You found our list of the best company retreat ideas in Chicago, Illinois.
Company retreat ideas in Chicago are locations and activities that provide opportunities for team-building, learning, and boosting employee morale during company events. Examples include bowling, food tours, and escape rooms. These ideas are important because they help workers learn about each other and increase employee retention.
These experiences work well as executive retreat options, retreat activities for groups, and company retreats. The activities are similar to Chicago company outings and activities for groups in Chicago.
This article contains:
- corporate retreat ideas for big groups in Chicago
- corporate retreat ideas for small groups in Chicago
- company retreat entertainment ideas in Chicago
- company retreat locations in Chicago
- staff retreat activities in Chicago
- team retreat ideas in Illinois
Here we go!
List of company retreat ideas in Chicago
From Lincoln Park to Sip and Paint to Brooklyn Boulders, the following is a list of the top staff retreat activities in Chicago.
1. Bank Heist
Bank Heist is an exciting social deduction corporate exercise designed to improve team collaboration skills.
Being tasked with finding the perpetrator of a daring bank robbery, your crew must answer questions such as “where were the bank’s security personnel?” and “how did the crooks get past the state-of-the-art security systems guarding the vault?” Hosts will put your team through various puzzles and games designed to elicit useful information to catch the bad guys before they make a clean getaway.
Working together to outsmart and catch the thief offers plenty of fun for teams.
Find out more on Bank Heist.
2. The Great Guac Off
The Great Guac Off is a competitive cook-off activity. The event can take place at your workplace or a leased venue. You will have an amusing time spending 90 minutes with your colleagues trying to make the finest guacamole possible. The event includes many supplementary activities, such as a team portrait, a game, and an optional meal. Of course, the group that makes the best guacamole will become the champions.
The facilitators will handle the event supplies like guacamole and dippers and set up and clean up, so that you can focus on having a good time.
Read up on The Great Guac Off.
3. ScavBoss
ScavBoss is a fun scavenger hunt activity for companies in Chicago. The hunt helps you to get more information about the region you are visiting or working in and helps players interact meaningfully with the environment and each other. The time commitment for this activity ranges from 90 to 120 minutes. Therefore, your group will have enough time to confer and use the information provided to solve the riddles. ScavBoss is challenging yet fun and makes for a memorable treasure hunt around local landmarks.
ScavBoss may be perfect for your team.
4. Fox in a Box
If you are looking for thrilling and interactive team retreat ideas in Illinois, then you should check out an escape room. In an escape game, your team is ‘trapped’ in a themed area, and they have only one hour to escape.
Professionals run the show at Fox in a Box, making it one of the city’s best escape rooms. The games help to fortify your group by challenging its members to use their creative problem-solving skills. If your team wishes to leave the room in time, then you must communicate and work together seamlessly. Your team will have fun coming up with creative ways to solve any problem, whether they are trying to escape jail from the 1950s or retrieve valuable artwork.
Learn more about Fox in a Box.
5. The Forge
The Forge offers different corporate team activities depending on participants’ skill levels. The ziplining option is great for groups looking for a high-speed treetop experience. Your group will be able to zip down a 1000-foot line, rappel down a tower, and rock climb as part of this high ropes challenge.
If you want amazing company retreat entertainment ideas in Chicago, then The Forge has you covered. Laser tag, ax throwing, archery tag, and mountain biking are all part of The Forge’s Outdoor Rec & Nature Adventure Package. Whatever package you choose, your team’s experience at The Forge will be memorable.
Learn more about The Forge.
6. Chicago Dine Around
Corporate retreats that include cooking lessons or contests are a fun way to bring your team closer together. Chicago Dine Around provides culinary experiences for corporate groups, such as a progressive dining tour that will take your group to a new restaurant for each dish, allowing them to mix and transfer tables at each location. Up to 560 individuals may join the trip over its three-hour duration, making it one of the preferred corporate retreat ideas for big groups in Chicago.
The hosts also offer interactive workshops where your team can learn to cook deep-dish pizza, mixed cocktails, or traditional Italian food, in addition to an architectural dining tour that includes a sail down the Chicago River.
