Outdoor Adventures and In-Person Team Building Activities
In-person, outdoor scavenger hunts are back! After a most unusual year, outdoor hunts have returned all around the country and, a few safety precautions notwithstanding, they’re just as fun as you remember them.
Now for a peek behind the scenes. Whenever we haven’t run a certain scavenger hunt in a while, we go test out the hunt ourselves to make sure all the interesting visual clues are still there and that our questions still work. Considering it’s been a whole year, that means getting out there and checking every outdoor scavenger hunt we’ve got! Since we’re so excited about the return of in-person adventures, we wanted to share some of our thoughts and some of the highlights from a few of the outdoor games we’ve taken a look at in recent weeks.
Boston
History and adventure march right along on the Secrets of Old Boston Scavenger Hunt: “The Faneuil Hall Visitor Center may be closed, but a neighborhood so full of history still has something to offer around every corner. After all, Quincy Market opened in 1826 and has survived more than one pandemic! You can raise a glass like statue star Sam Adams at ye olde Union Oyster House’s appropriately colonial outdoor seating before you frolic down the Freedom Trail.” —Marysa Angelli, Boston Coordinator
Chicago’s Loop
Hunters will have fun before, during, and after the Secrets of the Loop Scavenger Hunt: “Downtown Chicago is as beautiful as ever! Lots of people are out and about, the tulips have bloomed on the Magnificent Mile, and shopping is open. And more restaurants have outdoor dining now, so lunch on a patio should be easy to find!” —Valerie Querns, Hunt Host & Chicago Coordinator
Near NYC: Rye and Stamford
Both short trips from New York City, the Hooray for Rye Scavenger Hunt: and the Stamford Scramble Scavenger Hunt are lovely: “Downtown Rye is as charming as ever. In fact, walking among the shops and restaurants of Purchase Street, you’d hardly know there had been a you-know-what (rhymes with ‘canblemic’) at all. And if you haven’t stopped by Stamford, Connecticut, in a while, you’ll be delighted to see the refurbished Veterans Memorial Square looking good as new.” —Ryan Greene, Senior Editor
Governors Island
The Secrets of Governors Island Scavenger Hunt is ready: “It was great to be back at Manhattan’s little island getaway. The ride over—on a shiny new ferry, no less—was a breath of fresh air, visitors were excited to stretch their legs with plenty of space to spread out, and the new art installations were weird and cool. The open-air bar Island Oyster is worth a stop before hitching a ride back to the city. The only bummer is that Castle Williams remains shuttered, but there’s plenty to see and do on the island as it is.” —Ryan Greene, Senior Editor
Los Angeles
Arranging a Downtown Los Angeles scavenger hunt is a good chance to see the sights before the tourists return in force: “The spacious, open-air Pershing Square boasts a renovated kids play area and a shiny new skyscraper near the Biltmore Hotel. Grand Central Market reliably teems with (neon) visual and taste delights, as it has for a hundred years. New artisan food stalls complement the wine and beer corners, from DTLA Cheese to BBQ and Thai food. Broadway and the Jewelry District offer historical window shopping free of crowds to get your post-Zoom steps on.” —Joshua M. Bott, Hunt Host & Los Angeles Coordinator
The Lower East Side
Preparing our hunt on the Lower East Side of Manhattan: “One great thing is that work has been completed on some perpetually under-construction spots (or that’s how it felt, anyway). Seward Park is fully open and thriving, and most of the old Jarmulowsky Bank Building is finally free its eyesore scaffolding. And a delicious newer addition to the neighborhood, besides pretty much everything in the new Essex Street Market, is Diller. This 100% kosher spin-off of The Pickle Guys next door bills itself as the fried-pickle expert.” —Ryan Greene, Senior Editor
Santa Monica
It’s our pleasure to welcome you back to the Santa Monica Pier Pressure Hunt: “Been jonesing for some ocean spray and miles of Pacific Ocean views from Palisades Park? Santa Monica is back with beach beauty (and weather) for summer. The Pier is bustling with buskers, funnel cakes, and a Ferris wheel to lift your spirits. Beachfront photo ops and new pop-murals invite you to join a free-spirited run before or after stopping at one of the many sunny, sunset-facing patios.” —Joshua M. Bott, Hunt Host & Los Angeles Coordinator
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Lead photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash