the Sky is the Limit
The sky is the limit! Your Nature Experience is as unique as you are. Below are simply helpful IDEAS to get you to imagine all of the possibilities. Read through the descriptions. Do some of these Nature Experiences appeal to you? Or perhaps you’d want to combine several of them! We custom-design Nature Experiences for you!
NATURE EXPERIENCE POSSIBILITIES:
Beach-combing for Shark Teeth!
Virginia is one of the best states in the nation to go fossil hunting because there are some amazing spots to go, and it’s relatively easy to find a vast diversity of fossils, like pelecypods, gastropods, shark teeth, trilobites and whale bones! Get a group together, hop on The Nature Bus and channel your best…
Guided Painting with an Artist
Nature is filled with masterpieces. Capture a moment of the natural beauty in a guided session with a professional artist.
Rhythm of the Universe
Drums are used in many cultures to represent community togetherness, to channel energy and release inhibitions. While in many cases drum circles are cultural experiences, they can also be used in any community. As the Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart said, “People gather to drum in drum “circles” with others from the surrounding community. The…
Tarzan of the Trees
Swing from the trees at a Ropes Park! As a personal challenge or a team building activity, this adventure will present ropes, cables, zip lines and obstacles to negotiate. The Nature Bus offers easy event coordination, great group rates and transportation for your whole group. Ask the Nature Bus how we can add components from…
Dance-Like-Nobody’s-Watching!
Scientific studies have proven that dancing, or moving the body without inhibition, improves motor skills and factors involving focus, as well as the release of endorphins. Life can get stressful. Perhaps it’s time to dance around like nobody’s watching- and, just to make sure nobody’s watching, do it outside in the fresh air at a…
A Grand Time with Grandparents
There are two things to be sure about in life: one can never spend enough time outside, and one can never spend enough time with Grandma and Grandpa. The Nature Bus invites grandparents and grandchildren for a day of nature fun! Participate in activities suitable for both generations with other children and grandparents!
White Water Rollercoaster
The best rollercoasters are the ones Mother Nature plopped out there for you to find. Strap yourself in, put on a helmet, and get ready for the ride of your life! Get together a group of family and friends and enjoy the rapids on this white water rafting trip. Customize the trip to your experience…
Be a Nature Steward
Many hands, lighter work. The environment gives so much to us. It is never a bad time to give back. Clean the bay, pick up trash in the forest, aid at an animal rehabilitation center, fundraise for endangered species, and raise awareness for local issues like flooding in Norfolk… the list goes on and on….
Fresh Air Staff Meeting and Homework Session
Sometimes, after a long day of work or school, settling down to do more work or having to go to a staff meeting can be grueling. How about working in some time for a change of scenery or a breath of fresh air? The Nature Bus offers a place where you and your coworkers or…
Flavorful Foraging
Wildlife survival skills are important, but they can be yummy, too! The Nature Bus invites you to meet with an expert and learn what not to eat, then forage for edible wild plants and see how they taste!
Tracks and “doo-be-doo-wops”
Sometimes we’re not lucky enough to catch animals in action in their natural habitats, but animals leave lots of clues behind. Get out your magnifying glasses, channel your best detective, and learn all about animal scat (poop, or doo-be-doo-wop, in jazz terms) and tracks and how to find them with The Nature Bus! Look for…
The Elegant Vineyard
Mother earth is known for her class and refinement. Come on the Nature Bus for a “sophisticated 21+ experience” to learn everything you ever wanted to know about growing grapes and making wine. Visit a winery (brewery, cider mill) for a guided tour of the beautiful vineyards; moderately partake in a wine and cheese tasting,…
Life’s a Beach
Virginia is a diverse area. You can find mountains and rivers and forests and beaches… but if you don’t live near the beach, it can be quite a distant trip. There are so many things to do, but only one car and too many shovels, surfboards, wind boards and jet skis. Planning things like parasailing,…
Need a Lift?
Hop on the Nature Bus, drive into the cold, and fly down snowy slopes with a group of family members, friends, or strangers on skis or on a snowboard. Click your feet in to a good time!
A Marvelous Arrangement
The Nature Bus invites you for a ride to a gorgeous flower farm where you can pick your own flowers! Stock up with all sorts of gorgeous finds while learning lots of facts about flowers and pollinators from an expert on botany and an entomology, eat lunch on a farm picnic and learn from a…
Once Upon A Time
Hop on the Nature Bus, go to a nature location, and gather around to go on adventures with a gifted storyteller. Participate, play with puppets, and enjoy an important childhood experience outdoors.
