Is your team stuck in a rut? Does your business revolve around work, and need a personal touch?

If so, team building activities are a perfect way to get your employees talking, interacting, and having fun while also building stronger relationships. Plan an outing and engage their communication skills with these six team building activities in Southern California!

 

1. Try Trapped! Escape Room Inland

The Trapped! Escape Room Inland is a perfect way to get your company’s creative juices flowing. This escape room in Ontario, California is ideal for groups of up to 24 people. Billed as a “physical adventure game,” you and your team will be locked in a room with clues, and have an hour to solve the puzzle and escape before it’s too late!

With three different room choices, Trapped! has something for everyone. Have fun in this high-stakes environment, and watch your team improve their cooperation and communication. See who takes charge, who spots the details, and which of your team members is skilled at seeing the big picture. Your crew can solve a task together and whether they succeed or not, they will build a bond and rapport along with it.

If you’re looking for a unique and adrenaline pumping team building activity in Southern California, the Trapped! Escape Room Inland is a perfect place for your employees to solve a mystery together, and come out stronger on the other side.

 

2. Get Outdoors

A great team building activity in Southern California is getting outdoors at the nearby national forest and state park. Cleveland National Forest is 460,000 acres of protected land and is the southernmost forest in the state of California.

Some popular activities in the Cleveland National Forest include camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and “off highway vehicle riding.” You can also see the wildflowers, go bird watching, or just enjoy the scenic views. Get your employees together, out of the office, and in to the great outdoors. You can go on a one-day hiking trip with the group, or even plan an overnight camping trip, where teams work together to cook dinner, set up camp, and read maps and directions to get to the right place.

Another great option for team building activities in Southern California is a trip to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. One easy outing idea is to take a guided tour with your group. Getting outside is a great way to help your team relax and build relationships outside of professional ties.

Anza-Borrego was also recently designated as a “Dark Sky Park,” so consider doing something different and taking your team star-gazing! Spending time away from the smoggy and light polluted cities can do wonders for building bonds and communication. You can even learn together about the constellations and see how many you can spot.

 

3. Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to raise morale at your company. The California Volunteers organization reports that “recent research has demonstrated that employees entering the workforce would prefer to work for companies that give them opportunities to contribute their talents to nonprofit organizations.”

Now you can work with California Volunteers to build a specific program for your business to give back to the community in a real and impactful way. Work with your team to contribute their skills and strengths to those who need it most, and grow together as you do good. Volunteering is a great team building activity in Southern California to consider because it helps your employees build their own self-worth, make the community a better place, and work towards a greater good!

 

4. Spend a Day on Catalina Island

Santa Catalina Island is a getaway off the coast of Los Angeles. It is almost 75 square miles and has plenty of options for team building activities in Southern California. The easiest way to organize a trip is to plan it all with Catalina Tours. The company will take care of the logistics, while you and the crew can enjoy your time together on the beautiful island!

Some options for team building activities that Catalina Tours recommends are going zip-lining over the Descanso Canyon, taking the Avalon Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour, or planning a Jeep Eco-Tour to explore the island’s rugged natural beauty.

All three of the options are different ways to get your team talking and bonding outside of a normal corporate team building retreat. When your employees enjoy the outing (which is almost guaranteed in a place as beautiful and interesting as Catalina Island!) and don’t see it as a chore, they are much more likely to grow closer together and achieve the goals you are hoping for!

 

5. Explore San Diego

One of the best ways to see a new city is with an interactive scavenger hunt! It’s not a typical team building activity, but one that your employees will almost certainly enjoy. You can get your planning started with Team Bonding, a company who specializes in creating corporate events from start to finish. They will create a custom app, have staff on hand for the beginning briefing and final wrap up, and run everything so all you have to do is enjoy time with your team.

A scavenger hunt is a great way to foster communication, teamwork, and even a little friendly competition among your employees. You can learn about your staff and see how they work together with deadlines and time constraints, just like they do in the real world. The best part about these GoTek Team Building Scavenger Hunts is that they can be custom built for any place in Southern California or even around the country, so you can try one in San Diego, Los Angeles, or any other town that your company is located.

 

6. Visit the Beach

Southern California is famed for their picturesque beaches, so you and your team should get out and enjoy them! Visit Newport Beach offers a variety of team building suggestions on the water, including kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and even luxury yacht outings.

Or, you can keep it simple with a picnic on the beach and spend a day enjoying the sun. One of the best things about a beach day is that it’s also a great opportunity to involve your employees’ families so you can meet the spouses and kids as well in this relaxed and inclusive environment. If you’re looking for a place to get the group together for some bonding outside of the office, team building on Newport Beach is a perfect option!

Top Team Building Activities in Southern California

These six team building activities are great ways to get to know your employees better and foster new relationships, communication, and problem-solving skills outside of the typical nine-to-five. Set up an outing at Trapped! Escape Room to get your hearts racing in this high-stakes game, get outdoors on a hike or camping trip, or even use your skills to volunteer and give back to your community.

Additionally, your company can spend a day on Catalina Island, work together on a city-wide scavenger hunt, or spend a relaxing day bonding at the beach. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy getting to know your team, and build strong connections that will last for years to come!