12 Fun Team Building Ideas in Vancouver

One of the most culturally diverse and prettiest cities in North America, Vancouver, British Columbia has something for every team member to enjoy. In fact, it might be the ideal locale to host a team-building event, complete with morale-boosting, confidence-building, and icebreakers that they entail. Your only problem may be narrowing it down to just one or two of these awesome team building ideas in Vancouver!

Outdoorsy crews can trek through mountains and forests, or head to the sea. Artsy folks can savor one of the hundreds of cultural happenings. And posh brunches can take in upscale culture on par with some of the best in the world. In scenic Vancouver, your team can join up in a whole new environment to help reaffirm your group’s bond. Here are 12 fun team building ideas in the city that the local Canuks often call “The Couve.”

1. Rent a Peerspace for a stylish change of scenery

An important trick to effective team building is to host an event in an inspiring spot where your team can explore the novel surroundings together. Luckily, that’s where we at Peerspace shine! As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, Peerspace can connect you to creative spaces hosted by locals that have the style and amenities you need for a successful team building retreat.

Vancouver is home to a growing number of event venues that you can book through Peerspace. You can rent a unique space by the hour to conduct your team-building event that’s tailored to your business needs. So what types of spaces can you book on Peerspace for your Vancouver team building event?

Here are a few of our favorite options:

• This elevated-meets-eclectic designer loft in central Vancouver (pictured above) that’s ideal for dinner and cocktails in a unique setting.
• This private meeting space with a kitchen and patio in East Vancouver that’s perfect for traditional team building exercises.
• This creative workshop studio in East Vancouver that’s ideal for paint and sips or other creative workshop events.
• This stylish modern loft studio in Strathcona with a kitchen and A/V equipment that’s perfect for dining, happy hours, and screenings.
• This creative loft space for company offsites and retreats in central Vancouver that’s ideal for yoga retreats and more traditional team building ideas.

These are just a few of the examples of the types of exciting venues you can book in neighborhoods across the city via Peerspace. As you can see, Peerspace listings present high-quality photos to help visualize the space. There are detailed descriptions of each property’s amenities and reviews from real people who have used the space. All of these features help you make an informed booking decision, the first step to an amazing team building event in Vancouver!

2. Head to Stanley Park for fun and games

Probably the number-one tourist attraction and local outdoorsy hangout is Stanley Park, which happens to be a much larger green space than New York’s Central Park. Stanley Park offers all sorts of fun team-building ideas, from playing games to jogging to picnicking to just being outside in the natural beauty that is Vancouver.

3. Hit the beach for some natural wonder

One fun team-building idea that folks sometimes forget about is heading to Vancouver’s coastline. It’s surprising how wide and sandy the miles of beaches are, and there’s a seawall you can walk along to get some exercise. Even if it’s a rainy or otherwise gloomy day, it’s a lovely place to stroll, talk, brainstorm, and generally bond with your team. Pro tip – Vancouver and its surroundings are home to several nudist beaches which might, or might not, enhance your team-building outing.

Here are more unique corporate event and team building ideas to inspire your next team outing.

4. Watch the filmmaking process from the ground up

Many productions studios for both television and movies have relocated their filming to Vancouver. This is both because of the scenery and the tax incentives that the region offers. Google around to find websites that reveal who’s filming where, and the codes on the signs that point to the actual location. Just be respectful of the activity, as moviemaking has become a substantial portion of the local economy and you don’t want to get in the way. That said, it will be fun to return to the office and reminisce about the outtakes that your team got to witness but that didn’t make it into the movie.

If you time it right, your team could also attend the prestigious Vancouver International Film Festival which happens at the beginning of October every year.

5. Attend a lively team sporting event

Attending low-stakes sports events is a fun team-building idea regardless of where you are hosting your meetup. Needless to say, Canada is known for its hockey, and Vancouver is no exception. The Vancouver Canucks are almost always playing at Rogers Arena – if they’re at home, of course. You and your team can catch a match from October through May. The Grizzlies are a great hockey team as well, and tickets to see them are less pricey. Other sports and tournaments occur sporadically throughout the year.

6. Play in the snow with your team

Vancouver is a rainy city – let’s face it. Luckily during the winter, there’s also likely to be a whole lot of snow just outside of town in the North Shore mountains. Your team could go skiing, snowboarding, sledding, or just hang out at a wintery lodge and chat by the fire. Any of these will boost team morale and build and fortify their morale.

7. Take in the anthropology museum

One of the best anthropology museums in the world is located on the University of British Columbia’s campus in Downtown Vancouver. The museum’s holdings emphasize the rich indigenous culture of the Pacific Northwest, and a lot of the exhibits permit guests to interact with the artifacts. Plus, the museum architecture is nothing shy of jaw-dropping.

8. Enrich your team with the performing arts

Vancouver offers plenty of enriching, fun team-building activity ideas that take place – for the most part – under the shelter of a roofed interior. Theatre is big in this city, and there are orchestral, symphonic, and operatic performances, and of course, lots of popular contemporary musicians play there as well.

9. Head to the water and enjoy a harbor cruise

The Vancouver harbor is generally calm and stunning, day or night, and if your company hires a boat for the team, it will be an event they’ll remember forever. Various outlets offer dinner cruises, lunch cruises, and simpler scenic tours. Not only will this be memorable, but it promises to be a very fun team building activity for everyone in attendance.

Do you and your colleagues need new headshots? Then check out our favorite studio photoshoot ideas in Vancouver for venue suggestions!

10. Head to Granville Island for shopping and dining

Basically a posh indoor-outdoor mall, Granville Island was once an industrial neighborhood that the city has 100 percent revamped. The historic area has been turned into quaint restaurants, hotels, bookshops, gift stops, and the beautiful Granville Public Market for food and sundries. Your team could wander around for a full hour or much longer, and then talk over cocktails about the cool things they saw and/or bought.

Before you and your team visit Granville Island, you’ll have to get there. It is, after all, technically an island. Taking the Aquabus is the prime solution. There are 13 accessible, rainbow-hued boats that transport passengers back and forth along False Creek to Granville Island and other locations along their route. The Vancouver skyline towers above.

11. Bond over great food, drinks, and karaoke at a cozy tasting room in South Vancouver

If you’re looking to bond with your team in a casual and welcoming space that caters to your every need, then we have just the venue for you. Check out this cozy 60-seat tasting room in South Vancouver for a day of fun with your colleagues.

Here, you can enjoy scrumptious food prepared on-site, a variety of craft beers and cocktails, and a relaxed atmosphere. The host also provides TVs and a large screen, patio seating, and on-site parking. And let’s not forget, they have a karaoke setup, so you and your team members can sing to your heart’s delight! It’s a fun, local space that makes it easy to connect by way of delicious food and fun activities, all in one space.

“I had the most amazing experience ever,” shares a Peerspace reviewer who hosted an event here. “I couldn’t have picked a better place to host my birthday party. All my friends loved it and we’ll definitely be back! The staff was amazingly kind, nice, supportive and fun! You guys made my night even better. Thank you so much! 100% recommend.”

12. Explore the sights in Gastown

Though it’s a small area of Vancouver, Gastown is the city’s oldest and perhaps quaintest. “Gassy Jack,” who owned the city’s oldest tavern, is the neighborhood’s namesake. Today it’s full of upscale boutiques, restaurants, and galleries. It’s worth taking your team on a formal tour or a casual stroll as a fun team building idea.

Find unique team building venues in Vancouver on Peerspace