8 minute read
Recreation
Topgolf
Playin’ 9 to 5
By Drew Henry
San Antonio hosts thousands of corporate conferences and retreats every year, but that does not mean we are a buttoned-up city of stuffed shirts. How could we be when so much fun is happening right outside the conference room? We Texans have a work-hard, play-hard attitude! So, join us as we explore some of San Antonio’s top corporate team building activities that are so fun your office will be talking about them around the water cooler for weeks. Here is our meeting agenda: We are hitting the green, driving some holes in one, crossing the finish line, going with the flow of the river and ending the day with a hauntingly good happy hour.
The Quarry Golf Course Mission Adventure Tours
HIT THE GREEN AT THE QUARRY GOLF COURSE
Why take a meeting in the boardroom when you can take it on the green? Get some fresh air while you close your next business deal at The Quarry Golf Course. Located just 10 minutes north of downtown, this course situated in an old quarry offers challenging terrain, stunning views and a high-end country club experience. Designed by Keith Foster in 1993, the course repurposes a 1908 stone quarry for a truly unique golfing experience. The front nine holes play in a linksstyle format and feature rolling hills, immaculate greens and native Texas foliage. Now, the back nine is where things get interesting. Get ready to enter the original quarry, where your shots will fly over large expanses with striking rock formations and smokestacks in the background. End the day with dinner and drinks at the Cementville Grille and toast to a job well done and a game well played.
Nightly Spirits
GET A HOLE-IN-ONE AT TOPGOLF
If your team is a mix of golf pros and newbies, then circle back to Topgolf. Located 25 minutes north of downtown, Topgolf is an “elevated” driving range experience featuring three floors of 100 air-conditioned bays outfitted with TVs, arcade games and a menu of mouthwatering snacks and cocktails. The office MVPs will love practicing their drive, while the entry-level players will have fun taking a swing at the game and relishing the sweeping Hill Country views. With exclusive corporate packages, your team can book a bank of driving bays, the rooftop lounge, the arcade and conference breakout rooms. You may even get some work done in between swings! In addition to company event packages, Topgolf will even plan team building exercises on your behalf. So, is it just us, or does this off-site meeting sound like a hole-in-one?
CROSS THE FINISH LINE AT ANDRETTI KARTING & GAMES
Sometimes corporate life can feel like a rat race. But at Andretti Karting & Games, you can cross the finish line and emerge victorious! Located 25 minutes north of downtown next to Topgolf, Andretti Indoor Karting & Games is the perfect place for a company retreat, meeting or team building day. Corporate packages include access to fun activities like go-kart racing, laser tag, VR gaming experiences, mini-golf, bowling, arcade games, private conference room rentals and delicious catering. The 10,000-square-foot complex even has free Wi-Fi for those workaholics who have to check their email between gokart races. But with your own dedicated event assistant, you may actually be able to take time to relax and blow off some steam. Choose from pre-made packages or design your own for a oneof-a-kind experience. Start your engines because this team event is getting ready to take off!
KAYAK THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER WITH MISSION ADVENTURE TOURS
Sometimes in the workplace, you just have to go with the flow…of the river, that is! Grab your team and kayak the San Antonio River with Mission Adventure Tours. We all need some fresh air every once in a while, right? Experience the iconic river by getting up close and personal while learning
Andretti Karting and Games
Mission Adventure Tours
how to let go and let the river guide you. Mission Adventure Tours offers three different selfguided kayak experiences. Explore the Museum Reach at Pearl, the King William District at Southtown or the Mission Reach at Espada Park. Each section of the river offers a totally unique experience. Will you explore the bustling banks of the Pearl or enjoy some peaceful quiet nature in Mission Reach? Go with the flow of the river and see where the experience takes you! Self-guided tours are available in one to two-hour increments with options for single rider and tandem kayak rentals.
