Newest Colorado Team Building Events and Activities

By Beth Buehler

Colorado is a natural place for bringing together people for an executive retreat, incentive trip, sales team meeting or association conference. Instead of making it a gathering where people just show up and go through the motions, why not have some fun and build lasting relationships in the process?

Here are some longtime favorites along with the newest Colorado team-building events and activities to consider. Also check in with destination management companies and the hotels and resorts you are considering as venues for a wealth of options with a local focus.

Everything in One Place

If you prefer having lodging, meeting space and team-building activities all in one place, the two locations of YMCA of the Rockies are the perfect solution. The year-round Estes Park Center in Estes Park and Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby offer a selection of cabins, lodge rooms, yurts and campground to fit a wide range of tastes and budgets.

It’s hard to find properties in Colorado that have as many activity options as YMCA of the Rockies, many that are available without extra charge. At Snow Mountain Ranch, tie together Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, skijouring and snow tubing for your own version of the Winter Olympics. For unique fair-weather team-building options, Estes Park Center can offer a combination of astronomy, ax throwing, archery photography, yoga, sand volleyball, roller skating and more. Staff can help you select and implement the right mix.

Overall, YMCA of the Rockies hosts more than 800 family reunions and 1,200 conferences annually, with Estes Park Center able to host just over 5,000 guests and Snow Mountain Ranch available for up to 1,600.

For meetings in Denver, attendees will love a golf experience at the 5,100-square-foot Local Drive that is entertaining for all skill levels and doesn’t require leaving the downtown area. The golf lounge and cocktail bar is in the RiNo Art District and has five state-of-the-art Trackman golf simulators, allowing guests to play fun games and try out one of more than 275 golf courses around the world. For the ultimate in team building, book Local Drive’s PGA pro Michael Pittelli for lessons.

Before hitting the links, you may need to get some business done, so consider Local Drive’s 2,400-square-foot event center that holds a maximum of 250. Or book the indoor/outdoor rooftop venue that holds 90 guests and includes an 18-person boardroom.

Mobile Options

Shifting gears to team building with a cultural twist, Elevated Art Experience in Colorado Springs brings immersive art activities to you—whether it is a group of three or more than 350—and offers classes at The Broadmoor. Owner and artist Teri Adams-Fjellman stands firm in the belief that art can open lines of inspiration for problem solving and that everyone has the inherent ability to create—they just may need a little guidance. As a result, she offers workshops to create western-inspired pendants, silk scarves and neckties, Colorado-themed paintings, reusable totes, tennis shoes and more. Or book ActiviTEA for a mid-morning team-building break or an afternoon rejuvenation that involves learning the customs behind tea, sampling, and decorating a mug.

Another mobile option is Denver-based Rent-A-Theme Entertainment (R.A.T.E.) that provides immersive play experiences to generate optimism, empower teams and inspire focus, all while cultivating connections. Transform your meeting and event space with giant board games (e.g., chess boards, dominoes and Candyland), life-size Legos and more so breaks and receptions come to life with laughter.

The World Global version of life-size games represent cultures from around the world with mega-mancala boards from North Africa, Norwegian checkers and more. Meanwhile, the Blue Adventures Imagination Playground Building Blocks team-building kit encourages teams to create fantastical structures utilizing blue blocks of various sizes and shapes, whereas Golf N Games involves a portable miniature golf course and other game options such as miniature table tennis and box hockey.

Explore a Destination’s Culinary Scene

Based in Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Food Tours can customize its local excursions to have team-building twists and accommodate groups of up to 45 people. Something I haven’t run across before is a 60-minute Coffee & Culture Art Walk, which is an ideal morning pick-me-up. The three-hour Original Colorado Springs Food Tour works wells for an afternoon activity, while the Downtown Brewery & Bites and Cocktails & Canapes tours are both 2.5 hours and provide a delicious way to build camaraderie after the work is done.

Turnkey Team Building

Serving the meetings industry for over 30 years, Scotty O’Brien, owner of Interaction Denver and The TEAMBuilding Company, and his crew offer a menu of tried-and-true programs and custom experiences for 20 to 2,000.  The priority is plugging into groups’ program goals and themes and bringing people together for a purpose.

One option is immersive experiences in Colorado’s natural surroundings with camping excursions, snowmobile tours and whitewater rafting as possibilities. If healthy lifestyles are a focus, meditation, yoga, and a peaceful hike to an overlook might be the solution. Field games, ax throwing, cross-cut log sawing, and laser skeet shooting, which is one of the newest Colorado team-building events and activities, are sure to create conversation back at the office.

The Survival Challenge, Your Company Idol and Corporate Olympics are always favorites, or build corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives into the mix to ensure attendees walk away feeling it was time well spent with colleagues or other conference attendees. Computers 4 Kids, USO Military Family Give Back, artwork for charities, and bike, skateboard and beehive building are among the rewarding CSR options.

Tap into the wide range of options, including the newest Colorado team-building events and activities, for meaningful collaboration. These six businesses that are Destination Colorado Meetings members and many more in the Centennial State stand ready to assist and help make a difference.

Top Photo: Cabins and beautiful vistas at YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center. Courtesy YMCA of the Rockies.

Colorado native Beth Buehler has been editor of Colorado Meetings + Events magazine for 18 years, helped launch Mountain Meetings magazine, and is on the team introducing Southwest Meetings + Events. She has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado.