Taste Virginia Tours

When I saw on Taste Tidewater's Facebook post that there were only 3 spots left for their Oyster & Wine 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 guide, 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!!

My husband and I had a wonderful experience! We went to 3 breweries we had never been to before. The beer was exceptional. We will definitely be going back. Russ was a wonderful guide. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. We met another couple on the tour and had a fabulous time getting to know them. We will definitely do this again.

I recently went on a wine and oyster tour, and it was fabulous! Rex Jr. and Lisa were the tour guides. They are both very informative, especially with local culture and history, and took great care of us. Patrick was our food and wine expert on the tour. He did a wonderful job as he is both funny and entertaining. I cannot say enough about the food and the wine. It was one of the best things I have ever experienced, especially for the holidays. Catch 31, Rockefeller's, and Waterman's were all delicious, with Rockefeller's being my favorite. The wines were perfectly paired and delicious. I had an excellent time and really enjoyed learning about the local oyster movement and the local wineries. Would recommend this to everyone.

I've been on two of these tours and you're getting more than a ride to a few breweries - it's a very informative journey through the area's craft beer history. The tour I was on took us to two of Virginia Beach's new breweries - Commonwealth and Wasserhund - but it also let us all try something no one had before, a beer brewed at Back Bay Brewing that was made with hops grown right here in VB! It was a great experience and I couldn't recommend the tour more. Give it a try and you'll be pleased.

We recently took a brewery tour with them for my husband's birthday. We paid for all of our friends to go to O'Connors in Norfolk and Beach Brewery and Back Bay Brewery in Virginia Beach. Our guide was Rex. We could tell he was tired because it was his last tour of the day and he was impatient with us. I got shushed when he was talking during the drive, he was judgmental of the beers we like to drink, and he was just unpleasant. My advice is to skip the tour and just hire a limo for a few hours!

We had a fantastic time on the Taste Tidewater tour this past Sunday! I took my mom as a pre-Mother's Day celebration along with several co-workers and the trip went flawlessly. We had beautiful weather and great company but it was evident that Lisa and the Taste Tidewater team know what they're doing. Everything ran on time, they thoughtfully packed water and snacks just in case we didn't bring enough and it was evident that they have great relationships with the wineries we visited. This is the best (and safest) way to visit the wineries in our area. I got the sense that Lisa and her team will work with you to make the trip what you want it to be. Our group was quite fun loving but even a more reserved group interested in learning about wine would have had a great experience. Well done!

My friends and I had the best time with Taste Tidewater Tours. Our bus drivers were great and were super fun all day long. This is a day I would highly recommend and my friends and I are already planning another tour with them. The prices for a tour are very reasonable and there were no complaints amongst our group. They worked with us to maximize our time and the number of stops at local breweries. Again, highly recommended.

I organized a bachelor party for my best friend. Due to certain logistics we had to keep changing the number of people showing up. Throughout the whole thing Rex was extremely professional and understanding. When we got picked up, immediately we could tell that Rex and his wife Lisa truly enjoy what they do, and are very knowledgeable about the craft beer industry in Virginia.The whole thing did not feel like a business transaction, but more like visiting friends we haven't seen a while. I would recommend this to everyone and would come back here again, and plan to for other brewery tours and wine tours.

Fantastic tour. Very informative, well prepared and organized making for a great customer experience.