FIND SOME BOO’S ON A NIGHTLY SPIRITS HAUNTED PUB CRAWL
Everyone loves a good office happy hour, but this haunted pub crawl comes with a few additional spirits. The Nightly Spirits San Antonio Haunted Pub Tour is the perfect choice for your next corporate event, team building exercise or holiday party that can be customized to fit any group size and budget. Join the tour if you dare and get a haunting mixture of spooky stories and pub crawling on this walking tour of downtown San Antonio. Costumed guides will take the company to historic bars to grab drinks and hear spine-tingling tales from San Antonio’s past. You may even meet a potential new hire with a scary good resume. Private tours are available every day of the week and typically start between 5:00 and 9:00pm. When reserving for a large group, you can customize the plan and choose your start time, duration, pickup location and more. The standard tour runs for two and a half hours and goes to three or four bars.
click on this:
THE QUARRY GOLF COURSE
www.QuarryGolf.com
TOPGOLF
www.Topgolf.com/us/san-antonio/
ANDRETTI KARTING AND GAMES
www.AndrettiKarting.com/sanantonio
MISSION ADVENTURE TOURS
www.MAT-TX.com
NIGHTLY SPIRITS
www.NightlySpirits.com
WRITER’S BIO
Drew Henry is a writer, yogi and meme enthusiast. When he is not writing, he is out exploring all Texas has to offer. View his portfolio at DrewHenryWrites.com and follow his antics on Instagram at @drewhenrywrites.
Stay • Eat • Celebrate • Care Estancia Del Norte
STAY
Amid the hustle and bustle of what locals know as Loop 410 lies an unexpected treasure. Tucked back off the access road, the Estancia Del Norte hotel is like a tropical oasis in the middle of the urban sprawl. A study in Old World elegance married with modern-day luxury, the hotel pays homage to its rich history by incorporating elements of Spanish style with Mexican heritage and good old Texas charm. Relax in one of the 277 expertly appointed guest rooms with plush linens, spa-worthy bathrooms and plenty of amenities. Or enjoy a beautiful Texas sunset in the lush courtyard with its sparkling pool. Located just minutes from premier shopping, dining and tourist destinations, Estancia Del Norte might be located in the heart of the city, but it feels like it is worlds away.
EAT
The “Texas Cocktail Casual” theme of Paseo Bar invites you to put on your “good boots” and get comfy as you enjoy good food and great spirits. Whether your day includes a breakfast business meeting, a happy hour with friends or date night dining, Paseo Bar offers a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu that blends all the flavors of the Texas culinary landscape as effortlessly as it blends its signature cocktails. With a focus on local sourcing, the expertly crafted menus offer seafood from the gulf, salads and sides highlighting local and seasonal produce and the highest quality beef from Texas’s Dean & Peeler. The commitment to quality and local flare extends to the beverage menu, where “top shelf” is the bottom tier. Texas vineyards and distilleries factor heavily into the mix of high-quality bourbons, tequilas and other spirits, while an extensive selection of wines and beers factor heavily into the mix. From light bites to hearty meals and craft cocktails, there is something to satisfy every tastebud. For those who crave a full dining-room experience, LAZO With Don Strange offers many of the Don Strange classics that made the catering giant a household name across Texas.
CELEBRATE
When celebration is your motto, delivering it is our mission. Providing Texas Hospitality is Estancia Del Norte’s calling card, and they do it in a way that celebrates community—and nothing says community like local arts and artisans. Art is the heartbeat of a city, and in a city as colorful as San Antonio, it is an integral part of life. From the local artisans whose textiles, candles, jewelry and foods line the shelves of the boutique gift shop to the art gallery featuring local established and emerging artists, it is easy for guests to immerse themselves in the culture of the Alamo City.
CARE
Creating community inside and outside the hotel is a driving force at Estancia Del Norte and the impetus for the program, “Estancia Cares.” Each month, Paseo Bar features a signature cocktail for a designated nonprofit and donates a portion of the proceeds to the organization. Guests can feel good knowing their dollars are going towards supporting organizations that make San Antonio one of the most popular destinations in Texas.
