Top Team Building Away Days: Ideas, Activities and Where to Go

There's a reason why so many of the best team memories don't happen in a meeting room. Get the team out of the office, into the fresh air and away from their inboxes for a day (or two), and something shifts — people relax, conversations flow more easily, and the ideas that never quite surface in a strategy meeting suddenly do. A well-planned away day is one of the simplest, most effective tools any team leader has.

But there's a big difference between a forgettable day out and one your team is still talking about months later. The venue matters, so does the balance of activity and downtime. And that's exactly where holiday parks come in — an underrated option for corporate groups, and one that Away Resorts has spent years perfecting.

Friends chilling in the rooftop hot tub at Retallack Resort and spa.

A man enjoying the zip wire activity at Tattershall Lakes.

Key Takeaways

Away Resorts handles accommodation, activities and catering in one booking, taking the stress out of organising
Get a dedicated group bookings team and a personalised quote
Any arrival day is available, with a minimum stay of two nights
Exclusive venue hire lets you rent out a bar, restaurant or event space for your group
Unique locations such as Tattershall Lakes, Sandy Balls, Whitecliff Bay and Piperdam each suit a different kind of team day, from high-energy challenges to formal conferences
Many other locations including Appletree, Mill Rythe and Cleethorpes Pearl offer classic team away days.

What makes a great team away day

The best away days share a few things in common, whatever the group and whatever the goal.

A mix of structured activity and free social time
Activities that challenge people without excluding anyone
Somewhere with space, facilities and flexibility built in.
A venue that handles the logistics so the organiser can enjoy it too.

Why Away Resorts works brilliantly for team building

Everything in one place

Away Resorts brings accommodation, activities and food and drink together under one booking, so there's no need to juggle separate suppliers for the venue, the catering and the entertainment. Our dedicated teams manage the lot, which means fewer emails, fewer moving parts, and one point of contact from enquiry to check-out.

Group bookings made simple

A dedicated group bookings team who'll build a personalised quote around your dates and numbers. You can arrive any day of the week, with a minimum stay of two nights, so the trip can flex around a midweek offsite or a weekend away. Payment options are designed to be stress-free, and if you want the space entirely to yourselves, exclusive venue hire lets you take over a bar, restaurant or event space for the group.

Accommodation that keeps teams together

Lodges sleeping up to 20 people mean the day doesn't end when the activities do — teams keep socialising back at the lodge, or over a nice meal. Multiple units booked side by side give different sub-teams their own space without splitting the group up, and shared decks and outdoor areas naturally become the spot where the best conversations of the day happen.

The best Away Resorts Parks for team building away days

Tattershall Lakes, Lincolnshire — the activity capital

Set across 365 acres of lakes and parkland, Tattershall Lakes is built for teams who want a full-on, action-focused day. On the water, there's kayaking, paddleboarding and jet skiing, plus an inflatable Total Wipeout–style Aqua Park that's every bit as fun to watch as it is to attempt. On land, a high ropes course and archery add a proper adrenaline run.

When the activities wrap up, Giggling Goose and the Propeller Bar and Kitchen — both overlooking the lake — are ideal for a team dinner or a relaxed evening drink.

Sandy Balls Holiday Village, New Forest — outdoor adventure in stunning surroundings

Sandy Balls sits within 120 acres of New Forest woodland, with cycling and walking trails leading straight out from the gate — a five-star Visit England-rated park that suits teams who want their away day to feel genuinely restorative as well as active. Archery and a full programme of outdoor activities run throughout the season, and the alpaca walks are a memorable shared experience.

Indoor and outdoor pools, a restaurant and a bar give the group somewhere easy to unwind once the day's activities are done, making Sandy Balls a strong fit for teams who want a blend of adventure and beautiful countryside rather than a nonstop schedule.

Whitecliff Bay, Isle of Wight — a proper getaway that feels like an achievement

Getting to Whitecliff Bay means a ferry crossing, and that journey itself becomes part of the experience — a shared adventure before the away day has even properly started. Once there, the park offers indoor and outdoor pools, archery and crazy golf, plus direct access to the beach for beach games, volleyball or simply a walk along the coast.

It's a destination that feels special, which makes Whitecliff Bay a great choice when the goal is rewarding a high-performing team.

Piperdam, Scotland — built for conferences and team building

If your away day needs a function space as well as great activities, Piperdam is built for exactly that.

