12 Fun Team Building Activities in NYC for 2025
Finding fun and engaging activities in NYC that aren’t tourist traps can be quite a hassle. The thing about New York City is that there’s an almost overwhelming amount of offerings on any given day, some worth the money, and some not quite. In this post we’re going to detail twelve of the best large group activities in New York, so you and your group can take a proper bite out of the Big Apple.
Try it all, savory and sweet, with an outing with Sidewalk Food Tours of New York City
Speaking of taking bites, topping our list of activities is the Sidewalk Food Tour. How diverse are the cuisines in one of the largest cities in America? How do food trucks compare from street to street? Is New York thin crust really better than Chicago deep dish? (Yes) These questions and more can be answered by joining the Sidewalk Food Tours on their excursions.
Combine history, culture, and good eats as you choose from several different food tour experiences, whether you prefer food trucks, landmark establishments, or even a cocktail tour inspired by Mad Men. Learn more about these flexible tours here.
Choose between a Cooking Class, Cooking Competition, or Iron Chef-Style Game!
Alternatively, you and your group can choose the other side of eating by joining Sidewalk for their interactive cooking classes. You and your group will prepare your own mouth-watering meal, assisted by James Beard award winning Chef Rob Ritchie.
You can even turn up the heat in class as high as your group desires. The experience can be a simple cooking class or an all-out cooking competition (either standard style or iron-chef style). Act out your own private version of an episode of your group’s favorite cooking show.
Click here to learn more about Sidewalk’s Team Building Cooking Classes.
3. Group Trivia
Does your group have a bit of competitiveness? Is someone in your group a bit of a know it all? Why not weaponize that for fun and glory on a trivia night? Challenge yourselves when it comes to both speed and accuracy in solving questions. New York has many trivia events available, from general ones to themed ones such as The Simpsons or Game of Thrones trivia.
Can you make it out?
4. Escape Room
For another group activity that involves puzzle solving and answering questions, you can’t go wrong with an escape room. Trapped in themed sets designed to titillate as well as confound, you and your group can work to unravel the mysteries, gather all the pieces and keys, and slowly solve your way to freedom.
Bowling is great for all weather!
5. Bowling
Split into teams to divide and conquer through a true American classic. New York City has plenty of bowling venues that will allow you to customize your experience, including hours of catered bowling, drinks, and shared platters of food.
Sing your lungs out!
6. Karaoke
There’s nothing wrong with an old song and dance in our books. Karaoke allows you and your group to kick back, relax, and belt out (awfully) to some classic songs. The New York landscape allows you to remix your experience, because you can go to locations such as Koreatown or Baby Grand to get an outright specialized Karaoke experience.
Catch a nighttime performance or a matinee!
7. Broadway
Hamilton! Wicked! Hadestown! Catch all the hits in their natural habitat, so to speak. If your group is even a little bit theater–inclined, you won’t want to miss your first authentic New York Broadway experience.
Play “tourist” whether on a work trip or in your hometown!
8. Wine Tasting
Even if your group of friends are more the beer-drinking kind of folk, do they really want to miss out on opportunities to swish a glass of wine around and take a sip, pinky up? Jokes aside, taking your group winetasting is an excellent chance for them to try out some new wine ports and add some new flavors to their collection.
This is so much fun with groups!
9. Mini golf (Indoors or outdoors)
New York has elaborate, themed mini golf sets for you to enjoy 9-hole, 18-hole, or 27-hole courses. Whether that means tackling a pirate themed set or a neon dreamscape, New York mini golf often makes for an unforgettable experience.
An axe on the bullseye of a wood target
10. Axe throwing
Let us axe you a question: have you ever gone axe throwing? Because New York has many atmospheric axe throwing venues for you and your group to have a blast. It’s all safe, and several venues will even let you customize the experience to focus on either training or friendly competition. Just make sure no one in the group has an axe to grind with the others.
Gift it or take it home with you!
11. Candle Making
Let your group channel their inner auteurs as you all craft candles with your desired colors, scents, and textures. Learn all about the candle making process in a guided session. Here’s a fun idea: organize this activity towards the end of the trip, so people can design candles that’ll transport them right back to the Big Apple in the future.
Candy candy candy!
12. Candy Making
This is even better than candle making, since here you can eat what you make. New York hosts several guided candy making workshops, equipping guests with easy-to-follow craft kits to create delicious confections your inner child will turn green with envy about.
Ultimately, a large group trip to NYC can be anything – so there’s no reason to settle for it being unoriginal. Mix and match activities from free to paid and make sure your time in New York is something your group will remember for the rest of your lives.