13 Creative Happy Hour Ideas

Happy hours are a chance for your team to get to know each other better and relieve stress from a long week of work. Sometimes, however, it can be hard to come up with happy hour ideas to please everyone. After all, not everyone likes to drink or sing karaoke.

Whether you’re looking to head out to a bar or host your own happy hour in the office, we’ve compiled a list of 13 creative happy hour ideas to energize your team.

Be sure to switch things up and host these ideas at a Peerspace venue of your choice. Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly rentals, after all. So while we have thousands of bookable venues you can use for meetings, conferences, retreats, and more, we have just as many that are perfect settings for creative happy hour ideas. Check it all out below!

1. Book a stunning, feature-packed event venue on Peerspace

Create your own happy hour at an amazing happy hour-perfect venue through Peerspace, which enables you to rent unique spaces by the day or hour directly from hosts. This way, you can find a creative offsite venue to host your team that isn’t the normal office setting you spend your 9-5 in.

Choose a Peerspace with a rooftop and enjoy the views, or opt for a venue with pool tables and games to fire up the team’s competitive spirits. You can choose a venue that has a BYOB policy or one that provides you with a staffed bar so your guests can enjoy bespoke service all evening. Whatever you prefer, you can find it on Peerspace!

Here are a few of our favorite Peerspaces ideal for happy hour to get you started:

• This renovated historic downtown space in Austin, TX (pictured above) with a state-of-the-art bar, beautiful lighting, A/V equipment, full bar service packages, and a BYO food policy.
• This trendy rooftop lounge with views in Los Angeles, CA with club seating, a kitchen, and a fire pit.
• This private speakeasy in Brooklyn, NYC with fully-equipped bars and a kitchen, comfy seating areas, A/V equipment, and a stage.
• Banana Bungalow in Fort Lauderdale, FL, a colorful private home with a pool, a bar, a kitchen, a game room, and beautiful indoor and outdoor gathering spaces.

You get the idea! No matter which Peerspace you choose, your team will love the idea of escaping the office and socializing together in a unique space they’d otherwise never have access to. And since Peerspaces are hosted by helpful locals, you can rely on your host to provide any additional help you need to craft the perfect happy hour gathering.

2. Treat your team to dumplings ‘n’ massage

It might not seem like the most intuitive combination, but it’s a thing you can do in the “Land Down Under!” A bar in Melbourne, Australia, called Horse Bazaar has a happy hour special that includes three dumplings and a 10-minute seated massage for $15.

Not in Melbourne? Then that’s fine. You can also rent a private salon venue through Peerspace and book time with their on-site staff. Pair it with food and drinks of your choosing if the host allows.

3. Play giant games to ramp up the friendly competition

Nearly everyone has played Jenga, but have you ever played giant Jenga? If you can manage to build it without knocking it over, a two-foot tower of giant blocks can reach as tall as a person!

Sign up for Joymode, which offers rentals of games and activities shipped right to you. Their giant games bundle includes huge tumbling blocks and Connect Four; best of all, it’s free for Joymode members. Get it delivered for happy hour, and ship it back when you’re done.

Looking for time away from the office? Then book an arcade venue through Peerspace instead and enjoy drinks and camaraderie as you and your coworkers battle retro arcade games. For instance, our friends in Ontario, Canada can book this retro arcade bar lounge suite in Hamilton. It’s a fully private space with a wet bar, a pool table, fun accent lighting, seating, and retro arcade machines. In short, everything you need for a game-centric happy hour!

We have the most mouthwatering happy hour food ideas that you need to check out next!

4. Host your own General Assembly happy hour

General Assembly is a worldwide organization that offers coding classes, networking events, and other tech-related activities. You don’t have to be a tech business to benefit. In fact, their courses are great for introducing non-tech employees to the basics of UX design or digital marketing.

They also host plenty of exciting happy hour events, such as the Virtual Reality Happy Hour in Dallas and Back-to-School Happy Hour in Chicago, which features pizza and beer. Join their site and find unique happy hour ideas near you.

5. Invite your faraway colleagues to a remote happy hour

If your team is distributed across the globe, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on happy-hour festivities. Instead, some of you may be drinking in the morning and some of you at night!

