Best Corporate Team Building Activities in Charleston, SC

Charleston Adventure Forest in Awendaw, SC, about 25 minutes from downtown Charleston, offers four corporate team building activities: a zipline canopy tour, a 65-foot climbing wall, blacksmithing, and animal encounters. Group pricing starts at $83 per person for the canopy tour (6 or more people), and adding animal encounters brings a two-activity day to $100 per person.

This guide covers the planning side: what a day costs for your headcount, how the activities fit together, and who on your team can do what. If you already have a headcount in mind, you can ask about team building days for corporate groups.

Quick Take

Table of Contents

1. How much does corporate team building cost in Charleston?
2. Which activities suit a corporate team, and who can join?
3. What does a team building day at Charleston Adventure Forest look like?
4. How do you include people who will not zipline?
5. Is an outdoor adventure day better than an indoor team building event?
6. What should you tell your team before the day?
7. Frequently Asked Questions

How much does corporate team building cost in Charleston?

At Charleston Adventure Forest, the zipline canopy tour is $83 per person for groups of 6 or more and $98 for smaller groups. Climbing and Animal Encounters add $17 each when booked with another activity. Blacksmithing classes start at $65. Two activities cost $100 per person, and three cost $117.

Here is what that looks like for three team sizes:

• 8 people, canopy tour and Animal Encounters: 8 x $100 = $800
• 12 people, canopy tour, climbing wall, and Animal Encounters: 12 x $117 = $1,404
• 25 people, canopy tour, Animal Encounters, and a blacksmithing class: 25 x $165 = from $4,125

These totals cover the activities listed and nothing else.

Good to Know: The group rate starts at 6 people, and that creates an odd bit of math. A team of 5 pays $98 each for the canopy tour, $490 total. A team of 6 pays $83 each, $498 total. Adding the sixth person costs $8.

Which activities suit a corporate team, and who can join?

Each of the four activities asks something different of a team. The canopy tour is the longest at up to 2 hours, the climbing wall offers a second physical option, blacksmithing is a hands-on craft class, and Animal Encounters is a 30-minute break. The limits below decide who can join which.

The canopy tour has 7 zip lines, 3 swinging bridges, and a 750-foot grand finale line, and runs up to 2 hours. It is the only forest canopy zipline in the Charleston area. Details on the zipline canopy tour.

The climbing wall is the face of the same timber tower the canopy tour launches from, so a team can climb 65 feet up the tower and then zip off the top of it. It is the tallest climbing wall in the Charleston area. It has three climbing lanes that differ by hold spacing (closer holds are easier), a vertical face with no overhang, and an automatic belay system that a staff member monitors on every climb.

Blacksmithing classes run 1, 2, or 3 hours, by appointment only, and are taught by an instructor trained at the American College of the Building Arts. Each person makes a piece to take home, such as an oyster shucker, a hook, or a decorative item.

Animal Encounters is a 30-minute stop to feed, pet, and learn about the animals, which may include alpacas, ponies, goats, pigs, sheep, and reptiles. It is open to all ages.

What does a team building day at Charleston Adventure Forest look like?

A day is a sequence of activities you choose from four: the canopy tour (up to 2 hours), Animal Encounters (30 minutes), a blacksmithing class (1, 2, or 3 hours, by appointment), and the climbing wall. Pick two for a shorter day or three or four for a longer one. Here are three combinations.

• Two activities, $100 per person: the canopy tour, then Animal Encounters. That is up to 2.5 hours of activity time.
• Three activities, $117 per person: add the climbing wall for $17. Because the wall is the face of the tower the canopy tour launches from, your team can climb 65 feet up the tower, then zip off the top of it.
• A longer day, from $165 per person: the canopy tour, Animal Encounters, and a blacksmithing class. Activity time is 3.5 hours with the 1-hour class and up to 5.5 hours with the 3-hour class.

Activity time does not include travel. The park is in Awendaw, about 25 minutes from downtown Charleston. For your headcount and schedule, call 843-928-3947 or send us your group details.

Good to Know: Public hours change by season. During the school year the park is closed Mondays, and public hours are 3pm to 5:30pm Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5pm Friday and Saturday, and 12:30pm to 5pm Sunday. Summer hours are 8:30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12:30pm to 5pm Sunday. Holiday hours vary. Confirm your date with the booking team before you announce it.

