Here is our list of fun company outing ideas in NYC, NY.
Company outing ideas in NYC are activities that teams can participate in in the New York City region. Example outings include bowling at Lucky Strike, skating at Wollman Rink, and going on a food truck tour. The purpose of these activities is to foster team bonding, increase workers’ engagement, and promote the retention of top talent. Exploring NYC as a team will also help diverse teams to know more about the city.
These activities are good ideas for company offsites and corporate retreats. These ideas are similar to NYC corporate events and team building activities in NYC.
This list includes:
- group outing ideas for adults in NYC
- team building outings in NYC
- work team outings in NYC
- corporate outings in NYC
Let’s get started!
List of company outing ideas in NYC
NYC offers an array of noteworthy locations and incredible team building activities. From the Ultimate Trivia Show to Storytelling Workshops and ping pong at Spin, here is a list of the best company outing ideas in NYC.
1. Museum Hack Scavenger Hunt (Top Choice)
Your team can unlock fascinating stories of art and culture with the Museum Hack Scavenger Hunt through The Met!
This 90-minute experience features the following:
- an expert host to share instructions and interesting stories
- tales about captivating worlds of art and culture
- trivia and photo challenges that encourage teams to interact with the art
- activities that help participants experience art and artifacts in new ways
In addition, entry to the museum is included in the cost of the experience. To immerse your team in a unique cultural world, be sure to check out this scavenger hunt!
Learn more about the Museum Hack Scavenger Hunt.
2. Midtown Manhattan Scavenger Hunt (Team Favorite)
The Midtown Manhattan Scavenger Hunt takes your team on an epic New York adventure! Teams will develop communication and critical-thinking skills during this 90-minute experience.
Here is what you can expect:
- sights from Madison Square Park to Bryant Park
- a talented host to share stories about Midtown’s best-kept secrets
- a spirited photo scavenger hunt through the city
- location-based trivia and photo challenges
- a winning team and group photo on the steps of the New York Public Library
To get a thrilling look into the city, be sure to check out this photo scavenger hunt.
Learn more about the Midtown Manhattan Scavenger Hunt.
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3. Field Day (Popular)
With Field Day’s fast-paced outdoor activities, you can energize your team and boost communication! This action-packed event lifts spirits, strengthens relationships, and develops workplace skills.
During your Field Day adventure, you can expect:
- a 90-minute session with a skilled facilitator
- a mix of nostalgic outdoor games and thrilling new competitions
- games that unleash players’ inner child
- chances to capture lasting memories with team photos
Best of all, we will bring all the game equipment to the location of your choice. Stepping out of the office and into the sunshine creates an ideal environment for relaxation, rejuvenation, and building strong connections!
Learn more about Field Day.
4. Museum of the Moving Image
The Museum of the Moving Image aims to celebrate films in any form, including cinema, TV, and digital media. Examples of exhibits include Dissolution and Welcome to the Machine, which are artistic interpretations of digital media. The museum also hosts regular talks, workshops, and screenings, such as Building Asteroid City and Celebrating Manfred Kirchheimer. Film buffs on your team will love exploring this museum!
Learn more about the Museum of the Moving Image.
5. Doughnut Plant
Doughnut Plant has been making innovative treats since 1994. The store uses a sourdough process to raise all their donuts, so they do not use commercial yeast. Folks who prefer yeasted donuts can check out tasty treats like crème brulee or peanut butter and jelly donuts. Cake donut lovers will enjoy flavors like tres leches cake, carrot cake, or black-and-white cookie. Additionally, teams can order specialty donuts for the holidays.
Doughnut Plant has branched out into other desserts, creating ice cream and donut ice cream sandwiches! Coffee and donuts are the perfect pairing, so be sure to snag a latte as well. Vegan and gluten-free team members can also enjoy a few donuts as well. Flavors change regularly, so there will always be new donuts to enjoy.
Learn more about Doughnut Plant.
6. Queens Night Market
Night markets are such a fun addition to your list of company outing ideas! The open-air market has over 100 vendors, from cooks to artisans. Teams can start their evening by watching a live performance. Then, folks can grab bao buns, butter chicken, or cotton candy. After eating, colleagues can do some shopping at Kat’s Handmade Jewels, Leftovers Clothing, or Cyuui Crafts. With so much to see, teams can visit the market again and again!
