It was only the second time I had been to this Rec Center. Neither time included activities. The first 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. read more

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it's been a year and change since I wrote my last review. We did get a security officer for a while but he retired and once again no security. But since then the situation has gotten better. The new building supervisor has a different way of handling the center and the problems have subsided. There is only so much we as employees can do when parents aren't responsible enough to raise their children properly and adults who lose their temper like children, but we are doing our best to keep our patrons safe. read more

Since my go-to rec center was having a check-up, I have been trying out different rec centers in the 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. read more

The rec center has decent facilities and activities, but it's definitely on the pricey side, especially for families.

This is (now) our local rec center, and I only have good things to say about it, and the people who work there. My wife and I have not yet used the pool, but...we will. A big thumbs up! read more

I have reviewed most of the rec centers in Virginia Beach since I am at them regularly. This review is way overdue. It appears my time here will pick up and that is fine by me. Williams Farm Rec is going into their third year and second to newest one in the system to Bow Creek. This center offers some unique extras that most do not. Let me touch on them since many are already familiar with the Virginia Beach Rec Centers. The big one is location, it's close to the Norfolk line and pulls in residents from our sister city. Another is the awesome skate park, no additional charge. In their aquatics they offer a water slide, outdoor play area and even a rock climbing wall. They upstairs gym has a track, not to mention a ton of free weights. An extremely nice family benefit are the single room changing areas, some with shower and some without. All the other things you would expect like basketball, meeting rooms etc. are here. They have do have a smaller footprint than the three larger ones of Bayside, Great Neck and Princess Anne. I do not recall an activity room with games here, but it is possible I missed. So smaller space in key areas is something to keep in mind. I would like to highlight the pool. There are only two lanes for lap swimming. A benefit to this pool is it's handicap accessibility by wheel chair that can be easily pushed in. A negative is the young pool has a whole lot of cracking that has developed in a short time. The caulk to repair looks unsightly. This would be a MAJOR cost to fix the cosmetics and I don't expect they will unless it becomes necessary. Since it is almost new you expect it to be nice and indeed it has been well maintained these past few years and I applaud the staff at this location for upholding the beauty and integrity. I would recommend this center if the location works for you. Other than that I would choose the most convenient rec center unless the unique items I highlighted set this apart. The Virginia Beach Rec Centers are a treasure for our community. Princes are subsidized for citizens and should be considered over alternative privates gyms that are much more costly. read more

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Embarrassed to say it was my first Time actually using my membership to kind of work out instead of a way to not pay monthly member fees when I sign up for archery classes. I digress.. this is a beautiful Rec center in more ways than one. First it's super close to the home front, second it's very clean and I like the layout. It seems very open. Desk staff is kind of a mixed bag- some are friendly and some just seem really ornery. The equipment are in good shape, there are lockers upstairs and downstairs. A mat to do stretches, free weights, circuit weights, cardio equipment etc. There's a walking and jogging track with three lanes- the innermost lane is the walking lane and the middle lane is the passing lane and the far left lane is the jogging lane. The lanes are not that wide by any means. But it is pretty cool that you can look down into the basketball court and also see the pool and outside. read more

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Wtf do I need to pay to go see a friend playing badminton? The African american lady in front office was kind of rude as well.

This is one of the newer recreation centers of Virginia Beach, so everything looks new and is well-maintained. It has all the features of VB rec centers- open gym, main gym, basketball, swimming pool, table tennis, pool table among others. On the main gym, they have a 1 mile track that loops around the gym. They also have multi-purpose rooms that can be rented for few hours for any of your activities like birthdays or gatherings. read more

Williams Farm Recreation Center - Multi-purpose room rented for birthday celebration with table tennis set-up - Recreation Centers Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Why pay for amenities when the gym never has youtube working. I don't want to listen to dry radio

