two walls you can climb without roping in and two others you rope in. (One had an automatic belay machine.) If it's your first time, but you want to climb high, go to the tallest wall and follow the blue markers. 3) Space: It's in the space that was the stage of an old theater. It's kept clean and comes with a training area, restrooms, changing rooms, etc. 4) Staff: When you check in, they give you shoes to climb. (There are cubbies to place your shoes in.) If you didn't sign a waiver online, they'll have you sign when you enter. Every staff person we met was very nice and helpful!

Brought my 10 year old grandson here and he had the best time. Excellent option he liked much…read morebetter than the trampoline place. He will continue to want to go back when he visits. They had plenty of beginner level climbs available. He loved the challenge.

Great for kids birthday! We just had my nephew's 8th bday party there and the staff was so great…read morewith the kids! Very patient and kind with each child. It is a serious rock climbing gym so I would make sure your kids are able to listen to and follow instruction for their and others safety. My nephew has climbed before and they definitely let him try some of the harder routes. Party room was great, staff consistently asked if we needed anything or if they could help in any way. The manager also came by and checked on us which was awesome. Overall great experience!

Nice gym with good boulders. A little steep for a day pass if you're only here to boulder. Also the…read morebathrooms are a mile away from the actual gym (have to exit and walk down 3 different hallwas) and are a little dark/dingy. Plenty of parking, friendly staff, and most importantly - to me - good quality problems that you can spend a couple hours on. I don't like the color/circuit grading (prefer V scale) but the climbs themselves are good.

Went here for a day pass with a friend to check out Peak since we were in the area. Coming from…read moreNorthern Virginia (Sportrock), it was nice to see visit another gym outside of the area. The grading system here is pretty fair. Found most of the grades to be very accurate to the V scale that they use. They have plenty of routes on Top Rope and Bouldering for all skill levels, and also have a long comp wall as well! With a variety of holds on slab, caves and overhang, you can definitely gets some miles in at this gym. some of the walls here are kind of high from what I'm used too, so it was a little scary getting to the top. The gym is also clean and very spacious. Plenty of walls to go around so peak hours shouldn't be so bad. I haven't experienced it since I'm not from the area, but the space is huge. Overall, a very nice gym. Clean, spacious and accurate grades. Definitely recommend this climbing gym!

Great place for a kids birthday celebration! Staff is very helpful and friendly. They work well…read morewith younger kids.

My husband and I love VR. We had never rock climbed until we walked in the door this past June and…read moresince then we have been hooked. It's very family-friendly, we climb with our son who just turned 5 two weeks ago and we also sneak over occasionally to climb with just the 2 of us. They keep things fresh by updating the walls often. The staff is friendly and very helpful. We now not only have a family membership but we all own our own gear since we go there so often. Highly recommend!

Great climbing gym here in NOVA. The Sterling location has plenty of bouldering walls alongside…read morewith Top Rope/Lead and Auto-Belay. The Sterling location isn't as big as some of the other climbing gyms, but it is plenty for a climbing session. I will say, the one issue of this location is that since it's a little small, the bouldering section is a little cramped in spacing compared to their other location in Alexandria. Not a a big problem at all, but can be during peak hours. Their staff here are very nice and friendly as well. Always a good group of people being welcoming to new guests and members. The facility itself is also well kept and clean.

I tell myself that I come here because it's good for me. That it's far more fun than just going to…read morea regular boring gym to move around some heavy plates of metal or to set myself up like a rodent on a wheel and go absolutely nowhere really fast for an hour. I tell myself that making time and partnering up is better motivation and will ensure that I actually make the time to work on my fitness. Forget all that. I come for the eye candy. Plus, I lie to myself and imagine that if I keep up with climbing, I'll also have a ridiculously ripped, lean, toned body with a perfect V-shaped torso. No, don't burst my little dream bubble. Fair warning. Until you obtain a membership card (which took us roughly three weeks from signing up), you'll have to deal with the stench by the front desk. Our suspicious: the stack of rental climbing shoes that have been worn by countless people. Fortunately, I can now hold my breath or breathe through my mouth as I navigate past the worst of it. Once you're back into the main part of the gym, it's much easier to breathe. With plenty of bouldering, huge tall walls for belay climbing or top roping (which I still haven't experienced myself), and a couple of auto-belays, there has always been ample room to find a wall to climb. Plus, membership benefits include free yoga classes, a significant discount on climbing gear (which, believe me, I looked... it's never on sale anywhere), and a huge benefit on pricing for classes. The staff here seem well-informed and helpful, and it's always been easy enough to hunt someone down for questions about the gym, equipment, or suggestions on how to improve. After about a month, I can legitimately say that I'm pretty addicted. Whether it's on the climbing itself, or the view... well, jury's still out.

Best experience ever! Excellent customer service, clean, friendly, good vibes, and not…read moreintimidating for newcomers. We highly recommend it!

Everything. Great overhangs and a lot of different climbs…read more All the climbers have great rapport with the owners who are very supportive of them.