What are the best virtual team building activities for 2027? The best virtual team building activities for 2027 are live, interactive experiences that give your employees something to do together, rather than simply another video call.
Depending on your goals, that might mean exploring a new place, learning about history and culture, celebrating a heritage month, taking part in a creative activity, playing a team game, or simply having fun together.
For teams that want an experience that’s already planned and professionally facilitated, Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers live virtual team building programs led by professional guides in unique locations. Many of our experiences combine live-streaming, storytelling, trivia, games, hands-on activities, and opportunities for team conversation, so your team can fully participate rather than just watch.
Prefer to organize something yourself? There are plenty of DIY options, too. Use the ideas below to find an activity that fits your team’s goals and make 2027 your best year at work yet!
30+ Virtual Team Building Activities & Ideas for 2027
What Are the Best Virtual Team Building Activities for 2027?
The best activity depends on your team’s goals, size, schedule, and interests. If you’re looking for a professionally facilitated experience, Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers programs that are designed for corporate teams and remote groups.
| If your goal is… | Consider… | Unexpected option |
|---|---|---|
| Learn about history and culture | Virtual cultural experiences, heritage events, historical tours | Cultural Team Building Experiences |
| Celebrate a heritage month | Interactive history, culture, music, or identity programs | Heritage Month Experiences |
| Get employees playing & connecting | Trivia, game shows, Bingo, interactive challenges | Virtual Team Building Experiences |
| Celebrate the holidays | Holiday games, crafts, cooking, virtual travel | Unexpected Holiday Party |
| Give employees a hands-on experience | Creative workshops, cooking, crafts, challenges | Interactive Experiences |
| Plan an entire heritage calendar | Multiple cultural and heritage experiences throughout the year | Subscription Package |
What Makes Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training Different?
Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training is built around the idea that virtual team building should feel like an experience, not another presentation.
Programs can include live-streaming guides, interactive challenges, cultural storytelling, trivia, games, hands-on activities, and optional Treat Boxes that bring food and activities to employees’ homes.
The company describes its experiences as creative events for creative teams, with guides leading programs from studios and locations around the world. Unexpected also works with major companies including Google, UPS, Salesforce, Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, and IHG.
If your team has already done the virtual happy hour routine, a professionally facilitated virtual experience can give everyone something new to talk about.
Which Virtual Team Building Programs Does Unexpected Offer?
Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training’s catalog includes a variety of virtual experiences, from history and culture events to professional development workshops and fun team bonding activities.
| Program type | What employees do | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural team building | Explore history, culture, music, and important places with live guides | 60 minutes |
| Heritage month events | Learn through storytelling, live locations, trivia, and interactive activities | 60 minutes |
| Work Culture Workshops | Practice productive conversations and explore workplace culture topics | 90 minutes |
| Holiday team building | Play games, make crafts, decorate cookies, and explore holiday destinations | 60 minutes |
| Game-based events | Play Bingo, game shows, trivia, and other interactive challenges | 60 minutes |
| Subscription package | Plan multiple cultural and heritage events throughout the year | 11+ events |
Browse Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training’s virtual team building experiences.
What Are Some Virtual Team Building Activities for History and Culture?
If your goal is to give employees a shared learning experience, a cultural or historical virtual tour can be more engaging than asking someone to give a traditional presentation. Below are some of our favorite ideas.
Explore the Civil Rights Movement with Good Trouble
Take your team on a live virtual tour of Montgomery, Alabama, and explore iconic Civil Rights locations while learning about Black resistance and the fight for liberty.
Good Trouble is a 60-minute cultural team building experience that combines history with a live-streamed tour. Learn more about this program with the short preview video below.
Highlights of the Good Trouble experience include:
- Fascinating stories of Black resistance like Elizabeth Key Grinstead, the Stono Rebellion, Barbara Johns, and more
- Live-streamed visit to Montgomery, AL
- The story of John Lewis, who coined the term “Good Trouble”
- Resource page provided after the event for more takeaways
Explore Black Innovation
What can your team learn from the history of Black creativity and entrepreneurship? The Black Innovation virtual experience explores Atlanta’s rich legacy of innovation through live storytelling at historic locations and a Shark Tank-style challenge based on real inventions.
