25 Best Team-Building Activities To Do in Santa Barbara for 2024

Survey Says is a game show event provided by Team Building Nation and that is modeled after the classic TV show. Survey Says is one of the most popular, interactive team building activities, and it uses real game show visuals and sound effects. This game show follows a “Feud” format and it features an entertaining host and survey-style questions. Get ready for some friendly competition!

Clay Studio is a creative hub for the Santa Barbara arts community and renowned internationally as a destination for all who are passionate about the ceramic arts. Clay Studio offers a Team-Building event in the foothills of Santa Barbara. Working with clay is relaxing and provides a creative break from a busy work week. Use hand-building techniques taught by an instructor, or get a lesson on the pottery wheel: You choose!

Visit the best swimming spots in Santa Barbara! Head to Butterfly Beach, a local hotspot, or choose Montecito Hot Springs, for a more private experience. Swim in the Seven Falls, one of Santa Barbara’s most popular swimming holes, explore Gaviota Hot Springs, and finish your day at Arroyo Burro Beach, located in the Douglas Family Preserve.

Book a tasting room and get ready for yet another exciting team bonding activity! Rock 12 Distillery is the first farm distillery in Santa Barbara County. Featuring an 11-acre orchard and farm, Rock 12 Distillery is the ideal spot for a private tasting or corporate team building event where you can enjoy a truly unique experience.

Elevate your team outing with an exciting surfing lesson! Group surf lessons packages at Santa Barbara Surf School are a great option. Surfing with coworkers is guaranteed fun and a fantastic way to bond with your staff. Overcome challenges together while you learn a new skill!

Discover Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone and immerse your team in art galleries, museums, craft shows, and studios! This is where the city’s crème de la crème art scene is happening! From Kelly Clause Art and Helena Mason Art Gallery to Colorfield Arts Studio and MOXI, there’s something for everyone! The Funk Zone is also a prime spot for restaurants and retail, so it’s definitely a must-see!

Join your adventurous crew and experience the most popular mountain biking trails near Santa Barbara with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions. Top-ranked mountain biking trails include: Inspiration Point and Jesuita Trail - both located in Los Padres National Forest -, Arroyo Burro Beach Loop - which is located in the Douglas Family Preserve-, and San Antonio Creek Trail.

From rugged coastlines to vast landscapes, California is one of the most biologically rich locations in the United States! Don’t miss the chance to explore the state’s diversity and biological wealth at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. California boasts 6,500 varieties of native plants, across an array of habitats. Get familiar with some of them during your day-trip.

The House of Clues offers the #1 Escape Room experience in Santa Barbara. Featuring multiple rooms, it is located in downtown Santa Barbara and it’s known for its private games and challenging puzzles. Discover multiple escape rooms, including The Castle, Grandma’s Attic, Alcatraz, and Museum.

Volunteer with your team and participate in a beach cleanup with Heal The Ocean. Their mission is to keep pollution from reaching the ocean. This activity can be done alone or with your corporate crew! Throughout the day, you’ll be looking out for litter as well as microplastics and other materials that don’t belong on the beach. You’ll collect and dispose of the trash in the appropriate bin.

MOXI Museum will change your perspective about nearly everything! Leave your expectations about exhibits at the door and get ready to discover and engage in a new way at MOXI. Head to three floors filled with interactive experiences in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Permanent exhibits include: Tech Track, Speed Track, Sky Garden, Light Track, Interactive Media Track, and Fantastic Forces Courtyard.

Explore Douglas Family Preserve, featuring 68.35 acres of land. This large open-space area sits above Arroyo Burro Beach and is home to various walking trails and scenic ocean views! Lined with Monterey pine and cypress, the bluffs are a fantastic place for whale and dolphin watching. The preserve also embraces five ecosystems to explore: southern oak woodland, coastal bluff scrub, coastal sage scrub, riparian and grassland.

