After a long day in the cubicle, what’s better than a few hours of work-free fun? No matter how many people you’re trying to bring together, team bonding activities are a great way to build communication, camaraderie, and employee collaboration. Chicago is populated with tons of fun activities and exercises that would be perfect for your next employee outing, so here are our favorite corporate team-building activities for adults in Chicago.
1. Catch a rooftop baseball game
Want to watch the beloved Cubs compete while taking in Chicago’s stunning skyline? Grab a ticket with your co-workers at one of Wrigley’s divine rooftops; in addition to the stunning view, you’ll get to indulge in yummy handcrafted food and drink creations. Game day classics like beers, hotdogs, and burgers are available on-site, as well as sophisticated options like wine, black bean burgers, and salads—all included in the ticket.
2. Conquer one of Chicago’s escape rooms
Take your coworkers on a crazy adventure at one of Chicago’s escape rooms. The immersive experience allows a team of players to work together to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and complete tasks to finish the game’s mission within a set amount of time.
3. Get super creative at Neon Brush
When imaginations are lacking and team spirit needs a colorful boost, Neon Brush is here to get the creative juices flowing. While sipping on a drink or two purchasable at the on-site bar, attendees create a dazzling masterpiece using fluorescent paints that beam under UV lights. The experience is a super fun way to uncover your hidden painting talents or even show off your artistic abilities to your fellow coworkers.
4. Rent out a karaoke room
Singing is a pastime we enjoy most; whether we like to perform in front of people or not is a different story. So, instead of belting it out to a crowd of strangers, look into securing a private room. Singing is one of the best activities for adults in Chicago and even more special for post-work bonding time. While many karaoke lounges are sprinkled across Chicago to commemorate, our favorites include Sakura, a trendy subterranean located in the heart of Chinatown, and Trader Tod’s, a tropical melody oasis plotted at the tip of Lakeview.
5. Dine in the dark with coworkers
Want to take your next work event to the next level? Look no further than this ‘Dining in the Dark,’ experience in Chicago! Backed by psychologists as an amplified way to enjoy food, this blindfolded atmospheric dinner will heighten your remaining senses as you indulge in an incredible three-course meal and wine pairing, a fun activity in Chicago for adults planning to do something after work.
6. Grab a putter for a round of indoor golf
Level up your golf game with coworkers at an extravagant mini-golf cocktail bar. While there are a few notable mini-gold venues around the city, we think Puttery is the perfect place to host a working event. Puttery prides itself on its unique courses, designed to be “a visceral, intricately detailed experience that transports guests to a wholly unexpected location.” The lavishly decorated courses range from rooftops to libraries, which add an exciting element to the game of golf.
7. Immerse yourself in the passion of a We Call It Tango spectacle
We Call It Tango is a spellbinding show of music and dance inspired by the fiery tango performances in Buenos Aires’ dance halls. With every twist, turn and intimate embrace, a mesmerizing tango dance duo light up the stage while a bandoneon player and a pianist perform classic tango tunes. The show makes for an unforgettable experience, one that you and your coworkers will talk about for many office chats to come.
8. Explore Chicago’s finest museums
One of Chicago’s most impressive qualities is its world-class rotating museum exhibition collections. Whether your coworkers are looking for Art, science, or history, Chicago has plenty of transformative exhibits. Here are some of the most unique museum exhibits to attend after work in Chicago that you shouldn’t miss.
9. Devour the best pizza in Chicago
There’s nothing Chicagoans love more than pizza—so plan your next work event by indulging in the best pizzas and head to one of the most exciting pizzerias across Chicagoland. Try an ample array of different pizzas—deep-dish, Tavern pizza, Neapolitan, Sicilian, New York-style, stuffed–you name it.
10. Kayak down the Chicago River
With the warm weather, meaning there is no better place to be than out on the water, kayaking offers a unique and exhilarating way to see the city from a different angle. Grab your coworkers, rent a kayak at Monroe Harbor and Chicago Riverwalk, and head down the Chicago River because it’s one of the most unique activities for adults in Chicago.
11. Start smashing at a rage room
One of the more fun activities for adults is releasing all your pent-up stress with the ultimate destruction. Rage Rooms have unique custom-made things to smash while having a splendid time. After you finish destroying everything in your Rage Room Experience, drinks await—so you can enjoy a room designed for destruction and kick back with a drink after you’re done.
12. Channel your inner lumberjack with axe throwing
Nothing like adding a little adrenaline to your corporate bonding event by launching a steel blade with a flick of the wrist into the target ahead. If you want an unforgettable birthday party where everyone will release endorphins and undoubtedly have a zesty time, Bad Axe Throwing is the ideal place for a work event. And don’t worry—there will be a throwing coach to guide you.
13. Encourage friendly competition with a live-action gaming experience
Fusing technology and physical activity, Activity Games offers a wide range of high-tech, real-life games. Hundreds of combinations of live-action challenges have been designed to test physical and mental agility, pitting teams against each other in one to three-minute face-offs. There are a variety of gaming rooms, including Megagrid, Hoops, Push, Hide, Laser, Trench, Pipes, Climb, and much more, to ensure that different skill sets are tested.