Updated for November 2024: Now with 28 team-building ideas!
Businesses everywhere are looking for ways to bring their teams together. In the era of the “new workplace” we have hybrid work, difficulty attracting & retaining talent, and an ever-growing awareness of workplace mental health. Businesses are dealing with unique challenges as we dip our toes into a post-pandemic world. No wonder so many workplaces are looking for team building activities!
A team building activity can help bridge the gap between work-from-home and in-office team members. Even if your team is working in the same physical space, when you plan a fun, engaging experience for your office it strengthens workplace bonds, which translates into happier employees.
Here’s a list of the Top 12 Team Building Experiences in Vancouver.
1. Progressive Food Tasting Tours
Nothing builds bonds quite like sharing food! Vancouver’s progressive food tasting tours take your team on a multi-location culinary adventure. The Gastronomic Gastown Tour, for instance, offers a six-course dinner experience across multiple locations, complete with drink pairings. Leave the planning to experienced guides and enjoy an engaging, delicious team-building event that fosters camaraderie.
2. History Walking Tours
Explore Vancouver’s colorful past with Forbidden Vancouver’s immersive history walking tours. Their “Lost Souls of Gastown” tour features an in-character actor, blending theater with history, while the “Really Gay History Tour” celebrates Vancouver’s LGBTQIA2+ heritage. These unique tours offer an entertaining way to broaden perspectives and bring your team closer together.
3. Fun Water Adventures
For a high-energy team activity, Vancouver Water Adventures offers Seadoo tours, boat rentals, and kayaking tours. The Granite Falls tour is a popular choice, where teams can bond while spotting marine life and experiencing Vancouver’s coastal beauty. Water adventures create an exciting shared experience for team members looking for something different and memorable.
4. Curated Cycling Experiences
Cycle City provides guided bike tours of Vancouver’s scenic routes, tailored to your team’s preferences. You can customize a private tour with specific routes, timing, and bike types. They even offer electric bikes for participants who might need an assist, making this an inclusive and flexible choice for teams of all sizes and fitness levels.
5. Macaron Making Classes
Bond over sweet treats with a hands-on macaron-making workshop at Bon Macaron Patisserie. Teams work together to learn the art of macaron creation, guided by expert chefs. The class covers everything from mixing and piping to flavor selection, and participants leave with a box of custom macarons and a newfound appreciation for teamwork in the kitchen.
6. Authentic Asian Eats Tour with Karaoke
Take your team on a cultural journey with an Authentic Asian Eats tour, where they’ll explore Vancouver’s vibrant Asian food scene. This experience includes stops at popular and hidden gem eateries, offering a variety of tastings. End the day with a karaoke session to round off the experience with laughter, music, and team spirit.
7. Scavenger Hunt on Granville Island
Engage your team with a dynamic scavenger hunt on Granville Island! Teams work together to solve clues, navigate the market, and uncover hidden gems while tasting local treats along the way. This activity combines problem-solving with exploration, offering a hands-on experience that strengthens collaboration in a fun, low-pressure setting. Contact the Granville Island experts to book.
8. Team Higher Ground
Team Higher Ground specializes in customized team-building events that motivate, unite, and celebrate teams. With over 50 activities to choose from—ranging from culinary challenges to outdoor adventures—they tailor events to suit your team’s goals and values, whether it’s boosting morale, improving communication, or simply having fun.
9. Grouse Mountain Adventures
Grouse Mountain offers adventurous team-building options that go beyond the expected. Activities include snowshoeing, axe throwing, scenic hikes, and a multi-course fondue dining experience. These outdoor activities are ideal for teams seeking a mix of adventure, relaxation, and bonding in a stunning mountain setting.
10. Vancouver Mysteries
Turn your team into detectives with Vancouver Mysteries’ outdoor adventures. With themed challenges like “Crime in Downtown” and “Heroes & Villains,” these mystery-solving tours send teams exploring Vancouver’s streets to gather clues and solve puzzles. They also offer virtual options, making it easy to involve remote team members as well.
11. JAM Events
JAM Events offers a range of engaging team-building activities, from scavenger hunts and field days to virtual game nights and amazing races. They also host hybrid events, perfect for teams with both in-person and remote members. Choose an activity that matches your team’s interests and let JAM handle the details for a smooth, memorable event.
12. Improv Team-Building Classes
The Improv Center, in partnership with Ideate, brings improv-based training to the workplace, helping teams enhance communication, collaboration, and creativity. Improv teaches participants to listen, think on their feet, and adapt to one another—a valuable skill set that translates seamlessly into the workplace.
13. Botanical Garden Tours and Workshops
Connect with nature and relax with a botanical garden tour at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Teams can explore stunning plant collections, participate in a guided tour, or even take part in a floral arrangement or terrarium-building workshop. This peaceful, sensory experience is perfect for teams looking to unwind while engaging in creative, hands-on activities.
14. Escape Rooms with a Twist
Escape rooms are an engaging way to encourage teamwork, communication, and quick thinking. SmartyPantz in Vancouver offers a variety of escape rooms with unique themes and storylines. Teams work together to solve puzzles and find their way out, making this a fun, adrenaline-pumping activity that’s perfect for strengthening collaboration.
15. Art and Wine Nights
Combine creativity and relaxation with an art and wine night. Vancouver studios offer guided painting sessions where team members can sip wine, chat, and unleash their inner artists. This laid-back activity is accessible to everyone, regardless of artistic experience, and team members leave with their own masterpieces as keepsakes.
16. Brewery and Distillery Tours
Vancouver’s vibrant brewery and distillery scene offers a fun team-building experience with educational twists. Many breweries, like Granville Island Brewing, offer tours with tastings and insights into the craft of brewing, creating an enjoyable and casual atmosphere for team bonding.
17. Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Stand-up paddleboarding is a great way to get your team out on the water, offering both a unique experience and a physical challenge. There are plenty of rental options in Vancouver, and some companies like Vancouver Water Adventures offer guided SUP tours, perfect for beginners and experienced paddlers alike.
18. Private Yoga and Wellness Retreats
Wellness-focused retreats can be incredibly rejuvenating for teams. Private yoga sessions or full-day wellness retreats provide relaxation, stress relief, and a focus on mental well-being. Nectar on Bowen Island offers yoga and meditation classes in their geodesic yoga dome, beautiful surroundings, and curated vegetarian menus to help bring your organization’s vision into reality.
19. Cooking Competitions
Turn up the heat with a team cooking competition. Vancouver offers several culinary spaces, like The Dirty Apron, where teams can compete in a friendly “Iron Chef” style challenge. Cooking competitions encourage collaboration, creativity, and a healthy dose of competition in a relaxed environment.
20. Wildlife Safari Tours
Explore British Columbia’s stunning natural landscapes with a wildlife safari tour. Many tour companies offer whale watching, birding excursions, and scenic wildlife tours that give teams the opportunity to connect while enjoying the incredible local wildlife.
21. Axe Throwing
Axe throwing is a unique and exciting activity that has grown in popularity in recent years. Locations like Bad Axe Throwing and Axewood allow teams to try their hand at this sport in a safe, fun environment. It’s an exhilarating way to release stress, build camaraderie, and share some laughs.
22. Farm-to-Table Dinners
For a memorable dining experience, consider a farm-to-table dinner where teams can enjoy seasonal, local produce in a beautiful setting. Some farms near Vancouver host private group dinners, providing a rustic yet refined setting for team bonding over locally-sourced cuisine.
23. Pottery Classes
Engage your team’s creativity with a pottery class! Hands-on activities like pottery-making are both relaxing and fun, allowing participants to craft something unique. Studios like Claymates and JustPotters offer group classes where teams can create their own pottery pieces and explore new skills.
24. Wine Tasting in the Fraser Valley
Take your team on a wine-tasting tour in the Fraser Valley, a short drive from Vancouver. Many wineries offer private tastings and vineyard tours, giving teams a chance to unwind, learn about local wine production, and enjoy beautiful countryside views.
25. Virtual Reality Team Experience
For a high-tech experience, try a virtual reality team-building session. VR studios like Zero Latency in Vancouver offer immersive, multiplayer VR games that encourage collaboration and communication. From solving puzzles to completing missions, VR experiences allow team members to step into another world while working together to reach a common goal.
26. Escape into Nature with Forest Bathing
Forest bathing, or “Shinrin-yoku,” is a Japanese practice that involves immersing yourself in nature to reduce stress and improve focus. Led by certified guides, forest bathing experiences in Vancouver parks allow teams to unwind, boost mental clarity, and deepen connections with each other in a calm, restorative environment.
27. Music-Making Workshop
Bring out your team’s creative side with a group music-making session. Local studios offer drumming and music workshops where participants learn to play instruments, create rhythms, and work as a musical ensemble. This activity emphasizes listening, coordination, and harmony, fostering teamwork in a fun, creative way.
28. Escape Rooms with a Twist
Experience the art of glassblowing with hands-on workshops at local studios. Guided by professional glassblowers, teams can create their own beautiful glass pieces, from ornaments to small sculptures. This unique and memorable experience requires patience, focus, and teamwork, making it an ideal activity to build trust and cooperation.
Choosing the Right Team-Building Activity for Your Team
The right team-building activity can help your team grow closer, feel valued, and improve collaboration. Whether your team thrives on creativity, adventure, cultural exploration, or just some lighthearted fun, Vancouver has options to suit every group’s needs. Pick an activity that aligns with your company culture, or go outside your team’s comfort zone for a memorable bonding experience.
Ready to make your next team outing unforgettable? Whether it’s food tours, creative workshops, or outdoor adventures, these Vancouver team-building experiences will inspire, connect, and create lasting memories for your team. For a deliciously interactive culinary experience, we’d love to lead your team through a food tour that gets them talking, laughing, and bonding. For more information, email us at info@foodietours.ca.
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