Planning a social event with your virtual team? Explore these unique virtual happy hour ideas for inspiration! In this guide, we’ve rounded up 8+ of our favorite virtual happy hour activities, games, and more.
Host a virtual happy hour that will get your team laughing, connecting, and bonding together!
A few of our favorite Unique Virtual Happy Hour Ideas
Read on for more information on these Unique Virtual Happy Hour Ideas, and more ideas!
- Host a superhero themed wine tasting
- Ask icebreaker questions that don’t induce eye rolls
- Put on a virtual talent show
- Take a mixology class together
- Solve an escape room or scavenger hunt
TLDR: in this list, you’ll find:
- Unique virtual happy hour ideas for remote teams
- Zoom happy hour ideas
- Fun virtual party games and activities
- Virtual happy hour activities for teams of all sizes and industries
- Mocktail and alcohol-free happy hour ideas
Note: be mindful that people may be sober for a wide variety of personal reasons. To help everyone feel safe, comfortable, and included, scroll to the bottom of this guide for non-alcoholic happy hour ideas and inspiration.
1. Plan a Superhero Happy Hour – One of Our Favorite Unique Virtual Happy Hour Ideas!
Experience superhero movies like never before! This “marvel-ous” virtual team building event will guide your group through the process of creating their own superheroes in breakout rooms.
In between, they’ll experience an interactive virtual movie tour with two live-streaming guides. Get a special on-location look at iconic superhero filming sites. Additionally, an animator will even draw two of your teams’ superhero creations, live during your event!
As an optional add-on, your team can enjoy a special superhero themed wine tasting box. The tasting was uniquely curated for this event by Voluptuary + Lucid Wines.
Learn more and book the virtual Superhero tour with your team!
2. Get to Know Each Other with Icebreaker Questions
Icebreaker questions are a classic “getting to know you” activity for a reason. Start your Zoom happy hour with some fun prompts that will get everyone sharing and connecting. You can allow everyone to take turns answering the same question. Or, mix it up and have each person answer a different question!
Icebreaker Questions to Ask Your Team
- Where’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited?
- What’s your go-to recipe to cook for a dinner party or potluck?
- Share your favorite book you’ve ever read.
- What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
- Tell us the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given.
3. Play Virtual Happy Hour Games
Virtual team games are a great way to build excitement during your happy hour. You can even play a virtual version of a favorite board game! No matter how you play, your team will have a blast competing and bonding together.
Games for Virtual Team Building:
- Play “office Olympics” and engage in a variety of (safe!) physical challenges
- Host a virtual trivia night
- Play Pictionary: take turns sharing screens and draw using your Paint app
- Have the host share their screen and solve Wordle Unlimited puzzles together
Additionally, explore our ideas for team building bingo activities!
4. Work Together to Solve a Virtual Escape Room
Build your team’s problem-solving skills by solving a virtual escape room activity together. You’ll collaborate to crack codes and solve puzzle to unlock the key to the mystery.
An escape room virtual experience engages your team’s creative muscles. With many virtual escape room service, you can choose a theme for your activity. For example, various online options include escape the forest, rogue scientist, escaping a deserted island, and more.
Head to Escapely.com to browse virtual escape rooms! They also offer virtual murder mystery tours and virtual trivia.
5. Let Everyone Shine During a Virtual Talent Show – One of Our Favorite Unique Virtual Happy Hour Ideas!
Does your team have hidden talents? If so, give everyone a turn to shine by putting on a virtual happy hour. During this activity, you can give each team member 5-10 minutes to perform for the group.
Everyone will love laughing together while learning something new about your coworkers. This activity is sure to spark conversations and connections for months to come!
Virtual Talent Show Ideas
- Play an instrument or perform karaoke
- Read an original poem or short story
- Show off a fun skill like hula-hooping or juggling
- Create a quick painting or drawing (you can even take ideas from the group for what to paint!)
- Deliver a short stand-up comedy set
- Share your pet’s tricks or antics
- Perform a magic trick
Need some talent inspiration? Here are 8 easy magic tricks to dazzle your teammates!
