15 Best Scavenger Hunt Ideas For Adults In 2023

Here is our list of the best scavenger hunt ideas for adults.

Scavenger hunts ideas are games that challenge participants to perform activities or find listed items. Examples of scavenger hunt ideas for adults include office scavenger hunts, travel scavenger hunts, beach scavenger hunts, and art scavenger hunts. These activities help adults build critical thinking skills, bond with other team members, and teach social interaction skills. Certain types of hunts can also double as a fun form of exercise.

These challenges are examples of team building games. For more tips, check out our guide to virtual scavenger hunts, list of DIY scavenger hunt clues and these treasure hunt ideas.

This list includes:

• funny scavenger hunt ideas
• outdoor scavenger hunt ideas
• crazy scavenger hunt ideas
• cool scavenger hunt ideas
• city scavenger hunt ideas

Let’s go!

List of scavenger hunt ideas for adults

From GPS scavenger hunts, nature scavenger hunts, to virtual scavenger hunts, here is our list of best scavenger hunts for adults.

1. Storage room hunt

Most storage rooms contain relics of the past. This hunt is a great idea that will take your team way back in memory lane. Younger generations will also learn about items that they never knew existed!

Here are some storage room hunt ideas:

• Ask participants to find old computers running on outdated operating systems. If the machines are functional, participants can take a picture of the start menu or a video of a team member using the computer.
• Ask participants to find video or tape cassettes
• Ask participants to find old cell phones and take a picture. A player can try to use the cell phone if it is functional
• Ask participants to find old magazines and share exciting insights that they learn

Participants can also search for items stored in their homes and share the pictures with the team. Then, to make the game more interesting, ask participants to explain the function of the found item and name the modern-day replacement.

2. Office scavenger hunt

Office scavenger hunts are excellent team building activities for groups. Employees will have fun, bond, and get time away from their desks. For office scavenger hunts, divide participants into various teams. Employees will find the listed items within a specified time. You can give the winning team an incentive such as a prize or a paid day off.

Here are office scavenger hunt ideas:

• Spot all the exit signs in the building and tell other participants these locations. If a team misses even one exit point, they lose points.
• Take a photo or a video of the newest employees and recite the company motto together. The hunt is one of the best ways to introduce new employees to a team and help them learn about the company’s history.
• Take a photo of workers who are born in different decades. You can give bonus points to teams that share photos of participants born beyond two decades ago.
• Take a selfie with the boss. You can request a goofy photo or an official one. Ensure that the manager is aware of the activity beforehand.
• Find four coworkers sending emails and three coworkers drinking water
• Take a selfie in the meeting room, office kitchen, or outside the accounts department
• Take a picture of a bird flying outside the office or an animal outside the office
• Find ten employees who have worked in the company for more than five years
• Find an employee who is two years older and take a selfie
• Find six employees wearing both glasses and a watch

Office scavenger hunts are an excellent way to break the monotony of work and help officemates get to know each other. If you are dealing with an unproductive team, then you can try to incorporate some of these ideas into the work schedule.

Here is a list of office scavenger hunt templates to try.

3. Virtual office scavenger hunt

Virtual work arrangements can cause a disconnect between employees. The distance can be a cause of friction or unproductivity in your company. A virtual office scavenger hunt involves searching for items in the home or nearby venues. Once the participants find these items, ask them to share the objects via an online collaborative tool like Zoom.

Examples of virtual office scavenger hunt prompts:

• Share a picture of your favorite coffee mug
• Share your home office view
• Find an object that you no longer need, yet you cannot let go
• Share your favorite item or spot in your home
• Recreate an old family photo. Participants will share both the old and recreated photo.
• Take a funny pet selfie
• Share a snapshot of your home office setup

Virtual hunts are among cool scavenger hunt ideas to motivate teams during online meetings or afternoon slumps. These scavenger hunts will boost workers’ creativity and help coworkers feel connected even when they are miles apart.

4. Photo scavenger hunts

Photo hunts are one of the most accessible scavenger hunt ideas. These hunts utilize a camera or smartphone. The activity requires teams to find listed items, recreate acts, and take pictures to share with the team. You can have the team compete for the most creative, clear, or promptly picture taken. Participants can share the items by screen sharing or file dropping during a Zoom call, uploading to a shared photo album, adding to an office bulletin board, or posting to a Slack thread.

Examples of photo scavenger hunt ideas:

• Local landmarks
• A popular eatery. Participants can order a meal that they have never tried and share the pictures along with comments
• The last drink or meal
• Silly dares like goofy faces
• Statue imitations
• Items in the home that start with certain letters of the alphabet
• Players doing their favorite home activities like cooking, playing video games, baking, cleaning, sleeping
• Pets
• The funniest object players can find
• The most relaxing space in their homes
• A cloud that looks like an animal
• An item that costs 99 cents

You can frame the pictures or create a scrapbook. Teams can also present the photos and explain the challenges they experienced in the activity. For instance, you may find that statue imitations will be challenging for most participants. Photo scavenger hunts can help participants sharpen their photography skills which are vital in marketing and social media purposes.

