Top Startup Team Building Activities in NYC

Sometimes, conventional wisdom rings true – happier employees are more productive employees. In fact, some studies even claim that happier employees are up to 12% more productive!
So, in the spirit of employee happiness, we’d like to share a few of our favorite NYC company outings, perfect for both large companies and startups alike.
TrivWorks
TrivWorks is a live trivia entertainment company that specializes in creating fully customized trivia events. You got it – we said “fully customized” trivia, meaning that yes, you can create questions that are tailored to internal company culture or humor. We squared off in head-to-head trivia as well as incorporated some physical challenges reminiscent of our favorite Family Double Dare episodes from the 90s. To say that least, our trivia session was a particularly “revealing” moment for the team!
Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club
Off the bat, “shuffleboarding” and “Brooklyn” may seem like an unlikely match. That’s what we thought, too – that is, until we visited the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club in Gowanus for one of our team outings. Royal Palms truly puts the “hip” back in shuffleboarding – it’s a 17,000 square-foot shuffleboard-themed bar with 10 shuffleboard courts, food trucks with craft food vendors, and more. We had a blast!
The Murder Mystery Company
Calling all Clue-lovers! The Murder Mystery Company is a dinner theater company that will immerse your entire team in a detective-novel style experience! Every member of your team will either play a suspect or sleuth in the mystery. Your one goal? Find out “who-dun-it” by the end of the night!
Bonus Tip: If you’re a NYC-based company, consider hosting your event in the VIP Lounge at the Gaslight. You’ll have to walk through a basement labyrinth to get there, which really sets the scene for the night!
Indoor Extreme Sports – Zombie Laser Tag
Note – this activity is not for the faint of heart! Seriously. In other words… zombies. will. jump. out. at. you.
Escape the Room NYCYou guessed it – at Escape the Room, your team will be responsible for escaping the room (in our case, a small theatre). Here’s how it works: You and the rest of your team will be locked in a room and will have to use hidden clues and patterns to unlock the puzzle and “earn your freedom.” For best results, divide up your team into two groups, and challenge one another!
Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunt
In case you haven’t heard of it, Watson Adventures specializes in coordinating scavenger hunts in cities across the county. Our scavenger hunt took place in Greenwich Village. Every team receives questions via the mobile app and need to snap some pretty “savory” selfies. See below.
Has your company gone on a fun team building exercise in the NYC area? If so, let us know below – we’re always brainstorming new ideas!