6. Plan a Virtual Happy Hour Scavenger Hunt
Make your own virtual scavenger hunt! This activity is part game, part show-and-tell. That’s because the scavenger hunt requires employees to find items from around their home and share them on screen. Whoever is able to find and show off the most items wins!
During this activity, you’ll get to know your coworkers better while also engaging in friendly competition.
Virtual Happy Hour Scavenger Hunt Ideas:
Find, and show us…
- The last book you read
- Your favorite water bottle
- An instrument you can play
- Swag/promo item with your company logo
- An animal (a pet, or a stuffed animal!)
- Your business card
- A photo of you as a child
7. Host a Netflix Party
Planning a Netflix party is a fun, low-key way to connect with your team. Of course, you can choose a different streaming service or a free online TV and movie-watching platform. Get everyone’s input on what to watch together.
Then, plan your movie-watching virtual party! You can send out movie-themed e-vites with popcorn or film reel graphics using a free design tool like Canva. Ask everyone to show up on camera with their favorite snacks and drinks. You can even give your team members a stipend to order food or special treats to enjoy.
Use the chat feature of your video call to discuss the movie in real-time. You can pick a more serious movie that prompts thought-provoking questions and meaningful dialogue. Or, pick a comedy and enjoy joking around together as you watch.
To get started, check out WIRED’s guide to hosting a virtual movie night.
8. Have a Virtual Wine Tasting
A virtual wine tasting is a fun way to explore something new with your team. Some wine knowledge can also come in handy during business dinners, or in casual conversation.
You can find a variety of online wine tasting experiences. Typically, these include a video call with a live guided tasting. Each participant will receive their wines shipped directly to them. Then, a wine expert or sommelier will take your group through the experience. Along the way, you can expect the host to share knowledge and ask your team engaging questions about what they taste.
Check out virtual wine tasting options from Voluptuary + Lucid Wines, an organic micro-winery in Sacramento, CA. For more wine tasting fun, check out our Superhero Team Building experience, with an add-on Voluptuary + Lucid wine tasting activity!
Plan an Inclusive Happy Hour with Mocktail Options
These days, many people are drinking alcohol mindfully, or not at all! As a result, on-alcoholic drinks are growing in popularity. And, people abstain from drinking for a variety of reasons – including pregnancy, health considerations, addiction or dependence, personal preference, taste, allergies, or a variety of other reasons.
As a result, it’s important to ensure that alcohol isn’t the main event at your virtual happy hour. Otherwise, team members who don’t drink may feel excluded or uncomfortable. As a solution, offer a mocktail or alcohol-free option during your virtual happy hour activities!
What is a Mocktail?
As it sounds like, a “mocktail” is simply a cocktail without alcohol! That means you can turn many cocktail drinks into a mocktail by omitting the alcohol. Alternatively, you can substitute sparkling water or another fun beverage for alcohol. For instance, many companies are making non-alcoholic “elixirs” to enjoy in your favorite drinks.
Adding fresh herbs, fruit, or even a tiny umbrella can liven up your drink, whether it’s a mocktail or a cocktail.
How can I include non-alcoholic options for a virtual cocktail class or wine tasting?
Sometimes, your virtual happy hour event might be centered around an activity that includes alcohol, like a mixology class or wine tasting. In order to include everyone, it’s a great idea to have non-alcoholic options ready for your team! If you’re booking your activity through an online service or instructor, be sure to ask about them about non-alcoholic options ahead of time.
For example, if a mixologist is putting together virtual happy hour cocktail kits for your team, they may be happy to include a special mocktail option for those who choose! That way, everyone can still share a similar experience together and enjoy the other flavors in the drink.
Where can I find mocktail recipes for my virtual happy hour?
In short, just about anywhere! In fact, all it takes is a simple Google search to find delicious mocktail recipes for your team, or a non-alcoholic version of your favorite cocktail. Get started with Bon Appetit’s guide to 25 mocktail recipes!
Looking for more options? For a turkey virtual happy hour event, explore our Unexpected Virtual Tours team building experiences!
Located in Atlanta? Check out Unexpected Atlanta Tours & Gifts