We had the best cruise with Captain Nate! We booked the larger boat, but since only 5 people signed up we ended up with the smaller boat. Captain Nate was engaging with everyone, full of knowledge, and made sure my 7 year old daughter (the only kid on the cruise) was having a blast. Nature cooperated as we saw tons of playful dolphins, a herd of wild ponies, various sea birds, crabs, an eagle's nest, and more. We learned about the history of the ponies on the island and the annual swim, saw the lighthouse and the NASA launch site, and spent a great morning on the water. My daughter is already asking to go back! This adventure was well worth the money and I highly recommend sailing with Daisey's and Captain Nate!See more..
4.5Yorktown Sailing Charters(1.648 reviews) - Sailing Into The Sunset ... If There Is A Sunset! Monday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Boat Tours
A well organized schooner sailing experience. About thirty guests and a crew of four travelled two hours on the York River. Covid-19 presentations and USCG Safety Briefings were appropriate. The challenge for this vendor is an unusually large number of uncontrolled variables. Our experience was a sun-free, sunset cruise, a sailing experience without wind and an offering of amenities limited by Covid-19 controls. With no outside food and beverage allowed, we were limited to house wine, beer and soft drinks, some snacks and cold hot dogs, all offered for sale at reasonable rates. The Mate providing the spiel regarding schooners, sailing and local history was informative and helpful but not able to give guests full attention during her sailing duties. The Guest areas on deck are minimal, uncomfortable and not conducive to social distancing. No availability to restroom facilities was problematic for several guests from the start.See more..
5.0Saltwater Pony Tours(1.055 reviews) - Captain Henry for the win! Monday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Boat Tours • Eco Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Nature & Wildlife Tours
We took 2 boats out for our party of 9 on July 1st and Captain Henry and Captain Michael made sure we had a great time! We saw gray bottlenose dolphins up close, several different waterfowl feeding on the shell beds, the famous ponies and even a bald eagle perched on a tree! Speaking from my boat, Captain Henry was a friendly, knowledgeable waterman who was able to keep us both informed and entertained during our 2+ hr excursion. He even navigated our pontoon through the winding marshland to make sure we got close enough to take some prime pictures of the ponies that were out. 5 stars all the way around!See more..
5.0Captain Dan's Around the Island Tours(742 reviews) - Awesome Chincoteague Boat Tour! Monday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Boat Tours • Private Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Nature & Wildlife Tours
A must-do when visiting Chincoteague Island. From start to finish - from the friendly initial booking and clear docking directions, to fun stories shared by the Captain, up close sightings of the wild ponies and unique wildlife, to the prompt return to shore, Captain Dan's Tours delivered. We enjoyed being out on the water, listening to the history of the special island and exploring the sights. The Captain set us at ease with his friendly professionalism. Highly recommend taking the tour early in your Chincoteague/Assateague stay, as Captain Dan's enriching tour helps visitors become familiar with the neat sights and fascinating stories.See more..
5.0Williamsburg Charter Sails(629 reviews) - Brothers Monday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM Boat Tours
I am a former sailboat owner. Williamsburg Charter Sails owned and operated by William ODonnell is a a first rate boat owner and operator. We sailed in light rain, strong winds, gusty winds, and very light winds. Mr. ODonnell is an experienced skilled sailor. He has great knowledge of the local waters and how to make the experience entertaining and filled with information. He has great interpersonal skills. He owns a great Hunter 32' in great condition that looks new. I can't wait to go again and i my have to hurry. I'm eighty.See more..
You absolutely must book a Bay Back Cruise with Captain Barry! Captain Barry is an awesome dude. He provides non-stop fun and learning for the whole family - if my kids (5 & 8) had their way we would have taken Captain Barry's cruise everyday during our stay on Chincoteague Island - it was that awesome! Everything he says in his add he delivers on: from letting my kids raise a crab pot so we could hold baby crabs, playing fun music while we zipped across the water, to the exploration of shell island; and all the while teaching us about the history and ecosystem of Chincoteague Island and it's waters. We already plan on taking another cruise with Captain Barry upon our next visit to Chincoteague Island. And even if you don't have kids, you should still book a cruise with Captain Barry. You'll be glad you did!See more..
