When you’re spending the majority of your time at work, company-wide mixers can feel like OT — precious hours that you’d rather spend unwinding and disconnecting at home. But the thing is, team building experiences that happen outside of the workplace can make your days at the office 100x more rewarding and enjoyable after you truly get to know your colleagues on a deeper level.
Instead of relying on the typical after-work drinks at the dive bar down the street, we’ve rounded up a list of fun and unconventional corporate team building ideas in Los Angeles for adults that you and your co-workers will genuinely enjoy. From blowing off some steam during a day of axe throwing to settling in for an outdoor movie screening, there’s something fun for everyone on your team.
1. Let off some steam at a rage room
Nothing brings a team together more than commiserating about workplace woes, so why not let out all your pent-up annoyance together at a rage room? Bash glass while you scream about limited vacation! Break wooden chairs as you vent about that pointless meeting! Slash a car’s tires as you complain about deadlines! Chances are you and your co-workers will have an unbeatable bond after raging against the powers that be. There are a handful of rage rooms to choose from in Los Angeles, but we highly recommend Break Room LA in the Valley, where you can choose from getting a rage room, axe throwing, paint splashing and even destroying an old vehicle. Time to let it all out.
📍Location: The Valley • 6473 Van Nuys Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91411
🎫 Reservations: Reserve your spot at Break Room here
2. Rent a karaoke room in Koreatown
There’s a sacred bond that’s formed when you realize — late into the karaoke night once the room has loosened and the usual hits have been butchered — that a fellow co-worker not only knows every single line to channel ORANGE but also emphasizes the exact lyric that, you too, agonize over. This is the beauty of the team-wide karaoke night.
Let down your guard and show off your vulnerable side (and your hidden vocal talents) at our Koreatown favorite, Gaam Karaoke, where you can get a private room for your group. Or if you’re feeling more brazen, Cafe Brass Monkey is our top choice for belting out in public — the song selection is extensive and the crowd is always ready to sing along.
📍 Locations: Koreatown
- Brass Monkey: 3440 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
- Gaam Karaoke: 3309 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
3. Try your hand at axe-throwing
Axe throwing is one of the fastest-growing entertainment trends right now, providing a unique alternative to your typical team building experience. Los Angeles boasts a variety of axe throwing venues perfect for groups, including AxeVentures in Hollywood, Hatchet Hound in several breweries, and Bad Axe in Long Beach. These locations and many others offer distinct experiences and price points around $35 per person for an hour.
📍 Locations:
- Axeventures: Hollywood, 1250 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90038
- Hatchet Hound: Arts District • Arts District Brewing Company, 828 Traction Ave. LA, CA 90013
- And more
4. Watch a classic film at an outdoor movie screening
Summer in Los Angeles means its outdoor movie screening season. This is an easy and low-stress team outing that everyone will love and that takes minimal planning. Whether you choose one of the legendary Street Food Cinema screenings or opt for a rooftop movie night, there are plenty of screenings to choose from. Pick 3-5 movies from our guide and have your team vote for their favorite one!
🍿Learn more: Pick the perfect flick with our Outdoor Movie Screening Guide!
5. Catch a comedy show at The Groundlings Theatre
Laughter really is the best medicine. There’s no better way to shake off your “work persona” and really get to know your coworkers than by laughing up a storm at a local comedy club. The Groundlings — whose alumni includes Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Wiig, Kathy Griffin, Will Ferrell and Jennifer Coolidge, among countless others — is home to some of the city’s most hilarious shows.
📍Location: 7307 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
🎫 Reservations: Book your tickets to a show at The Groundlings here!
6. Enjoy some friendly competition with a game of mini golf
The Los Angeles mini golf scene offers a delightful mix of fun, challenge, and creativity for all types of groups. Putt your way through whimsical themes at Sherman Oaks Castle Park with its trio of themed 18-hole courses, Boomers Los Angeles with race-themed courses, and Golf ‘N Stuff in Norwalk featuring magical scenarios like the Mystic Castle. Each location offers additional attractions like arcades, go-karts, and dining options, ensuring a fun-filled experience for everyone.
📍 Locations:
- Sherman Oaks Castle Park: 4989 Sepulveda Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
- Boomers Los Angeles: 17871 Castleton St, City of Industry, CA 91748
- And more
7. Go Bowling at XLanes
Keep it classic with a few rounds of bowling at one of the liveliest bowling alleys in town: XLanes. Located on the third floor of the Little Tokyo Galleria, this 50,000 square-foot venue has it all: bowling, a bar, karaoke, an arcade, and billiards. They specialize in group events, so rest assured that your team will be taken care of.
📍Location: Arts District, 333 Alameda St #300, Los Angeles, CA 90013
🎫 Reservations: Reserve your spot at XLanes!
8. Get lost in an escape room
Escape rooms have become the defacto team outing for countless businesses, and for good reason. It’s the perfect mix of fun, mystery, intensity, collaboration and good-hearted competition to get your heart pumping and your mind racing. Los Angeles has a long list of escape rooms to try out, and while we’ve yet to visit them all, we do recommend Escape Room L.A. in Downtown Los Angeles. They offer two different themed rooms — Atlantis and The Pyramid — that are both expertly crafted.
📍Location: Downtown Los Angeles, 120 E. 8th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014
🎫 Reservations: Reserve your room at Escape Room LA
9. Sit back and relax at Jazz at LACMA
Celebrate the end of the week and soak up some soulful jazz with your colleagues one Friday evening at Jazz at LACMA. These concerts host some of the city’s finest jazz musicians, and they’re absolutely free! They run from 6 – 8 p.m. every Friday night from April to November right in front of the iconic Urban Lights sculpture. Take advantage and make this a team-wide monthly outing until the series closes out for the season.
📍 Location: Miracle Mile, 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
🎫 Price: Free
10. Get creative at a pottery class
Let your team’s creativity shine at a team-wide pottery class. There’s countless studios across the city that readily host large groups for private wheel throwing sessions or hand-building workshops. It’s the perfect low-stress environment to help your team loosen up and tap into their inner artist.
11. Fight your coworkers at a paintball field
Few things bring people together more than sharing an intense battle. If you’re looking to foster collaboration among employees, a great idea is to spend an afternoon shooting paint at one of the many paintball fields around the city. It’s perfect for putting tactics into practice and bringing out the competitive spirit.
Written by Andrea Alonso and Jamie Ferrell