Teddy Bear Picnic
“Mr. Fluffles, would you like a crumpet too?” The teddy bears have been watching all the fun you’ve been having on your Nature Bus experiences, and they asked if they could come along this time. Have a tea party picnic outside with your favorite fluffy friends, make memories and play pretend in the fresh air.
Snow Much Fun!
Hop on the Nature Bus for a day of chilly adventure! Go to a beautiful snow-laden location with hills optimal for sledding, pack the perfect snow into snowballs, and build snowmen.
Paddle Your Problems Away
Paddle your way down the river in a kayak or a canoe with a naturalist to learn about the new sights and sounds around you. Kayaks are small and fast, so you can paddle through smaller crevices to get an even closer look at wetlands and other natural spots. See from a different perspective to…
Thanksgiving Picnic
There is so much to be thankful for at the start of the holiday season. Enjoy a day outdoors with extended family and friends to behold the gorgeous autumn leaves and cooler weather. Go on a hike, build a fire, and sit down to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal as a picnic!
Holiday Wreaths or Centerpieces
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Put on your scarf, forgo the sled, get on the Nature Bus instead! Make your very own natural wreath with aromatic pine, holly, and other gifts of the winter. Enjoy the chilly weather, see holiday lights, drink hot chocolate, and embrace the holiday spirit.
Night Sky
The stars have aligned to prove it is time to go on The Nature Bus’s night sky experience. Spend the first part of your night at a planetarium, and then look through a telescope at starry skies with a local astronomer.
Stalactites + Stalagmites
Nature creates some pretty beautiful art. Hop on the Nature Bus to venture into the caverns of Virginia and see the gorgeous stalactites, stalagmites and rock forms that have developed over more than 190,000 years.
Little Things that Rule the World
Entomology is the study of insects. Meet with an entomologist and learn how to capture insects without injuring them. Learn how to study and key an insect, learn brand new facts and release them after this hands-on experience! By the end of this experience, you will know the environmental impact insects have and how and…
Happy Camper
Sleep under the stars after a day of planned camping activities with the Nature Bus: play capture the flag or hide-and-go seek, play flashlight tag, learn how to build different types of fires for different purposes (heat, cooking, light, etc.), tell campfire stories and sing campfire songs, roast hot dogs, smart dogs, s’mores and eat…
Giddy-up
“A horse is an angel without wings” ~ anonymous Come with The Nature Bus for a horseback ride on a scenic trail route in Virginia. All of your fiction fantasies of galloping through the forest or on a beach will come true!
The Simple Pleasure of Cycling
Bicycle Trip: Studies show that light exercise can make a huge difference in your day-to-day life and overall happy feelings. Studies also show that spending time outdoors does a very similar sort of thing. Get this- studies also happen to show that spending time with your family and friends is equally important. Do them all…
Teen Nature Photo Shoot
Natural lighting is the best lighting, and gorgeous outdoor backgrounds ready for your use. The Nature Bus is ready to take you on a Nature Experience to beautiful outdoor locations with a professional photographer. Welcome to your day of natural glamour, and keep all of the images at the end.
Dendrology: The Study of Trees
A dendrologist is somebody who studies trees. Come with the nature bus for a tree-themed experience. Go on a guided hike under a canopy of leaves, learn how to identify a tree based on its leaves or bark, count a tree’s rings to find out its age, do leaf and bark rubbings, learn how to…
A Wedding Memory
The Nature Bus wants to be a little piece of your special day. We can help you locate and get to your magical nature location where the rest of forever begins. While we don’t provide wedding packages, we can be a small part by offering some memorable nature experiences to enhance your special day.