5.0Up The Bay Pony Tours(251 reviews) - The Best Best Best tour boat captain Boat Tours • Eco Tours • Private Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Day Trips
Captain Mike is the best - he tailored the tour to our requests and went out of his way to make sure we got up close to some ponies, even in the very low water. His boat is clean and comfortable and his knowledge of the history of the island was amazing. The price for a private tour for the four of us was the same as I would have paid for four individual tickets on one of the other tours.See more..
4.5Tangier Cruises(250 reviews) - Great ride on Tangier Cruises Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 AM Boat Tours
Get your tickets online in advance! 3 hours of cruising, over and back. Comfortable boat, a/c inside, beautiful sea breeze upstairs, nice restrooms, no alcohol, some beverages/ snacks available and great staff. Go before Tangier Island is gone. The seawall needed to keep Tangier above water would cost about $1,000,000 per current resident and that seems unlikely. We were glad we went!See more..
5.0Chincoteague Island Adventures(195 reviews) - Entertaining Monday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Boat Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours
We have taken his tour 3 times now and each adventure had new and exciting experiences! First trip we saw ponies and spotted a bald eagle in between the Captain’s various entertains stories about the local history, events and life. The second was another excellent tour through the waters enjoying the ponies and beautiful scenery from his boat! The third trip, we were so excited to see how much the ponies grew and especially to check up on our favorite stallion “Riptide” and then spotted some playful dolphins all while The Captain kept us entertained especially the kids as we had two aboard with us. We are already planning our next trip with him as we return to Chincoteague almost every year!See more..
5.0Twin River Outfitters(162 reviews) - Kayaking down the river might be more work than you expect Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Boat Tours • Water Sports • Boat Rentals • Self-Guided Tours & Rentals • Kayaking & Canoeing
We rented kayaks here for paddling down the James River. We were pleased that this company makes it easy to choose an adventure and rent the equipment. They even lend you the dry cases and dry bags for cell phone, keys, etc. for no additional cost. You make reservations online ahead of time. When you arrive you check in at the building across the street (and can use the restroom or changing rooms). Then you get a lifejacket and have a quick video and oral lesson with a few pointers. Then they bus you up to the point on the river where you get your kayaks. This is where it was a little confusing. You may not remember which type of kayak you had registered for and they are all there together with no person to distribute. For me it was my first time ever kayaking so I didn't know what to do. And no one gave instruction. By watching others I figured out you grab paddles (but I didn't know which ones) and you grab a kayak (and I didn't know which one) and you shove off into the river. That would be well and good if one has ever kayaked before. And I should mention there were class 1 and class 2 rapids on this 9-mile trip down the river. As I was a newbie and had zero instruction, I got turned around backwards right at the top of first rapid. And maybe because of my nerves I got turned around sideways or backward at every rapid. So scary. There should have been kayaking instruction given before ever letting newbies go down the river with no guide. (tears and panic attacks were experienced) The river level was low from summer draught so the current wasn't very swift. We had to literally paddle for 4 hours to get down river to starting point. We are strong and in-shape and it was a lot of tiring work. (Just making it real so you know what to expect.)See more..
Our tour around the island began from the Marina Bay Hotel & Suites. Capt Spider was friendly, knowledgeable & attentive to safety guidelines as Virginia reopens. During the 27 mile afternoon tour we learned about, heard & saw costal birds, sea otter, wild ponies, historical sites & amazing scenery. Reasonably priced & highly recommended!See more..
This was an awesome tour with interesting stories of history and the development of the islands over the past years. We were fortunate to find several pods of dolphins and the captain stayed to watch those while maneuvering the boat for the best angles of sight. He was knowledgeable about the aquafarms of oysters and clams which we found interesting. Another interesting find was a pair of bald eagles. The wild ponies were only viewed from a distance but he had interesting stories about those, and the pony swim and auction. I highly recommend this tour.See more..