Learn more about Chicago Dine Around.
7. Trapeze School New York
To spice up your corporate retreat, consider signing up for a trapeze session with TSNY Chicago. The corporate workshops aim to foster cooperation and trust among employees. The secure setting and knowledgeable teachers will help you develop a culture of support within your group as you learn to take risks and challenge yourselves.
Aerial workshops take place at a facility on the shores of Lake Michigan and may include trapeze, trampoline, or other aerial arts, including silks and hoops. Every team member, from beginners to pros, can enjoy these sessions. TSNY also offers options like juggling, tightrope walking, and stilts for groups who prefer to be closer to the ground.
Learn more about Trapeze School New York.
8. Brew & Grow
For a company retreat activity that includes food and drink, you can book a beer-making course with Brew & Grow. The providers will supply every piece of equipment for your group to learn to brew. The best part is that you will try different beers at different stops. You may tailor one of their packages to fit your financial or time-related needs. In addition, the sessions can help encourage participation and discussion between your team members. This activity is a great retreat event in Chicago.
Learn more about Brew & Grow.
9. Chicago Cares
You can make a statement about your company’s commitment to social responsibility by collaborating with a group like Chicago Cares during your retreat. Numerous volunteer opportunities exist, allowing you to practice your company’s principles with efforts that benefit the local community. The staff at Chicago Cares can assist you in finding the ideal volunteer opportunity for your group of any size, whether you are interested in planting trees or organizing a neighborhood cleanup.
Learn more about Chicago Cares.
10. Brooklyn Boulders
Groups may learn to work together by taking a climbing workshop. Besides teaching you how to boulder and auto-belay, the staff at Brooklyn Boulders will lead you in activities designed to improve your communication and problem-solving skills. You can pick from a number of exciting options to test and motivate your group. In addition, you will have access to various amenities in one convenient location, including conference rooms, coworking spaces, showers, and designated places for yoga and meditation.
Learn more about Brooklyn Boulders.
11. Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Center
The Loyola University Retreat & Ecology Center is located about an hour’s drive from downtown Chicago and is a great place to relax and unwind. The location has hotel rooms, dorm rooms, and several conference rooms, making it ideal for a weekend retreat away from the city. The facility also offers sustainable cooking demonstrations and ropes and zip line courses for team building at this facility. In addition, there are 98 acres of land for outdoor activities, including hiking and birdwatching.
Learn more about The Loyola University Retreat & Ecology Center.
12. The West Loop
Located just minutes from Chicago’s central business district, The West Loop is quickly becoming one of the most popular dining districts in the country. Bonci’s Pizza, Cemitas Puebla, and Kuma’s Corner are just a few of the stops along Chicago Food Planet’s Gateway to the West Loop Food Tour. This activity will offer your group a behind-the-scenes peek at the city’s culinary revolution as they eat in renowned restaurants and creative eateries. This retreat idea is a great choice year-round but even better in the summer when the streets of the West Loop come alive with partygoers and style-conscious tourists.
Learn more about The West Loop.
13. North Avenue Beach
Chicago receives a significant portion of the snow that falls on the state of Illinois each winter, lending credence to the stereotype that it is a frigid, windy location. However, winter does not last forever. Going to the beaches during the summer in Chicago may make for a memorable experience. North Avenue Beach is among the best beaches around.
At this beach, you can swim or go out on a boat, rent a bike, kayak, paddleboard, jet ski, or water tube. You can do yoga early or play volleyball in the evening. The large beach home, styled like a blue and white ocean liner, also has plenty of room for inside recreation. The venue has almost 22,000 square feet, and while you are not enjoying its various attractions, you may gaze in awe at the shimmering waters below. As one of Chicago’s most fantastic shorelines, the beach is one of the best company retreat locations in Chicago.
Learn more about North Avenue Beach.
14. Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is so popular in Chicago that it is often just referred to as the “Chicago Zoo.” However, the city lacks its own zoo, perhaps because the Lincoln Park Zoo serves the area so well. To begin, Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in all of North America.
