Here is our list of the best company outing ideas in San Francisco, California.
Company outing ideas in San Francisco include places, activities, and adventures that can make team outings fun and highly engaging. Examples include photo scavenger hunts and Mission Bowling Club. The purpose of these ideas is to provide employees with a fun experience while enhancing team building.
These events includes indoor team activities and outdoor team building ideas as well as options for company offsites.
This list includes:
- group outing ideas for adults in San Francisco
- team building outings in San Francisco
- work team outings in San Francisco
- corporate outings in San Francisco
Let’s get started!
List of company outing ideas in San Francisco
Company outings are a great way to bring teams together and boost engagement. From Split The Wood Axe Throwing to Superhero Academy, here are some activities and places you can use for your next corporate outing in San Francisco.
1. Escape SF
Escape SF hosts several games that are great for small and large teams in San Francisco. The escape rooms have varying storylines like:
- Escape from Alcatraz: In this experience, you and your team must escape the prison or spend your entire lives in jail.
- Escape the Bling Tiger Bar: You will play the role of heroes summoned by the Lady of the Lake. Your task is to bring the sword Excalibur to restore justice.
- King Arthur’s Legacy: While being careful with your actions, your goal is to take over a busted mafia lord. This experience will take you back to the prohibition era.
Booking an escape room is one of the most fun corporate event ideas in San Francisco. The rooms allow team members to relate better with one another.
Learn more about Escape SF.
2. Superhero Academy (Top Choice)
During this team building experience, your team can embark on an engaging comic book adventure! Superhero Academy provides a platform to challenge your skills and foster collaboration.
Here is what you can expect:
- 90 minutes with an experienced host
- an immersive storytelling experience that will turn participants into superheroes
- exciting games and activities that put players’ abilities to the test
- tasks meant to showcase the unique strengths of each team member
Best of all, we will meet you at your venue of choice with all the needed supplies. With Superhero Academy, you will create unforgettable memories and unlock the true power of teamwork.
Learn more about Superhero Academy.
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3. Field Day (Staff Favorite)
With Field Day, teams can go head-to-head in exciting outdoor activities! This experience cultivates collaboration, healthy competition, and a strong sense of camaraderie.
Here is what to expect:
- 90 minutes with a world-class host
- chances to capture memorable team photos
- innovative competitions and classic childhood games
- nostalgic activities that unlock players’ imaginations
In addition, we will bring all the needed equipment straight to your location of choice. From timeless classics to innovative challenges, Field Day is an unforgettable adventure.
Learn more about Field Day.
4. Japantown
Your team can explore the heart of San Francisco at Japantown. Since 1906, Japantown has been offering a unique mix of old and new Japanese culture. This six-block area has a variety of shops, restaurants, and small businesses. You can enjoy Japanese traditions and modern influences, from anime and ceramics to kimonos and manga.
Japantown is also a fantastic spot for unique shopping, dining, and lodging. You can enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine, from sushi to ramen to mochi. Additionally, the area hosts various annual events and festivals. You can even join historical or culinary walking tours to enhance your experience. Whether you are a local or a visitor, Japantown makes for a great company outing.
Learn more about Japantown.
5. PIER 39
PIER 39 is a top entertainment destination. The venue has two levels of dining, shopping, and attractions, including the iconic sea lions at K-Dock. The pier has stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city skyline. The site boasts 12 restaurants serving fresh seafood and diverse cuisines. Additionally, over 50 unique shops offer artisanal goods. Special events, like Holidays at PIER 39, add to the excitement. You can visit PIER 39 to experience the vibrant blend of entertainment, dining, shopping, and events.
Learn more about PIER 39.
6. American Bookbinders Museum
The American Bookbinders Museum celebrates the history, tools, and techniques of bookbinding. The museum has a large collection of 19th- and early 20th-century bookbinding equipment. This space offers self-guided and audio tours every week from Tuesday to Saturday. For those interested in group tours, the museum offers customizable tours and activities.
You can explore the tools used in hand binding from the 1600s. Additionally, discover the earliest bookbinding machines from the 1800s. The museum’s current exhibit is Stenciling in Book & Applied Arts. This display showcases the global art of stenciling. You can also keep an eye out for events like a session on marbling fine bindings. Further, the museum is available for event rentals.
Learn more about the American Bookbinders Museum.
7. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
Fortune cookies always come with a meal at a Chinese restaurant, but they actually have Japanese and American roots! According to some stories, fortune cookies are a San Francisco invention. Your team can enjoy this delicious snack at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory! The firm has been in business since 1962 and produces more than 10,000 cookies per day.
Teams can get a peek at the manufacturing process with the firm’s guided tour. Workers bake the cookies on a slow-release rotating copper griddle. While the treats are still hot, bakers insert the fortunes and twist the cookies into the famous shape by hand. After seeing the factory, visitors can try the treats for themselves, which come in regular, strawberry, chocolate, and green tea flavors. Some versions of the cookie are also dipped or glazed! If you would like to include fortune cookies at your next event, then you can also order sets with custom messages.
Learn more about the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.
8. Audium
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind company outing, then check out Audium! Audium is an ongoing project that began in 1956. Original composer Stan Shaff began toying with spatial ideas of light and sound projections. The first Audium theater opened in 1967 and has been going strong since.
As the name suggests, this theatre showcases audio only, featuring music coming from 176 speakers. The space is intimate, offering 49 seats. The show happens completely in the dark to ensure listeners can focus exclusively on the music. Some performances have live artists, and some are prerecorded. Shows last for about 75 minutes. Audium also started a residency program, so you may get the chance to experience the sounds of local talent. Companies can also book private showings or rent the venue for events. To have a totally unique sound experience, be sure to stop by!
Learn more about Audium.
9. Split The Wood
This activity, organized by Split The Wood, is a fun idea for work team outings in San Francisco. You do not need to be an experienced axe thrower to participate, as a coach will guide the team during the event. You can either have one or two axe-throwing targets based on the selected package.
Axe throwing is safe as long as the participants follow instructions and throw responsibly.
Learn more about Split The Wood Axe Throwing.
10. Bistro Boudin Museum and Bakery
Bistro Boudin is a famous restaurant in San Francisco that hosts a tour showcasing their bakery museum. Team members get to view exhibits portraying Boudin’s growth and watch expert bakers at work.
You can also sign up for Boudin’s Roll with the Bakers program for your team-building events. The program will show you how to roll and shape bread. Also, you and other participants will each get a gift in the form of pre-baked Teddy bear sourdough.
Aside from the unique museum tour, Bistro Boudin can also help you plan your corporate events. You can book private or semi-private dining with the menu available in various templates like a buffet, hors d’oeuvres, and plated menu.
Learn more about Bistro Boudin Museum and Bakery.
11. Winery Collective
Wine Tasting is one of the unique corporate outings in San Francisco. Winery Collective hosts a wine-tasting session excellent for team-building activities, conferences, and other corporate events. You can book the experience as a private or semi-private event for 10 to 75 guests.
Also, there are four different wine flights of five wines you can choose. After selecting your flight and tasting, you can ship the wines home.
Learn more about Winery Collective Wine Tasting.
12. Mission Bowling Club
Missing Bowling Club dining and games are suitable for team outings and corporate events. The company has six bowling lanes. The three categories for private bookings are:
- Large Party at the Lanes: In two hours, teams of A15 to 24 attendees can access three to four lanes.
- Partial Buyout: Groups of up to 45 guests can access three or four lanes in three hours
- Full Buyout: If you have a larger group, then this category is a great choice. You can have up to 180 attendees access the six lanes in six hours. You can also customize the experience and invite an outside vendor.
The private events come with a menu and drink service for guests, and in the large party package, food is optional. Also, the menu will cover any dietary requirements your group members have. You can book these fun events on any day except on Mondays.
Learn more about Mission Bowling Club.
13. Clayroom
This one-time class is an experience where teams can explore their creativity together. Your team will master the art of pottery-making or woodworking even with no prior experience in these areas. Clay Room offers two one-time activities, which are Wheel-throwing and Cutting Board.
Wheel-throwing is a two-hour activity where you make and glaze items like cups, bowls, and vases. Cutting Board involves transforming boards of walnuts into cheese or cutting board in three hours.
Learn more about One Time Class By Clayroom.
14. Free SF Tour
Free SF Tour offers paid service when you book a private experience for your corporate event. A tour guide will lead your group of up to 30 members for 120 to 180 minutes.
Free SF Tour also offers a free or ‘pay as much as you want’ option in the morning and evening. This option is great for team building outings running on a low budget. Although you will share the experience with other participants, you can still have as much fun with your team. The duration and locations of the tour differ based on the time of the day.
Making reservations is unnecessary, and the tour starts at a fixed time. In the end, you may pay as much as you want to compensate the tour guide.
Learn more about Free SF Tour.
15. PlanetXone
PlanetXone designed Bubble Ball games with team-building and corporate events in mind. A bubble ball is a game where players wear inflatable bodysuits to play. The game is available in different variations like:
- Bubble Soccer Ball: A variation of soccer played by five to ten participants but without a goalie.
- Dog and Bone: Players will aim to collect the most dog bones in different ways.
- Bubble Sumo: The game involves a player trying to push another player out of the ring.
The game host will provide necessary gaming supplies like safety glasses, vests, and blasters. Also, a game marshal will guide you and your team during the experience. Aside from Bubble Soccer, PlanetXone offers another fun game called Nerf Dart Tag. The game involves paintballs but without the mess and the pain.
Learn more about Bubble Ball at PlanetXone.
16. The Cocktail Camp Experience
This mixology experience by The Cocktail Camp is one of the unique group outing ideas for adults in San Francisco. During the session, you and your team will learn the art of mixing delicious glasses of cocktails. You will receive kits containing the ingredients you need for the one-hour experience. This provider offers in-person and virtual experience.
An expert mixologist will lead the session, adding some trivia and humor to make the entire experience fun. Participants will gain real bartending skill, leading to boosted confidence and real know-how in mixology. This a quality experience sure to make an impression on your group — and lead to the best ever team happy hours in the foreseeable future!
Learn more about The Cocktail Camp Experience.
17. San Francisco Cooking School
San Francisco Cooking School hosts a fun, private cooking class for groups with 10 to 40 participants. An expert chef instructor will lead the team during the experience.
You will first take a kitchen tour before putting on your aprons and making delicious dishes. This cooking school also offers the Market Basket Challenge, which is great for teams with 21 to 50 participants. Also, the Food Festival category is ideal for groups with up to 100 participants.
Learn more about San Francisco Cooking School.
18. Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is a great site for team building outings in San Francisco. Although the entrance is free during the day, you have to pay to access special facilities. There are several activities you can plan for the team. For instance, you can have a team picnic.
Furthermore, your team can visit special places and play fun games like basketball, golf, and handball. Other attractions at the pack include Anglers Lodge, Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and Bison Paddock. Most of the Park’s facilities are wheelchair accessible.
Learn more about Golden Gate Park.
Conclusion
Company outing ideas should include activities that will excite the participants. This list contains some of the best ideas you can use for your team outing in San Francisco. When planning corporate outings, you should consider the event’s objectives, whether team-building or a themed celebration. The objectives will guide you in using the best ideas for your event.
Next up, check out our other articles on this city, including San Fransisco group activities, San Fransisco client entertainment ideas, and San Fransisco team building activities.
