Spice things up with the Best Team Building Activities in Nashville!
These days, Nashville’s nightlife makes it easy to entertain a large group after hours. But what do you do with them while the sun is shining? Whether you’re in town for a corporate conference, a bachelorette party or a family reunion, here are ten fun group activities in Nashville for adults, and these are sure to appeal to everyone in your group.
(In keeping with our commitment to supporting Nashville, all the activities recommended below are independently owned/operated businesses)
Sip History at Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery
In 2006, Andy and Charlie Nelson were driving with their father through Greenbrier, Tennessee, just north of Nashville, when they saw a sign for the historic Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. The brothers had heard about their family’s whiskey heritage – that it had once been the top-selling distillery in the state, that it had helped establish Tennessee whiskey, that it had been once been sold in Paris and the Philippines back before Prohibition came to Tennessee and forced the family to shutter the brand. Suddenly, the stories had new meaning. The Nelsons decided to resurrect the whiskey their great-great-great-grandparents Charles and Louisa Nelson had once made.
Their eponymous flagship whiskey is made using the original recipe that Thomas Nelson developed. They are even using the same label he once used. And because they directly descended from the original owners, the state also allowed them to reclaim their ancestral bond, No. 5 (meaning yes, Nelsons Green Brier predated that famous Old No. 7).
The Nelson brothers have also relocated their distillery to Nashville. In summer 2023, they opened a remodeled and expanded tasting room and event space in Marathon Village. Their new facility even includes a full-service restaurant serving lunch/brunch. Contact them to set up a distillery tour for your group, and if you would like to add a dinner or party on the grounds, they can now accommodate that, too.
Dip into Pinewood Social
Pinewood Social is the perfect millennial social club, which makes it a perfect fun group activity in Nashville. Of course, there’s great food and crafted drinks. In addition to the full bar menu, the team has also developed NA options as well as having a Crema Coffee outpost on site.
Image from @pinewoodnashville IG
But what do you do before you eat? Or after you eat? The folks at Pinewood have your entertainment needs covered. Inside are six bowling lanes, recreated using parts and wood harvested from a historic bowling alley in Indiana. Outside, there are bocce ball courts and dipping pools open during the summer months as well as a lounging area and an outdoor bar.
Thrillist once called Pinewood “the Swiss Army knife of entertainment,” an apt description. All or part of the 13,000, multilevel facility is available to rent, depending on your party’s size and interests.
Get a Taste for Nashville on an Award Winning Tour with A Little Local Flavor
Take your group on a Nashville food tour or a luxurious craft cocktail tour of downtown Nashville! With A Little Local Flavor, you’ll discover some of Nashville’s most significant buildings and structures, learn about our city’s storied history, stop and shop at some of our favorite local haunts, and of course get a true taste of Nashville with curated bites and drinks along the way. Everywhere you go with us will be independently owned and operated, because we know our guests want to get to know the real Nashville and we believe in investing in our neighbors. In addition, all your food will be made from scratch, because that is how it tastes best.
We have two standard tour options available. The Downtown Nashville Food Tour is our flagship experience. During this 3-hour tour, your group will indulge in a full meal as they taste iconic dishes at five different downtown restaurants. While eating and drinking your way through the city, you’ll learn the stories and history behind our famous landmarks. From country music honky tonks to iconic and historic landmarks, our Downtown Nashville Food Tour covers it all!
Our Craft Cocktail Tour is a luxury experience for groups of 40 or less. It includes 5 unique cocktails paired with delicious bites at some of Nashville’s finest restaurants. Our expert guides will lead you on a journey through four city blocks of Nashville's most elite establishments, each handpicked for their exceptional food and drink offerings. Not only will you get to taste some of the best cocktails and cuisine in the city, but you'll also learn about the history and culture of Nashville's craft cocktail scene from our experienced guides. As you move from one restaurant to the next, you'll discover new favorite drinks and the stories behind them.
We can also create a specialized event for your group. Have a specific site or story you want us to include? Need to taste Prince’s, the original Nashville hot chicken? Wanna rent a trolley and get out of the downtown district, visiting restaurants around the city? We can set it up. Whether you’re seeking a way to reward your coworkers, need a fun excursion to boost team morale, or simply want to gather family and friends for a special outing, our private Nashville tours are specially designed for groups. We offer lunchtime, afternoon, and early evening walking food tours to fit your group’s schedule. We are also able to accommodate most food allergies. Plus, with the ability to host groups as large as 200 people, your team outing will lack for no one. Contact us to learn more.
Get Mixed up at pH Nashville
Nashville cocktail bar pH is a craft cocktail bar that is also funky and fun. As owner Marcus Capehart told a journalist from Urbaanite, he dreamt of creating space where knowledgeable bartenders crafted exciting drinks, but yet he wanted his guests to feel free show up however they were. The business started as a popup bar before settling into a permanent space in Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood just south of downtown.
Image from @phnashville IG
In addition to a seasonal menu, the pH team has also mastered the classics. The bar’s success hinges on Capehart’s commitment to quality. Every drink is made with excellent spirits, fresh juices and homemade syrups. Then the bartenders spice all that up with unexpected and unusual liqueurs and bitters.
But when you go to pH, you don’t have to drink what someone else serves you. They offer one-and-a-half hour mixology classes where groups can learn how to make three different cocktails chosen from their preselected menu. While guests pour, shake and stir, their instructor also shares some of the history of cocktail making, lets the students taste new flavors and spirits and gives folks a chance to experiment with their own combinations. Oh, and you get to drink everything you mix as well. Food is available.
