Virginia Beach Rock Gym

Employees are very friendly. Got a lesson in 5 minutes and I was off climbing. Has some pretty tough walls

This gym is excellent. The staff is super helpful and the prices are affordable. The routes are changed frequently enough to keep things fresh but left up long enough to project problems.
There isn’t heat or AC, but this isn’t an issue since many that go there are training for the outdoors anyways. Just dress accordingly!
I enjoy bringing new people here because you don’t feel judged by the staff or the regulars. Plus the staff is thorough with all tests so I know my friends/​family are learning the safest habits off the bat.
If you are looking for a fun family night or looking to get into climbing, you have arrived.

i’m not a regular climber, but this place was really small from what i’m used to. probably 40−50ft. only one side of the warehouse to climb. the videos on their website were incredibly deceiving…
there were only 4 auto belays, and probably 4 or 5 manual belays (which you have to test out and prove that you can do your own fisherman’s hook and figure 8’s)… for $ 25 for a day pass isn’t that bad if you’re super ripped, you know what you’re doing and actually climb by the colors. but if you’re not super ripped and don’t have awesome stamina, you’re pretty much limited to the auto belays which get you tired really fast (no one to belay you and you can rest).
try to go early because it starts getting packed in the afternoon and you’re waiting your turn for an auto belay. staff was real kind and generous though.

Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Facility is clean and well kept up. Definitely going again.

For the price of an all day pass to do the main wall, I don’t think it was worth it. There should have been more wall space. For the 12 $ pass the walls included, were too expert for any beginners. It was definitely fun but too expensive for my taste. A good workout nonetheless.

I took my nephew for a kids’ night. They had two staff members that guided about 5 kids on the wall, while bouldering, and as they climbed the rappel tower. The price was very reasonable. I plan on returning often.

This place is great for an outing or family fun. The best part is the pass lasts all day. You can come and go all day. I will say gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter but don’t let that stop you. Enough fun for all levels. Great for the kids! They will truly enjoy it. If you haven’t done it I would recommend it highly. Come see for yourself.

Visiting from San Francisco where there are tons of gyms and thought this place was great! As a beginner climber (did bouldering only) the V0s and 1s were on the tougher side for me, but as their employee says: it’s a humbling experience. I feel like I get to go home and tackle the harder problems.
The staff are super friendly, a big shout out to Joey who made me feel really welcome, and the people who are regular climbers are supportive, helpful, and all around nice.
Thanks for a great time, I’ll be recommending it to the people I know who live in or visit VA :))

The VBRG has no heat or AC. You can bring your dog, but don’t sit in or touch the rocks because dogs have peed and pooped in them. The air is filled with dust and chalk. Members Only is on Sunday nights, but don’t be surprised if you see a party or nonmembers during that time. They might close early without notice and hours on holidays change after being posted per discretion of the owner. Staff doesn’t seem to care about safety, spinning holds, and skipping clips while lead climbing. If you point out safety concerns to the staff, they shrug it off.

Friend talked me into going to get a little rock climbing in (It’s all in your leg’s Paul, you’ll be great…) ANYway… We started with the auto-​belay class, super handy, it means you don’t have to have someone at the bottom holding on to you, if you slip, it auto-​magically lowers you to the ground. The staff at this place is vibrant, friendly and informative, they’re definitely a plus.
Just a few misses here for me, the lack of climate control meant that for the first 10 minutes, I couldn’t feel my fingers (it was super chilly!) The only other complaint is, if you’re not «Good» at this, your options for climbing with the auto-​belay is going to be limited to two trails (paths? not sure what they call them). Practice makes perfect though, I’ll definitely be back, hopefully with more grip strength!
Oh, this is the weirdest tip you’ll ever get, but seriously, make sure those toe nails are super trim! The shoes are megatight (for a reason), if you’re not manicured down, you’re going to feel it haha.

It’s not a huge gym but they really make the most of what they have. If you’re looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon, I would recommend giving it a try! You won’t be disappointed.

I’ve never been to rock gym before. So I have nothing to compare it to. Yes they have a pebble floor which doesn’t hurt smaller then marbles. And no they don’t have AC but if you were doing the real deal you wouldn’t have AC. I would go back great for a date day or for children’s birthday party. I had a ton of fun. For first time people it was about $ 25 for climb, rental and demonstration.