The experience lasts 60 minutes and gives your team something active to do rather than simply listening to a lecture.
Highlights of the Black Innovation program:
- Fascinating and lesser-known stories of Black innovators
- Live-streamed visits to noteworthy sites in Atlanta, GA
- Engaging stories of Black leaders and innovators, like Ella Baker, James Tate, and Alonzo Herndon
- Optional Treat Boxes featuring products from 100% Black-owned small businesses
Take a Virtual Tour of Black Meccas
Black Meccas explores the Great Migration and the development of Black communities and cities of opportunity. The experience includes a live-streaming look at important locations in Harlem, New York.
Highlights of the Black Meccas virtual experience:
- Fascinating and untold stories of the Great Migration
- Live-streamed visits to the “Black Mecca” of Harlem, New York
- The story of Alain Locke, father of the Harlem Renaissance
- Story of Zora Neale Hurston, author and anthropologist
- Optional Treat Boxes featuring products from 100% Black-owned small businesses
Explore Indigenous History and Culture
The Indigenous and Native American Heritage program explores Indigenous history and culture with a focus on narrative and words. The experience also includes insight from a Native American scholar who is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, as well as a live look at the Ocmulgee historic mounds.
Watch a short preview of this program below:
Highlights of the Indigenous & Native American Heritage session include:
- Learning about Native American history from 15,000 BCE-present with 2 live studio guides
- Visiting historic Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park with a live-streaming virtual guide
- Hearing about important Native American leaders, authors, artists, and activists
- Tracing Native Americans’ lasting contributions to language, food, politics, and more
- Hearing narratives drawn from several different Indigenous tribes’ cultures and stories
- Examining the rhetoric that has shaped policies that impact Indigenous communities
- Connecting & building stronger teams with trivia and interactive elements
Learn About Veterans Day and Military History
This Virtual Veterans Experience explores the history and significance of Veterans Day by tracing the evolution of the American Armed Forces from their early foundations to modern service.
The 60-minute experience also includes live-streaming focused on important military milestones.
Highlights of the Virtual Veterans Experience include:
- Learning about the Signer’s Memorial and how service began not just on battlefields but with ideals
- Visiting the World War II Memorial and learning: how does a country memorialize something so massive?
- Learning about the Navajo Code Talkers
- Hearing stories of Susan Ahn Cuddy, the first female gunnery officer in the United States Navy
- Understanding the advocacy for veteran rights and benefits, including advocacy for diabled vets
- Examining the rhetoric that has shaped policies that impact veterans
- Connecting & building stronger teams with trivia and interactive elements
How Can Our Team Celebrate Heritage Months Virtually?
Heritage months can provide a natural reason to bring your employees together for a virtual learning experience. Instead of simply sending an email or sharing a list of resources, give your team a shared activity they can experience together.
| Occasion | Unexpected Experience | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Black History Month | Black History Month | History, art, trivia, and live tour of Washington, DC |
| Women’s History Month | Music Evolution: She Rocks! | Female musicians, storytelling, music, and trivia |
| Women’s History Month | She Innovates | Female innovators + historic Shark Tank-style challenge |
| AAPI Heritage Month | Being American | History, culture, live San Francisco tour, and trivia |
| AAPI Heritage Month | The American Dream | AANHPI women, science, technology, and trivia |
| Juneteenth | Emancipation | History, live virtual tour of Hampton, VA, and interactive game |
| Pride Month | Pride: Origins | LGBTQIA+ history and live virtual tour of historic New York City sites |
| Hispanic and Latiné Heritage Month | Somos Americanos | Music, artists, innovators, and cultural movements |
| Veterans Day | Veterans | Military history and live-streamed visits to meaningful monuments |
Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training also offers a subscription package for organizations that want to plan a full heritage month calendar. The package includes 4 or more events with special discounted pricing and free 3-day recording access.
