Here is our list of the best team building activities in San Diego, California.
Team building activities in San Diego are a great way to encourage innovation and bonding amongst teams. Examples include scavenger hunts, escape rooms, and paintball. The purpose of these activities is to bring team members together for a fun activity outside the office in this sunny city.
These examples include summertime team building activities and outdoor team ideas in addition to indoor team building ideas for colder months. These events are similar to corporate event ideas in San Diego and San Diego company outings.
This list includes:
- team building activities for small groups in San Diego, CA
- team building activities for large groups in San Diego, California
- team building activities for adults in San Diego
- corporate team building ideas in San Diego
Here we go!
List of team building activities in San Diego
From The Art of Storytelling to Knockerball, here is a list of the best corporate team building ideas in San Diego.
1. Ultimate Trivia Showdown
Ultimate Trivia Showdown is a trivia battle filled with twists on traditional quiz games. A professional entertainer host leads each 90-minute event for an experience that is part game show and part comedy show. The host will divide your team into groups and run engaging trivia like Majority Rules and the Champion Challenge. This event promotes quick teamwork and friendly rivalry.
For more information on Ultimate Trivia Showdown.
2. Espionage!
Fans of intrigue and intellect will love Espionage! This 90-minute event is a game of daring and deception that hones players’ ability to keep calm and composed under pressure. Spymaster hosts will assign each participant a role within the game and lead your group through a series of high-energy puzzles and challenges as everyone works to uncover the hidden double agents and avoid sabotage.
For more information on Espionage!.
3. Superhero Academy
Superhero Academy is a game that requires brains, brawn, and brilliant teamwork. A host splits the groups into leagues of superheroes or secret supervillains whose respective tasks are to save the day or spoil it. The group’s heroes must root out the evil saboteurs, while the villains aim to remain undetected and foil the heroes’ plans. This fun roleplaying activity helps teammates get to know each other by suspecting each other or applauding each other’s strengths. The event lasts 90 minutes and can take place in various venues.
For more information on Superhero Academy.
4. The Art of Storytelling
The Art of Storytelling is an interactive two-hour professional workshop to sharpen your team’s communication skills. Facilitators pass on a storytelling framework engineered to engage audiences and make messages more memorable. After receiving a lesson on the anatomy of a good story, attendees split up into groups and craft a short hook. Next, participants reconvene to share and critique each other’s tales, then get another chance to polish their skills. This session intends to bestow the techniques, confidence, and charisma to communicate well wherever necessary.
For more information on The Art of Storytelling.
5. The Great Guac Off
The Great Guac Off is a cook-off that requires no baseline culinary skills yet invokes creativity and fun. This 90-minute event includes avocado-themed trivia and mini-games leading up to a mash-off to determine who can make the room’s best guac. Every event consists of a fun party host, food, prizes, and photos, with BYOB and custom trophies optional to add extra oomph. This option is available wherever competition-hungry avocado fans gather.
For more information on The Great Guac Off.
6. Hidden Stripey Guy
Hidden Stripey Guy has your team searching for a familiar figure on an interactive scavenger hunt. The activities intend to help participants discover fun and unexpected facts about fellow teammates and the surrounding city. This challenge involves problem-solving, competition, and team purpose.
For more information on Hidden Stripey Guy.
7. LA Jolla Kayak
You can get your team on the water with a La Jolla kayak tour. These experiences take teams along the Ecological Reserve and the La Jolla Sea Caves. This adventure will navigate kayakers through a marine protected area where they are bound to catch glimpses of leopard sharks, Garibaldi, sea lions, and dolphins!
La Jolla Kayak’s experienced tour guides will share fun facts, knowledge, and history as you kayak. The outing will be a day your team will not forget.
For more information on La Jolla Kayak.
8. Paint And Glo
Paint and Glo offers a unique spin to the average group paint night. With a Paint And Glo night, your team will paint masterpieces and be treated to a laser light show, glowing hair extensions, neon hats, glow sticks, and neon hand-painted glasses. Each masterpiece that your team members create glows in the dark!
For more information on Paint And Glo.
9. Knockerball, San Diego
Knockerball is one of the most unique team building activities for small groups in San Diego. Knockerball or “bubble soccer” is played like a classic soccer game, except players sport inflatable bubble balls-large inflatable balls covering everything besides heads, legs, and arms.
The sport has no goalkeeper, no traditional soccer rules like off-sides, and teams aim to get as many goals as possible. Your team will be laughing so hard that they will not care about scoring!
For more information on Knockerball.
10. Secret Food Tour
One of the best corporate team building ideas in San Diego is a Secret Food Tour. Secret Food Tours allow your team to explore their city while enjoying yummy dishes from Mexico to the Far East. The tour lasts three and a half hours and has five stops.
Because this tour has a maximum of 11 people, we recommend the tour be for smaller corporate teams.
For more information on Secret Food Tours.
11. USCD Challenge Course
USCD’s Challenge Course is a great team development activity. The venue offers a challenging course with one-foot-high wooden platforms, walking cables, boards, and ropes. In addition, UCSD’s Challenge Course has both 25-45 feet climbing and ground-based activities.
Professional facilitators customize a course program to meet your group’s specific goals and will be there to guide your team through the course.
For more information on USCD’s Challenge Course.
12. FootGolf San Diego
FootGolf is one of the most fun team building activities for large groups in San Diego. A fusion of soccer and golf, Footgolf’s goal is to get the ball from the teeing ground into a 21-inch hole using a soccer ball.
The space offers multiple team-building options, including:
- Par: Includes nine holes of golf, ball rental, keepsake ball tee, one drink ticket, and a prize for the low score.
- Birdie: Includes nine holes of golf, team building challenges, ball rental, keepsake ball tee, and two drink tickets.
- Eagle: Includes nine holes of footgolf, team building challenges, ball rental, keepsake ball tee, a prize for a low score and putting contest, two drink tickets, and lunch or dinner.
For more information on FootGolf San Diego.
13. San Diego Sand Castles
You can ignite childhood beach memories with a San Diego Sand Castles event. This provider will show your team real sand castle techniques in a three-hour sand castle building session. The staff will demonstrate stacking techniques, architectural ideas, and a whole bunch of cool little sand tricks. Your team will be so proud of their work when completed!
For more information on San Diego Sand Castles.
14. Drum Cafe North America
Drum Cafe North America believes “music is a universal language that transcends all boundaries that separate organizations internally.” You can bring your team together for a Drum Café North America experience where corporate messages, themes, and content critical to team integration are delivered in a fun, positive way. In a 60-minutes experience, your team will share conversation while drumming on individual drums and learning more about percussion and drumming techniques.
For more information on Drum Cafe.
15. Fly With A Bird
You can relieve your team’s stress and give them the unique experience of parahawking with La Jolla’s Fly With a Bird. In this adventure, your team can soar in a tandem glider alongside a trained raptor. The flights typically last between 20 to 25 minutes. The trained falcons spend about half the flight close to the glider.
For more information on Fly With a Bird.
16. Surfside Ranch
You can get your team outside and bonding with a Surfside Ranch experience. This destination offers multiple horseback riding adventures ranging from 90 to 120 minutes, including:
- Beach Adventure: Surfside Ranch horses are available at Border Field State Park where riders ride along the beach.
- Trail Adventure: rides leave directly from Surfside Ranch and ride through the San Diego County Trail System.
- Sunset Beach Adventure: riders are treated to beautiful beach scenery as they ride into the sunset.
For more information on Surfside Ranch.
17. Painting & Vino
Painting and Vino goes beyond ordinary sip and paint nights. The venue offers team-building options like glassware painting, wood sign creations, mixed media art, pop selfies, and pet paintings. For instance, your team can paint wine glasses or a portrait of a beloved pet.
For more information on Painting & Vino.
18. Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream
Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream is one of the most popular ice cream parlors in San Diego. This local business impresses guests with its Hawaain- inspired flavors and commitment to quality. This shop boasts of being the originator of the ice cream flight, and ordering an assortment for the team to try together is as good a team building idea as any.
Learn more about Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream.
19. Carlsbad Aqua Farm
Carlsbad Aqua Farm fully embodies San Diego’s seaside location and educates participants about the ins and outs of one of the city’s most fascinating industries. Throughout this one-hour walking tour, participants explore the farm, learn about oyster cultivation, and end the experience with shucking and slurping. This idea is hands-on and enlightening and is great for teams with a curious streak.
Pro tip: Teammates with shellfish allergies should sit this one out!
Learn more about Carlsbad Aqua Farm.
20. Minute Madness
Minute Madness is a compilation of mini-games that get teams laughing and moving. The event resembled an amped-up field day and is ideal for the outdoors, making it a great match for the San Diego sun. The activity is also suitable for high-energy, competitive groups, although it can be toned down for shyer participants. This one-hour, hosted event breaks the ice and helps groups quickly get more comfortable around each other. Not to mention, the team that racks up the highest number of points gets bragging rights!
For more information on Minute Madness.
21. Mix ‘n Mingle
This networking event aims to get teams meaningfully socializing. This activity ditches small-talk in favor of interesting activities that spark deeper discussion and connections between teammates. A facilitator is on-hand for the full 90 minutes to keep the conversation flowing and get the group comfortable. Mix ‘n Mingle can be hosted virtually or in person.
For more information on Mix ‘n Mingle.
Conclusion:
San Diego’s beautiful weather and location give teams multiple team-building choices. Events like kayaking or an obstacle course are good options if your team is active and outdoorsy. If your team is more artistic or food-oriented, a paint night or food tour will suit them well. Regardless, it is essential to base your team building activities on your team’s personalities, likes, and interests.
For more Californian team building, check out team building ideas in Los Angeles and LA Company outings.
Grace He