Wondrous Pollinators
Let’s talk about the birds and the bees. And the bats, and the trees! We’re talking about pollinators. These incredibly important creatures include lots of species (not just bees), which include butterflies, birds, bats, beetles, moths and mosquitos… the list goes on and on, spanning about 200,000 species! Pollinators play an essential role in our…
This one is for PUPS
The Nature Bus is dog friendly for friendly dogs! Bring your best friend on a special nature experience designed for you and your dog… to socialize with other pups and owners. Go on a walk in the woods with a naturalist guide, play at the beach, stop by a dog park, put together an agility…
Woodland Fairy Tea Party
A Fairy Tea Party in the woods: Come on the nature bus for a magical experience you’ve never had before! Go to a secret location in the woods to find the enchanting Wildwood pixies Trixie and Stella! Have a fairy woodland picnic and participate in the fairy wish-making tradition for a memory to cherish. The…
Mystery Nature Experience
What is graveling? Well, most road trips have a start point and a destination. Now, think of all of those tiny little side roads you never have the time to go down. Where do they go? Who knows? Come with us on The Nature Bus for a Nature Experience that releases your inhibitions. We’ll take…
Get Lost!
We want you to get lost…Wait! We didn’t mean leave! We just want you to get lost with us. Come with us on a nature experience to a corn maze that towers over your head and covers acres of farm field. Enter the maze, find your way to checkpoints, collect cards and clues, and try…
Toddlers Hop Onboard!
Hey, tots! Want to hop onto The Nature Bus? Bring your parents! Toddlers, we invite you and your parents for a day of fun activities outside. Parents, start your child young when spending time outdoors… and we will make sure he or she loves it! Build stick and blanket forts at an exclusive spot in…
Autumn is in the Air
Why do the leaves change color in the fall? Where do the gorgeous colors come from? The autumn is full of wonderful things, beautiful colors and cozy sweaters. What’s more, there’s always so much to do and so little time before winter comes! It’s so hard to choose: do you go apple picking? Do you…
Calling All Musicians
Do you play an instrument (a portable one)? Do you enjoy collaborating with others? Musicians of all types: singers, flutists, violinists, guitarists, tambourinists… you name it! We invite you to come along with us to create a day filled with musical collaboration outdoors.
Beautiful Butterflies
Butterflies are beautiful, but they are also incredibly important for our environment. Learn more about local species, pollination, metamorphosis, migration, and how to attract more butterflies to your yard on a unique Nature Bus experience. Prepare yourself for a day of fun activities, crafts, and an exclusive and interactive real butterfly experience!
Organic Farm Produce
Organic Farming/Gardening: Buying local is not only doing a service to your community, but to yourself. Join us on The Nature Bus to learn where your food comes from, how to grow organically, get hands-on at a local farm, and come home with the produce after a day of fun activities on the farm!
Frogs & Toads, Oh My!
Ever wonder how to tell the difference between a frog and a toad? How about where to find them? How about how to identify a species, or recognize different frog calls? In this nature experience you will learn everything you have ever wanted to know, and more, about these local amphibians.
Up Close, And Personal
Sometimes all you need in life is a new perspective. To get a closer look, hop on the nature bus, bring along your SLR camera and meet with a photography nature guide at a gorgeous natural location to learn how to take beautiful Macro photographs. Macro photography is extreme close-up photography, usually of very small…
Flower Power
Flowers do much more than sit still and look pretty. Learn fun facts, gardening tips, and how to key-out (identify) native species with a botanist on one of our nature experiences.
Valentine “Love Birds”
Love is in the February air! Let us help you make a special day for you and your loved one on a couple’s experience. You can create your own group of up to 9 pairs of lovebirds or hop on a planned experience to meet other couples.
Cloud Watching
Cloud Watching: Why are you being so “Cirrus?” Set aside time on a beautiful day to look up and appreciate those fluffy masses in the sky. There’s more to clouds than the eye can see. Join the Nature Bus and a nephologist (cloud scientist) for a day of cloud watching. Take a page from your…
River Frolic
Perhaps you’ve seen the trend on a hike or near a creek; impressive piles of rocks stacked by humans in a precarious counterbalance. These are a nod to Cairns (of Celtic and Gaelic origin), and all the hikers, bikers and backpackers seem to be doing it! Come with The Nature Bus to spend a day…
Sunflower-Yellow Picnic
Welcome to your own little sunflower festival! Brighten up your life with a day filled with flowers and fun. Join the Nature Bus on this yellow-themed experience, filled with sunflower picking, photography, a yellow-themed picnic (lemonade + lemon cupcakes), and a day of freedom and fun surrounded by natural beauty. Go home with a special…
Sunrise Yoga
You have two homes, the earth and your body. Explore how to take better care of both of them and begin a new day bathed in the first rays of sunlight with a certified yoga instructor.