Awesome activities in and around New York City?

June 19, 2013 9:10 AM

I'm lucky enough to work for a company that sponsors occasional off-site activities for team building. We get to go anywhere and do anything we want together, self organized, within a reasonable budget. We're (mostly) 20- and 30-something males. I'm looking for more awesome things to do in Manhattan, or within an hour or two's drive (i.e. chartered bus). Within one day or possibly including an overnight stay.

Things we've done in the past:
* Bus to Atlantic City with a one night stay there
* Fishing trip off of Long Island
* Visited a gun range in PA and shot all sorts of guns
* The New York auto show
* A hockey game at Madison Square Garden
* Go karting
* Quad Bike/ATV offroading
* Six Flags Great Adventure

Lots of us seem to be up for some sort of hiking/camping/geocaching type thing. Generally anything fun and/or exciting is worth consideration.

Budget of roughly $100/head (more or less, we can "save up" two outings worth for really exciting things).

posted by arantius to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (9 answers total)

The Institute of Culinary Education does great group cooking classes, with wine served. I don't know what the budget is, but I can recommend this option as a participant.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:12 AM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

I think you should mix it up and go see a Broadway show! You might be able to get a group rate, depending on how many of you there are.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:15 AM on June 19, 2013

When I worked for a similarly awesome company our department went to Philly for the day and toured the Mutter Museum.
posted by MsMolly at 9:28 AM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has a good WWI airshow, and you can ride a 1929 open cockpit biplane.
posted by Sophont at 9:29 AM on June 19, 2013 [2 favorites]

For more foodie related activities check out noshwalks. Myra, the owner, leads food oriented walking tours in ethnic neighborhoods all over NYC. She'll do customized private tours.
posted by brookeb at 10:09 AM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Eons ago I was with an office that did one of these team-building things, and the thing they hit on to do was paintball somewhere upstate. I am not a team-building exercise person, I had nothing in common with my officemates and I am a theater geek and guns scared me, but I got so into paintball that I ended up singlehandedly defending my team's flag at one point with expertise of a sniper and the zeal of a fanatic. In short, it was awesome.

Don't remember the exact place we went to, but there are a whole lot of paintball venues in the Hudson Valley area.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:56 AM on June 19, 2013

How far away is Enfield, CT? They have a Whirlyball facility there. It's like a basketball/lacrosse game where you ride bumber cars instead of running up and down the court. It's one of my favorite group activities.
posted by CathyG at 4:48 PM on June 19, 2013

It's tubing season, so this is the perfect time to drive out to the Delaware River or the Esopus Creek (both in/around the Catskills and approx 1.5-2 hours away) and float down the river in a massive inner-tube. It's so much fun, and if you go on the Delaware, there are rapids, as well.

For rafting on the Delaware, I recommend Kittatinny, and on the Esopus, Town Tinker.

If you wanted to stay overnight, you could have the group tube down the Delaware from approx. Pond Eddy, NY, get off in Matamoras, PA, then stay over in one of the hotels in Milford, PA--there's a range of hotels there.
posted by yellowcandy at 9:49 PM on June 19, 2013

A boat cruise around Manhattan is fun! Have been on them but have no clue on costs...
posted by manicure12 at 9:56 PM on June 22, 2013