Escape the office, bring your team together and discover something different!

Looking for something a little more exciting than another meeting room, PowerPoint presentation, or rather predictable corporate team-building exercise?

Whether you're planning a company away day, rewarding your hardworking team or simply looking for an opportunity to bring colleagues together outside the office, Hampshire has some fantastic experiences to offer.

And if you're based in London, Hampshire is closer than you might think. With excellent train connections to Winchester, Southampton and the New Forest, escaping the capital for a memorable day with your colleagues couldn't be easier.

Here at Experience Hampshire, our Winchester-based team work with a wide range of local activity providers to offer everything from unusual team challenges and creative workshops to countryside adventures, fascinating historical tours and delicious food and drink experiences.

Here are ten of our favourite ideas for your next corporate away day.

Team building and challenges

1. Duck Herding

Forget the usual corporate team-building exercises. How about trying to persuade a flock of ducks to go exactly where you want them?

Duck herding is one of those wonderfully unusual activities that is guaranteed to get everyone laughing. Working together, your team will need patience, communication and a little creative thinking as they attempt to guide their feathered friends around a course.

It's light-hearted, entertaining and surprisingly challenging, making it a brilliant way to encourage teamwork without anyone feeling they're taking part in a conventional training exercise.

Perfect for: Teams looking for something fun, memorable and completely different.

Click here for more details

2. Pizza making challenge

Who makes the best pizza in your office? There's only one way to find out!

Our pizza-making experience brings colleagues together for a deliciously entertaining team challenge. From preparing the dough to choosing toppings and creating the perfect pizza, everyone gets involved.

Add a little friendly competition and you've got the ingredients for a fantastic corporate activity.

Best of all, everyone gets to enjoy the results of their efforts!

Perfect for: Sociable teams, company celebrations and colleagues who enjoy a little friendly competition.

3. Sea shanty workshop

Here's something you probably haven't considered for your next company away day!

A sea shanty workshop is a wonderfully entertaining way to bring colleagues together through music, laughter and shared participation.

Led by experienced performers, your group will discover the fascinating history of traditional sea shanties before learning to sing a few themselves.

You don't need any musical ability, and there's certainly no requirement to be a good singer!

The emphasis is on having fun, joining in and creating something together.

Perfect for: Groups looking for an inclusive, light-hearted activity that encourages everyone to participate.

Click here for more details

Food, drink and social experiences

4. Hampshire vineyard tour and wine tasting

Hampshire has become one of England's most exciting wine-producing regions, with beautiful vineyards producing some exceptional wines.

A guided vineyard tour and tasting makes a wonderful corporate experience, particularly for businesses looking to reward employees or entertain clients.

Discover how English wines are produced, explore the vineyards and learn about the winemaking process before sampling a selection of locally produced wines.

Combine the experience with lunch and you've got the makings of a particularly enjoyable company away day.

Perfect for: Staff rewards, client entertainment, management teams and relaxed company celebrations.

5. Chocolate Making Workshop

Who doesn't love chocolate?

Our chocolate-making workshops offer a delicious combination of creativity, learning and, of course, tasting!

Under the guidance of an experienced chocolatier, your team can discover some of the techniques used to create beautiful handmade chocolates.

It's a relaxed and sociable experience where colleagues can chat, laugh and learn something new together.

And depending on the workshop, there may even be some delicious creations to take home.

Perfect for: Smaller teams, staff celebrations and groups looking for a creative indoor activity.

Creative and outdoor experiences

6. New Forest foraging

Swap the office for the great outdoors and discover the fascinating world of wild food.

Led by knowledgeable local experts, our foraging experiences introduce participants to the edible plants, herbs and fungi that can be found growing in the Hampshire countryside.

Along the way, you'll learn how to identify different species, discover their traditional uses and gain a greater appreciation of the natural environment.

Our workshops focus on education and responsible foraging, with an emphasis on leaving nature as it was found.

It's a refreshing change of pace and a wonderful opportunity for colleagues to spend time together away from their desks and screens.

