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Team Building Activities in Chicago, IL
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Planning an event in Chicago, IL?
A planner will match the right activities to your group and send a same-day quote.
Prefer to talk? Call 800.849.8326
Get a same-day quote
Planning an event in Chicago, IL?
A planner will match the right activities to your group and send a same-day quote.
Get my quotePrefer to talk? Call 800.849.8326
- Founded
- 2010
- Group size
- 20 to 6,000+
- Where we run activities
- 50 states + Canada
- Formats
- In person or virtual
12 team building activities in Chicago, IL
Each card comes from an event our Chicago crews delivered, with the hotel or venue it ran in and the size of the group.
1. City SmartHunt from the Loop to Museum Campus
Teams carry iPads between clue stops and photo tasks, scoring live as they cover downtown on foot. A financial services group of 46 played from the Field Museum in February 2026, and a retail group of 120 set out from the Warwick Allerton on Michigan Avenue in September 2023.
2. Amazing Chase SmartHunt
Missions, Road Blocks and Detours arrive on each team's iPad, a live scoreboard tracks the race, and a highlight video plays at the finish. Our biggest Chicago chase sent 503 guests of a meeting planner out from the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.
3. Bike Build Donation
Teams win frames, wheels and pedals in quick contests, assemble the bikes and hand them to Chicago kids at the close. An automotive group of 200 built them at the Loews Chicago Hotel in January 2023, and a manufacturing team of 105 at The Westin Michigan Avenue in January 2024.
4. Team Olympics in a Michigan Avenue ballroom
Relay-style events pit squads of 12 to 15 against each other for medals, with points posted after every round. A financial services group of 400 competed at the Hilton Chicago, across from Grant Park, in July 2024.
5. Bridge to the Future
Each team builds and decorates one section of a cardboard and duct tape bridge, then the sections join into a span that holds the weight of the group. An automotive group of 125 built theirs at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, next to McCormick Place, in November 2025.
6. Build-A-Guitar
Crews earn guitar parts by winning rounds, then string and tune the instruments for young musicians who need one. A building materials team of 70 made them at the Omni Chicago Hotel in November 2023, and a manufacturing group of 55 at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown on Wacker Drive.
7. A Minute 2 Win It
Teams rotate through 60-second challenges made from everyday objects, and a host keeps the scores on a big screen. A financial services group of 40 played inside the Chicago Board of Trade Building in May 2025, and a manufacturing group of 90 at The Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown.
8. Mini-Golf Build and Food Donation
Each team designs a mini-golf hole out of canned and boxed food, everyone plays the finished course, and then the food goes to a local pantry. An agriculture group of 175 built a course at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park in December 2021.
9. Crack the Case
Teams trade clues across tables to solve a detective case, with a group finale where every team's piece is needed. A software group of 79 cracked it at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile in October 2024, and a consulting team of 40 at the Godfrey Hotel in River North.
10. STEM Backpacks for Kids
Teams win science and math supplies through challenges and pack them into backpacks for Chicago students. A healthcare group of 150 packed them at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile in May 2026.
11. Build-A-Rollator
Teams assemble rolling walkers that a nonprofit then gives to people who need help getting around. A shipping company's group of 145 built them at The Westin Chicago River North in September 2024.
12. Competition to Collaboration
Two sides chase the same goal and score far more once they start sharing what works. A financial services team of 40 ran it at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago in August 2025, then went out on a City SmartHunt the same visit.
Planning team building in Chicago
How Chicago groups use us
Most of our Chicago work sits inside a hotel meeting on Michigan Avenue or along the river: the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the Fairmont, the Renaissance Chicago Downtown and The Westin River North come up most. Financial services, insurance and consulting firms book us most here, followed by healthcare groups and meeting planners. April through October is our busiest stretch, when hunts can stay outdoors.
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The BEST Way to explore Chicago, IL
Plan a SmartHunt®! These top-rated corporate scavenger hunts are delivered using our proprietary SmartHunts® App technology, available only at Best Corporate Events. SmartHunts® are a unique combination of sightseeing, adventure, team building challenges, and gamification FUN!
More about corporate events in Chicago, IL
Getting there
The CTA Blue Line runs 24 hours a day from O'Hare to downtown in about 40 to 45 minutes, from a station reached on foot from Terminals 1 to 3. From Midway, the Orange Line reaches the Loop in 20 to 25 minutes. Teams flying in for one day can stay at the airport: the Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Suites has hosted a 140-person game session with us.
Picking the right size of room
Team Olympics needs about 50 square feet per person, so our group of 400 took a ballroom at the Hilton Chicago. Builds and game shows need about 25, which puts a group of 150 to 200 in a ballroom at the Loews, the Fairmont or the InterContinental. Teams under 80 fit a meeting room at the Omni, the Godfrey or the Four Seasons.
What people are saying
We love Chicago! Best Corporate Events has created team-building events for thousands of satisfied corporate teams. We have a 5-Star rating and some of the best comments and reviews in the business! You’ll find over 1,000 client comments and videos on our website to assure that you’re getting the BEST company to deliver team building activities in Chicago for your group.
See our client reviewsStories from Chicago, IL
How events in Chicago, IL actually went, told by the numbers and the client.
Team building in Chicago, IL: questions we get
What do Chicago groups ask us for first?
Which Chicago venues have you worked in?
Can we do an outdoor activity in a Chicago winter?
What group sizes have you handled in Chicago?
How long does each activity take?
Can you run something at an O'Hare hotel?
Can colleagues outside Chicago join in?
When should we lock in a Chicago date?
Ways to run your event
Choose the format that fits your team.
Why BEST
How it Works
Using a proven model for improving team productivity, motivation, and collaboration through innovative team events, Best Corporate Events strengthens teams by delivering exceptional team building, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and professional development training programs that help corporate, academic, association, and government teams build trust and respect while enhancing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- 1
BEST Event Planners
Collaborate with one of our experienced planners who will help you find the perfect activity for your group.
- 2
BEST Needs Assessment
Participate in our Needs Assessment to accurately identify the desired end results for the participants in your group.
- 3
BEST Design
Allow us to tailor your activity specifically for your group size, allotted time, goals, and outcomes.
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BEST Facilitators & Specialists
Enjoy your event delivered by experienced, professional facilitators who average 12 to 25 years of experience.
Team building across Chicagoland
Our facilitators bring the same activities to offices, hotels and conference centers throughout the metro. Pick the city closest to your team.
Markets Near Chicago, IL
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Planning an event in Chicago, IL? A planner will match the right activities to your group and send a same-day quote.