Learn more about the Queens Night Market.
7. Escape Virtuality
VR is an experience that teleports players into a 3D world and activates participants’ senses of touch, sight, and hearing in an interactive journey. Escape Virtuality is a gateway for teams to experience virtual reality with a wide variety of games to choose from. Players can choose between escape rooms, escape games, and virtual reality experiences. Examples of these experiences include Runaway Subway Train, Goblins Quest: The Uprising, and Walk the Plank. If you are interested in hosting a private event, then you can book a corporate event package.
Learn more about Escape Virtuality.
8. Wollman Rink
Located in Central Park, Manhattan, NYC, Wollman Rink is a public skating rink. Skating at the Wollman Rink is one of the best team building outings in NYC for the winter and fall seasons, whether day or night-time. Teams can enjoy ice skating from late October to early April. Participants can glide as they experience the panoramic view of the city skyline. Teams can also enjoy ice dance and figure skating sessions. The rink also has an in-house café where teams can grab meals and drinks.
Learn more about The Wollman Rink.
9. Central Park Zoo
A team visit to the Central Park Zoo is among the easiest yet most interesting corporate outings in NYC. Located at the southern corner of Central Park, NYC, the Central Park Zoo combines four zoos and one aquarium. The zoo has three exhibit areas: temperate, polar, and tropical regions. From puffins and snow monkeys to penguins, teams will discover a variety of wildlife at Central Park Zoo.
The park also has the Tisch Children’s Zoo, a kid-friendly petting zoo with different animals, such as pigs and goats. Other than zoo exhibits, teams can experience penguin and sea lion feedings.
Learn more about Central Park Zoo.
10. BrainXcape
Located in the heart of Manhattan, BrainXcape is a challenging escape room attraction built by top-notch theatrical set designers. Each game lasts approximately 60 minutes and accommodates as few as two or as many as ten players. Scenarios include haunted hotels, prisons, and quests for hidden treasures. This venue has collected hundreds of positive reviews and earned a TripAdvisor award of excellence, with many guests claiming it is the best escape room they have ever done.
Learn more about BrainXcape.
11. Lucky Strike
Bowling is a competitive and fun sport perfect for work team outings in NYC. Located in West Nyack, NYC, Lucky Strike offers 26 lanes of bowling, 11 billiard tables, ping pong, and a lounge. Whatever event that your team is celebrating, be it fun corporate outings or office milestone celebrations, take the experience a notch higher and let teams have a memorable bowling event.
You can make bowling at Lucky Strike more fun by having different teams compete in bowling or shooting pool at the venue. And if you want to bust a move, the venue has a live local DJ so you can enjoy music as you go about the chosen activities. Then, go ahead and order the team’s preferred food and drinks after the event at Lucky Strike.
Learn more about Lucky Strike.
12. Food Truck Tour
NYC boasts of an immense and accessible diverse culture that companies can experience. You can treat your team to an afternoon food truck tour and let teams have their favorite food or try new dishes. You can start by researching the best food trucks near your location. Then, to make the activity more interesting, you can incentivize participants who will find the best truck. Teams can enjoy sophisticated bites such as seafood, falafel, Italian, Tex-Mex food, or simple snacks like hot dogs and burgers.
Here is a food truck tracker for NYC.
13. Spin
Located on Park Avenue, New York, Spin is a venue where players can experience the iconic ping pong culture. The venue connects participants through ping pong, a game that transcends ethnicity, gender, age, and physical boundaries.
You can engage your team in a ping pong competition and offer incentives to winners. If you want to make regular visits to Spin, then a monthly membership will give you access to a seasonal social league and weekly tournaments. Once you set a date for the team outing, make a reservation at Spin, especially if you have a large team. Weekend reservations are open two days before, and weekend reservations are available two weeks before the event. Spin is also open for walk-ins during regular business hours.
Learn more about Spin.
14. The Staten Island Ferry
If you are looking for free and fun group outing ideas for adults in NYC, then the Staten Island Ferry is a must-try. Operated by the New York Department of Transportation, the ferry runs through New York Harbor between Staten Island and the New York boroughs of Manhattan. Planning the Staten Island Ferry for a team is also simple since the ferry runs 24 hours, seven days a week, with boats leaving every 15 to 30 minutes.
This round trip can take approximately two hours and lets participants experience the fantastic views that NYC offers. From the Manhattan Skyline to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you may want to get your camera ready for the trip.
The ferry also has a snack bar with drinks and foods, including alcoholic beverages. If you want to enjoy the ferry ride, then plan the trip during off-peak times, as the ferry can get packed during rush hour.
Learn more about The Staten Island Ferry.
15. Brooklyn Botanical Garden
The Brooklyn Botanical Garden is an ideal venue for a corporate garden walk plus team coffee.
Examples of attractions:
- Plants in bloom, such as the Dove Tree, Spotted Geranium, and Wild Columbine
- Birds and other wildlife, such as the Barn Shallow
- Japanese Hill-and-Pond-garden
- Shakespeare Garden
- Historic art collections such as lantern slides, paper prints, and glass plate negatives
The Brooklyn Botanical Garden walk can take approximately three to four hours, depending on the areas you visit. Teams can take pictures and even the Brooklyn Botanical Garden gift shop.
Learn more about Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
16. Brotherhood Winery
Brotherhood Winery boasts of being America’s oldest winery with an Est. of 1839. The winery offers public tastings from Tuesday to Sunday. For public tastings, each guest will pick five wines to taste.
Participants will enjoy one ounce of the selected wine per serving. Teams will get to experience a wide selection of wines, from traditional to varietal selections. Your teams can also experience the history of Brotherhood Wineries through a public tour and guided tasting. Teams will stroll through the vast underground cellars and learn the complete wine-making process. And with an in-house restaurant and bar, you can enjoy lunch and drinks after the Brotherhood Winery tour.
Located 1.5 hours away from NYC, wine tasting at Brotherhood Winery is an excellent out-of-the-city team-building activity. Be sure to carry a valid form of ID to participate in wine tasting.
Learn more about Brotherhood Winery.
17. Forest Hills Stadium
Attending concerts as a team is a great way to create memories and promote team bonding. Located in Forest Hills, NY, Forest Hills Stadium plays host to diverse musical acts. The 13,000-capacity stadium optimizes your experience with no obstructed views. Some of the most significant performances that have taken place at the venue include Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones.
You can start your planning by checking out the Forest Hills Stadium calendar and asking teams to choose one upcoming event that they want to attend. Be sure to have the AXS Mobile App since it is the only Forest Hill Stadium ticketing partner.
Learn more about Forest Hills Stadium.
18. Scott’s Pizza Tours
New York City is well known for its iconic food scene, and perhaps its most famous dish is pizza. With Scott’s Pizza Tours, you can experience a wide range of pizza styles, from delicious classics to tasty modern takes. Teams can choose from three experiences, which are public walking tours, pizza bus tours, or private walking tours. The public walking tour covers three locations in two-and-a-half hours. The bus tour covers four pizzerias, and the private tour is customized based on your needs. On each route, visitors will learn about the history, science, and culture of each slice. Additionally, stops change each tour, so you can go again and again! For a bite of history, be sure to check out Scott’s.
Learn more about Scott’s Pizza Tours.
19. Aire Ancient Baths
Rather than treating your team to a regular spa day, an ancient bath will offer tranquility that is exclusively designed to balance body and mind. The Aire Ancient Baths will provide teams with an experience that is similar to the ancient times of the Greek, Roman, and Ottoman traditions. Teams will enjoy massages and baths in a serene environment. You will experience Aire’s six thermal baths, including the warm pool, ice and cold plunges, hot bath, jet pool, flotarium, and steam room. Participants can circulate throughout the baths for 90 minutes.
Be sure to book in advance since Aire Ancient Baths limits the number of people per session.
Learn more about Aire Ancient Baths.
Conclusion
Company outings are important team building activities for every workforce. Luckily, NYC offers an array of places where teams can visit and activities that you can engage your employees in. From high-end to free team building activities in NYC, our list of company outing ideas will promote employees’ engagement and productivity. Be sure to remind your team to observe safety measures when partaking in NYC outing activities.
Next, check out these guides to destination management companies and corporate travel incentive programs.
Grace He