Are you based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and looking to organize unforgettable team-building activities for your group? You’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of must-do team-building activities in Charlotte guaranteed to energize your team, strengthen connections, and create unforgettable memories.
Activities include high-adrenaline adventures like go-kart racing and kayaking, relaxing outings such as art classes or exploring the city with CityHUNT, and creative challenges like escape rooms and cooking classes.
1. Book a Customized Scavenger Hunt with cityHUNT
Want to create a comprehensive team-building activity plan but don’t know where to start? Let the professionals at cityHUNT handle it!
cityHUNT is a company that specializes in creating scavenger hunts and team-building events tailored to your team’s unique goals, preferences, and interests.
Since its founding in 2001, cityHUNT has organized events for a wide range of clients, including well-known corporations from Fortune 500 companies. Their team of experts designs engaging, interactive experiences that promote teamwork, communication, and problem-solving in a fun and exciting way.
Click here to request a free quote today.
2. Host a Corporate Cooking Event at Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen offers hands-on cooking classes that use healthy, local ingredients. The courses are led by expert local chefs who love teaching students how to have a good time in the kitchen.
The class is for both beginner and advanced cooks, so your team can learn how to make a basic but hearty breakfast or a more involved, 5-star meal depending on the difficulty level you’ve chosen.
Cooking sessions end with a meal and drinks—and what better way to get to know each other than conversation with a delicious meal?
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen is located in the lower South End and features 3,400 square feet of kitchen space fully equipped with modern appliances, making it an ideal venue for large-scale team-building events.
3. Watch a Show at The Comedy Zone
Team building activities don’t always have to be super involved; sometimes, a venue with good food and comedy is all it takes to create lasting bonds between team members.
The Comedy Zone is the city’s only full-time comedy club, located in the NC Music Factory district. The club regularly features well-known comedians such as Jason Allen King, Dave Attell, and Jackie Fabulous.
It also allows amateur comedians on stage, so if any of your team members want to give improv comedy a go, this is a great place to start!
4. Rock Climb at Inner Peaks South End
Want to try a hand at rock climbing but are too afraid to scale mountains? Inner Peaks is the place to go!
Inner Peaks South End is an indoor rock climbing gym located at 2220 South Tryon Street, Charlotte. The facility boasts 17,000 square feet of climbing space and features a variety of climbing walls that reach heights of over 40 feet.
Rock climbing at Inner Peaks lets your team step outside their comfort zone and work together to reach the top of the climb. They must support each other for safety and encouragement, which in turn strengthens team bonds and self-esteem.
5. Go to a Theme Park
Theme parks aren’t exclusive to children and teens! In fact, there are plenty of heart-racing rides that are specifically designed for adults.
There are dozens of theme parks in Charlotte, but we strongly recommend you visit Carowinds with your team. The park features over 60 rides, including the Fury 325—the world’s ‘tallest and fastest’ roller coaster—as well as mazes, carousels, free-fall drops, and other exciting rides.
Teams can enjoy a day of exhilarating rides, supporting each other as they take on the more thrilling and adventurous attractions.
6. Play a Virtual Game
If your team is working remotely, playing a virtual game is an excellent way to get to know each other.
There are hundreds if not thousands of team-building games available for free online.
Among these games is Gartic Phone, a multiplayer drawing program that follows the same mechanics of the classic telephone game. Players take turns drawing a word or phrase and then passing it to the next player, who must guess what the drawing represents.
The game is available on multiple devices for free, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones, so everyone can play.
Another game, Would You Rather reveals personal preferences and encourages conversation between team members. You can play this game while on a webcam call on Teams, Zoom, or Slack.
7. Take Your Team on a Kayaking Adventure
Located on the Whitewater Center Parkway, the US National Whitewater Center is a recreation ground featuring activities like kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and more. It’s one of the most popular and exciting parks in Charlotte.
With the guidance of a professional, teams of three to six can brave the waters on a kayak and work as a unit to navigate the rapids. This fosters teamwork, communication, and trust as team members rely on each other to stay in sync.
8. Have a Picnic at Reedy Creek Park
Reedy Creek Park is the third-largest nature preserve in Charlotte, spanning 1,036 acres of scenic land. The park offers a wide range of recreational facilities, including courts and fields for softball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, cricket, and horseshoes, making it an ideal location for hosting sports-centered team games.
After playing, teams can spend time walking around the nature preserve, which features over ten miles of hiking trails. Or, teams can simply have a picnic with each member bringing their signature homemade dish. The park is a great location for just relaxing and having fun with people around you.
9. Solve Puzzles at Escapology Escape Room
Located in Northcrest Shopping Center, the Escapology Escape Room puts your team’s problem-solving and teamwork skills to the test.
The place consists of various rooms that participants need to escape within 60 minutes. Each room contains puzzles, clues, and codes that teams must solve together to unlock the door and complete the challenge.
The time limit makes the challenge all the more exciting, encouraging quick decision-making. Each member can contribute to the escape; some can search for clues, while others can solve puzzles or crack codes.
After the game, the team can enjoy lunch and dinner in the same venue.
10. Hit the Bullseye at BATL Axe Throwing
What’s the best way to minimize work stress? That’s right—physical activity! We’ve listed many physical activities on this list, but this one is by far the most unique.
BATL Axe Throwing is exactly what it says on the tin. Axe on hand, teams can compete in friendly matches to see who can hit the bullseye or score the highest points. Don’t worry if your team members have never thrown an axe before—experts are there to guide everyone through the basics.
Axe throwing is a fantastic way to release pent-up stress while simultaneously fostering camaraderie in a high-energy, competitive environment. To make things more exciting, offer gifts to the winners as an incentive to work together. Afterward, the team can share a round of drinks in the venue.
11. Support Your Community as a Team
Volunteering offers many advantages; it increases self-worth, boosts confidence, and gives you a sense of purpose. Volunteering with a team takes these benefits even further as it creates lasting memories that extend beyond the workplace.
Ask your team what they’d like to do for the community. If your company already supports charities, start there. If not, look into the organizations that align with your team’s values and interests. There are many ways to give back, whether it’s sharing meals through a food bank, helping animals in need, or cleaning a park.
Some notable organizations in Charlotte to consider include:
You can also find local volunteering opportunities in Charlotte through organizations like the United Way of Greater Charlotte or VolunteerMatch.
12. Have an Urban Adventure
Charlotte is a hub of culture and history, making it an excellent location for fun activities and challenges.
To play, create a list of landmarks and well-known places in Charlotte. This can include the Carhartt Mansion Ruins, Hearst Tower, Independence Square, or the Riva Fionoli Passage. Just make sure they’re within walking distance of each other.
Next, think of some riddles or questions that point to those locations. The first team that takes pictures in all the locations in order, wins.
To make the challenge even more exciting, add a time limit to the hunt. Or, you can hide unique items in the area—like a playing card, a coin, or a small, stuffed plushie—for a bonus reward.
Alternatively, members can tackle a list of challenges that can only be completed as a team. For example:
- Snap a team photo next to a public clock that reads exactly 30 minutes past the hour.
- Take a group selfie in front of a famous local landmark or sculpture.
- Capture a photo of the team mimicking a statue in a park.
- Collect small items like business cards, brochures, or local menus from different locations within a time limit.
- Write a team song or chant inspired by a local landmark and perform it there.
- Search for a local business that’s open 24 hours 7 days a week.
13. Visit a Sporting Event
If you’ve ever attended a sporting event—whether it’s baseball, soccer, or basketball—you know how thrilling the atmosphere can be, with fans cheering together side by side.
There are plenty of sports events that take place in Charlotte. For example, you can watch a NASCAR Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a basketball game at the Spectrum Center, or a hockey game at Bojangles Coliseum.
