Courtesy Santa Cruz County CVC
With the ocean, beaches, mountains and redwoods on its doorstep, the options for group recreation and team-building activities in Santa Cruz, Calif., are as diverse as the landscape.
• Ropes courses and zip lines are great team-building tools, and Santa Cruz has several options. Chaminade Resort and Spa contracts with Synergy Learning Systems to lead team building on its high-ropes challenge course, a combination of ropes course, zip line, rock-climbing wall and balance pole. Mount Hermon’s two-hour guided redwood canopy tours include six zip lines and two sky bridges that reach heights of 150 feet. Kennolyn also has a ropes course.
800-283-6569
www.chaminade.com
888-642-2677
www.mounthermon.org
831-479-6700
www.kennolyn.com
• How about a sandcastle build-off for a group activity? Sand sculptor Kirk Rademaker’s company, Sand Guys, challenges teams to re-create company logos with sand, among other team-building options. Big names like Apple, Google, Facebook and Yahoo are among Sand Guys’ clientele. No word yet on their sand-sculpting skills.
510-459-9469
www.sandguys.com
• Through different percussion instruments, Jim Greiner’s Hands-On! Drumming audibly demonstrates the different qualities team members bring to the group. Corporate drumming sessions can be held on the beach or in a conference room.
831-462-3786
www.handsondrum.com
• Pacific Yachting and Sailing splits up larger groups into smaller teams of six to eight people per yacht during a three-hour sailing regatta. Skippers on each boat instruct the team on sailing basics and lead the yachts in a race.
800-374-2626
www.pacificsail.com
• Group or private surf lessons for people of all skill levels are the specialty of Club Ed, the Santa Cruz surfing camp run by Ed Guzman.
831-464-0177
www.club-ed.com
• Learn to stand-up paddleboard in the serene waters of Santa Cruz Harbor through Covewater Paddle Surf Shop.
831-600-7230
www.covewatersup.com
