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.

Fun fun fun! This is a fantastic place to test your grip. The rock climbing walls are plentiful…read moreand are many many options. There's a tethered ropes course that lead you to a zip line. The zip line is pretty fun, even for adults. The staff are pretty helpful in explaining how things work and assist in putting on the harness and taking it off. The slide is also really fun, you get a mat to slide on and go down head-first on what seems a 90 degree plummet and land on an inflatable pillow. One thing I did see people struggling with is the anchoring point of the harness to the rock climbing rig. You gotta have some strength to properly rig it and kids often need assistance. In some of the reviews I read prior to visiting, people said it gets really busy on the weekends and the lines can really put a damper on the experience. We chose to go on a weekday and there were no lines.

I was so excited to bring my granddaughter and her friend to Up Ultimate Adventure Park but…read moreunfortunately, our experience was overshadowed by poor organization and long wait times. Safety is, of course, a top priority, but the current setup is completely inefficient. There simply aren't enough staff members to strap in patrons quickly, leading to an excessive line that ate into the time we paid for. To make matters worse, the climbing walls and ropes course require separate harnesses, forcing kids to stand in line TWICE just to participate. If I had paid for two hours and spent half of that just waiting, I would be beyond frustrated. This setup is unfair to families who expect to actually enjoy the attractions--not just stand in line. I strongly encourage management to look at how other adventure parks operate and adopt a more efficient system. More harness stations and dedicated staff at multiple locations throughout the park would make a huge difference. If things don't change, I imagine many customers (myself included) will hesitate to return and may even request refunds. How can a business thrive if paying guests spend more time waiting than playing? I truly hope improvements are made because this place has so much potential--but right now, it's just not working.

I climb here 2-3 times a week. I love that the setters are always changing the routes and that the…read morestaff are always friendly. It's been 11 months and I always find a new challenge for myself, whether I'm top roping, Bouldering or just taking one of the many classes they offer. Prior to Earth Treks I had been a member at Planet Fitness, but I'd get so bored just doing the same machines over and over. At Earth Treks, I'm finding ways to get stronger and have a great time while also working out! Bottom line: I love my membership, which allows me to climb at any and all of the Earth Treks! I've currently visited 4/5 in the Maryland/Virginia area and this one is my anchor!

A yoga instructor attending a yoga class disciplined by 11 year old for laughing when the…read moreparticipating instructor farted multiple times in class. Ridiculous! If you fart in public, people may laugh. So not kid friendly and expensive.

We've visited this location a few times and it's been a great option for homeschooling families…read moresince they offer a consistent weekly timeslot. It's never overly crowded or loud, which makes it easy to enjoy the space. You're also allowed to bring your own lunch and drinks, which is a nice bonus. Another big improvement is the change in music. They now play jazz--no singing and no inappropriate lyrics--which creates a much more wholesome atmosphere. The only downside is the arcade setup. Instead of using quarters, you now have to purchase a game card loaded with credits. The simplicity of old-school coin-operated games is definitely missed.

ClimbZone lived up to our highest of expectations. On our list for a long time, ClimbZone was the…read morehost of my daughter's classmate's birthday party. We signed waivers ahead of time and were checked in right away when we got there. Under one large roof are dozens of themed indoor climbing walls. There's a Candy Land one, a rubber duck one, one with emojis, and more. Once you go through a quick training, you get a harness. Every wall has an auto belay making it easy to clip in and out while being safe. There's a wall for all experience levels. There are restrooms, drinking fountains, party rooms, and an arcade. It was a blast and worth the longer drive from Washington, D.C.

Had my daughters birthday party here. The staff were friendly and all the kids had fun. The…read moreprice is on the expensive side for what you get. Overall, it was a good one and done experience.

So I'm giving 5 stars bc it's a great place to take the kids, but def some hiccups. For example,…read moreyou can't call, the number listed is 800 to the business office. However, great parking, they were really friendly once arrived. There are small lockers for valuables, party rooms, and the place is pretty big and can accommodate a lot of people. You need to bring grippy socks or buy them there. Some activities require shoes. Worth it for all the things you can do while you're there.

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!