You can find all upcoming sports events in Charlotte—including ticket prices—on the Ticketmaster website.
14. Create Masterpieces Together at City Art Room
Art is a powerful way to express emotions and explore the depths of our imagination. The City Art Room, located in The Shoppes at University Place, offers the perfect space to do just that.
With over 20 art-based activities, including painting, pottery, and wood carving, your team can let loose and let their creativity run wild.
For the best experience, create a theme for your team to base their art on. Let them choose the medium of their liking and put their take on the theme. Then, you can do a show-and-tell at the end of the session.
15. Race to Victory at Victory Lane Karting
A friendly competition never hurts anyone, and Go Karting at Victory Lane Indoor Karting is the best way to do it! The venue features two tracks, the Coke Zero and Sprite, which can be combined into the Super Track for a more challenging race experience.
The relay challenges and races can be customized to match your team’s experience level so members can join in the fun even when they’re complete beginners.
In addition to Go Karting, Victory Lane also has other team games like escape rooms, axe throwing, and virtual reality experiences.
After an adrenaline-filled time on the tracks, the team can enjoy a hearty meal at the on-site Pit Road Bar & Grill.
Victory Lane offers special prices for group/corporate events and even includes food and additional races in the package. So if you’re looking for a fun-filled day of bonding and activity, Victory Lane is a venue worth considering.
16. Catch a Show at The Evening Muse
Located in the vibrant NoDa arts district, this cozy venue hosts a variety of events such as live music shows, comedy acts, and open mic nights. The venue’s chill and cozy setting opens opportunities for team members to relax, connect, and enjoy a live performance from local artists and touring bands.
The Evening Muse has 80-some seats, so make sure to book several weeks beforehand so you and your team can listen to live music while playing various team games, like cards, two truths and a lie, or icebreakers.
You can find all the upcoming events and guests on The Evening Muse’s official website. Open Mics are every Monday, so if you want your team to showcase their talents through singing, poetry, or stand-up comedy, this is the perfect opportunity.
17. Defy Gravity at DEFY Charlotte
DEFY Charlotte is an all-inclusive trampoline park that offers dozens of thrilling activities, including ziplining, wall jumping, trapezing, parkour tracks, and battle beams.
Members can compete in teams to eliminate the opposing team in dodgeball, scale the highest walls, or challenge each other to swing, flip, or perform daring moves on the trapeze. It’s a fun way to bond with teammates while getting in some much-needed exercise.
18. Explore History Together on a Museum Tour
Charlotte has over 46 museums, including the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown.
Ask your team members what they’d like to know more about and plan out a route that takes them through various museums. You can either book a guided tour or encourage team members to explore the museum in pairs or groups.
Next, gather the team at a nearby café or restaurant and ask them to share their favorite item, painting, or artifact, along with what they’ve learned. This activity encourages cultural conversations, art appreciation, and open discussion among team members.
19. Start a Book Club
Who doesn’t love talking about the book they just read?
Ask your team members what their preferred book genre is. If the team can’t agree on one, write several genres on pieces of paper and draw one at random to choose the winner.
Assign a short, 100 to 200-page book for the team to read on the weekends or during their break. Just make sure it’s something they’ve never read before.
At the end of every month, host a book club meeting where team members discuss their opinions of the book they just read. Who was their favorite character? Were they satisfied with the ending, and if they weren’t, why? What would they change in the plot, if given the chance?
20. Practice Meditation at the Khali Yoga Center
Meditation and yoga come with a lot of proven benefits. They not only lower your blood pressure but also calm the mind and body.
High-stress workplaces can particularly benefit from yoga sessions, and Khali Yoga Center is the best place to start. The instructors are welcoming and knowledgeable, guiding participants through their movements.
Best of all, it’s a technology-free zone. In an age where we are constantly connected, disconnecting for a few hours can be incredibly refreshing and rejuvenating.
