Learning can take many forms, and it doesn’t have to stop at the end of the day’s program. Team-building activities are the perfect way for a group to bond through shared experiences, but they also help attendees build skills far beyond the office or conference room. No matter the goals of your organization or particular group, there are plenty of options for team building throughout the Northeast.
Effective team-building experiences start with a clear goal, even if you’re planning a casual, fun afternoon away from the office. Facilitators appreciate having an initial conversation about outcomes and understanding what you want to accomplish as early as possible, says Erica Jantos, event sales manager at Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “Some groups just want to have fun, and we can make it fun. Some might want to work on a specific skill, like improving communication. [We need to] have an idea of what the planner and group want to walk home with up front.”
Da Vinci Science Center’s memorable and engaging team-building experiences unfold in a state-of-the-art facility, designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Using a combination of interactive exhibits, immersive galleries, and hands-on science experiences as teaching tools, facilitators encourage teams to think creatively, problem-solve together, and tap into their sense of wonder. Programs can be customized to meet a group’s needs, Jantos says. Some of the center’s most popular offerings include its “Digital Design and Fabrication” classes available via the Mobile Fab Lab, a van with equipment that brings experiences straight to you; “Design Thinking” classes, which provide a fun way to develop creative problem-solving skills; “Mini Ice-Cream Wars,” during which groups make ice-cream flavors and learn the science behind the tasty treat; and animal encounters with the center’s various animal ambassadors. Da Vinci Science Center accommodates groups looking for stand-alone excursions or activities to add on to a meeting or event.
From its permanent exhibition showcasing the world’s largest collection of spy-related artifacts to programming where attendees can tap into their inner James Bond, the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., is on a mission to educate guests about and shed light on the shadowy world of espionage. “Many are looking to come here for team-building activities, while other groups just want to see the museum as part of a conference or to hold a reception,” says Caneil McDonald, senior sales manager at the museum. Dedicated on-site event space spans two floors, including a rooftop terrace and ballroom, and occupies over 7,000 square feet—1,200 of which is available during the day, unique for a museum venue in Washington, D.C. And there also are plenty of ways for attendees to bond at the museum. “We have a number of activities to offer groups, and we work closely with them from inquiry to postevent experience,” McDonald says. Team-building experiences include a scavenger hunt, described by McDonald as “a great way to explore the museum in a fun, competitive way.” She says during the activity, each team member takes on a spy persona, and the group is then set loose in the exhibition space to search for clues as part of an assigned mission. When they return, they report their findings and see who successfully completed the task. “Team members at all levels—top executives included—really get into the competition aspect,” McDonald says.
Groups looking to test problem-solving skills might consider Boda Borg Boston, a center at which teams can explore over 20 “quests,” similar to escape rooms, with different themes and challenges. “What sets Boda Borg Boston apart is it centers on failing and trying again,” says owner and CEO Chad Ellis. “It takes the stigma and avoidance of failure out of the picture. Failing is part of the process, so people get comfortable with it. It’s about exploration, trying, and solving an unfamiliar problem in the workplace.” Boda Borg has been in Europe for over 30 years, and Ellis owns the only U.S. location. He points out the challenges are for people with all levels of physical ability. “People might read about our business online and worry someone will be left out,” he says. “We have had accessibility nonprofits participate that had 70% of the participants in wheelchairs. All the green-level quests are fully Americans with Disabilities Act accessible. Everyone can come and do this and have a great time.”
Gillian Simkiss, principal with Sycamore Keys Consulting in Boston, has planned team-building experiences at Boda Borg Boston for her corporate and nonprofit clients for several years. “Chad Ellis and I designed about four or five different programs that included everything from Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality assessments and conflict-resolution [tactics] to strategic planning. Boda Borg Boston also does experiential learning and Outward Bound-type programs—I like the approach of using the great outdoors as a classroom.”
Likewise, nature’s beauty and the thrill of new experiences encourages bonding at Orvis Hill Country Shooting Grounds in Fairfield, Pennsylvania. While it is just a short drive from Philadelphia, the grounds’ location on 600 acres of woodland makes it seem like a world away. Here, teams can participate in sporting-clay shooting or fly-fishing, with all-terrain vehicle rides also offered. “We have some groups who want to come in and have a fun day on the clays course or go fly-fishing,” says Event Coordinator Carla Longenecker. “Other groups will come in, have a meeting, and do a fun activity in the afternoon. If not everyone in the group wants to shoot clays, we have other activities available.” Before scheduling an event, Longenecker has a detailed conversation with interested planners to get a better idea of goals and expectations. “I will share our options for activities, as well as catering, if necessary—we do have that available on-site. This important conversation helps me find activities that best meet their needs.”
Food has the power to bring just about any team together. Rhode Island Red Food Tours builds on that common interest with its tours of independently owned, hidden-gem eateries in Newport and Providence, Rhode Island. Paula Silva started the company to showcase the restaurants in her neighborhood that weren’t typically found in guidebooks or on tourism websites. Each walking tour usually runs between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and lasts an average of three hours, although they can be longer or shorter depending on the group’s preferences. “We do a lot of accommodating for allergies, but we need to know about them in advance,” Silva says. “We offer alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages, and we will pair the drinks with the food.”
Rhode Island Red Food Tours is a favorite for Christine Bevilacqua, an account executive with CSI DMC, a destination management company based in Falls Church, Virginia, that services destinations across the U.S. “I specialize in the Newport, Rhode Island, area,” she says. “Corporate groups will come to Newport, and we will show them the best of the best. I love to get them out walking, exploring, and eating in the city.” She adds, “What I appreciate about Paula and her team so much is they really showcase the independent restaurants—lots of women-owned businesses, a variety of cuisine, and places that are less touristy. Attendees who come often feel that they have experienced the city outside the tourist attractions.”
For an authentic New England experience with a vintage twist, Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex, Connecticut, provides 2 1/2-hour public and private train and riverboat rides through the largely undeveloped Connecticut River Valley, as well as one-hour, train-only tours. Groups can keep the fun going in one of the train station’s three event spaces—the Dickinson Ballroom (formerly called the Dickinson Bottling Plant) that fits 190 people; the Oliver Jensen Gallery within the ballroom for up to 110; and the smaller, more intimate Atrium at 6 Main, which holds up to 80. Tosh Urbowicz, wedding and private events manager at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, says there’s a big demand for its private VIP tours as excursions or fun add-ons. “The group will tour the engine room and station and learn the history of the train cars,” says Urbowicz . “There’s really something about trains—adults almost become like little kids [around them]. People are completely different outside their workplace when they experience something new together.”
Groups also might hop aboard The Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire and ride to the summit of the highest mountain peak in the Northeast for a train ride with a little more edge. The train runs year-round, and the views during colder months prove especially beautiful. “Teams want something unique and interesting,” says Rob Arey, the railway’s director of marketing, strategic partnerships, and business development. “We might have a one-hour, round-trip excursion about halfway up the mountain, then we will have a campfire, roast marshmallows, and drink hot cocoa and coffee. That’s a big one for the corporate groups.” There also is a three-hour round-trip option that runs all the way to the summit and back down. Arey adds, “If there’s something a group wants or envisions, we can absolutely work with them. We have had groups bring food trucks in at the base of the mountain. We have a lot of flexibility.”
bodaborg.com
thecog.com
davincisciencecenter.org
essexsteamtrain.com
orvis.com/orvis-hill-country.html
rhodeislandredfoodtours.com
spymuseum.org