What Are Some Fun Virtual Team Building Activities?
Not every virtual team building event needs to be educational. Sometimes, the goal is simply to give coworkers a reason to laugh, play, and spend time together. Below are our favorite fun virtual team building activities:
Play Bingo Bonanza
Bring some friendly competition to your next virtual team event with Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training’s Bingo Bonanza. This 60-minute experience combines classic bingo with Movie Trivia Bingo, Scavenger Hunt Bingo, and virtual visits to iconic Bing0-related sites in New York City.
Teams play together in the main group and breakout rooms, giving everyone a chance to compete, laugh, and connect.
Highlights of the Bingo Bonanza include:
- An engaging and fun virtual office party
- Hosted by entertaining and engaging guides
- Live tour of NYC
- 2 breakout room games
- 2 large group games
- 2 Victory boxes sent to your Bingo winners (US shipping included)
- Optional add-on Treat Boxes
Play a Virtual Retro Game Show
The Americana Retro Game Show is a 60-minute virtual session featuring history, music, trivia, and friendly competition. Teams will tackle Jeopardy-style questions, Name That Tune, and Price Is Right-inspired challenges while exploring stories and sites connected to the road to American independence.
The experience is non-partisan and inclusive, making it a fun option for corporate teams, ERGs, summer interns, and July 4th celebrations.
Highlights of the Americana Retro Game Show include:
- An engaging and fun virtual office party
- Themes of unity and community
- An inclusive and engaging fun event, perfect for all people
- Education without boredom
- Celebrating art, games, and invention all in one
Try Ghost Stories and S’mores
Looking for a fall or Halloween activity? The hour-long virtual Ghost Stories experience gives your team a chance to experience spooky stories, make s’mores, and take a live-streaming tour through a Victorian cemetery.
Watch the short video below for a preview of the Ghost Stories virtual program:
Highlights of the Ghost Stories experience include:
- Celebrating Halloween by building a miniature campfire and roasting gourmet s’mores
- Sharing fun and unique stories with colleagues
- Honing your storytelling skills (perfect for marketing & communications teams)
- A live-streamed visit to a Victorian cemetery
- Hearing spooky ghost stories from trained storytellers
Host an Unexpected Holiday Party
What should you do for your virtual holiday party? Offer your employees festive and engaging activities, rather than asking everyone to make small talk over a video call.
The hour-long Unexpected Holiday Party combines Jeopardy, holiday sweater crafting, cookie decorating, breakout rooms, and a live look at iconic holiday locations in New York City.
Highlights of the Unexpected Holiday Party include:
- A fun virtual office party, with all the planning done for you
- Round the world holiday theme
- An inclusive and engaging fun holiday event, perfect for all employees
- 2 breakout rooms hosted by engaging professional guides
- Optional Treat Boxes featuring delicious goodies
What Are Some Music-Based Virtual Team Building Activities?
Music can be an easy way to connect employees across generations and backgrounds. Try activities like name-that-tune games, collaborative playlists, music bingo, or virtual listening parties. For a more structured experience, a guided music-themed team event can combine friendly competition with stories and cultural context.
Celebrate Women in Music with She Rocks!
Music Evolution: She Rocks! focuses on female musicians and storytellers as part of a Women’s History Month-themed team building event.
This 60-minute experience combines music, storytelling, trivia, and a live guided tour to help your team explore the contributions of women in music while connecting through interactive games and conversation.
Highlights of the Music Evolution: She Rocks! virtual experience include:
- Fascinating stories of female musicians in American music history
- 3 trivia and interactive games
- Seamless integration of intersectionality in music history
- On-location virtual tour of Nashville, also known as “Music City”
Try a DIY “Guess That Song” Activity
If you want a free activity, ask employees to submit a workplace-appropriate favorite song. Play a short clip and have the team guess the artist or title. Or, ask employees to hum that tune!