We love this Rec Center... it's the closest one to our house since they are remodeling the Kempsville Rec Center and it won't be open until May of this year. It's pretty busy ok the weekends, but there is PLENTY OF PARKING for all. They DO offer free WiFi! GYM: Upstairs in their gym facility. They have an indoor running track as well as plenty of cardio equipment with cable at each machine. Pretty cool if you're a TV person. If you prefer to use your own device, you can hook up to their wifi and save your data. The equipment is clean and well organized, there are a couple of sets of lockers (medium & small in the gym space, but large ones are downstairs in the locker room) and there is always an attendant on staff to make sure everyone is being safe and sane. The free-weight equipment is also well organized and well maintained. LOCKER ROOMS: These locker rooms are shared between the pool and the gym, as well as all other facilities. There is a vending machines outside in the hallway if you forget your water bottle or need a snack! There are plenty of large lockers, they cost 1 Quarter ($0.25) to operate and have benches to change in front of them. There are also showers available (which offer a separate changing/drying area), but you need to bring your own soap, shampoo, and conditioner. There are hand dryers that are warm if you need to dry your hair or forget your towel (haha, that has been me). POOL: Other than my one complaint (below), we love this pool. It has an awesome little kids area, water basketball, floaties for the kids to climb on, a water slide, and a rock wall to climb that overhangs the water! My ONLY COMPLAINT about this Center... It is very frustrating that parents cannot sit inside of the pool area and watch their kids swim unless they're in swim attire. This means I have to dress down for swimming just to SIT in the pool area and watch my kids from the side bench. There are no signs stating this, but I was removed from the pool and told I needed to wait for my kids in the lobby and if I stand on the other side of the glass, I can see them from there). I am over six months pregnant and nothing about dressing down in a swim suit appeals to me right now. Lol. They explained to me that it is because of a safety issue, people who are not dressed for swimming being "in the way" sitting on the side benches in case of an emergency. BUT if I put on a swim suit *under my clothes*, even if I am not swimming, I am then allowed to sit and watch my kids swim because somehow it makes me less "in the way"... very confusing, especially since there are no signs in the locker rooms, on the doors, or anywhere around the pool stating that swim wear is required to be on the pool deck. Overall, we love this Rec Center. It's clean, has great customer service, consistent safety rules (though sometimes annoying lol), and they offer rent-able space for events. If you're not already, get on board! :) read more

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Um...bomb!!! This recreation center needs to be the model of how all recs in the area should be!! Indoor waterpark, game systems, library, workout equipment, mini kitchen, meetings rooms, workout classes...state of the art facilty!! It's great here! Cheap membership and cheap day passes...if you are not a member you can come here for $5 a day and have a grand time!! I had my daughter's 7th bday party here (pool party). I was able to use the party rooms for a great rate. I was able to bring in my own decor and food for my guests...great!!!! I received a lot of compliments on the decor from guests, staff and bystanders. This was great first time and we will definitely return. Friendly staff!! Oh yeah, there is a cool skate park and playground area (for toddlers) outside...bomb!!! read more

I am so delighted that my friend and I found this place. It's a great and family oriented fitness facility. Everything that you could ask for is here. And guess what, there open the entire week except holiday. One thing that I love this place, it has an awesome ambience and friendly environment. Staff's are very attentive and helpful too. read more

Williams Farm Recreation Center - Recreation Centers Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

This was our first time to attend a birthday here. We have swam here before and enjoyed it. The pool has a kiddie area, outdoor splash park, lap lanes, aqua track, water slide, rock climbing wall, and small basketball hoop. We enjoyed all the areas of the pool and had a great time. We then went to the party room. There was staff there to assist and serve during the party. He was professional and courteous the whole time. The room was decorated and had plenty of room for all the kids and places for the parents to sit. The kids has a great time. I recommend the pool and the use of the party room.. read more

Nice and clean community center with an upstairs running track, preschool camp programs, mini youth room, large workout area, 2 large gyms, & skate park across the street. read more

Everytime I come here as a card carrying member there is an issue with the staff. I have been a member of the Virginia Beach Recreation Centers since 2014, and all of them provide a good value for the money spent as a resident. However, this club is the exception and is always problematic. Their staff is always a deterrent to simply getting a decent workout and staying physically fit in a fun and safe manner. Whether it be in the summertime and simply just trying to use the pool while sitting on the side supervising some kids, or in the basketball gym and being told that I have to give them my card and am unable to place my jacket in the bleachers (because my phone is in the pocket and am on call for work)... ALWAYS A PROBLEM. There is a huge difference between actual customer service and just being employed in a customer service based industry. This place rivals some of my worst customer service experiences in my life. It stinks all the way from the lackadaisical attitude of all the front desk personnel to the downright rude gym staff and supervisors. They were lucky enough to even have a job much less having my taxes go to keeping them employed. Do yourself a favor and go to any of the other Rec Centers... you will thank me. This place sucks. read more

Williams farm rec has a clear sense of community. many of the members that come here have formed some type of familiarity or friendship with other members. i used to come here when i live not even 5 minutes away and have recently started coming after work (when i remember my gym clothes). but since my return i have seen the same members who were once strangers working out together. the "gym" area is located upstairs. and offers a variety of weighted machines and free weights. when i first started coming here they didnt even have a trx training station. but now they also have the station along with updated equipment that is more efficient to use. the recreation center is in a prime location smack dab in the middle of a gazillion neighborhoods so they get rally busy and packed especially around the 5PM hour. i will try going first thing in the morning on a saturday or sunday to see if it is just as busy as an afternoon weekday. another thing that i like about williams farm rec is the track that goes around the top floor of the buidling. i think it is a nice addition if you want to truly walk at your own pace and especially if you dont like running on a treadmill. an unavoidable attribute that ive noticed here is that this seems to be the hangout spot for youth after school. many times that ive came here ill see kids just hanging around in the hall or the locker room. kids can be an issue when they are goofing off and not paying attention its not annoying to the point that its like get these kids out of here its more annoying like why this lil girl wont move out my way when she clearly see me trying to get into this locker lol but yea idk. if you dont like a lot of kids hanging around i would suggest another rec center location. read more

