15 SF Team Building Activities That People Actually Like in 2023!
Finally, after years of trial and error, team building exercises no longer have to follow the same old team-dinner formula that feels more like a mandatory assembly than a fun get-together. We have team building down to a science. With San Francisco’s bustling food scene, our legendary laid-back vibes, and about a million offices to experiment on, we’ve produced a dizzying array of options to make your group happier, more productive, and, dare we say it…real friends.
Stretchy Pants is no stranger to quality San Francisco team building. We’ve led thousands of guests to eat and drink their way through the city’s best neighborhoods and watched team after team leave happy, bonded, and FULL! Luckily for your group, we’re giving away our secrets. Whether they’re more into food and drink, exploration and history, or a uniquely San Francisco sightseeing outing, these picks will give you the right recipe for team bonding instead of team boring.
Note: while some of these options have different maximum or minimum group sizes, they are all available for private bookings.
SF Team Building #1: Stretchy Pants Tours
- Location: Chinatown, North Beach, Mission District, or Hayes Valley
- Time: 3 hours
- Group rate: $85/person with optional add ons
Ok, admittedly, this was a gimme. Progressive foodie adventure while a charming local host guides you through one of the city’s most cultural, historical, and delicious neighborhoods? There’s a reason so many companies choose us for their team building events!
Everyone likes food, and breaking bread together is proven to build camaraderie. Add to that a dose of historical intrigue and a walk through the local scene, and your team will leave full of fine food and fun facts to fuel their bonding experience. We can accommodate special requests for different food, neighborhood, time, and group size options. Just let us know when you fill out the request!
Photo Courtesy of Google my Business
SF Team Building #2: Exploratorium
- Location: Pier 15 (Embarcadero)
- Time: Half day, full day, or evening
- Group rate: fill out this form to request
50% art, 50% percent science, and 100% fun, the Exploratorium offers an interactive learning experience perfect for team building. As they say: “Here at the Exploratorium, you don’t look at exhibits—you play with them.” Not only do they have hundreds of engaging, hands-on exhibits, they have two excellent restaurants known for health, sustainability, and an unmatched view of the bay. Private rentals are welcome and can be in the evening to accommodate a team happy hour or dinner.
SF Team Building #3: BiteUnite Thai Cooking on the Rooftop
- Location: Mission District
- Time: 2 hours
- Group Rate: $96/person (min. 10 guests)
Bond your group over mouth watering Bangkok-style street food made al fresco overlooking the beautiful Mission district. Nothing brings people together like food, and cooking it themselves allows your team to work together for fun instead of for a deadline. They’ll savor the journey through this delicious team building as they taste faraway flavors right at home in San Francisco. BiteUnite can accommodate dietary restrictions and customize their menu with expanded options for private events.
Photo Courtesy BiteUnite
Photo Courtesy JB Walking Tours
SF Team Building #4: Presidio Walking Tours
- Location: Presidio
- Time: 2-4 hours
- Group Rate: $35-49/person
If your team is looking for a casual, social walk through one of the city’s most historic and scenic neighborhoods, look no further than Julie Brown’s walking tours of the Presidio. We’re proud to recommend a team building with one of our own Stretchy Pants guides in an area we don’t cover so that you can experience the unique sights, historical intrigue, and breathtaking views on this walk. There are two- and four-hour options available so that you can choose the route and timing that suit your group’s needs.
SF Team Building #5: Hall Wines in Napa Valley
- Location: St. Helena or Rutherford
- Time: Customizable
- Group Rate: Inquire for private events
A great way to relax and bond as a group, Hall Winery offers a classy venue to taste top quality wines in scenic Napa Valley. Your team building will take you far from the confines of the office (or the home office) and into an environment where colleagues can ease off the work persona and get to know each other as friends over some delightful libations. What better way to foster connection and happy working relationships? Hall Wines has a plethora of different tasting packages, from the casual wine drinker to the all-sommelier staff, so that you can tailor your experience to your group’s preferences.
Photo Courtesy of Hall Wines
Photo Courtesy of Stagecoach Greens
SF Team Building #6: Mini Golf at Stagecoach Greens
- Location: Parklab Gardens in Mission Bay
- Time: Customizable (2+ hours recommended)
- Group rate: Inquire for private events
The only thing better than mini golf is…San Francisco-themed mini golf! Treat your team to a fun challenge that incorporates equal amounts of athletic prowess (just kidding) and local history as you learn the story of the city through 18 action-packed holes. We recommend you finish your team building with a beverage or a bite to eat in one of their on-site lounges available for private rentals. Group size and timing are customizable to your team’s needs, but beware – this activity sells out quickly! Best to plan ahead.
SF Team Building #7: Pottery Class – Take a Claycation
- Location: SMAart Gallery & Studio in Nob Hill
- Time: 2 hrs
- Group rate: $89/person
Get your team’s creative juices flowing in this entry-level pottery class. Guests of all skill levels can bring their artistic vision to life in a relaxing, fun environment perfect for socializing and coming together to complete a shared goal. Groups love the tactile element as well as the experience of shaping their piece and seeing the finished product after being glazed and fired by the resident master potters. Private team buildings are available on your schedule whenever there is availability in their calendar.