I really enjoyed climbing here, but have 2 major problems with the facility:
— Not climate controlled. So if it’s hot as hell outside, it’s just as bad or worse inside. At least there’s a roof to keep out the rain though…
— No locker rooms /​showers. With no rock gym on the peninsula, driving all the way down to Virginia Beach is a bit of hassle, especially if I can’t get cleaned up afterwards before going out for other activities to make the most of my day before heading back up north…

Who could really add to John and Xerxes awesome reviews, well I have a little more info with a different perspective. First of all I have to admit that I have never climbed here, or anywhere else. This is just not my cup of tea. However, my 10 year old son has had two birthday parties and attended a few others. Most of those invited were boys, but not all as the girls had a great time too. His party was a huge hit that got a few more booking for them from friends that attended that day. I would not recommend a party if under 8, the climbs are very challenging.
They have great staff, usually two that works with the kids and at least three walls that will suit them. I felt the children were completely safe with the ropes and harness. The climbs are around 40 feet, so bring a camera to capture this awesome feat, it is darn amazing to see them get to the top. But the reaction of the kids faces is so best of alll. If this does not build self esteem I don’t know what would.
The Rock Gym does have smaller size shoes to rent, or they can wear their own tennis shoes if they like. Keep in mind, if they wear there own, then they will get filthy due to the pea gravel floor. The helmets are provided by RG. On that note, the whole place is very dusty. If you have a child with severe asthma I would consider not attending, or check it out first. Also, if you have a party in the Summer months expect it to be very hot, it’s in a steel building with no A/​C in the climbing area. However, the party area does have climate control, whew! The cut off is 15 kids for a party I think, The party room is a small area to have the cake and open presents. The RG orders the pizza and it’s included in the price. Parents are responsible for the cake. Parking can be a challenge if it is busy, but you will find it even if you have to park a little ways from the entrance.
Consider Rock Gym not only for adults, but for kids parties and special climbing events. They are very welcoming of children and you will be shocked at how well kids can catch on to it.

Nice place to spend the weekend/​evening to burn some energy. The fact it’s open until 10pm is great! The place changes it’s holds not often enough but it’s always a challenge.

My daughter LOVES this place. Second time here. Staff is very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. All day pass works great! We were there for a total of 6 hours today! Remember to bring snacks & drinks if you’re going to make a day of it. They sell drinks but, no snacks. One can also leave and come back which is what we did. Had the best time… yes, I tried my hand at it too. First experience. This is all I know… check for bucket list. Last, if it’s cold outside, dress appropriately. I don’t think there’s heat.

I had a good time on my trip to this rock gym after hearing about it from one of my classmates at ODU.
I’m not a habitual rock climber though I was an adventure summer camp counselor for two years where we did rock climbing and hiking and a bunch of other outdoorsy stuff so I’m not wholly unfamiliar with what rock climbing entails…
I had to rent my own equipment like shoes and harness and such but it was fairly reasonable.
There are several belay areas already set up and different rock wall routes one can choose. It was more crowded than I expected for a random Saturday afternoon but it wasn’t too bad overall and I didn’t have to wait a very long time for anything.
I don’t know that this is something I would do all the time but it was different and fun and I would definitely do it again in the future.
The staff at this place were friendly and helpful and non-​judgey which is a plus because no yuppie likes to be judged on their rock climbing capabilities by hippie rock climbers.