One option is to connect over Jackbox Games, which allows you to play online games together like You Don’t Know Jack. You can use Skype or Google Hangouts to share your screen and enable everyone to join in the fun. You can all play the obligatory game of beer pong at the annual office picnic retreat next year.

6. Go high-tech and order an Office Bud-E

Want to have beer available around the clock so you don’t have to worry about ordering more for happy hour? This Anheuser-Busch smart fridge is available for lease in some American cities. It fits 180 beers and is connected to Wi-Fi. Thus, it can automatically order refills for delivery via Minibar. This way, your office will never run dry.

7. Turn the tables and let your execs be your bartenders

Twice a year at Zendesk, the executives take a turn bartending by creating and serving happy hour drinks to employees. This is a great way to encourage people at every level of your company to mingle by showing the higher-ups are down to earth, too. Give your employees the rare opportunity to be served drinks by their bosses.

8. Host a picnic to take the fun outdoors

Happy hour doesn’t have to take place at a bar or kitchen. If your office has a rooftop terrace or outdoor space, bring out some picnic blankets and a bottle of wine. Enjoy light snacks while watching the sunset. If you don’t have access to a suitable outdoor space, rent an outdoor event venue on Peerspace for the afternoon or evening.

Looking for a stylish private setting that comes equipped with tasty drinks and food? Then check out this beautiful private beer garden in Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA. While here, you and your partygoers can enjoy covered and open seating areas, delicious craft drinks, TVs, and an array of tasty food items that pair perfectly with your drinks.

“Loved this venue,” shares a Peerspace reviewer. “The host and servers were very accomodating, quickly responded to any questions and so helpful. We held a graduation party for 60 people and the food was very good. It’s a great atmosphere for guests to mingle and the service was great.”

9. Go unexpected with a yoga happy hour

Everyone knows yoga is great for the body and mind. And on the other end of the spectrum, beer has a reputation for being an unhealthy beverage. But, one yoga studio in Philadelphia begs to differ. They offer a popular Happy Hour Yoga class that includes a one-hour yoga lesson followed by a beer tasting.

According to Philly Mag, beer (in moderation) has been “used to treat a variety of diseases and illnesses for centuries”. Enjoy your own healing brews with a yoga happy hour at the office and enjoy a double dose of well-being together.

Our 20 corporate event ideas are for creative, relaxed companies. If that’s you, check them out!

10. Start your work day with a happy hour brunch

Instead of ending the day with happy hour — when everyone is eager to get out of the office — start off the day with a pancake brunch. Have everyone bring their favorite toppings, and enjoy sweet or savory pancakes with your morning coffee. You’ll enjoy the same bonding experiences while fueling up for the day ahead.

11. Host a salon to get the creative ideas rolling

Salons were a popular pastime among artists and philosophers in Europe, in which a group of friends would get together to discuss pressing topics of the day. In the United States, there are events like Mindshare LA and Conversation Cafe that are open to the public.

And, of course, you can host your own event at a stylish forum venue care of Peerspace. Just be sure to set ground rules to facilitate the discussion.

12. Organize a TEDx event and get everyone to present

As an alternative option to a salon, you could host an office TEDx event, in which everyone gets 15 or 20 minutes to present on a topic that’s important to them. This way, you get to absorb a new subject and learn about what makes your colleagues tick. You can probably fit in two or three presentations during happy hour each week.

13. Give back with a community service happy hour

Consider ditching the drinks and focusing on giving back to the community this happy hour. Plan a neighborhood trash pickup or an activity associated with a local charity organization.

Get out of the office and end the week on a positive note. You can celebrate with drinks after. Although you may be more in the mood for a shower or bubble bath in the comfort of your own home at that point!

Happy hour ideas are better with Peerspace

One of the best ways to celebrate the end of the workweek is by exploring a brand-new space. Do that with your team by booking a stylish, pristine, and private Peerspace venue! Be it a private loft or a secret speakeasy, you and your team can enjoy activities and kick off the weekend in a fun and meaningful way.

Regardless of which happy hour ideas you choose, remember that not everyone drinks alcohol, so be sure to offer other options, such as tea or soft drinks. Hopefully, this week’s happy hour event will bring your team together and get them excited for the next one!

Find a unique event venue on Peerspace