Updated: July 18, 2022

21 Unique Company Retreat Ideas in Los Angeles, CA

You found our list of the best company retreat ideas in Los Angeles, California.

Company retreat ideas in Los Angeles are intriguing and entertaining events to get your staff to take a break from work for quality time together. Examples include Ranch Day Retreat, Warner Bros Studio, and Sturtevant Camp. These activities are important because they help foster team spirit and inspire cooperation, whether planning a weekend getaway away from the city or a full-day adventure to the mountains or the seaside.

These activities are examples of company retreat locations and team retreat entertainment. These ideas are similar to company outings in LA and LA corporate events.

This article contains:

  • corporate retreat ideas for big groups in Los Angeles, CA
  • corporate retreat ideas for small groups in Los Angeles, California
  • company retreat entertainment ideas in Los Angeles
  • company retreat locations in Los Angeles
  • staff retreat activities in LA

Let’s get started!

List of company retreat ideas in Los Angeles

Various company retreat locations in Los Angeles are available for your company. From Catalina Island to the Universal Studios backlot, these options keep your team active and allow them to work together in a new setting. Here are the best retreat ideas in LA.

1. The Great Guac Off

The Great Guac Off is a contest to create the greatest guacamole LA has ever seen. A host will lead the event at your preferred location. You and your colleagues will have a fantastic time striving to prepare culinary masterpieces in 90 minutes. Other mini-events, such as team photos and games are also part of the event. The team with the best guacamole wins the tournament. The organizers will provide the items you need for a pleasant and interesting event, from guacamole and dippers to catering.

Learn more about The Great Guac Off.

2. The Art of Storytelling

In this professional development workshop, the hosts will give your team a basic yet effective framework for storytelling. The facilitators are professional storytellers and performers who have perfected techniques for captivating audiences. These experts pass along the formulas for crafting compelling tales in simple steps with guided practice. Every employee, from salespeople, customer service reps, marketers, and managers, to HR specialists may benefit from honing these skills, so consider including this event in your staff retreat activities in LA. This program is fun for participants of all ability levels.

Learn more about The Art of Storytelling.

3. Gingerbread Wars

Gingerbread Wars is a holiday team-building activity that doubles as a friendly competition. The core event is an enormous gingerbread home construction competition, followed by short team-building games like trivia and Snowman Hustle.

You may have Gingerbread Wars in your LA office, conference room, or a rental venue. You can spice up the event with additional options like “Cookie Monster,” and “Deck the Halls.” After the event is over, participants are free to smash or savor the tasty creations.

Learn more about Gingerbread Wars.

4. ScavBoss

ScavBoss is not like traditional treasure hunts. This event is a puzzle game with engaging storylines and devilishly clever riddles that may confound even the savviest player. The search is also customizable to your company’s needs or a particular topic of interest. Los Angeles has a wide variety of locations to explore that designers can mold the hunt to fit.

When you go on the ultimate scavenger hunt in LA, you will have an unforgettable time. As you and your crew make your way from one well-known landmark to the next, you will encounter works of art, cultural landmarks, and historical touchpoints along the way. As you search around for various signs, monuments, and works of art, you will also be attempting to solve various riddles. Hosts are on hand to give hints and nudge your team towards victory.

ScavBoss may be perfect for your team.

5. Fulcrum Leadership Institute

If you are looking for a Los Angeles retreat facility that offers a structured itinerary, Fulcrum Leadership Institute (FLI) is a fantastic choice. The institute’s high ropes challenge course is their most popular activity, but they also provide leadership evaluation and value clarifying courses. If your team struggles to overcome obstacles or communicate effectively, then FLI is a great idea.

FLI also provide fully scheduled multi-day retreats where your team can disconnect from technology, relax in the great outdoors, and discuss how to improve teamwork. The classes are also mobile, so you can have them come to your LA office or event space rental.

Learn more about Fulcrum Leadership Institute.

6. The Getty Center

The Getty Center is one of the top locations for corporate retreat ideas for small groups in Los Angeles. There is no doubt about the institution’s prominence in the international and national art communities and in Los Angeles. The Getty Center comprises many buildings that house a broad range of exhibits and displays, and visitors may take advantage of free tours to get insight into the many facets of the complex.

The collection spans Western art from the Middle Ages to the present day, with a supplementary collection dedicated to European art located at the Getty Villa along the Pacific Coast Highway. These permanent exhibitions include unique works by renowned artists.

Another exhibit in this location is a garden that spans 134,000 square feet and is built by Robert Irwin. The garden is sometimes referred to as a living sculpture and has a floating labyrinth with over 500 plant varieties.

Learn more about The Getty Center.