Find more fun photo scavenger hunt ideas.

5. Nature scavenger hunts

Nature scavenger hunts are one of the most fun activities for adults. You can plan the hunt in a nature preserve, during a team hike, or in participants’ backyards. Participants will find items listed by following clues. You can make the exercise even more interesting by engaging the participant’s different senses. For instance, players can find things that they can smell or things that they can hear.

Examples of nature scavenger hunts:

• Name three types of trees that grow in the area
• Take pictures of ten different kinds of leaves
• Pluck five flowers that have a strong scent
• Find a stick longer than your arm
• Take a picture of a heavy object
• Find something light enough to float on water
• Retrieve an item smaller than your thumb
• Capture a video of a flying bird
• Make a simple craft using collected leaves or sticks
• List five animals that you can hear
• Collect items that ruin nature and discard them appropriately

Nature hunts are one of the best outdoor scavenger hunt ideas. These activities can help to emphasize the importance of conservation. You can also teach the participants fascinating details about various animals or trees. Your team will play a huge role in environmental conservation by collecting trash from nature and safely discarding it while also having fun. Ensure to observe safety measures when engaging in any nature scavenger hunts.

6. Neighborhood scavenger hunts

If you want to create a sense of communal belonging, then this scavenger hunt is one of the best ideas. For this hunt, ask participants to randomly knock on their neighbors’ houses or chit-chat with the neighbors they meet along the way. The participants will inform neighbors that they are on a scavenger hunt and can ask for help finding items on the list. Players can also take selfies with the neighbors who do not mind.

Participants can also look for items in the neighborhood and share them with team members. This activity is a great scavenger hunt idea for adults working from home as it will get them moving.

Here are some suggested prompts:

• A unique building in the neighborhood
• Landmarks in the neighborhood
• The number of houses in the neighborhood
• Visit a veteran who lives in the neighborhood

Neighborhood scavenger hunts may seem like one of the most outgoing and crazy scavenger hunt ideas. While the game may seem awkward at first, your team will get out of their comfort zone, welcome new neighbors, and make new friends. However, advise players to be careful not to irritate the neighbors. For example, if they need to knock on their neighbors’ doors, only one knock is enough. Also, some neighbors will not like it if participants take pictures of their property, so advise participants to be careful and observe the communal regulations.

7. Zoo scavenger hunts

A visit to the zoo is a great way to break the work monotony for adults. In this game, players get to see and learn fun facts about different animals. For this hunt, prepare a list of activities that participants will do or pictures to take.

Examples of zoo scavenger hunt ideas:

• Find a monkey and take a video of a participant imitating it
• Take a video of a participant feeding a giraffe
• Identify animals that are at risk of being extinct
• List all animals that are present in the zoo. Participants who omit any animal lose points
• Try out different snacks and food offered by food vendors at the zoo
• Take a picture of a sleeping animal

The activity may require participants to visit zoos that have strict rules. Encourage the teams to get clarification of the rules and observe these guidelines. For instance, most zoos have a no-feed animal policy. Therefore, it is advisable not to urge participants to feed the animals unless it is allowed in the zoo.

8. Stream scavenger hunt

I love watching a good show with a group of friends. We often look forward to discussing the characters and sharing activities. For the activity, look for a show that most participants have not watched. You can also select an educational documentary. Then, provide a link where all participants can watch the show simultaneously.

Prompts:

• Screenshot a scene that has a red mug
• Accurately recite one actor’s line
• Recreate a part of the show with family and share it with other participants
• Dress up as a character and snap pictures
• Explain what you learn in the show or documentary

The hunt idea is perfect for a Friday night. You can make the activity fair by giving the team three options of shows to stream and choosing the option that gets the most votes.

Here is a list of team building movies you can stream together.

9. Video scavenger hunts

If you want to have a good laugh with your team, then this hunt is a must-try. This hunt is similar to a photo scavenger hunt. However, employees record one-minute videos and share the results with the team. You can start by grouping the participants into different teams. The teams will find a short video and perform it for all participants.

Suggested prompts:

• Recreate a popular TikTok dance and share it with the team. You can also select a specific dance that all participants recreate
• Take a video of the most exciting event of the day. Bonus points for participants joined by family members
• Record your reaction to a viral trend or activity
• Record the busiest stress in your city
• Take a video of a rare animal
• Compose a video mimicking a renowned journalist. You can read the news or host a guest in your show
• Record a video of your family or friend singing a popular song
• Share a video of something funny that your children did

For a virtual scavenger hunt, the participants will record the videos and share them via an online collaborative tool. My team recently had this activity where every team performed their short videos via Zoom. This event is among my favorite funny scavenger hunt ideas.

10. Beach scavenger hunt

Beach hunts are among the best scavenger hunt ideas for adults in the summer. Participants can enjoy the nice weather as they bond with other team members. For this activity, plan a day trip to the beach as a team. You can also ask the participants to visit the beach, find the listed items and take pictures to share with the team.

Examples of beach scavenger hunt ideas:

• Water animals
• Items buried in the sand. This prompt is an excellent idea for a collective visit to the beach. The team leaders will bury objects in the sand and ask the participants to find the items
• Give one fun fact about the first water animal you find
• A person wearing the same beachwear
• Something slimy
• A beach sign – and explain its meaning
• A picture of a boat out in the water
• An unbroken seashell
• Partake in a water sport and take a picture/ video
• A heart-shaped rock
• Animal tracks
• Something made of wood

While beach scavenger hunts are fun and easy, stress the importance of safety. Do not ask the participants to partake in activities that may be risky. This exercise can also be an educational activity where participants can learn about different beach-dwelling animals.

11. Travel scavenger hunt

Travel scavenger hunts are a great idea to keep participants attentive while on the road. For this activity, you will prepare a list of items that participants can spot while on the random travels. Travel hunts are an excellent idea for remote work teams or teams with work assignments that necessitate travel.

Here are some prompts:

• An animal crossing the road
• The oldest building in the city
• An airplane
• An ambulance
• Fire station
• Post office
• A red wagon
• A grocery store
• A fast-food restaurant
• A car pulling a trailer
• A vegetable garden
• A yellow car
• A flashing red light
• A person riding a bike
• A person singing in the car
• A mountain

The hunt is a fun activity that will keep participants connected. Travel hunts also teach players to be present while traveling. Be sure to advise participants to maintain safety when taking pictures, especially while driving or exploring an unfamiliar area.

12. GPS scavenger hunt

If you are looking for fun city scavenger hunt ideas, then a GPS scavenger hunt is your best bet! The GPS scavenger hunt is an interactive activity for adults that helps participants get to know new cities. For this activity, you will incorporate GPS locations on the clues, and players will use their smartphones to find the answers.

Examples of GPS scavenger hunts:

• Provide participants with a GPS address. Players will walk ten steps to the right and take a picture of the building or monument that they see. Each participant must share their results.
• Participants will share the name of the fast-food joint opposite the GPS location.
• Participants will travel two miles from the starting place and recreate the most famous monument
• Participants will find a list of attractions at the provided GPS location and share interesting facts

Incorporating the GPS scavenger hunts is a great way to learn about a new location and to master GPS skills. This activity will also get the team out of their comfort zone and help them to explore a new city. Ensure to provide safe GPS locations for your groups and avoid dangerous areas.

Here is a list of scavenger hunt apps that can help with this hunt.

13. Meme scavenger hunts

Memes are images, videos, or texts that internet users share on digital platforms. Meme scavenger hunts are fun for team leaders who want to include digital tools in the hunt. For this activity, participants will send memes that best describe various situations.

Here are scavenger meme ideas;

• Memes that describe your current feeling
• Memes that describe what you are doing
• Memes that show what your pet is doing
• Memes that describe the weather

You can make this activity enjoyable by asking the participants to share memes exclusively from their phone libraries. To ensure the hunt remains fair to everyone, you can ask the players to download some memes before the game begins.

14. Digital scavenger hunts

Digital scavenger hunts are challenges that involve devices like smartphones, apps, and computers. Participants will perform tasks or find listed things in their digital devices for these activities.

Examples of digital scavenger hunts:

• Change the smartphone setting to a dark theme and share the screenshot
• Share the first ad that you see from YouTube and explain whether you find it captivating. This challenge is a great hunt idea for the digital marketing department
• Share the app that you use most on your phone. You can use this hunt to teach participants how to reduce over-dependence on digital devices
• Find an online restaurant and share the virtual menu with the team. Participants can also list their favorite items from the menu
• List all the apps that you have installed
• Share one trick to keep digital devices organized
• Share the last picture or video you took with your phone
• Share an app that you cannot do without
• List one app that you think is a must-have for every participant
• Share the oldest video on your phone

Participants will take screenshots of the items via a collaborative platform for a virtual digital hunt. You can use this activity to introduce tech items to older participants who are not tech-savvy.

15. Art scavenger hunt ideas

Art scavenger hunts are one of the best activities for art lovers. These games are also a great idea if you want to teach art. For this activity, the team will visit an art gallery or a museum. You can prepare fun and educational prompts.

Here are examples:

• Find art that you want to take to your house and explain why
• Find art that strongly speaks to you
• Find art made by an artist you have personally met or heard of
• State the amount of money that a piece of art is worth

You can plan a virtual art visit with the entire team and discuss different artworks. If you are physically visiting an art gallery, then ensure that the establishment allows visitors to snap pictures.

Conclusion

Scavenger hunts can reinforce problem-solving skills, teach social interaction and boost observation in your team. These games are interactive activities that help participants develop good communication skills and strengthen a sense of belonging. Teams that participate in scavenger hunts also learn the value of teamwork.

Next, check out these lists of indoor team activities and team building activities for outdoors for more inspiration.