I am rather proud of and surprised with myself that I even have the ability to type this review today. Literally en route to Vegas, a few beers and a three hour nap last night, a bumpy plane ride, an intense workout yesterday morning and a food coma lunch. Wait I’m missing something — oh yeah, the hellacious rock wall climbing experience I endured yesterday.
I’ve heard so many great things about the Virginia Beach Rock Gym so I had to give it a try. Let me give you some background. I’m a member of Onelife Fitness and the Greenbrier location has a rock wall. Some seven or eight years ago I routinely climbed to the top of the wall I’d say some 30 – 35 feet high quite easily. Last week I gave it a go after such a long stint and really showed the bitch in me to myself. I got about halfway up, looked down for some stupid reason and froze. Halfway high is all I got after about five more tries. Damn, even thinking about that experience makes my hands sweat and tremble (like right now as I type).
After sharing my embarrassing experience with a friend she suggested that we go to the rock gym so that I can get better. She’s a former member and said that we can climb a «mound» wall without any sort of specific training or protective gear. I’m afraid of heights and we climb without gear? Uh oh.
Here’s what you will find. This gym is located off of the «industrial» like feel of Cleveland Street adjacent to Virginia Beach Town Center (closer to Witchduck Rd). You walk into a a shop and will sign waivers about your use of the gym. Through the windows you will see nothing but rock walls. On both ends there are what appeared to be training areas, the «mound» wall I referenced, that don’t that require the use of a harness and goes some 10 – 12 feet high. Then you will find a wide area that takes up the majority of the gym of rock walls at least 50 feet high that require spotters and a harness. There are walls that go straight up, some angled and a cool area for the experience that require you to hook your line every few feet as you start to climb upside down. Not sure of the lingo so it’s hard to describe. Go to their website and check out their videos. Don’t be intimidated like I was though. The videos represent the adventurous and true rock climbers. The «training» area was sufficient for yesterday’s extravaganza.
I never thought about this but the rocks on the wall are color coded with tape to indicate levels. Pink is for beginners. White is the next level. I think I got through most pink courses and magically got through one white course. If you like to work out or need something different give this place a shot. It is a definite work out far beyond what you typically experience. So as I type this I feel the pain (in a good way) throughout my arms and fingers.
I paid $ 12 to climb (for as long as you want) and spent $ 5 on a shoe rental (ask for a size or size and half larger since these shoes fit tight). Good deal for me and for one helluva of workout. Grab a small group of friends and go climb some walls. I wouldn’t go alone as you would want some moral support even on the training walls. If you want to try the real deal training is required and there are additional, but reasonable, fees.

The best rock gym in the area, whether you prefer top roping or bouldering, but it’s skanky. Reasonably priced with reasonable staff and a little gear shop full of quality items. Worth the visit.
I boulder. Hate, hate, hate the pebbled floor and scarcity of crash pads. I like to try challenging moves and take a fall, but crashing into rocks just Hurts. Unfortunately, grinding into pebbles as you walk around wears down your shoes quicker too. And of course you can’t vacuum pebbles, so the place is supersaturated with dirt and chalk dust; be prepared to get grungy. Why pebbles? Because the roof is super leaky. I went on a rainy day and many of the holds were gooey from the leaky roof. A couple of the jugs actually held standing water.
No climate control to speak of. On a hot day, it’s hot and slimy inside. There are fans.
Not my favorite gym routes. Many of them felt awkward or didn’t make a ton of sense, as if the setter had no specific physical goal in mind. That being said, I don’t think first-​time climbers would notice the difference. It’s still a workout, and you don’t have another option anyhow.

Reading the other two reviews I felt I should add a review of substance. Maybe a review that didn’t boast of personal, and irrelevant, connections to gyms in other states that none of us have ever been to, or about our own business ventures. Maybe even a review that tells you something about the gym itself.
Rock gym has been open for years. I’m not sure how many years but I started coming here in ’96 or so. And while the gym looks just about the same as it did back then, they DO change the routes frequently contrary to what Alex suspects. They have three bouldering areas, a «crack house», a repelling wall and a large climbing surface that is 30′ high. They just held their spring bouldering contest, and have other climbing comps sporadically, often with little notice.
There is no 1″ gravel anywhere in the place. Alex is in serious need of a ruler if he mistakes the pea-​sized rocks for 1″.
There actually IS heat, just very little. But if you are just a gym jock who likes to stand around in your new gear and never work up a sweat actually climbing, then I can see how you would get cold in there. So put on another brand new Arcteryx hoodie, and stop complaining.
My favorite part is that once you pay for the day, they allow you to come and go as you please. In the summer I sometimes head there in the morning, then go down to the beach for a while and go back to the rock gym after dinner.
They have $ 5 climb days (Tuesday = College, Wednesday = Ladies, Thursday = Military). They also offer kids classes and hold birthday parties too.
The climbers there are super friendly. There are two main groups. There is the bouldering crew (somewhat hippie-​ish), and the lead climb group (scruffy, bearded, tattooed military folks. If you live here, you know what they do for a living). Both are there having a good time and are plenty nice to new comers.
I’ve paid twice as much to climb in gyms that were 50% better then this. I’d rather pay less and be happy with what I have. Rock Gym serves its purpose as the only gym in VB. And they have been open long enough to prove they are doing something right.