7. Universal Studios Hollywood

Many event spaces are available at the park and backlot of Universal Studios, making it a fantastic choice for a company retreat. After using the rented conference rooms, restaurants, or private theater for your planned events, send your team on a two-hour treasure hunt created by the Universal Studios staff. Team members might expect to get hints from the “ride and seek” guides. You and your group can also take a leisurely walk around the park and enjoy all the attractions and rides.

Learn more about Universal Studios.

8. Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is an all-inclusive art museum with an extensive collection of outstanding works of art. The museum is a massive complex spread out across 20 acres. Your team members will have a wide variety of options for how to spend their time at LACMA, thanks to the museum’s expansive grounds.

The permanent collection of LACMA spans from antiquity to the present day. Here, works by renowned painters from the past and present coexist with pieces from other civilizations. In addition, collections by various artists from many genres are on display in rotating temporary exhibits.

The art museum offers classes, incubators, and performance spaces, in addition to the Bing Theater, which has daily programming. If you want to spend the whole day at LACMA, then you will find plenty of activities to keep you occupied. Although expensive, the entertaining excursions may enrich your team members with new knowledge and insights.

Learn more about Los Angeles County Art Museum.

9. Bikes & Hikes

Bikes & Hikes can lead a cycling trip for your company retreat, providing a fun and active way to bond as a group while getting some much-needed exercise. Teams of up to 500 individuals may participate in the company’s trips, making it one of the best corporate retreat ideas for big groups in Los Angeles. You and your team can opt between a sailing trip with Marina del Rey or hikes to the Griffith Park Observatory, complete with a picnic lunch. Bikes & Hikes can tailor an activity package for your Los Angeles retreat, whether you are interested in the 6-hour “LA in a day” bike tour or more relaxing activity.

Learn more about Bikes & Hikes.

10. Camp No Counselors

The one-and-a-half-hour drive from Los Angeles will take you to a beautiful retreat center ideal for groups seeking a camp-like experience. This location is unlike the summer camp you attended as a child, with climate-controlled bunk beds and a sun-heated pool. You will still play dodgeball, capture the flag, make s’mores, and enjoy other fun camp activities. You can talk to the Camp No Counselors team to create a custom program for a relaxing weekend retreat away from the city, complete with all meals, beverages, and lodging.

Learn more about Camp No Counselors.

11. Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl is a major attraction in the summer. The outdoor amphitheater’s famed shell form, which contributes to the excellent acoustics, is undoubtedly one of the numerous reasons for its rapid rise to prominence after its 1922 opening. Although it is mainly known as a classical music venue, the Hollywood Bowl has also hosted performances by certain contemporary acts.

The location also features film screenings, musicals, and orchestras. Although finding a seat may be a challenge and ticket costs may add up, most folks agree that the experience is well worth the cost.

Learn more about Hollywood Bowl.

12. Together We Rise

Together We Rise hosts a team retreat event for a good cause. All proceeds go toward buying duffel bags and bikes for kids in foster care. The foster children in your community will benefit from your group’s collaborative efforts as you assemble bikes, skateboards, and gift bags loaded with toys and stuffed animals. This event is a fantastic retreat activity that will impact your team and the community they serve.

Learn more about Together We Rise and check out more group volunteer opportunities.

13. Sturtevant Camp

Sturtevant Camp in the San Gabriel Mountains is the perfect destination for teams seeking a peaceful retreat. This cabin is truly remote and can accommodate teams of 40 people. However, the location is only accessible by foot, so you would have to walk or rent a donkey to transport your belongings.

You and your team can enjoy activities like hiking, chess, checkers, volleyball, shuffleboard, and ping pong once you arrive. The camp also hosts events like a beer-making and tasting class on some weekends at the camp. You can check to see if any weekend activities are planned ahead of your visit.

Learn more about Sturtevant Camp.

14. Warner Brothers Studio

If you want company retreat entertainment ideas in Los Angeles, Warner Brothers Studio Tour is one of the many enjoyable attractions. The studio tours give visitors an up-close and personal view of notable entertainment stars, including movie sets and TV props. You will also find items from popular franchises like Harry Potter, Batman, and Friends.

The studio also has a 110-acre backlot that visitors may explore. You will find 30 different soundstages for shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Young Sheldon. All tour guides are enthusiastic and dynamic individuals who are well-versed in their respective areas of expertise and eager to share them with their guests. The Warner Brothers Studio Tour lasts about three hours.

Learn more about Warner Brother Studios.

15. The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

If you are looking for unique retreat activities, then you should include the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. The pits have been there for thousands of years due to bubbling tar and are open to the public for viewing. Bones and fossils of creatures that perished in the pits are on display in the museum, which helps to explain the attraction of this Los Angeles spot despite its macabre subject matter.