5.0Proud Mary Charters(111 reviews) - Seeing the "Holy Trinity" - Ponies, Dolphins, a Bald Eagle Boat Tours
This was the 2nd time we've boated with Captain Mary, and it was again a joyful experience. We saw dolphins (lots!), egrets (lots!), a bald eagle, and of course the Chincoteague ponies. Mary was tenacious, following the inlets at high tide to get us as close to the ponies as she safely could, even though it required some complex maneuvering and took some extra time. Best of all, she is a knowledgeable guide, filling us in on the history of the island, the traditions surrounding the ponies, telling us interesting stories about the people who live (and have lived) there, as well as sharing her personal experiences and knowledge of how the area has changed over the years. Taking an annual boat ride with Mary might just become a family tradition.See more..
Had an enjoyable sunset cruise. It helped that the weather was picture perfect. There were about 20pp on both top and bottom decks which made social distancing easy and most folks wore masks. The captain explained everything we saw and they had snacks and drinks to purchase separately on board. For $25pp we felt it was an excellent value for 2 hours of relaxing fun on beautiful Smith Mountain Lake.See more..
We had a great time touring the islands with captain Pete! He is very knowledgeable and the boar rose is crazy beautiful. I recommend pairing it with a trip to the barrier island center to have the history he will share with you come to life. We went with our kiddos ages 5-10 and they loved it. Totally recommend exploring this unit part of the shore with captain Pete!See more..
Captain Jon is "THE BEST" tour guide to be found in Chincoteague. We booked two trips with him this year and both were amazing. The first was a wildlife tour where we encountered dolphins, eagles and of course the ponies. Jon found the ponies when everyone else was still looking for them and were way behind. He is so good at what he does he radioed where they could be found to the other boats. The second trip was the sunset cruise. He suggested we go south and tour the Wallops space area. Awesome. I highly recommend as this is something he normally doesn't do. We saw dolphins several pods and many of the Wallops buildings and launch site. Overall very happy and my wife and kids will definitely return next year for more trips with Capt. Jon!!@See more..
Billy is an excellent knowledgeable tour guide. He maneuvered the boat to provide great views of ponies, birds, dolphins (a pleasant surprise) and sunset. He clearly explained how both the VA & MD pony herds are managed. The Cowboy cruise was a highlight of our Chincoteague experience.See more..
5.0Orange Troller(31 reviews) - Great sunset cruise Monday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Boat Tours • Fishing Charters & Tours • Private Tours • Day Trips
We were staying at Lake Anna for a week and wanted to take a quiet trip around the lake on the water. Captain Ellis at Orange Troller was great. He is knowledgeable about the lake and area, safe, and eager to make sure you have a great time. We had a bottle of wine and cruised the water for a couple of hours. Would highly recommend a cruise or fishing trip with Captain Ellis at Orange Troller for anyone visiting Lake Anna!See more..
5.0New River Outdoor Adventures(31 reviews) - Great shuttle Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM River Rafting & Tubing • Boat Tours • Gear Rentals • Kayaking & Canoeing
Great shuttle from Timmy from Galax to Pulaski to do a end to end on the New river trail. He showed up on time and safely transported our 2 single bikes and 1 tandem bike. I would highly recommend this company. We drove down from N.H. and had a great ride down the trail.See more..
Tangent Outfitters is one of my favorite fishing guide services. I regularly use guide services to take my family, customers, and employees on fishing trips. Many times, I only use a guide once due to their inappropriate language and conversation. Shawn and his team are professional...and they always put our new fishermen/fisherwomen on fish. If you are truly a fisherman, or you want your kids to have a great day on the river and not have to explain any inappropriate conversation later, I recommend Tangent Outfitters.See more..
5.0Chesapeake Bay Adventures(21 reviews) - Relax, Smile, Enjoy Boat Tours • Fishing Charters & Tours • Stand Up Paddleboarding • Kayaking & Canoeing
This is a wonderful adventure that accommodates any age and appetite for something different. I have been many times.... Every time I return invigorated and blessed to live in such a beautiful area. If you have not seen the coast from this perspective you will be amazed at the hidden beauty, beautiful wildlife and the peaceful nature of getting away for a few minutes. As a company or team mini retreat.... It is just what we needed.... Get away... stop for a moment in a beautiful place and talk....clarity of thought without the normal distractions.... A great team building or family bonding moment....A lasting gift from this adventure. I Highly recommend this adventure.... Great for all ages!See more..
5.0Urbanna Cruises(17 reviews) - Lifetime Memories Made Boat Tours
Lifetime Memories Made Our cruise included 2 grandparents. 2 parents, an 11 year old boy and an 8 year old girl. We touted this 2 hour cruise of creeks and the Rappahannock as a birthday cruise for our 8 year old granddaughter. Captain Phil was perfect for the task of creating a lifetime memory for all of us. The highlight was when Captain Phil put the birthday girl at the helm. He taught her how to navigate, with such care and excellent instruction. On our cruise on his well cared for pontoon, we saw lots of waterfowl, a bald eagle and wonderful sites. Thank you Phil Loftis. We feel blessed to have been under your care!! Wayne DementiSee more..
5.0James River Batteau Company(8 reviews) - Most definately recommend this to everyone! Boat Tours • Private Tours • Day Trips
Will and Will made our 39th wedding anniversary sunset cruise amazing! From the time we met at the park until we debarked they made us feel most welcomed. Their knowledge of local bateau history was so interesting! And they answered all our questions. The food....words cannot do it justice! Felt like we had eaten an entire meal! You could certainly tell that Will #1 enjoyed singing and playing his guitar....added so much to the trip! Don't forget to let us know when you record that CD! We want one! :) And Will #2...thank you for all your hard work poling us up and down the river safely!See more..
5.0Bay Quest Charters(5 reviews) - Fun and Education on the River Boat Tours
Dave is the most knowledgeable Captain - everything educational regarding the river, the oysters and the history. Even more fun though are his stories and local gossip! We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, raked for oysters and even slurped a fresh one right out of the shell!See more..
My husband and I took the sunset cruise on the Rappahannock with Captain Saunders and it was awesome! It is a special experience to be able to enjoy the Miss Nicole, a historic deadrise. The views are stunning, the evening was pleasant and fun. I am from the area originally, yet still learned many things I didn't know. The evening was very pleasant and informative. I can't wait to do it again!See more..
5.0Veritas Charters LLC(3 reviews) - An Adventure With Captain John Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Boat Tours • Gear Rentals • Private Tours
Our family sailed on Veritas with Captain John Wheately for four days in the Chesapeake Bay, and it will go down as one of our favorite vacation experiences. It was adventurous, it was relaxing, it was educational, and it was a lot of fun. Veritas is a beautiful boat, and John is as gracious and experienced a host as we could have wished for. Whatever apprehension we felt about sailing for the first time quickly disappeared as we sat down for the pre-sail briefing with the Captain, and from that point forward it was a marvelous experience.See more..
We engaged Captain Pete to take us to Hog Island. He ran us out there without a hitch. His boat was in great shape. He is very knowledgeable about the area. We learned so much and really enjoyed the day! We would definitely hire him again!See more..
5.0Sunnybank Ferry(3 reviews) - Give Your Vehicle a Ride Boat Tours
Drive Richmond to Ophelia Virginia out of curiosity! Ferry was a welcomed rest from driving. Captain Bob a delightful person to chat. We saved time on our return trip. Thanks, free ride on this beautiful day!See more..
5.0Allon-Z Charters(2 reviews) - Allon-Z -The Best Boat Cruising on the Northern Neck Boat Tours • Private Tours • Speed Boats Tours
We enjoyed our boat cruise with Allon-Z Charters. The boat was pristine and the staff... ( Captain PIerre and First Mate Morgann) were enthusiastic and professional. It was obvious they like what they are doing, they are excellent at their jobs and they love the Northern Neck waterways. We even went out to this lighthouse in the bay. The waves were moderate there and I am not much of a sailor but the Captain managed to maneuver the boat in such a way that I was not uneasy at all. No seasickness no scares. It was a gorgeous day for cruising on a beautiful boat. WE WILL RETURN next year to travel with ALLON-Z again. They are awesome.See more..
5.0True Love(1 review) - Cruising The Rappahannock Boat Tours
The cruise is worth every cent which is very cheap to take down the river. The Captain and the Mate are funny to listen too. Very nice timeSee more..
We enjoyed the sail, the boat and Captain Tom very much. It gave us a much better sense of the beautiful and surprisingly large and complex Onancock Creek inlet area than we would have otherwise gotten.See more..