Pedal Your Paddle with River Queen Voyages
Downtown Nashville is flooded with pedal taverns, vehicular bars with bicycle pedals where a foot rail would usually be. River Queen Voyages has given this activity a new twist: they’ve put their pedal tavern into the Cumberland River. Up to 16 guests at a time can pedal/paddle along Nashville’s shoreline via a Cycle Boat, escorted by a captain and a first mate. Along the way, your guides will point out Nashville landmarks and historic sites, some of which are only visible from the water. For a little extra ambiance, request a sunset cruise. (Though, is it a cruise if you’re pedaling away?)
For more adventurous groups, River Queen Voyages offers guided kayak excursions. They have three different routes available, and if you want a little extra entertainment (or competition) for your group, you can add a scavenger hunt to the experience. They also offer day rentals where your group can choose their own adventure.
Shake it off at the Pontoon Saloon
Not everyone wants to combine their alcohol with exercise. Those groups should choose Nashville’s only water-touring honky tonk. Each Pontoon Saloon is a 50-foot party barge that includes a captain and deckhand as well as a party house, sound speaker and restroom. For two hours, they will take you on a tour of downtown, but if you choose to dance it up rather than sightsee, we totally understand. When you’re reading to take a break, pull a chair up to one of their guitar-shaped tables. To get a true Nashville experience, they can even book a live musical guest to keep you entertained.
Each pontoon boat can host up to 45 guests each. Contact them to learn more about their catering and alcohol packages. This is perfect for birthdays, bachelorettes, corporate events, family reunions or just a fun night out with friends.
Cook It Down at The Chef & I
The story of The Chef & I began when Chris and Erica Rains met and fell in love. Chris was an experienced executive chef who had worked for some of the most notable night spots and biggest stars in Nashville. Erica was a marketing guru with a history in TV and radio. They decided to combine forces to launch their own enterprise, a restaurant that focuses on combining a luxury dining experience with local flavors. Their tasting menu changes nightly, and it is designed to be a highly experiential event that captures all of your senses. In 2021, Yelp users voted the restaurant one of the top 50 places to eat in the United States.
Image from @thechefandi IG
To open the mysterious world of fine dining up for their guests, the team at The Chef & I offer cooking, tasting and liquor classes. In addition to multi-session courses for those wanting to build some serious skills, the Rainses have developed options for folks looking for a team building exercise or fun group activity while visiting Nashville. Their classic option is the Cooking Class where the group works together to create three dishes. In the Mixology Course, attendees will practice some of the key skills needed to shake up their own craft drinks at home. More adventurous groups will like the Mystery Box Challenge. Like a lower-stakes version of favorite Food Network competition shows, teams of guests are assigned an ingredient they must work together to transform into a delicious dish. If that’s not exciting enough for your group, then you may be good candidates for the Curve Ball Kitchen, which mimics the Mystery Box Challenge except the judges get to add unexpected twists to the challenge while you are cooking. And finally, there is the Taste Bud Challenge, where teams of blindfolded guests compete to see who can identify the most cooking ingredients based on taste alone.
Hit a Round with Games to Go
Image from @gamestogonashville IG
Unlike most of the options on this list, Games to Go will come to you and set up your party wherever you are. One of their most popular options for is their nine hole miniature golf course which can be used indoors or out. Folks of all ages can enjoy a round of putt putt (and if you think your event will run after dark, be sure to request their Glow Golf set which is lit by self-powered LED lights). Another favorite group activity is their Soccer Pool table, which combines billiards and soccer. Available giant yard games include yard dice, dominoes, Jenga wooden blocks, checkers, cornhole, giant 4 in a Row, lawn bowling, rustic ring toss and lawn tic tac toe. The folks at Games to Go can also provide basic catering and an event assistant if needed.
Lucky Ladd Farms
Located just south of Nashville, Lucky Ladd Farms is a 60-acre ag-venture farm fun park. Though they are frequently cited for being a good kid outing, the farm has options suitable for adults as well. The adult farm tour includes a wagon ride through the cedar glades where your group will get to see rare native plant species found in only a few counties in Middle Tennessee. After that, you’ll get a guided tour of the park and a visit to the petting zoo with its close to one hundred different species of animals. Your ticket will also include access to the Fun Park where y’all can cavort over giant mega slides, a tire climbing wall, cow milking, bull riding, tricycle racing (yes, they have adult sizes), shopping and educational exhibits.
Image from @luckyladdfarms IG
When it comes time to eat, the team at Lucky Ladd Farms will set up a catered meal in a pavilion for you. They can also plan adult-friendly versions of childhood field games. When’s the last time you raced your coworker in a potato sack race? Whatever your needs are, the folks at Lucky Ladd Farms can set up a turnkey event for your group, no matter your number. They claim to be able to handle up to 4500 at a time, so this is one of the best spots for large groups to have fun in Nashville.
Keep an eye on their seasonal activities as well. Should you come in fall, you will definitely want to check out their corn maze, which has been voted the best in Tennessee for seven years in a row. Come spring, they will have a pick-your-own tulip field along with the Tulip Festival. And of course, summer is ruled by sunflowers.
Pitch in with Hands on Nashville
Image from @honashville IG
Tennessee is the Volunteer State, and Nashville takes that mandate seriously. Perhaps you’ve seen the social media pics taken in front of a Nashville Strong mural or seen an I Believe in Nashville bumper sticker. Those slogans come from our tradition of helping our neighbors. We rebuild together after natural disasters like the 2010 flood and the 2020 tornado, and we work together to recover from other crises that strike our community like the Christmas Day bombing and the coronavirus pandemic. Joining in these efforts can help bring a team together and give visitors a deeper sense of what it means to be a Nashvillian. Find a volunteer opportunity that fits your team’s skills and schedule through Hands on Nashville.
You can’t go wrong with any of these incredible team building ideas and activites in Nashville!