Fair Winds Farms

(10 reviews)

This was an awesome birthday surprise!!! I had no idea what hubby had planned…read more I see people coming back on horses and I was so thrilled!! The owners are great with us and the horses. I had the "alpha" horse Redbull; hubby had the wild girl, Gypsy. It was so easy to ride, lead, and let them take us on the tour of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. I was amazed at how the horses seemed to know when it was time to head out & turn around on their own because the guide wasn't near by to lead! It was an amazing start to a birthday week full of surprises!

This trip was amazing. The horses were great and the guide was great as well. My only complaint is…read morethat we were with a group of like 5 other people whose riding abilities were much less experienced than ours. We were under the impression/expected that we would be able to split off from the beginner group and ride at a pace we would enjoy. Due to covid the guide said they were only using one guide this year (instead of 2) so we were unable to split off and do any trotting or cantering unfortunately. But it was still an enjoyable experience over all. I would recommend that they consider offering a longer more private ride option in addition to their services! We definitely would have paid more to have a longer ride time at a pace we would have enjoyed more!

Virginia Beach Horseback

4.1

(98 reviews)

My daughter wanted a sunset horseback ride on the beach for her 13th birthday. Virginia Beach…read morehorseback riding had great communication and emails and detailed instructions from where to park, what to wear and more. My daughter,, her dad, and her two were paired with Horses. The staff were best suited for them. Although it was cold, they had a wonderful time and a smooth ride! Thank you so much!.

The ride was perfect for my horse happy bunch. We got matched to horses with our skill level,…read morelearned their names, were given a run down on stop/go/turn and then we were off to enjoy the walk/trot on the beach - both through the sand and through the waves. The head guide was very warm and did wonderfully with my younger, greener daughter while the second guide let us have some independence but still kept us feeling safe and, well, guided. Definitely worth doing!

Two River Trails

(11 reviews)

Had such a great time with two River trails! Great horseback riding, friendly service and simply an…read moreexcellent time overall!

Third time at Two River Trails this year; another peaceful and scenic ride in the books! I rode…read moreCash, a beautiful palomino gelding. He stood quietly while I mounted (mounting block is used for safety) and was very responsive to me during the ride. All of the horses are Tennessee Walkers, owned/raised/trained by Lynn Barbini. She has an obvious love for her job, and knows how to make each rider feel calm and confident, as she pairs riders to a saddle and horse suited to their experience level. Give them a call, you will love it!

Kay's Acres

4.6

(18 reviews)

My wife and I had an amazing experience with Kay's Acres horseback riding company! From the moment…read morewe arrived, Joe and the rest of the staff were welcoming, patient, and clearly passionate about what they do. The horses were well cared for and matched perfectly to both of our experience level, which made the whole ride feel safe and enjoyable. The trail ride itself was beautiful--scenic views, peaceful surroundings, and just the right amount of adventure. Our guide Ashley was knowledgeable and made the experience even better with fun facts and great conversation. I highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a memorable and relaxing trail ride. We'll definitely be going back!

Best Ride ever !!! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Recommend to anyone who's just…read morestarting off.

West Neck Creek Natural Area

(5 reviews)

The set up is kind of confusing if you're not from the neighborhood. When I pulled in I saw bunch…read moreof Virginia Beach city vehicles and wondered if I was in the correct place. The trail isn't the clearest but you can find your way. Stay alert, I saw a snake while walking.

Super Easy hiking. Only draw back is parts can be muddy. Part of it is Wheelchair friendly. .3 mile…read moreof a wonderfully paved loop. I also think this part is a great part for parents with infants in stroller. Dog, horse, kid and hiking friendly with Forest, river, wildflower views (a bit muddy at times). Historical house on site called Whitehurst-Buffington house Circa 1793. with a 5 dollar donation you can take a tour of the house. Hours are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 1-4. Buffington trail and the Whitehurst trail loop is about 1.7 mile. Their trail is very well marked. Even if you get off the trail it is easy to pick it back up. Tags on trees and white marks on trees. We enjoy this hiking because it is right next to a coffee shop. This makes me happy

Sea Breeze Ponies

(2 reviews)

