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Los Angeles has undergone an enormous transformation in the last century to become the second-most populous city in the United States.
During this rapid expansion, L.A.—now home to Hollywood stars and America's elite—has become an important commercial centre and a hotspot for outdoor recreation. Frankly, we couldn't imagine a better place for a corporate getaway.
Celebrities flock to Los Angeles because its larger-than-life personality is unmatched anywhere else in the world.
And this city doesn't pull any punches regarding team-building activites, either. Here, your employees can spend the day exploring Hollywood, de-stressing at a yoga class or reaching new heights at the climbing gym—the sky is the limit at The City of Angels.
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We've put together a list of
team-building activities for company retreats in
Los Angeles
, including options that work well for both small and large teams.
Spanning Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and iconic spots like Griffith Observatory, this Los Angeles retreat agenda combines structured sessions with a creative studio-style experience and relaxed California evenings.
Los Angeles is a strong option for teams that want a mix of city energy, creative industries, and coastal lifestyle. It’s especially appealing for teams looking to combine work sessions with iconic experiences like beach time, rooftop gatherings, and entertainment-focused activities.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the busiest global hubs, with direct flights from Europe, North America, and Asia. Travel time from LAX to areas like Santa Monica or West Hollywood typically ranges from 20 to 45 minutes depending on traffic.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) usually offer the best balance of pleasant weather and fewer crowds. Temperatures are typically between 65–80°F, while summer can be busier and hotter inland.
Santa Monica is ideal for a beach-focused retreat, West Hollywood offers nightlife and central access, Downtown LA is more business-oriented, and Venice Beach has a more relaxed, creative atmosphere.
Los Angeles stands out for its scale and diversity. Teams can combine beach time, studio tours, hiking in the Hollywood Hills, and high-end dining, all within the same retreat, creating a highly varied experience.
Options include surf lessons in Santa Monica, hiking to the Hollywood Sign, studio tours at Warner Bros. or Universal, beach volleyball tournaments, and food tours across different neighborhoods.
Most teams plan 4 to 5 days due to travel distances and the size of the city. This allows time to balance work sessions with activities without feeling rushed.
Los Angeles is generally on the higher end in terms of costs, particularly for accommodation and transportation. However, the range of options means teams can adjust based on budget and priorities.
Popular options within 1 to 2 hours include Malibu for coastal views and beach activities, Santa Barbara for a relaxed seaside atmosphere and wine tasting, and Laguna Beach for a more compact, walkable coastal experience. For nature-focused teams, the San Gabriel Mountains offer hiking and scenic escapes close to the city.
Los Angeles offers a highly diverse food scene, from casual taco spots to high-end restaurants. Teams can plan group dinners, rooftop events, or curated food tours across neighborhoods like Koreatown or Downtown.
In full transparency, everyone loved it. People are still talking about it. The main goal was team bonding and you helped me to reach it.
Everyone was delighted by the venue, the activities, the transfer coordination and everything! Long live Surf Office! Can’t wait to plan our next company retreat with you :)
Our team offsite retreat was excellent - great food, weather and activities. Even the people that couldn't attend wished they could have made it. And the location was perfect. Surf Office - Thank you very much for your help and support with planning and organization - and Beatriz our retreat manager was fantastic - fast, efficient and always kept us informed. It really made the difference. It really did!
Surf Office helped us plan our 60 person staff retreat, scoping locations, venues, restaurants, activities, and more. Angela was really on top of it and paid close attention to all of the details. Definitely saved us time on research and back-and-forth with all of the various contact persons!
We went into talks with SurfOffice and hit it off with the founders to make this happen. Theres a team that will guide you through the choice and a platform for when you are to arrive with an agenda. Our team likes to bring in community members to these types of events and the crew is excited. The onboarding is going well and we paid the deposit, and we're looking forward to the trip. Our party had to reduce significantly due to constraints and the team has been accomodating so far. 5* everyone had a good time and Rayna on site made everyone feel comfortable.
The location was great, the areas dedicated to us were amazing and all things we asked for were there - also, I love the shared dashboard to organize.
I recently worked with Surf Office to organize an offsite retreat for my company in Gran Canaria, and I couldn't be happier with the experience! Beatriz, the retreat planner, was incredible. From start to finish, she was exceptionally organized, responsive, and attentive to every detail. Planning a retreat for a team can be daunting, but Beatriz made the process seamless. She answered all my questions quickly and thoroughly, and her recommendations were spot-on. The offsite itself was beyond amazing – the accommodations and activities were perfectly tailored to our team’s needs. Surf Office took all the stress out of planning and delivered an unforgettable experience for our group. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to plan a work retreat. If you’re lucky enough to have Beatriz as your planner, you’re in great hands!
The most popular team building activities are surf lessons, SUP lessons and tapas night but there are plenty more to choose from.
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retreats with Surf Office.