Santa Barbara Adventure Company has everything your team needs for a thrilling day out! The High Ropes Course is one of the most exciting and inspirational programs. Supported by harnesses and ropes, participants climb high on ropes, cables and planks. This is a stand-out activity that promotes active experimentation, reflection, and application of skills, making it a fantastic team bonding experience!

Experience the beauty of Channel Islands National Park on this Adventure SeaCaves Kayak Tour at Scorpion Anchorage. On this tour, your team will go through one hour of preparation to embark on a 2.5-3 hour journey exploring the natural wonders of this area. With more sea cave kayaking opportunities than any other part of the park, this is the top destination for your kayak tour!

The Condor Express in Santa Barbara has been creating whale watching experiences for over 35 years! Gather your squad and come aboard for the adventure of a lifetime! This premiere charter boat has a capacity of 127 people. Choose the private tour aboard a private charter, or choose the regular 4.5-hour tour where Humpbacks, Blues, Fins, and Minkes await you. If you don’t see whales, you’ll come back (for free!) another day!

HEAT Culinary offers interactive team-building cooking classes. In these classes, business colleagues are expected to work together to create a delicious, full-course, family meal. Get competitive with your teammates and taste the results at the end! This is an engaging, fun-filled experience for cooks of every skill level!

Welcome to the Olive Hill Farm tasting room, where your team is invited to embark on a culinary journey of flavors and aromas. The $10 tasting includes bread and 6 choices from Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Infused Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars. This is an activity your team will love, as it is something most participants have never tried before!

Head to a secluded Santa Barbara beach and prepare for a unique experience with your team! Santa Barbara Beach Rides takes care of it all! All you have to do is enjoy the invigorating thrill of a horseback ride in this acclaimed private 90-minute excursion. Choose from two options - the Beach Ride and Coastal Bluffs Ride. We promise you won’t regret it!

Enjoy a full day in wine country on this award-winning tour! With a shuttle picking you up from your hotel or private accommodations in Santa Barbara or Santa Ynez Valley, your team is in for a comfortable wine tour! All wine tasting fees and a delicious locally-sourced lunch and cold beverages are included in the package!

Taste beers like a local on this energetic and educational walking tasting tour! Totally Calli Tours chose the best local breweries for this tour, including three craft breweries and the option to add lunch featuring fresh California cuisine. Join your crew and learn about the history of each brewery, as well as some historical facts about the city. Explore the coolest downtown hotspots, like the Funk Zone, and the State Street scene.

The Santa Barbara Harbor is your team’s launching pad for sailing the Santa Barbara coastline. Venture beyond to the Santa Barbara Channel and around the Channel Islands National Park! With Santa Barbara Sailing Center, you can choose to learn basic sailing skills inside the harbor with a local instructor. Or, consider chartering a sailboat with a captain for your private group with SunSwept Sailing.

Join your team and solve 22 puzzles and challenges as you embark on a scavenger hunt in Santa Barbara. This guided tour of historic Downtown Santa Barbara, provided by Scavenger Hunt Walking Tours, will take you to historic buildings, iconic artwork, and some hidden gems of this jewel of the Riviera of California. Points of interest include Janssens-Orella Adobe, Bustling State Street, and De La Guerra Plaza.

Taste Santa Barbara Food Tours offers delightful private experiences for small and large groups, where it’s all about food & wine! Walk, eat, drink, and learn as you discover the city’s local daytime culinary gems. Expert guides will lead you to the best places and share insights along the way.

Welcome to Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling and prepare to discover the iconic landscapes of the Wine Country on this cycling tour! This region is home to over 40 world-renowned American Viticulture Areas. The Farm-to-Table experience has been a staple in the Santa Ynez Valley for decades so in this tour, great cycling is combined with a delicious culinary experience with vineyard views.

Head to Santa Barbara Sailing Center and rent a stand-up paddle board for a fun-filled day with your team. This is a very intuitive sport that welcomes all-skill levels. You can launch directly from the docks to explore the Santa Barbara Harbor, Stearns Wharf, West Beach, and beyond. Head to Sandspit, circle the sea lions, or check out the famous Santa Barbara Wharf!