A chilly Sunday afternoon after a night of steady rain. The ground is muddy and scattered with…read morepuddles. Temperature low 40's. For myself, and likely most people the trek out here will be long, but it will be worth it. I made the decision this summer enjoy a few new experiences and to learn a few new skills before fall approached. Learning to ride a horse was one of these objectives. I searched Google and all of the deal sites for horse riding lessons. I even had the opportunity to ride a horse at the oceanfront this summer but declined. I did not want to just jump on a horse (having no prior equine experiences) and trot a mile down the beach with a dozen or so other people who also had no idea what they were doing. This is not at all what I was looking for. My online searches turned up Pony Riding lessons in Chesapeake with Sea Breeze Ponies. I didn't know anything about the establishment but when I called and spoke to the instructor I had a good feeling about her. Also this is exactly what I wanted. A lesson. I wanted to get on a horse or pony and feel comfortable...feeling confident I knew would be a stretch. I consider the location to be pretty deep in Chesapeake. Because the signage is not very visible from the road Sea Breeze Ponies can be easily passed. The signage faces a field. But there is a flag hanging from a fence that you can see as well as a red barn and a two story grey house, that is where you will need to turn. Sea Breeze Ponies is in the rear behind the house. When you arrive your pony will be affixed to a post and you will be instructed to brush the pony really well, all the way around. They are so beautiful. If it is your first visit the instructor will put the bit, saddle, bridle etc. on. Pay attention though as you may be instructed to remove them and return them to their respective storage areas at the end. On subsequent visits you will likely be doing these actions yourself (if you are old enough/capable). Once my pony LADY was ready I walked her out to the ring in the back. Getting onto the pony was fairly easy.The dismount, not quite as effortless. Lady and I walked around first connected to the instructor, then once we were comfortable with each other the instructor let us go off on our own. The key is to really pay attention to how you hold the reigns and be firm in your verbal and physical instructions to the pony. I enjoyed the lesson, learning to get Lady to go in the direction I wanted, having her turn around, getting her to move again whenever she decided to stop. The end of the lesson removing everything from the pony, storing the items where they belong and brushing the pony down again. Your session pretty much ends the way it began. Brooke is a great instructor and she really has a way with children. I've seen her interact with two young girls during their lessons. She is patient and speaks to them in a gentle manner while being very clear on what she expects from them. Brooke has a pleasant countenance and attitude that puts visitors at ease. She has a great deal of experience, having been working in various aspects of the equine arena for many years. I waited until it was December and freezing to redeem my lesson :-( not the best decision. But as long as it isn't raining or snowing, I believe you can still have your lesson. They may also have a consignment shop accepting anything "horse" and they accept consignment ponies. Check http://www.seabreezeponies.com/ as well as their Facebook page for updates and details. Please forgive me if I've used any of the incorrect terminology regarding Horse gait and equipment. I've only had one lesson :-)

Great set up for riding. We made it to SBP on a very day. Although it was pretty miserable…read moretemperature wise. It was a great little adventure for our LO. Attempting to make it to SBP everything that could have gone wrong did. But I glad we made it. SBP is located in one of the more rural parts of chesapeake. You get to see farms and other lots of other animals. Bring your boots and saddle up with Sea Breeze Ponies. Happy Riding Yeeps!!!

Boots and Spurs Riding Academy

My daughter had a blast. The summer camp week was not actual riding lessons. Counselors walk the…read morehorses on a lead with the kids on the horse. The kids mostly learn about grooming and equipment, and get to spend time on a hidden gem of farm property fairly close to the heart of VB. Great location near the NAS Oceana Commissary definitely beats driving out to Suffolk. This was a good find.

From the owner: We have a family oriented barn located in Virginia Beach, VA. Our focus is teaching equestrians all…read moreabout horses through training and hands on experiences. We teach all ages starting at 6 years old and up. All levels are welcome to come ride with us. We have stalls available for training board and full board. Call or Text 757 323-2118 to schedule your introductory riding lesson with us!

Lynnhaven Equestrian

Lisa is AMAZING!!! Just started riding earlier this year and she has been so supportive and a great…read moretrainer. She cares so much about her horses & is super flexible with my crazy schedule! Absolutely love it here

From the owner: Sporthorses for sale read more

Pam Herman Farms

Of you are looking for an amazing equestrian facility, look no further. Pam Herman farms makes…read moreeveryone feel like family from the moment you drive down their stunning expansive driveway adorned with white fencing. My daughter started riding here at 3 years old with Crystal as her instructor... prior to riding we worked on association with the horses, grooming and learning barn etiquette. Crystal has done so much more than teach my child how to ride a horse, she has built her confidence, given her a new passion in life and surrounded her with a new group of friends and comradeship. It truly is amazing. We go weekly clean, brush & tack our horse. They also do boarding.

Chief Petty Officers Association

We used this venue for a birthday party of 100 and it was just perfect. They let us come in the day…read morebefore and decorate and set up tables etc. Again on the day of the event they were there at 0900 to let us in for more decorating and finishing touches. The bartender was very good and took care of all of our guests. The rental fee included cleanup, so we just had to take down a few decorations and go home afterward. We had plenty of dance floor and there was ample parking for everyone. A really nice place for a party, dance, dinner or reception.