To make it more conversational, ask each person to explain why they chose their song. This can work as a quick 15–30 minute meeting activity or as part of a longer event.
How Long Should Our Virtual Team Building Event Be?
For a full virtual team building event, around an hour is a useful starting point. 60 to 90 minutes gives your team enough time to participate in an activity without turning it into an all-day commitment.
| Length | Best for |
|---|---|
| 15–30 minutes | Icebreakers, music sharing, quick team challenges |
| 30–45 minutes | Short workshops, discussions, employee recognition |
| 60 minutes | Full virtual team building experience |
| 90 minutes | Deeper workshops or multi-part activities |
Experiences from Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training experiences are designed to capture your team’s attention, keep employees engaged, and offer everyone a fun way to connect, collaborate, and learn together.
How Do We Choose Between a DIY Activity and a Facilitated Experience?
DIY activities can work well when you have an internal team member who enjoys event planning and has plenty of time to organize the details. But if you want your team to have a polished, engaging experience without putting the planning and hosting burden on an employee, a professionally facilitated experience can be a better fit.
With a professional facilitator, your staff organizer can participate alongside everyone else instead of troubleshooting technology, explaining instructions, managing breakout rooms, watching the clock, and keeping the conversation moving. The facilitator handles the logistics, so your team can focus on enjoying a seamless experience.
| DIY activity | Facilitated Unexpected experience |
|---|---|
| Usually requires internal planning | Professional guides lead the event |
| Team chooses and organizes the activity | Program and activities are already structured |
| Best for simple, low-prep activities | Best for a polished group experience |
| Employees or managers facilitate | Live guides facilitate |
| Materials may need to be sourced separately | Optional Treat Boxes can bring materials and treats to participants |
If you’re planning a company-wide event, holiday party, heritage month program, or employee experience, the facilitator can take much of the work off your plate.
How Do Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training Events Work?
What actually happens during an Unexpected Tours & Training event? The answer depends on the program, but overall, our experiences are designed to be interactive and memorable, rather than lecture-style.
Unexpected programs can include:
- Live-streaming guides in locations around the world
- Storytelling and fascinating historical lessons
- Trivia and interactive games
- Breakout rooms for closer connection
- Hands-on activities
- Creative challenges
- Live cultural experiences
- Optional Treat Boxes
Browse all of our virtual team building experiences here →
Can Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training Handle Large Teams?
Yes! Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training works with corporate teams and organizations of all sizes, including some of the world’s largest companies like Google, UPS, Salesforce, Coca-Cola, and The Home Depot.
If you’re planning a large conference, company event, or department-wide experience, reach out to our team for guidance on which programs and formats are best suited to your group size.
Large groups can especially benefit from structured activities, because your employees have a clear reason to participate rather than being expected to socialize with hundreds of coworkers on an open video call.
Can We Customize a Virtual Team Building Experience?
Yes! Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training can create a fully customized virtual team-building experience around your team’s interests, goals, or theme.
Our production team can build interactive activities with trivia, storytelling, live guides, breakout activities, and even custom Treat Boxes.
You’ll also have a pre-event meeting to review the experience and request changes before the event.
What If We Want Virtual Team Building All Year?
If you want to make virtual team building a regular part of your year, Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training’s Event Subscription lets you commit to four events scheduled throughout the year.
Choose from 20+ experiences tied to cultural heritage months, holidays, music, history, and more, with 10% off per-person rates and 15% off group rates. Group rates also include three-day recording access.
Learn more about the Unexpected subscription package.
Frequently Asked Questions About Virtual Team Building
What is virtual team building?
Virtual team building is a group activity designed to help remote, hybrid, or distributed employees connect, communicate, collaborate, learn, or socialize online. Activities typically take place through video conferencing platforms and may include games, workshops, cultural experiences, creative activities, or virtual tours.
What are the best virtual team building activities for remote employees?