Photo Courtesy of Airbnb
Photo Courtesy of Mountain Sea Adventures
SF Team Building #8: Forage Edible Plants and Mushrooms
- Location: Santa Cruz, CA
- Time: Half day, full day, or multiple days
- Group Rate: $75/person
Here’s an option that takes your team building much closer to nature than the stock desktop photo on your Macbook. During your half- or full-day retreat, your group will be led through the woods of Santa Cruz foraging your own food from whatever is in season. A departure from our usual fine dining and drinking recommendations, this is for those who connect without screens, bright lights, and loud sounds, and want to build camaraderie through a more personal jaunt to take in California’s natural splendor. Timing and group sizes are customizable according to your team’s needs.
SF Team Building #9: Sailing Tour of the Bay
- Location: Galilee harbor, Sausalito
- Time: Flexible (usually 2-4 hours)
- Group rate: Starts at $500 (maximum group size: 6)
For smaller groups who love the open air and sea, Fine Day for Sailing offers an incredible trip around the bay fully customizable for your schedule, timing, and desired route. Take your SF team building to Sausalito for a nautical journey far away from keyboards and monitors. Captain Heather is happy to find a spot to drop anchor and set up a floating picnic, or to stay moving and pack in as many sights as possible. Bring your own food and beverages if desired, and be sure to pack a good jacket – it gets windy out there!
Photo Courtesy of Fine Day for Sailing
Photo Courtesy of Punto Fino Coffee Roasters
SF Team Building #10: Roast Your Own Coffee
- Location: Fairfax
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Group rate: from $360 (max group size: 8)
For the hardcore coffee addicts and the casual sippers alike, this coffee roasting class offers a fun, casual introduction to doing it yourself as you turn green beans (yes, they start out green!) to brown before your very eyes. This team building can easily lead to a serious at-home hobby, and you can bet your team will never look at a Keurig the same way again. Not only do you leave with your freshly roasted batch, they give you a bag of green beans to keep practicing at home!
SF Team Building #11: Bike Around SF with Dylan’s Tours
- Location: Dylan’s Bike Shop on Columbus Ave
- Time: Flexible (3-8 hours)
- Group rate: Starts at $75/person
One of the most well-known bike tours in the city, Dylan’s Tours offers team buildings for an all-in-one day of sightseeing perfect for new arrivals, out of town visitors, or anyone looking to get to know San Francisco. Their events are customizable for any group size, departure time, and tour duration, and don’t worry about negotiating our legendary SF hills – all pedaling is optional on their battery powered e-bikes.ve vicariously through the pictures others post of their experiences.
Photo Courtesy of Google my Business
Photo Courtesy of Story of Ramen
SF Team Building #12: Story of Ramen
- Location: Mission district
- Time: 2 or 4 hours
- Group rate: Starts at $810 for 2 hours
Take your team out for the ultimate ramen cooking class! Work together to craft the noodles and assemble the bowl, or go for the advanced class to make the toppings and broth from scratch as well. A low-stakes challenge suitable for any group that loves to eat, help your team bond and make memories outside work. Don’t be alarmed if you start getting slack messages to “send noods”…that’s just the spillover from a tasty team building 😉
SF Team Building #13: Haunted Ghost Tour
- Location: Chinatown
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Group rate: Starts at $49/person
Explore one of San Francisco’s most haunted neighborhoods while you search for spooks with real ghost hunting gear. This walkthrough is much more engaging than a regular historical walking tour – your team will be part of the story of the area as you learn its haunted history and create some for yourselves. This tour is available for any group size up to 25 and can easily lead to a local bar for happy hour afterward.
Photo Courtesy of The Haunt Ghost Tours
Photo Courtesy of Airbnb
SF Team Building #14: Wine and Painting
- Location: Upper Nob Hill
- Time: 2.5 hours
- Group rate: Starts at $50/person
Let your team’s creative juices flow in a relaxing space open to painters of all skill levels. Resident artist Yijun provides expert guidance in her studio/gallery meant to inspire and delight your inner muse. Give your team building a unique twist beyond the typical happy hour or team dinner – this type of activity lets the group see a different side of each other, grow closer, and enjoy working together on something outside of their jobs.
SF Team Building #15: Escape Room
- Location: Union Square/downtown
- Time: 1 hour
- Group rate: starts at $43/person
For the team who loves to compete, shake off the stress of work and put your creative problem solving to use in one of the Escape Game’s 5 themed San Francisco escape rooms. Located near plenty of local eateries to extend the experience and continue the bonding, this team building gives you a fun challenge unlike any other. The rooms are also quite sizable – they can accommodate group sizes of up to 44 per room!
Photo Courtesy of The Escape Game
Love Stretchy Pants?
If you’re digging what we’re dishing up, you might like any number of our culinary experiences. Be sure to subscribe to our email list to get your free ebook travel guide and all of our insider recommendations and updates!