10 Awesome Team Outing Ideas in Washington DC

While it may seem like Washington, D.C. is all about politics, the city actually has plenty of other industries to keep the region thriving. So much so that D.C. is teeming with team-outing options to keep every type of business on point and working with a smile. But if you’re looking for team outing ideas in Washington, D.C., you may not know where to start. Well then, you’ve come to the right place! Our team outing ideas in Washington, DC, will revitalize your team members, whether you work in government or the private sector. If you want to head outdoors or escape the city for a while, give one of these outings a try.

Prefer more private surroundings? Then book a stylish and customizable Peerspace venue! As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, you can rest assured that Peerspace has hundreds of options in the greater D.C. area. Simply search our platform and see what speaks to you! You can book a historic meeting space, a modern loft, a rural cabin, and more. In fact, you can bring the team outing ideas we share ahead to your private venue or book a Peerspace as a post-outing hangout space. Either way, you can easily book a Peerspace venue that also offers catering, A/V equipment, and other extras. Perhaps you’ll even bring back new ideas and inspiration to the office!

Now, let’s get to our favorite team outing ideas in Washington, D.C.!

1. Book an unforgettable Peerspace

Combine your outing with a work retreat, or host a standalone event at a unique Peerspace location in Washington, DC. With hundreds of venues available from local hosts, Peerspace is your go-to online resource for unconventional locations. Sure, you can book perfectly chic and practical meeting spaces for all your team’s business needs. But Peerspace also has tons of venues that you and your team can enjoy as a place to kick back and celebrate time away from the office.

Rent one of these venues by the hour and create your own custom team outing ideas in Washington, DC:

• This historic lodge building near Capitol Hill (pictured above) that is DC’s oldest Masonic building with a projector, screens, audio equipment, breakout space, and seating
• This DC rooftop with expansive views, a pool, a barbecue grill, a kitchen, seating, valet parking, and views of the city
• This inspiring loft in the heart of Logan Circle with a conference table, monitors, a kitchen, a foosball table, and optional catering
• This traditional mansion in Upper Georgetown with vintage furnishings, a foyer, a reception room, a kitchen, a dining room, a library, a sunroom, and a patio
• This urban cidery with a spacious taproom and patio in Petworth that can provide a drinks package and catering for your team outing
• This modern historic lounge in Mount Vernon Triangle with a chic-industrial vibe, multiple seating areas, two 65″ TVs, a sound system, and a shuffleboard table

This is only a drop in the bucket of what’s available for your DC team outing through Peerspace. If you need help finding catering, bar staff, or A/V equipment, you can ask your venue’s helpful local host to help you out! Using a single platform to arrange all the details makes planning the goals and structure of your team outing much easier.

2. Visit the Smithsonian after hours

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has an impressive collection of ancient fossils, living butterflies, gems and minerals, and more. While their famous all-night sleepovers are only available to adults with kids, there are still options to enjoy the museum after hours with your team.

Host a dinner, retreat, or party in one of the Smithsonian’s venue spaces, which fit anywhere from 20 to 3,500 people. Or, be mindful of other Smithsonian museums’ after-hours events, including the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Freer/Sackler Museum.

3. Ride the Boomerang Pirate Ship

Head to the Georgetown Waterfront to board the Boomerang Pirate Ship, a 90-person vessel available for private rental. The ship has a full bar, and you can hire a DJ or caterer to keep your team well-fed and entertained. This is one of those fun team outing ideas in Washington, DC, for groups new to the city that want to get out onto the Potomac and enjoy the views! More of a landlubber? Boomerang also offers party buses and limo rentals that are equally fun and ideal for team outings in the city.

4. Take a group cooking class with Cookology

Cooking classes are a great way to get your team out of the office and work together in a fun and educational way. Whether you choose to collaborate or compete, Cookology culinary school can host teams of upwards of seven to 90 people. Cook in one of their two private kitchens in D.C., or join them virtually from your Peerspace venue.

Packages include food and drink, so after your cooking class, you’ll get to sit down and enjoy a meal together. Cookology also offers virtual classes, which your team may prefer for social distancing reasons or if they work remotely to begin with.

5. Volunteer with Common Good City Farm

Volunteer with the Common Good City Farm, an urban farm that hosts a variety of community agriculture projects. Corporate teams can partner up with the farm to help weed, compost, plant, and harvest the garden in groups of up to 15. This is one of our favorite team outing ideas in Washington, DC, if you want to get outdoors on a sunny day. Plus, in the process, you’ll learn about sustainable agriculture.

Common Good prefers to have ongoing relationships with small businesses and organizations. Make it a regular group event and help out on multiple occasions during the growing season.

6. Tackle the ropes course at Go Ape

Ziplines are a popular group outing for a reason. They add a bit of excitement to your routine and help build trust and connection among team members. The Go Ape Zip Line Park in Springfield, Virginia, offers a range of zip lines and treetop activities not far from DC. They feature custom packages designed for corporate teams that include two to three hours of adventure on the zipline course. There are also ground-based games, like axe throwing and gorilla golf, that you can also participate in. Combine these with some team-building exercises for a well-rounded day.

7. Go rafting on the Potomac with River Trail

Another option for an outdoor adventure is a rafting trip with River Trail. They host team-building tours that are a bit more complex than a typical whitewater rafting trip. In fact, they add in activities such as collecting loot, solving clues, and learning about historical and environmental issues. Make it a half-day outing or combine it with catering and other activities for an all-day trip.

8. Host a game night at Labyrinth Game Shop

If you’d rather do something a little more low-key, rent some tables at the Labyrinth Game Shop. Who doesn’t love the idea of a casual game night for the entire team? And with hundreds of games to choose from, you can gather in small groups to play the latest tabletop games. Their selection includes familiar favorites like Settlers of Catan to more recent games like Sushi Go!

You can also request their personal shopper to pick up games on your behalf based on your interests. Then, play these at your office or private Peerspace venue. This is a great team outing idea in Washington, DC, that doesn’t have to involve lots of alcohol or physical exertion.

9. Enjoy the arcade at Penn Social

Penn Social is a great option if you want to play games in more of a party environment. In addition to board games, they have foosball, giant Jenga, shuffleboard, ping-pong, and more. You can also dig into their delectable modern American pub food cuisine. This is an easy happy-hour outing. Alternatively, you can meet up for their weekly trivia night or rent a private room for a birthday party or executive function.

10. Play wine games at District Winery

Winery tours have a reputation for being pretentious at times, but District Winery knows how to make it fun. In fact, they offer team-building activities that include wine-tasting games. A blending session will teach you how to mix different varieties of wine together. And the “True Wine Detective” helps you learn how to guess the wine based on its smell, taste, and appearance.

Combine it with a catered dinner for a full schedule of fun and entertainment for the night. You can also enjoy their at-home tasting kits and veg out with delicious wine and your team at a private Peerspace venue!

Bonus: Pedal crawl Arlington in style with Pedal Saloon

Pedal Saloon offers you and your team the opportunity to combine several awesome team outing ideas in one go: physical activity, sightseeing, and drinking. Start by meeting up at your local Arlington Pedal Saloon. Then, hop on the pedal-powered conveyance and snack and drink while you roam the streets. It’s a pub crawl on wheels led by a fun and informative guide who will show you all the sights and must-visit stops in Arlington.

Team outing ideas in Washington DC are better with Peerspace

Finding great team outing ideas in Washington, DC, doesn’t have to be difficult. DC has some of the country’s best museums, a vibrant culinary scene, and plenty of outdoor activities on the Potomac River. Therefore, it is an especially great city for teams! Book one of these activities as a standalone outing, or rent a venue on Peerspace to create your own full-day retreat or corporate celebration.

And remember, your venue’s host is always at hand to help you gather any extras you need to complete your team outing. With the right mix of food and entertainment, these options can work for groups of any size.

Find a unique event space in Washington, DC, on Peerspace