Perfect for: Teams interested in nature, sustainability, wellbeing and outdoor activities.

7. Willow weaving workshop

Sometimes the best way to bring colleagues together is simply to give them the opportunity to relax and try something completely different.

A willow weaving workshop offers just that.

Working with natural materials and learning traditional techniques, participants can create their own handmade willow creations under the guidance of an experienced tutor.

It's a wonderfully absorbing activity that encourages creativity, conversation and concentration.

And unlike many corporate team-building activities, everyone gets to take home something they've made themselves.

Perfect for: Creative teams, smaller groups and businesses looking for a relaxing alternative to traditional team-building.

8. Southampton's Medieval vaults

Looking for a corporate activity that's a little out of the ordinary?

How about taking your team beneath the streets of Southampton to discover a fascinating network of medieval vaults?

Our guided walking tour reveals the extraordinary history hidden beneath this historic port city, exploring atmospheric underground spaces and uncovering stories of merchants, smugglers and Southampton's maritime past.

It's a wonderful combination of history, discovery and adventure, and something that many visitors to Southampton don't even realise exists.

With plenty of opportunities to enjoy lunch or drinks in the city afterwards, it's also an excellent addition to a wider corporate away day.

We also offer a guided historic pub tour around Southampton. Click here for more details

Perfect for: Teams who enjoy history, exploring unusual places and discovering hidden corners of Hampshire.

Click here for more details

9. Ghost walk

If you're organising a corporate event that extends into the evening, why not add a little mystery?

Our guided ghost walks in Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth explore some of the darker chapters of local history, combining intriguing stories, atmospheric locations and a few spine-tingling tales.

Led by entertaining local guides, these walks are a brilliant way to bring colleagues together after a day of meetings or activities.

They're also a great conversation starter over dinner or drinks afterwards

Perfect for: Evening corporate entertainment, overnight retreats and groups looking for something entertaining and unusual.

10. Stargazing in Hampshire or Dorset

For something genuinely memorable, why not take your team on a journey through the universe?

Our stargazing experiences offer the opportunity to explore the night sky with knowledgeable local astronomers.

Using telescopes and modern observing equipment, participants can discover planets, star clusters, distant galaxies and some of the extraordinary sights hidden in the night sky.

You'll also learn to recognise constellations and hear the fascinating stories behind them.

It's a magical experience that offers a completely different perspective on the world around us.

As stargazing depends on suitable weather conditions, it's particularly well suited to smaller groups or corporate retreats where plans can accommodate the forecast.

Perfect for: Overnight corporate retreats, smaller teams and businesses looking for an unforgettable evening activity.

Why choose Hampshire for your next corporate away day?

Hampshire offers something that can be difficult to find in London: a wonderful combination of beautiful countryside, fascinating heritage, outstanding food and drink, and genuinely unusual activities.

From the historic streets of Winchester and Southampton to the beautiful landscapes of the New Forest, there are countless opportunities to escape the everyday working environment and enjoy something different with your colleagues.

And with direct train services from London Waterloo to Winchester (59 minutes) and Southampton (1 hour and 15 minutes), getting here is surprisingly straightforward.

Whether you're organising an activity for ten colleagues or planning a much larger company event, Hampshire offers plenty of possibilities.

Let Experience Hampshire help plan your corporate away day

Here at Experience Hampshire, we understand that organising a company away day can be time-consuming.

With dozens of experiences and activities available across Hampshire and the surrounding area, we can help you find something that suits your group, interests and budget.

Perhaps you're looking for a fun team-building challenge, a relaxed afternoon of wine tasting, a creative workshop, or something completely unexpected?

Or maybe you'd like to combine several activities to create a memorable day out.

Whatever you have in mind, our friendly, local team would love to help you explore the possibilities.

Planning a corporate away day in Hampshire?

Get in touch with our friendly team and tell us what you're looking for - call us on 07801 644022 or email hello@experiencehampshire.uk