For more than 25 years, SouthEast Expeditions has welcomed guests to trade pavement for paddles and experience Virginia’s Eastern Shore at water level. Their friendly team of naturalist-guides knows every winding creek and hidden ...
For more than 25 years, SouthEast Expeditions has welcomed guests to trade pavement for paddles and experience Virginia’s Eastern Shore at water level. Their friendly team of naturalist-guides knows every winding creek and hidden ...
The kayak tours to Chatham Vineyards and through the Eastern Shore wildlife refuges are clearly the stars here, with travelers raving about the unique combination of calm waters, abundant wildlife, and knowledgeable guides. Dave, the founder, gets frequent shout-outs for his expertise on local history and ecology, while guides like Leah, Nick, Robin, and Tristan earn praise for being friendly, attentive, and genuinely passionate about the area. The paddling is beginner-friendly, and families with young kids report having wonderful experiences. The vineyard tour in particular stands out as a memorable excursion that combines easy kayaking with excellent wine tasting. There are some red flags around communication and customer service that potential visitors should be aware of. Several reviewers struggled to reach the office when issues arose, with reports of unreturned calls and full voicemail boxes. One group waited 90 minutes for a no-show rental delivery, and another couldn't get a refund processed after a weather cancellation. While the actual guided tours consistently deliver great experiences, the behind-the-scenes operations seem less reliable, so booking well in advance and confirming details directly might be wise.
My family and I have been interested in the kayak tour to Chatham Vineyards for several years and finally signed up during the week of the July 4th holiday. We ended up being the only people on the tour and had an absolute blast! The founder Dave is an amazing guide and very knowledgeable about all things Eastern Shore and wine. We enjoyed being able to taste the grapes on the vine and learn more about the process before doing a tasting. Highly recommend but call ahead to confirm whether you will be using a double kayak or single kayak... I was not prepared to kayak on my own and struggled to keep it moving a few times. 😅 Amazing experience overall. We look forward to doing it again in the future!
Mary Jo Rohrer
July 8, 2025
My family and I have been interested in the kayak tour to Chatham Vineyards for several years and finally signed up during the week of the July 4th holiday. We ended up being the only people on the tour and had an absolute blast! The founder Dave is an amazing guide and very knowledgeable about all things Eastern Shore and wine. We enjoyed being able to taste the grapes on the vine and learn more about the process before doing a tasting. Highly recommend but call ahead to confirm whether you will be using a double kayak or single kayak... I was not prepared to kayak on my own and struggled to keep it moving a few times. 😅 Amazing experience overall. We look forward to doing it again in the future!
Mary Jo Rohrer
July 8, 2025