I went today to ask some questions because my wife and I were thinking about making the switch to the center, but the staff was to busy on their cell phones to assist us. There was 2 front desk clerks. Once never took her eyes off her phone to acknowledge us. The other briefly did, but was rude and couldn't answer our basic questions. We was brushed off and told to look at the website. read more

This place is overall amazing, very clean equipment, very open and has a lot to offer. The only issue is well...the people at the desk. When you walk in you have to scan your card and there's usually multiple people sitting at that desk that can watch you scan the card, specifically the one that sits right in front of the scanner. They literally don't pay attention and as a card holder myself, I show up there a lot and half the time I could of probably easily got in without even having to scan in my card due to the staff not paying attention. I don't want to even imagine how many times people sneak into this rec center.. read more

So glad this place opened here! I love this new facility - great fitness area, skate park, clean locker rooms, but the best part for the kids is the indoor swimming pool. It has a rock wall, kids playground and water slide! The boys loved it! All of this for a yearly membership of only $29 per year for each child and $81 per adult for the year. Cheapest membership! read more

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A great facility for improving your health. First rate exercise machines, pool, and basketball court. They offer monthly and yearly rates. read more

I would give this rec a 5 star review if it weren't for the life sucking desk staff every time I come in. Someone is always on their phone, talking to each other with their back to the guests or just completely ignore you when you walk in. Thank god I know I just have to scan my membership card or else I'd be pretty clueless as for what to do when entering. I always make it a point to say hello and I never get a "hi" back and honestly I could probably bring a guest in and they would never notice. As for the rest of the place, I come for the gym which I LOVE. They have an indoor track that looks over the pool and over the basket ball court, pretty cool. I always have to go just about an hour to closing since I get off work at 8 but when I work out the staff is always taking up the towels and spray so I can never wipe down my machines :( If you like swimming, they have an enormous pool with an awesome rock wall! read more

Cool pool. I like how the water slide goes into 3 feet. I also like how the pool goes from an inch of water to 3 feet. I love how the pool has a play area for the little kids and how there is another outside area for the little kids as well. I wish the recreation center had a larger game room. It disappointed me seeing how small it was. Anyways... The employees are friendly and nice. And I love the gym/ running track. I love how they have the aqua track. It is a good Recreation center for exercise and for the kids. Other than the game room, it is the best recreation center I have been to. read more

We celebrated out daughter's 7th birthday party here. It was a blast, she enjoyed it and everybody was having fun. The place overall is clean and new read more

Williams Farm Recreation Center - Frozen birthday - Recreation Centers Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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I went to Williams Farm rec center today and I went to the pool and went on the slide and boy is it ever fun the slide is really extreme really fast I think everyman should go there and try out the slide read more

This has to be my favorite rec centers out of all of them. There is one closer to my house but this one meets all my needs. The staff is always friendly and they have just upgraded the equipment to work out. This rec also has an indoor track that is outside of the perimeter of the gym. The track also overlooks the basketball court, so there is a view while you're running around. If you have kids, the pool is the place to be. There is a waterslide that goes throughout the building. The vb recs are also the best gym in the city for a bang for your buck. A year long adult membership is just over $100. read more

William Farms is my favorite gym to go to. The layout itself is open spaced, which makes the building feel so much bigger than it really is. Another thing I really like about the building is that it has so many windows, which allows a lot of outdoor lighting in. I've even been to the newer VB Rec in Bow Creek and still found William Farms better just bc of the open spaced layout and lighting. This place has an indoor track, basketball court, fitness floor, kids section, rock wall, & a swimming pool with a lazy section & huge slide! Not only that, there's a skate park right across, mini-outdoor waterpark, & outdoor bball court with picnic tables. I love how the indoor track overlooks the basketball court and swimming pool. They have several fitness equipments and continue to add new machines throughout the year. The staff members do an excellent job keeping it clean. THEY EVEN NOW HAVE WI-FI!! You can't beat this place for the price. I heard the price went up to $98/year, but I think it's worth every penny. I just wish this place had longer hours throughout the week! read more

Couldn't find my ID card but staff was kind enough to let me come anyways. Staff are always helpful here.