Options include virtual cultural tours, interactive workshops, music experiences, virtual field trips, cooking and food activities, creative challenges, trivia, game shows, and heritage month events. Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers professionally facilitated versions of many of these formats.
How long should our virtual team building event last?
A full virtual team building event can run from 45 to 90 minutes, with 60 minutes being a practical format for many teams. Most Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training experiences are 60 minutes, while our Work Culture Workshops generally last 90 minutes.
What makes Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training different from a regular virtual meeting?
Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training experiences are designed around active participation. Depending on the program, your employees may interact with live guides, explore real locations, answer trivia questions, participate in games, use breakout rooms, or complete hands-on activities.
Join us to see why we’ve earned a 5-star Google rating with more than 3,500 reviews!
Do Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training events include live guides?
Yes. Many of our virtual experiences feature live-streaming guides who virtually take your team to historically and culturally significant locations and lead everyone through interactive activities. Some programs also include multiple guides or studio-based hosts.
Are Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training experiences interactive?
Yes! Interactive elements vary by program, but all of our programs are designed to be participatory. Activities can include trivia, games, challenges, breakout rooms, hands-on activities, storytelling, and live-streaming from unique destinations and landmarks.
Do we need a Treat Box with our virtual experience?
No. Treat Boxes are an optional part of many Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training experiences. Inside the boxes, you’ll find fun surprises like themed snacks and treats, or hands-on activities, but your team can participate in virtual experiences without them.
Can virtual team building work for my hybrid team?
Yes! A virtual event, like the ones from Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training, can give your employees in different offices, cities, or home locations a common experience. These sessions can also make it easier to include remote employees when some coworkers are together in person.
What are some virtual team building activities for heritage months?
Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers experiences for Black History Month, Women’s History Month, AAPI Heritage Month, Juneteenth, Pride Month, Hispanic and Latiné Heritage Month, Indigenous and Native American heritage, Veterans Day, and other cultural and heritage topics.
What are some fun virtual holiday team building activities?
Unexpected’s Unexpected Holiday Party combines Jeopardy, holiday sweater crafting, cookie decorating, breakout rooms, and a live look at iconic holiday locations in New York City – and the European Holiday experience takes your team on a virtual trip through Rome and Prague!
How far in advance should we book our virtual team building event?
Booking lead time depends on the program, group size, date, and whether you want optional Treat Boxes or other additions. For a major company event or a popular heritage month, contacting the Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training team early gives you more time to coordinate logistics.
The Best Virtual Team Building Ideas for 2027: Recap
- Choose a virtual team building activity based on your team’s goals, group size, and available time.
- Around 60 minutes is a useful starting point for a full virtual team building event.
- Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers professionally facilitated experiences rather than requiring one of your employees to run the activity. Our programs are loved by teams at Google, Salesforce, Coca-Cola, and more!
- Programs can combine live-streaming guides, storytelling, trivia, games, breakout rooms, and hands-on activities.
- Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers cultural and heritage experiences for occasions throughout the year.
- Holiday options include the Unexpected Holiday Party, European Holiday, and Bingo Bonanza.
- Treat Boxes are optional and can add fun, themed treats and hands-on activities to your virtual events.
- Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training offers a subscription package for organizations planning multiple team building events throughout the year.
- DIY activities can work well for quick team meetings, while a facilitated experience can save internal planners significant preparation time while ensuring things run smoothly.
Ready to Plan Your 2027 Virtual Team Building Event?
You don’t have to settle for another awkward Zoom happy hour or a virtual meeting where everyone sits quietly with their cameras off.
Unexpected Virtual Tours & Training creates live, interactive virtual team building experiences for corporate teams, with options ranging from cultural and heritage programs to game shows, holiday events, music experiences, and hands-on activities.
Whether you’re planning a one-hour team event, a company-wide celebration, a heritage month calendar, or a recurring virtual team building program, there’s an Unexpected experience worth exploring. Fill out the short form below to learn more and get started!
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