The Activity Barn is the real showstopper — a flexible space that can hold up to 550 guests, perfect for annual conferences, a company ball, or a product launch. The Riga Suite offers a slightly more intimate step up, with capacity for up to 250 guests, while the Reval Suite is the go-to for smaller meetings and mini-conferences, comfortably seating up to 80 guests with its own private bar, free wifi, AV facilities laid on, and views over Piperdam loch.

Team building itself is well catered for through Piperdam's Go Active programme, alongside two golf courses if your team fancies a more relaxed round together, and the on-site restaurant and bars for the evening once the formal part of the day wraps up. It's the natural pick for teams who need everything from a boardroom-style briefing through to a full-blown company celebration under one roof.

Appletree, Lincolnshire — countryside calm with a golf course

Set in the quiet Lincolnshire countryside, Appletree is built around a slower pace than the parks above. The on-site golf course makes for an easy, sociable round together, and the hotel and hot tub lodges give the evening a properly restful edge once the working part of the day is done.

It suits smaller leadership teams or senior groups after a calmer, more considered away day, with plenty of space to talk things through without the pressure of a full activity itinerary.

Cleethorpes Pearl, Lincolnshire — a classic seaside team day

A short walk from Cleethorpes' beach, Cleethorpes Pearl brings a proper British seaside feel to a team day out. The heated outdoor pool, tennis court and play areas give the group plenty to do between sessions, while Buckets Sports Bar and Restaurant and the Beachcomber Entertainment Centre make for an easy, laid-back evening.

It's a good match for teams who fancy pairing their away day with a classic coastal break, with Cleethorpes' pier, arcades and the boating lake all close by for anyone keen to explore once the day wraps up.

Top team building activity ideas for away days

Water-based team challenges

Kayak racing and raft building — brilliant for communication and problem-solving under a bit of friendly pressure
Paddleboarding — inclusive, accessible and genuinely good fun for all abilities
Aqua Park challenges at Tattershall Lakes or Retallack — competitive, chaotic and hilarious in roughly equal measure
Jet skiing — a thrill-seeking add-on for teams who want to finish the day on an adrenaline high

Land-based adventure activities

High ropes and zip wires — great for building trust and nudging people out of their comfort zones
Archery competitions — surprisingly inclusive, and easy to turn into a proper team tournament
Crazy golf tournaments — low-pressure, social and ideal for mixed-ability groups
Cycling through the New Forest at Sandy Balls — a good fit for active teams who fancy covering some ground together

Evening entertainment

Away Resorts parks run live entertainment, bingo and bar nights as standard, so there's always something happening once the sun goes down. For something a little more private, exclusive venue hire is available for a team dinner or awards evening, and outdoor cinema nights make a relaxed way to close out a full-on day.

Different types of team away days and which parks suit them

The action-packed team challenge day — fast-paced activities, competitions and a proper adrenaline hit. Best suited to Tattershall Lakes.
The wellbeing and recharge retreat — a slower pace, nature walks and relaxed socialising. Best suited to Sandy Balls in the New Forest.
The reward and recognition trip — a destination that feels special, with great food and evening entertainment. Best suited to Whitecliff Bay, Isle of Wight.
The conference, briefing or whole-company event — a function space for presentations or a ball, plus activities and accommodation for everyone. Best suited to Piperdam, Scotland.
At Away Resorts, we have 25 parks across the UK — from Cornwall to Scotland — many of which offer the perfect setting for a team away day.

Practical tips for organising a team away day

What to communicate to your team beforehand. Let people know what to pack, what to expect and roughly what the day's programme looks like. Be clear about the physical activities on offer and how inclusive they are, so nobody feels caught out — the goal is a team that's genuinely excited, not one dreading the day.

FAQs

How many people do I need for an Away Resorts team building booking? At Away Resorts we will create a bespoke package for your team.

Can we arrive on any day of the week? Yes — group bookings can arrive on any day, with a minimum stay of two nights, so the trip can be built around a midweek offsite or a weekend away.

Can we book exclusive use of a venue for our group? Yes (subject to availability) — exclusive venue hire is available so you can use the bar, restaurant or event space for a private team dinner or awards evening.

How do we get a quote for our team away day? Contact the Away Resorts group bookings team directly with your group size, preferred dates and the kind of activities you're interested in, and they'll put together a personalised quote and recommend the right park.