Virginia Beach Watersports

(18 reviews)

My friend rented kayaks before with this company. It was her idea to go kayaking and I am so glad…read morewe did! I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet and peaceful the area was where we kayaked. When my friend mentioned Back Bay I was thinking, oh snap. What did I commit myself to?? Kayaking where there might be cottonmouths??!! But I was thinking Back Bay Wildlife Refuge where I've seen lots of them. There were no cottonmouths. I promise you. Just lots of duck blinds and marsh areas that open into the bay. It was so serene. You get 2 hours, and rental includes the pfd and they loan you a waterproof phone case if needed which was nice. Because I was pretty dry until I got out of the kayak from our 2 hours. I landed in waist deep water, my feet sunk into the sand. I couldn't recover from the fall and face planted into the water - baseball hat, sunglasses and waterproof phone case and all. THAT waterproof phone case saved my phone and my key fob!! Don't do what I did Launch it parallel to the land so you don't end up in the water like I did. The young man that worked there was kind and genuinely concerned. When he arrived to pull the kayaks further up on land, he asked if I got hot. Because he saw I was soaking wet. I think he thought I took a dip in the water. But I told him, I actually fell in getting out of the kayak. (The older couple with their beach chairs outside Baja got quite a show of me splashing around. Haha. ) He made sure I was okay and asked if my phone was okay and to make sure since the waterproof phone cases aren't 100% waterproof. Thankfully, it was fine and so was my key fob. You can rent single or tandem kayaks and are free to roam the area. It's $35 plus tax but they offer military discounts 10% with ID so it came out to $33.39 for me. Staff was very nice the young man was the same person who checked us in and took our payments and the young ladies were friendly and kind as well. Kudos to the staff with their patience, because there was a large group (family) that was blocking the entrance to the shack. When it was time for them to gear up for their pfds, they ransacked the racks of life vests and staff had to politely inform them that they have it in order and will fit each of them individually properly. Therefore there's no need to take them off the rack. I looked it up on their website and if you have your own kayak you can pay a $15 launch fee so that's cool.

As Virginia Beach locals, we went to a secret spot called Virginia Beach Water Sports to try a…read morebanana boat ride. Some of the best-kept secrets are in our backyard. Today was my wife's birthday; she is very adventurous. The staff was amazing. They explained what to expect and provided the necessary safety equipment. The ride was fantastic. I am 50+, and I was holding on, with my eyes closed and a smile, to my two kids. The driver helped me adjust to changes in speed and water turbulence resulting from the boat ride. My kids and my wife were laughing. They helped us create a lasting family legacy moment we can cherish. I will come again and use them in the future. I highly recommend them for locals and out-of-town guests. Thank you, John, Cheyenne, Emily, and the rest of the staff.

Marlin Club

(4 reviews)

Nice place to come for the day and cool off. Like all pools, it has it's busy times, but also more…read morerelaxed down times. There's plenty of seating, both at tables and lounge chairs, and umbrellas, and even a picnic area you can rent for parties or get togethers. There are 2 diving boards, a slide, bathrooms/changing rooms/showers on site, plenty of lifeguards on duty, and the concession stand is reasonably priced with decent options. A good way to spend the day!

Atmosphere has completely changed. Ran by teens, staff is rude. Lifeguards are either overbearing…read moreafter waiting an hour to watch something happen and then decide to enforce a rule. No one is on the same page when it comes to rules. Watched a life guard for a good 8 minutes have their head in their hands looking down not paying a bit of attention. It's Bad weather today, called to check about lost and found item, & phone off the hook. Drove up and walked right in. NOONE manning the front desk, could hear people upstairs giggling. Continued to concession where the lost and found is, found my item (no lifeguards out on the deck) one girl in concession looked to be cleaning. Didn't say a word. Let her know what I was doing and that no one was anywhere else to be found. That's a safety concern, any small child could have run in the establishment and jumped in and not a soul would have known until it was too late. Do better. July 22nd @3:30pm. Check who should be working, a discussion needs to happen

Croatan Beach

4.6

(30 reviews)

This is a go to beach I like to go to with friends, even though it is kind of a surfers speech. It…read morealso is very easy to get to and they have bathrooms, changing areas and rinse off areas. I enjoy coming here in the morning, mostly because it's less crowded. I gotta come a few more times before the summer's over.

This is one of my fav places to bring family & friends when visiting! It's beautiful year round and…read moreboast of beautiful sunrises and sunsets!

NAS Oceana Aeropalms Water Park