Rude staff. "Lifeguard" Ike asked if I was wearing a bathing suit on the pool deck as I was trying to watch my son at the other end of pool take his final day of PAID in addition to membership swim classes. I clearly did not. I don't appreciate snide comments to get a point across, simply saying that I can not observe from that point is simple enough. Will rethink PAYING for any additional anything at this recreation center. read more

Beautiful rec center! I love love love the track, and i've never had an issue finding a workout station. The staff is always welcoming and greets you when you walk in. There are plenty of workout machines, and the space is used very well. There are a bunch of TV's spread out around the workout floor. I haven't tried their pool yet, but my cousins love going there. read more

I didn't visit the facility myself, but am reporting back as told by my son (18 years old). Today happens to be his last day in this state and yesterday (Tuesday afternoon) was his first visit to this location. He was disappointed that he hadn't been working out here regularly. The cost for a one day pass was $9, but the annual fee only $15. It is a two story building with pool and basketball on the first floor. He was most impressed that there was a running track along the four walls of the upper level with all the work-out machines in the middle. He first used the machines for his work-out, then the track for his cardio and went downstairs for a cool-down by swimming in the pool. Why only four stars you ask? He said the pool water smelled and tasted like urine. He rushed home for a shower. read more

We love it here. We go for the gym and have not had any issues with anyone or any of the equipment. The staff is very friendly, as well.

The overall cost is a great deal. They have a lot of machines and equipment. Since there are so many people that work out there the machines get some wear and tear. The classes are great. Not as many offered as other locations but still good. Pool is more for family fun than working out. Wish they had a deep water aerobics class. I've been a member on and off for years. read more

I am solely reviewing the skatepark, which by the way is AMAZING! I am mostly a street skater and I spent my time mostly in the park section. Plenty of bumps and rollins provide a nice variety of obstacles to skate. The clover in the middle of the park is official! read more

I have been using the Williams Farm Recreation Center since its opening in the fall of 2012. It's an incredible facility for EVERYONE! The staff are truly professional, helpful, and respectful. The circuit training and cardio equipment surpass any of the private fitness centers I've used. The pool is good for lap swim or taking a walk in the resistance stream. Classes are always a joy and the PickleBall games are competitive. Thank you Parks and Recreation for creating such a fantastic atmosphere that keeps me active and happy! I am lucky to have this facility!! read more

This recreation center is awesome and wish we had one that I know of in Chesapeake, We attended a birthday party and the rooms are large with more than enough space to play around. Great center! read more

Zero entry pool. Great for kids. Wasn't overcrowded! Sam size as Kroc'd but with less the obstructions in the pool. Water was oddly really cold and they had the air on as well. read more

I can't say it's my favorite rec center only because I haven't been to the remodeled Kempsville location. Regardless I love this rec center and the staff. They're always super friendly and helpful. I love the atmosphere. I've gone to planet fitness and I think this center is more my speed. It welcomes all ages. In the morning it's usually the star citizens and some college students. In the evening it's mostly 20-40 something's. Either way everyone is super friendly and helpful. The machines are up to date and the weights are user friendly. There's endless options of choices in how you want to workout and have fun. I love the indoor track. It's great for running and walking. There's several squat/lift bars. They also have various weight machines. This rec is perfect for the beginner weight lifter and experienced heavy weight trainer. The pool is also amazing! The lockers and bathrooms are well maintained. The gymnasium is also nice. Plenty of hoops to shoot around! I go in the morning and the front desk staff ALWAYS greets me with a smile and say have a good day when I leave. read more

Great Place , Great Staff....... Tim R, a recent addition has made the place much more fun and enjoyable experience. He brings a level of out going and fun to the recreation center. There is another staff member (supervisor) with a shiny bald head who is fun too. Overall alot of fun keep improving and always get better :) read more

Williams Farm Rec Center is a much needed addition to this part of Va Beach. The pool is a kids playground. They have an outdoor splash park and a playground of sorts inside too. But there are still 3 swim laps for adults and an aqua track, which I love. When the pool schedule lists exercise or limited space for open swim that aqua track is open for those who want to use it to exerise. The aqua track is small curvy/circular track where the water pushes against you for resistance. It's a nice little workout for those who have bad joints/knees/hips/etc. They also have a big waterslide, which seems to be a hit with kids. The gym is upstairs and they have a track around the gym facilities. They have plenty of cardio machines, but you need to sign up for a 30 minute slot. The free weights and machines are open and don't need to be signed up for to use. The basketball court is large and they are plenty of group fitness classes, if that's your think. Bootcamp anyone? They also have pre-school programs and classrooms available. You can even have birthday parties in the pool area! read more