The museum’s skeleton collection is fascinating to budding history lovers. You will find composite bones of extinct animals, including dire wolves, Columbian mammoths, saber-toothed cats, North American camels, and ground sloths. The fossils are Ice Age relics!

Learn more about the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.

16. Ranch Day Retreat

In contrast to more distant options, Ranch Day Retreat provides “equine-assisted learning activities” emphasizing self-awareness and relationship management. Your team will boost their teamwork and relationship skills as they interact with a herd of horses. The two-hour programs may accommodate parties of up to 30, and extras like a picnic lunch or a horseback ride through Will Rogers State Historic Park are available.

Learn more about Ranch Day Retreat.

17. Griffith Observatory

Located in Griffith Park on the Hollywood River, the Griffith Observatory is a popular spot for taking in the vistas or stargazing. Griffith J. Griffith, a philanthropist from Los Angeles who had a passion for astronomy, contributed significantly to the observatory’s construction. After its completion in 1935, the observatory quickly became one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

The location has a planetarium where visitors may enjoy interesting and entertaining presentations and exhibition rooms with magnificent items like the incredibly rare Tesla coil and the powerful and prized Zeiss telescope. Each night, the same telescope attracts around 600 viewers.

Learn more about the Griffith Observatory.

18. TCL Chinese Theatre

The TCL Chinese Theatre is a well-known and iconic landmark in Los Angeles. When the theater first debuted in 1927, it was known as the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and was a stunning monument to the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood. This landmark building, the TCL Chinese Theatre, has become an integral part of the Los Angeles landscape.

It is advisable to schedule a theater tour in advance due to its high demand. The theater doubles as a regular movie theater, showing current releases throughout the year. If you have time, then check out the Walk of Fame right outside.

Learn more about TCL Chinese Theater.

19. Catalina Food Tours

You can take your team on a boat trip from Long Beach to Catalina Island for your company retreat. Catalina Food Tours provides all-inclusive excursions, including meals at top eateries and other fun activities. You may have a great start and finish to your day by taking the boat both ways, which takes around an hour. You and your team will have a swell time enjoying the sights of Catalina Island and the surrounding area as you go on the boat cruise.

Learn more about Catalina Food Tours.

20. Zuma Beach

Of the several beaches within reasonable driving distance of Los Angeles, Zuma Beach ranks among the very finest. The beach is rated the best spot of its sort in the city because it is less crowded and better kept than most others. Visitors and locals go to the beach to soak up some rays and enjoy the water sports.

A 30-minute drive will take you from Zuma Beach to LA’s downtown. You can also enjoy the scenery of fascinating structures while driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, including the Adamson House, Getty Villa, and Trancas Country Market.

Learn more about Zuma Beach.

21. Angeles National Forest

If you are looking for a day excursion from Los Angeles full of adventure and discovery, then the Angeles National Forest is a must-see. With almost a thousand square miles of verdant landscape accessible from 53 trailheads, there is no shortage of exciting hikes or distances to traverse. This Los Angeles national forest is a great place for a wide variety of activities, including skiing, bicycling, boating, and running.

The views from Mt. Baldy are breathtaking, the Bridge to Nowhere is a spooky and sad detour, the Devil’s Punchbowl is a geological oddity, and Pyramid Lake has a beautiful, striking rock structure.

Learn more about Angeles National Forest.

Conclusion

One of the best locations in the United States to have a company retreat is in Southern California. You will not have to go far to discover fantastic getaway activities in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, thanks to the pleasant climate all year round and the abundance of beautiful outdoor locations. These company retreat suggestions could serve as a springboard for further exploration.

Next, check out team building ideas in LA and executive retreat ideas.

FAQ: Company retreat ideas in Los Angeles, California

Here are frequently asked questions about company retreat ideas in Los Angeles.

What are some good corporate retreat ideas in Los Angeles?

Some good corporate retreat ideas in Los Angeles include Zuma Beach, Ranch Day Retreat, and Griffith Observatory. The location is one of many factors to consider. You can choose between indoor and outdoor options. When planning an event, it is crucial to know how many guests the space can accommodate. Also, the venue should be easily accessible, so travel time and traffic will not add too much time to your activity.

How do you plan a fun team retreat in Los Angeles?

Your workplace retreat should be a team effort, and it makes sense to plan together with your colleagues. Everyone on your team should feel like they had a hand in planning the retreat. You will be able to identify creative ideas and potential future leaders during these discussions. In addition, team members are more likely to participate in the activity if they feel involved in the planning process.

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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.
Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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