The best team building activities in Lower Manhattan

If your office is in the Financial District, a scavenger hunt through Wall Street will give your team a newfound appreciation for the area, which is one of the oldest in NYC. The Watson Adventures scavenger hunt challenges participants to answer questions about the significance of various local landmarks in history and culture, all while getting a tour of Lower Manhattan.

Your team will split up into smaller groups and embark on a two-hour adventure following a trail of clues. A staff member from Watson Adventure facilitates the activity, but you can customize it to suit your team – choose how competitive you'd like it to be, include specific landmarks, or take themed photos.

The clues are delivered via your phone, so make sure you've charged it beforehand. You'll also want to wear comfortable shoes as the hunts take place entirely on foot.

Your team's resumes are about to get a little more impressive after graduating from the esteemed Pizza School in Lower Manhattan. Whether you're a cooking novice or a chef extraordinaire, you'll have to work with your colleagues to create a classic New York-style slice.

The cooking demonstration will teach you everything from making dough from scratch to selecting the perfect pizza toppings. Of course, your team will get to taste their homemade pies, and the rental fee includes a beverage credit so you try a selection or wines, craft beers, or spritzes with your slices.

The pizza-making classes can host up to 24 people and last about 3 hours.

When work gets hectic, slowing down with a calming, hands-on activity might be just what your team needs. Pottery Studio 1 offers creative and relaxing classes that teach your colleagues the basics of pottery.

Your team will get their hands dirty while sculpting everything from cups to candlestick holders. They'll also let their inner artist shine as they paint designs on their ceramic pieces.

Once fired in the kiln, they'll get to keep their creation or maybe contribute it to the office mug collection.

The 2-hour pottery classes can accommodate 4 to 30 people.

No office would be as productive without coffee, so a coffee-based team building activity is sure to pique your team's interest. Joe Coffee Company, a local New York coffee chain, offers corporate coffee events to teach your team the basics of brewing great coffee and creating beautiful latte art. You'll get to taste different varieties of coffee beans and decide which notes are your favorite. However, we’ve got to warn you: once your team become coffee experts, the old Keurig in the break room will need a major upgrade.

The classes come to you at your office and can be customized to suit your team's preferences.

It seems like pickleball courts are popping up all over the place these days. Why not take advantage of this trending tennis alternative to get your team moving and have a fun afternoon out of the office? Court 16 is a pickleball court in the Financial District that offers custom events for corporate teams.

Don't worry if you don't have any pickleball aficionados in the office yet – the venue provides everything you need, along with coaches to explain the rules and techniques. You can split into smaller teams to hold a tournament or just play casually while enjoying the catering options.