I did the haunted walk tour with a group on 9/12. The tour guide was boring. The explanations were…read morevery brief so there was more walking than learning. I, along with a few others left about halfway through.

I did the ghost tour last night 9/12 with a large group. I am sorry to say I was very disappointed…read more I have done several ghost walks and this was the worst. The stories were mediocre, the tour guide was subpar. I was counting the minutes till it concluded. Don't waste 25 dollars for this tour.

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!!

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!

A group of eight of us enjoyed a fun and relaxing lunch cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk. The buffet…read morelunch was good and plentiful. It included three types of salads, rolls with butter, chicken, pulled pork, and salmon entrees, potatoes, Mac and Cheese, plantains, squash, and street corn. Plus a large selection of desserts. Iced tea and water came with the meal too. They also have a full bar and reasonable prices for beer and wine. Service is cheerful and efficient. The entire crew was accommodating and helpful. After lunch, you can go out on their decks and enjoy the view or stay inside to dance to tunes played by a DJ. Tip and tax is included on the cruise fee, though not on the separate drinks you order on board. They'll serve you drinks at your table or on the outside decks. We boarded at 11:30 am, and the buffet opened around that time too. We then sail shortly after 12 pm. We disembarked at 2 pm. Parking is available a block away in the Town Point Garage. I believe they usually have handicap parking close to the ship, but that area was occupied by a festival when we were there. They give a military discount. Sometimes you'll see a discount on their website too.

Enjoyable cruise to see ships and the harbor and river…read more On the boat you can grab snacks and hot dogs and beverages. The staff are friendly.

What a find!! I stumbled upon this Inn searching for something better than the Maine. We stayed at…read moreThe Maine last time we visited Norfolk and I was very disappointed. The Inn at Four Eleven York was a very different story. The staff were extremely pleasant and accommodating! From the moment we walked in the front door I was hooked. Very nicely decorated, it smelled fantastic, and we were greeted so warmly. Our room was small but so clean and well appointed with a comfy bed and a nice shower. Dinner was fantastic next door and breakfast was very pleasant in a sunny room on the first floor. The owner's refurbished this Inn and did a fantastic job. We used to own a very small 5 star boutique hotel and I know how difficult it is to keep people happy. They're doing a great job!

Beautiful Inn. What a treat it was to stay here. This was the final leg of our vacation and it was…read moresuch a nice way to end the week. On arrival we were greeted by Brianna who showed us to our room and offered us complimentary Prosecco. She also arranged for us to have dinner at their amazing restaurant next door. We had such a fun, peaceful evening. In the morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and got back in the road. Thank you to Brianna and Jasmine!!

There is nothing negative to say about the Double Tree. The…read morerooms are nice and clean, the staff is friendly and they even have a restaurant inside the hotel. They are located close to the airport Ikea and to the outlet mall. Side note there a several great restaurants close to the hotel-Hansang if you like Korean, Aberdeen Barn if you are in the mood for a steak, IKEA for some shopping and meatballs, Pop's Diner for breakfast and lunch, Maymar's for Filipino food and several spots in the outlet mall.

Yelp is always so hard on hotels. I was stuck in the area due to flight issues and I decided to…read morestay here because it was close. I had no issues. In fact, my room was ready before check in time and it was clean and comfortable. It was quiet and I had a great night there.

I've stayed at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside more times than I can count, and somehow it never…read moredisappoints. Location? Absolutely elite. If your idea of a perfect evening involves walking to great restaurants, grabbing a drink at a waterfront bar, or just strolling along the harbor pretending you're the main character in a travel show, this is your place. You can park the car and forget it exists. If you're an airline crew member, this hotel deserves bonus points. It's one of the few hotels that actually understands exhausted humans in uniforms. They have a dedicated crew room stocked with snacks, sandwiches, coffee, and drinks before or after a flight. It's not a five-course meal, but after a long day in the air, finding coffee and a snack waiting for you feels like someone actually cares. The rooms are comfortable and clean. Here's a little insider tip: * Water-facing rooms have incredible views... but thanks to all that glorious sunshine, they can run a bit warmer. * City-facing rooms tend to stay a little cooler if you're someone who sleeps best in an icebox. Now, let's talk about the staff. They're honestly one of the biggest reasons this hotel gets five stars from me. Every visit, they're genuinely kind, welcoming, and seem like they actually enjoy helping people. In today's world, that's becoming a rare superpower. Now for the tiny elephant standing on the roof... The hotel could probably use a little TLC in the maintenance department. Case in point: the entrance canopy actually collapsed not long ago. I didn't dive into the news to see exactly what happened, but generally speaking, I prefer my hotel roofs to remain attached to the hotel. It's a fairly low bar... literally. That said, one maintenance mishap doesn't erase years of consistently good experiences. If you're visiting Norfolk, especially if you're interested in the area's incredible naval history and military attractions, you couldn't ask for a better home base. Between the waterfront, restaurants, museums, and everything nearby, there's always something to do. Final verdict: Great rooms. Amazing location. Fantastic staff. Airline crew-friendly. Just... let's all agree to keep the roof where it belongs. I'll happily stay here again--and probably will.

I'm here frequently for work, and I've always enjoyed staying at this . Unfortunately, this most…read morerecent stay so for has been very disappointing. I've been without AC for the past week, and because there haven't been any rooms available to move me into, I've had to stay in a room that feels like a sauna. It's been extremely uncomfortable, especially during these hot summer days. I was moved to another room to 211 which is right next to where they're doing construction in front of the hotel so I wake up to noise every day and ALSO this past week the AC has gone out again twice ... ‍ While I understand that maintenance issues can happen, I'm disappointed with how this situation has been handled. I hope they take this feedback seriously and improve how they handle situations like this in the future. Ps I'm still staying in the hotel if you'd like to correct this situation for me...

As many times as I've been to this property, I never want to leave! As a proud IHG member, this…read morehotel happens to be part of their portfolio. I did a review on another IHG property which is "The Holiday Inn Express", and I enjoyed staying there as well. However, coming to this Staybridge Suites always been more welcoming on many occasions. The front desk staff are always friendly and each time they gift me a goodie bag for being a IHG member. I will be signing up for their ambassador program soon so I can take advantage of all the perks available-not ashamed to admit it! I had a king size suite this past stay and I am always impressed. It was roomy, had a huge handicap-accessible bathroom, and a nice living area. The suite also comes with two televisions (one in living room and one in bedroom). And that comfy bed....I didn't want to get up! Check out this place for your next vacation in the 757 or staycation ‍! I love it here!

They have a great friendly staff both at front desk, housekeeping, maintenance and food service. I…read moreenjoy my clean room. The breakfast has enough varíety to accommodate everyone. The staff accommodates my family needs for handicapped accessible room when ever we stay. My family and I visit this property located at 109 Woodlake Drive often. It's a pleasure staying here

This is our third year getting a pool membership at the Founders Inn pool. I adore it! It's busy…read morebut we never had to look for a chair. The staff is so polite and you can order food & beverages to your chair! We haven't done so yet but we have enjoyed the food and wine in the past years. Part of me wants to gate keep this so it doesn't get to crowded but I wanted to share the love! The pool is a great size though only 3ft throughout with a beach style entry. They also have a separate slide for the kids to enjoy!

Ok this is seriously an amazing place to go, it's beautiful, the lobby area is open and inviting…read morewith chandeliers in very large and comfortable sitting areas. The hallways to and from the restaurant are large and very inviting, beautifully decorated. There is a bar area that I think opens at 5pm. What really sticks out in my mind is everything is clean . I have stayed in hotels on the oceanfront that were extremely overpriced and dirty with the smell of weed everywhere. Not in Founders Inn and Spa. It smells clean and wonderful even in the hallways. The room was the perfect size for my friend and I and the amenities are amazing. Indoor and outdoor pools, we swam in both and they are beautiful. Pictures will be included with this review. The chairs by the pool are new and fancy they work well and just grab a towel on your way in and put it in the laundry basket on the way out. There are beautiful areas that look like English gardens to walk through with roses in them and gorgeous hardwood floors in the lobby and sitting areas. They have a lovely area with marble flooring that could be used as a first dance area for a wedding. If I was getting married again this is where I would go. There are brick walkways to and from the buildings where rooms are and where the Flowering Almond Spa is located. It is a calm and peaceful oasis in the middle of Virginia Beach. I'm not ending this review without telling you how beautiful and yummy the Swan Terrace Restaurant ( that is located inside the hotel) is for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We ate all three meals there and each were so good! It's so wonderful to swim, sit in the sun and then go shower in our room and dress up fancy (if you want to) then walk to the Swan Terrace Restaurant and have an amazing meal. Breakfast has a huge buffet with made to order omelets which my friend loved and pretty much anything else you can think of bacon, eggs, breakfast potatoes, make your own waffles, bagels, fresh fruit, grits ( one of my favorites) the list goes on and on and that was on a Monday morning. Then lunch is also a buffet with make your own salad options, homemade dressings, fresh fruit cut beautifully and lots of options from soup to grilled salmon, sliced chicken with a glaze and even chicken and dumplings. Then at the end of the buffet they had beautiful homemade desserts. Yum!!! I enjoyed our stay so much, it was so relaxing and awesome to be able to focus on reconnecting with a friend and not worry about anything else. We sat outside in two chairs by the pond that has a fountain in the center. We watched the ducks swim that we found out were actually rescued from a shelter. They are very happy ducks now and very beautiful. They swim around and it is so peaceful watching them and just talking with no worries. We met some great people just sitting in those chairs watching the ducks. Thank you Sam and Rachel for the great conversation. I can say definitely we will be back whether for a weekend getaway or a small vacay. The rooms are priced reasonably and the food is also. Bravo, Founders Inn and Swan Terrace Restaurant! Bravo!!! Encore Encore! We will be back soon, looking very forward to going back soon.