Team building activities are often an important part of a company conference. Upper management will tell you that team building can truly highlight leadership skills, inspire creativity and encourage collaboration. Yet finding a team building activity that everyone will enjoy is no easy task. In fact, many meeting planners say the team building challenge begins long before the group even arrives on site. Coming up with a unique experience that groups can get excited about can be a challenge in and of itself.

So where can a meeting planner turn for a fun team building activity, one that is not only engaging but showcases the destination and possibly addresses CSR?

May we proudly suggest Newport Beach, CA. This little slice of California’s chic, beach paradise offers an abundance of team building challenges! Most activities incorporate the natural beauty of the area including Newport Harbor, the largest recreational harbor in the United States.

Here’s a sampling of on-the-water team building events that are certain to wow any group:

Uniquely Newport Beach team building activities

Duffy Boat Scavenger Hunt – These quiet, comfortable electric boats seat up to 10 passengers, have a built in stereo system and easily glide through the harbor. The scavenger hunt takes place as clues are placed in a tennis ball and tossed into the water. Teams must race to the clues and then begin the journey to various points of interest along the harbor (including restaurants) collecting items, which are then packaged and donated to a local food bank or shelter thus incorporating a CSR component. Or if your group prefers a bit of friendly competition, they’ll race through the harbor gathering items and taking crazy photos at local landmarks in true scavenger hunt style.

Team building aboard luxury yachts

Just about any team building activity that can be done in a ballroom can also done on the water aboard one of Newport Beach’s private luxury yachts.

Hornblower Cruises – Hornblower offers three team building experiences perfectly suited for a harbor cruise, including a wine-blending workshop, a blind wine tasting competition and a salsa cook-off challenge.

Pacific Avalon Yachts – Pacific Avalon provides team building challenges that can easily be enjoyed on any of their luxury yachts. Groups can choose to face the Sharks in a twist on the hit TV show Shark Tank, or attempt to solve a classic murder mystery, or giveback to the community with the CSR activity – Team Care Bear.

Active team building challenges on the water

Sailing Regatta – While sailing regattas are not new team building adventures they do require the combination of mental and physical skills and as such fosters pure collaboration. What better way to work together toward a common goal then amongst the gorgeous backdrop of Newport Beach. Dotted by seven islands, Newport Harbor is home to luxurious yachts, magnificent residences – many of them belonging to celebrities and fantastic restaurants. A sailing regatta in this harbor truly reveals several high points of the destination.

Kayaking – Kayaking can be an exhilarating team building challenge or simply a friendly competition amongst coworkers. Newport Beach offers two areas perfect for kayaking, whether your group chooses an invigorating race or a relaxed rivalry. Kayaking team challenges are offered in Newport Harbor or in the Upper Back Bay Estuary. The Back Bay as locals often refer to it, is a natural estuary surrounded by coastal bluffs and alive with wildlife.

Outrigger canoeing – Like kayaking, outrigger canoeing can be an extremely adventurous and competitive team building activity or a fun, easy race that incorporates both mental and physical challenges along the way. No matter which experience your group prefers, outrigger team building can also take place in either Newport Harbor or the Upper Back Bay.

With the wide variety of activities and gorgeous setting of Newport Beach, meeting planners are certain to find creative and fun team building challenges perfect for their clients. For more information about Newport Beach or for help with accommodations contact Visit Newport Beach, Inc.