The zoo still has remnants of the original 1868 construction. You will find an ancient oak tree that predates the city of Chicago itself! The location also has one of the state’s finest animal menageries. Lions, rhinos, penguins, and monkeys reclining in hot springs are a few of the exciting exhibits.
You may get up close and personal with the animals during special feeding and petting activities supervised by the staff if you feel brave. Lincoln Park Zoo attracts visitors from all over the state of Illinois.
Learn more about Lincoln Park Zoo.
15. Sip and Paint
Team members may channel their inner creativity freely during a private painting lesson at Sip and Paint Chicago. Sip and Paint will offer your group an instructor to help you learn the basics. The hosts will provide all the materials you need to create art. This location does not provide any refreshments, but participants can bring their own drinks. This activity is good for groups looking to get artsy.
Learn more about Sip and Paint.
16. StageCoach
Incorporating a StageCoach improv session into your company’s retreat program is a great way to improve your staff’s soft skills. Working together is essential in improvisation. Every member will contribute to making the team’s skit.
An improvised skit’s success depends on the performers’ seamless cooperation. Other important “soft skills” for improv include thinking creatively, effectively communicating with others, and having faith in one’s teammates’ abilities. Improvising is a great way to improve teamwork while having fun.
Learn more about StageCoach.
17. Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is the most popular park in Illinois and one of the busiest in the whole country. Only New York’s Central Park receives more tourists each year. The first aspect you will notice is the presence of so many attractions. Your team will have several museums, theaters, concert halls, conservatories, botanical gardens, and other cultural institutions to explore.
You can opt for regular activities like dining and shopping during your retreat. You can also try unique activities like shooting arrows at a range or riding horses over the hills. The scenery of Lincoln Park is among the best in the city. Here, between the willow trees, lily ponds, and tulip gardens, is a welcome respite from the city’s towering skyscrapers. Lincoln Park provides an ideal combination of urban conveniences and natural beauty.
Learn more about Lincoln Park.
18. Chicago Sailboat and Yacht Charters
You could have a corporate sailing workshop if you have a significant budget and prefer corporate retreat ideas for small groups in Chicago. Team building sailing courses offered by Chicago Sailboat and Yacht Charters help participants develop a wide range of abilities vital to forming and maintaining a high-performing group. The company collaborates with expert facilitators and creates a program tailored to your group’s unique needs. Sailing is a great way to develop skills, including active listening, skill acquisition, clear communication, and teamwork.
Learn more about Chicago Sailboat and Yacht Charters.
19. The Untouchable Tour
Chicago is the exception to the rule that Illinois is not a hub of mob activity. During Prohibition, the city served as the epicenter for infamous gangsters like Al Capone, Bugs Moran, and Baby Face Nelson, who rose to prominence via illegal activities like including bootlegging and gunrunning. Naturally, the city offers a plethora of “mob tours” meant to sate the insatiable need for information on these celebrities.
Tthe Untouchable Tour is the first and still the greatest of its kind. The tour operators will pose as gangsters from the 1920s and 1930s, complete with period clothing and accents. You will go to the spots where mobsters made shady deals. Additionally, you will visit the location of the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
If planning a retreat, then you should consider including the Untouchable Tour. The activity will acquaint you with the streets and sidewalks of downtown Chicago and provide an exciting glimpse into the city’s dark past.
Learn more about The Untouchable Tour.
20. Chill Chicago
Chill Chicago provides meditation retreats for business teams, helping to bring mindfulness to the workplace. The company can help develop a unique plan to enhance your business’s efficiency and effectiveness. You can schedule frequent mindfulness sessions at the workplace or plan a full-day course to help employees unwind and spark new ideas.
Chill Chicago is the perfect place for your staff to unwind and gain skills they can use outside the workplace, regardless of whether they are seasoned meditators or complete novices.
Learn more about Chill Chicago.
Conclusion
Whether local or across the country, teams would do well to organize a retreat in the Chicago region. Chicago is an excellent destination for a weekend retreat, thanks to its world-class art and cuisine culture and plenty of outdoor activities. Retreat activities in Chicago can help bring your company closer and increase employee retention.
Next, check out Chicago team building ideas and corporate events in Chicago.
Grace He