Summer Event Scrapbook: Fun Ideas for Memorable Offsites
Planning
Summer Event Scrapbook: Fun Ideas for Memorable Offsites
BoomPop Team · 4/15/2025Make the most of the summer season with creative ideas perfect for company team-building events and unforgettable summer offsites.
The energizing feel of the summer season offers a fantastic backdrop for corporate retreats and events. The longer days, warmer weather, and generally more relaxed atmosphere create the perfect opportunity to connect with your team in fun and engaging ways.
Summer Corporate Event Planning Tips
Yes, it’s already time to start planning your summer events! Seasonality is key when planning for this season, so keep these tips in mind:
Avoid peak travel hotspots
Book early to avoid surge pricing on flights and popular venues
Consider midweek events to avoid summer weekend travel rate hikes
Be strategic about location selection to make the most of the outdoors
Select dates well in advance to avoid conflicts with personal vacations
Generally, avoid booking events and travel across long weekends or peak holiday travel times
Make the most of the summertime vibes and schedule in some time for fun!
Inspiring Summer Company Event Ideas
With these tips in mind, let's dive into some fun ideas for memorable summertime company events that leverage the best of the season!
Summer in the City
Indulge in buzzy city summers with dazzling displays and delicious treats. Make the most of the urban experience by combining city spectacles and events with diverse food and drink options to create a memorable summer experience.
Where to Find Urban Summer Fun:
Fireworks & Rooftops: Catch spectacular summer fireworks in cities like Chicago, IL, where displays aren’t just for the Fourth of July. Check local event schedules for displays and explore rooftop bars with city views to take in the sights.
Summer Festivals: Get into the summer spirit at city-wide events like Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI. Cities like Columbus, OH, also host events all summer long, ranging from arts and book festivals to state fairs.
Food & Cocktail Trucks: Enhance your summer company events with diverse and delicious options from bustling food truck scenes found in cities nationwide, like Austin, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and Denver, CO.
Pro Tip: Working with an expert event planner can help you navigate the ins and outs of peak event travel times for urban retreats and corporate events. If you want your team to experience a summer festival or fair as a part of your itinerary, consider midweek travel and attendance, and build that into your itinerary. If you want to avoid the crowds during festivals and summer tourism events, select your location and timing strategically around them! It’s all about being informed ahead of time so you can maximize the experiences you want out of your summer events!
Unique Beachside Experiences
For a refreshing change of pace, steer clear of the most popular and packed oceanfronts full of vacationing families. Lakeside retreats and quieter coastal stretches offer unique beachside experiences perfect for team connection.
Off the Beaten Path Beach Experiences:
Lakes: Explore the Finger Lakes region of New York, offering beautiful scenery and calm waters perfect for canoeing or lakeside gatherings. With their numerous inland lakes, Michigan and Wisconsin also have lots of opportunities for relaxing beach days. Venues like Cedar Lakes Estate offer fun canoe bars and other unique lakeside activities.
Less Competitive Beaches: As families flock to vacation on coastal beaches, especially on the East Coast, consider stretches of the Pacific Northwest outside major tourist hubs or the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a different beach vibe.
Memorable Bonfires & Campfires
Ignite connection and conversation as the sun dips below the horizon. Bonfires and campfires offer a cozy and memorable centerpiece for any summer offsite.
Prime Spots for Summer Bonfires Under the Stars:
Nature-Focused Retreats: Many retreat venues in mountainous regions, forested areas, or near lakes across the US will have designated bonfire areas available for group gatherings. Consider venues like Urban Cowboy in the Catskill Mountains, NY, or Lucky Arrow Retreats in Dripping Springs, TX.
Designated Beach Fire Pits: Beaches with designated fire pits, like those in San Diego, CA, Cape Cod, MA, and Long Island, NY, make setting up a cozy bonfire night a breeze.
Pro Tip: Working with a dedicated planning service like BoomPop can help you avoid headaches around permitting and set-up/break-down—we’ll handle everything from booking vendors to creating an itinerary that follows local rules.
Company Summer Camps
Tap into nostalgic fun with a grown-up twist! Company summer camps and retreats offer a unique blend of outdoor adventure and playful activities.
Great Locations for Grown-Up Summer Camps:
Glamping Venues: Glamping sites across the country, like AutoCamp and Collective Retreats, offer a blend of outdoor adventure and comfortable accommodations, often with activity options that bring out a summer camp spirit.
Retreat Locations with Outdoor Facilities: Look for retreat venues in natural settings that have amenities like sports fields, lakes for swimming and canoeing, and communal gathering spaces.
Related: Check out Moxie’s epic summer camp retreat to get inspired
Clambakes & Summertime Feasts
Treat your team to a taste of the coast with a lively and interactive clambake. This summer classic is more than just a meal, it’s an experience that’s perfect for fostering camaraderie.
Where to Find Seaside Summer Feasts:
Coastal New England: Cape Cod, Provincetown, and Chatham, MA, along with other coastal areas in the region are well-known for their clambake catering services and beachside locations.
Mid-Atlantic Coast: Areas along the New Jersey and Maryland shorelines also have vendors that specialize in organizing clambakes.
Pro Tip: Consider partnering with local catering companies in nearby towns to ensure the meal is a seamless, enjoyable experience for everyone on your team.
Picnics, BBQs & Outdoor Dinners
Embrace the simple joys of the summer season with an outdoor gathering. Scenic parks, charming vineyards, and relaxed beaches provide the perfect backdrop for team connection over delicious food.
Ideal Spots for Al Fresco Dining:
Parks Everywhere: Most cities and towns across the US have beautiful parks perfect for picnics and BBQs. Consider Central Park in New York City, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, or the numerous parks in Denver, CO.
Vineyards: Vineyards across the country in places like Napa Valley, CA; Willamette Valley, OR; or the Finger Lakes, NY, offer stunning outdoor spaces for catered scenic dinners.
Beaches: Less crowded beaches or designated picnic areas near lakes or quieter coastal spots can be ideal for a refreshing outdoor dining experience.
Curated Picnics: Companies like Little Palm Picnic Co. (and similar companies nationwide) specialize in creating beautifully styled and catered picnic experiences in various locations.
Pro Tip: Combine your picnic or BBQ with a team field day (below) for a nostalgic summer experience!
Company Field Days & Lawn Games
Get your team moving and laughing with a fun-filled day outdoors. A company field day offers a relaxed and engaging way to build team spirit, full of team competitions, lawn games, food, and fun.
Where to Get Outside and Get Active:
Cities for Hosting a Field Day: Any open green space will do, but keep in mind that most cities require a permit to book park spaces for events. Cities like Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; and Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, have great access to green space with park systems and easy permitting.
Field Day Activity Ideas: Bring back childhood classics like the three-legged sack race, water balloon tosses, sack races, tug-of-war, and relay races to encourage teamwork and friendly competition.
Lawn Games: Lawn games like giant lawn chess, bocce ball, croquet, Kanjam, cornhole, giant Jenga, and ring toss are a great way to offer a mix of team, individual, and competitive activities for everyone to enjoy.
Picking the Perfect Summer Event Ideas for Your Team
With all the options that the summer brings, from vibrant city celebrations to relaxed lakeside retreats and nostalgic field days, you can create a summer offsite that plays off your team's unique interests and your company's culture. Think about the kind of lasting memories you want to create and let these ideas spark your imagination for an engaging and impactful experience. Against the backdrop of long, sunny days, warm weather, and the buzz of summer spirit, you really can’t go wrong.
Ready to experience summer with your team? Get in touch with BoomPop to create an unforgettable sense of summer spirit at your next team retreat.
