Based in Dallas, Food Tours of America offers two customizable options for private groups: a two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, which costs $65 per person and includes three stops at sit-down restaurants plus a made-from-scratch dessert, or a three-and-half-hour walking tour of the city’s Uptown neighborhood, which costs $85 per person. In addition to seated tastings of local grub such as barbecue brisket nachos, chicken shawarma, fried pickles, and chimichangas, the second option also includes a visit to a local art gallery and a souvenir tour photo. Alcohol pairings and wine tastings can be added on for an additional fee. There is a maximum of 18 people per tour guide, but larger groups can book multiple guides.
SmartHunts are iPad-based activities offered by Best TeamBuilding. Teams perform challenges, solve clues, and answer trivia questions, which can all be customized for the group. Participants also capture video and photos throughout the activities that can be shown at the conclusion of the event and shared through social media. SmartHunts feature two-way messaging so teams are connected with the hunt coordinator, who can track players using GPS and download photos and scoring. Themes include Amazing Chase, Mission Possible, Da Vinci Code, and an Event Kick-Off SmartHunt for conferences. Each hunt takes about three hours.
Go Game uses smartphones to guide players through a series of challenges. Teams of as many as 10 players are sent on a course to solve puzzles and complete tasks within a game zone, which could be a few city blocks or a convention center. Players complete missions by submitting digital photos and text answers through the phones. Examples include a National Mall game in Washington that asks players to locate specific buildings and answer questions about memorials. Go Game also provides costumed actors that interact with participants throughout the hunt. The game ends with a presentation of the photos and videos, which the host also receives on a USB drive.
At the Hotel Palomar Chicago, meeting guests can take a break on the sun deck and learn a local workout. Invented in Chicago, Barre Bee Fit is a popular exercise program that combines elements of dance, Pilates, yoga, and light weight lifting. The session typically lasts one hour; afterward, the catering team can provide healthy snacks such as fruit smoothies and baked tortilla chips with fresh salsa.
Located in Scottsdale, Arizona’s expansive McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead will host its grand opening in October. Named after a former cattle ranch, the trailhead has paths that meander through the desert. Arizona Outback Adventures can lead corporate groups on guided hikes or mountain-biking excursions through the area; group horseback riding is also an option.