Field Trip Fairy made me another offer I couldn't refuse: a glorious fall day spent on the idyllic…read morecampus of Madeira School in Great Falls, ziplining down a hillside and watching 6th graders try to figure out how to ring a tractor tire around a 15-foot pole sticking straight up in the air? Yes, please. Sign me up. Inner Quest is an awesome little adventure-learning company based out of Purcellville, but with various sites and programs around the Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland area. Their challenge course at Madeira is huge and elaborate, encompassing several acres in the woods. Elements range from freakishly hard to anxiety-inducing heights to deceptively simple team-building. This was my second time undertaking the Madeira challenge course with Inner Quest: the first was 17 years ago as a scared-witless high school freshman. We'd moved from Texas that summer, and I was friendless since school hadn't started yet. Ma O. thought an Inner Quest program would be a great way for me to make friends. A random group of 12 of us spent a day on the challenge course, and the next 5 days hiking the Appalachian Trail in VA and MD, schlepping our packs, pitching our tents, cooking our food, and digging our own latrines. Ma O. was right: Inner Quest *was* a great way to make friends. Nothing bonds you quicker than mole-skinning blisters and burying your TP with strangers. I still remember our counselors, too -- unkempt adventurers with the nicest, most soothing, and helpfully instructive demeanors. Today's counselors were equally patient and kind with our kiddos. Our guys enjoyed themselves tremendously at Inner Quest, as did the adults (hello, zipline, I feel like a kid again!). Teamwork, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, taking calculated risks, trusting others -- these are life lessons you just can't teach in the classroom.

Inner Quest has been maintaining our low ropes course at are summer camp facility for as long as I…read morecan remember and they have always done a professional job. They insure that are obstacles are up to code and safe. They also train our Ropes Instructors each summer and they are very patient with our counselors and really take pride in making sure that everyone knows what they are doing. Keep up the good work and we will see you this summer. Camp Moss Hollow Butch

It's a big climbing gym. Took my teenage son's to do some bouldering. Bit on the pricey side and…read moreparking is horrendous.

Tried this gym out for the first time and I loved it. They have super tall walls for lead and top…read moreroping with lots of routes to choose from. They have a decently sized bouldering area and also a spray wall upstairs. The gym and weightlifting area is big and has lots of weights as well. Their treadmills and bikes are also in a separate area by the front which was nice. The staff is super friendly and helpful for whatever you need. They also help with belay certification and lead certification if you need. Great climbing gym in the area!

Sportrock has been such a haven for my family. My husband and I climbed before we had a child. We…read morewanted to return to this hobby, and Sportrock has made it possible for our family to come back to a sport we love. Sportrock is very family friendly. There are so many places for kids to roam around without getting in the way of climbers. We primarily Boulder and take turns climbing while one of us tends to our 1 year old. When we are at "the backcourts" our daughter stays amused by cruising around the mats and checking out the ping pong table. When we are at "the pool" my daughter loves climbing on the stairs. Sportrock has so much space! The climbs are fun and the range of difficulty is great. I love that they have community meetups for vegetarians and moms! They have great workout facilities I can use on climbing rest days. And I am excited that one day my daughter can celebrate her birthday party at Sportrock with their party room. We look forward to many more adventures at Sportrock and cannot wait for our daughter to learn to climb one day soon.

hands down best rock climbing gym I've been to. I usually boulder and they have lots of great…read moreclimbs! Route setters always cooook, good mix of easy, hard, and interesting. Very nice clean facilities, and staff is amazing. They have an insane college student deal on Friday nights where passes are $15

I have been horseback riding with Melinda Cohen at Dream Catcher Farm for 15 years. I would…read morerecommend it to anyone looking to learn to ride, as well as those who have ridden for years and want to continue. The farm is about 45 minutes from Chevy Chase/Bethesda, but the drive is very easy - just up 270. It's a quick 15 minutes from the Frederick area. Melinda welcomes students from beginner levels to very advanced. The facilities are top notch and the community is very friendly. Both the horses and the students are happy. There are acres of fields and miles of trails, as well as an indoor arena for rainy days or cooler temperatures. I couldn't ask for a better place to ride or a better place for my horses!!!

Came here for horseback riding lessons for our 6 and 4 year old. Absolutely magical experience for…read morethem. The trainer was great with kids and patient. The grounds are beautiful and there are lots of other animals to see and interact with: chickens, turkeys and two of the happiest resident dogs I've ever met. Thank you for an experience our kids won't soon forget.