How do you include people who will not zipline?

Give every person a role that does not depend on the canopy tour. The climbing wall accepts ages 5 and up and 40 to 300 pounds, Animal Encounters accepts all ages, and the blacksmithing class is recommended for ages 12 and up. Nobody on a mixed team has to watch from the ground.

On a team of 30, it is normal for someone to fall outside the canopy tour's 70 to 250 pound range, to be nervous about heights, or to prefer solid ground. Plan for that when you book, not on the day.

The simplest approach is to avoid splitting the team into a "zipline group" and a "non-zipline group." Build the day so everyone shares at least two activities, for example Animal Encounters and a blacksmithing class, and treat the canopy tour and climbing wall as the high-adrenaline layer on top.

Is an outdoor adventure day better than an indoor team building event?

It depends on the goal. An outdoor day suits teams that want physical, hands-on time away from the office, at the cost of a 25-minute drive from downtown Charleston to Awendaw. Indoor formats such as scavenger hunts, escape rooms, and cooking sessions suit teams that want a downtown location or a weatherproof plan.

The limits of a day here are worth stating plainly. The park is in Awendaw, not downtown, so budget 25 minutes each way. The canopy tour excludes anyone under 10 or outside 70 to 250 pounds. Blacksmithing is by appointment only. Outdoor activities also depend on the weather, so ask the booking team what happens if the forecast turns.

Whichever venue you choose, ask which safety standard it operates to. For canopy tours and challenge courses, the current U.S. benchmark is ANSI/ACCT 03-2019 from the Association for Challenge Course Technology, which covers design, installation, operation, and staff training.

What should you tell your team before the day?

Tell everyone three things: wear closed-toe shoes for every activity, wear cotton clothing with pants that fully cover the shoes if they will forge, and allow 25 minutes to drive from downtown Charleston to Awendaw. Share the age and weight limits privately with anyone who may fall outside them.

A short pre-event message should include:

• Address: 1152 Guerins Bridge Rd, Awendaw, SC 29429
• Footwear: closed-toe shoes for every activity, and no flip-flops or sandals on the canopy tour
• Forge clothing: cotton, with pants that fully cover the shoes
• Canopy tour limits: ages 10 and up, 70 to 250 pounds
• Hours: the park's hours differ between the school year and summer, so confirm which applies to your date

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best corporate team building activities in Charleston, SC?
It depends on your team. For a physical, outdoor day, Charleston Adventure Forest in Awendaw offers a zipline canopy tour, a 65-foot climbing wall, blacksmithing, and Animal Encounters, bookable alone or combined. Downtown, scavenger hunts, escape rooms, and cooking sessions suit teams that want an indoor or weatherproof option.

How much does corporate team building cost per person in Charleston?
At Charleston Adventure Forest, the canopy tour is $83 per person for groups of 6 or more. Climbing and Animal Encounters add $17 each with another activity, and blacksmithing starts at $65. Two activities cost $100 per person, three cost $117, and a day with blacksmithing starts at $165.

Can everyone on the team do every activity?
Not always. The canopy tour is for ages 10 and up and 70 to 250 pounds, the climbing wall is for ages 5 and up and 40 to 300 pounds, and blacksmithing is recommended for ages 12 and up. Animal Encounters is open to all ages, so it works as a shared activity.

Are there team building activities that are not workshops or trust falls?
Yes. A canopy tour, a 65-foot climbing wall, a blacksmithing class, and Animal Encounters replace discussion with doing. Each has a concrete finish: the 750-foot final zip line, the top of the tower, or a piece you forged and take home, such as an oyster shucker or hook.

What days and hours can a corporate group visit?
During the school year the park is closed Mondays, open 3pm to 5:30pm Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5pm Friday and Saturday, and 12:30pm to 5pm Sunday. Summer hours are 8:30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12:30pm to 5pm Sunday. Holiday hours vary, so confirm your date.

What should employees wear to a team building day?
Closed-toe shoes are required for every activity, and the canopy tour does not allow flip-flops or sandals. Blacksmithing requires cotton clothing, closed-toe shoes, and pants that fully cover the shoes. Blacksmithing is by appointment only, so confirm that date with the booking team first.

Other group occasions at Charleston Adventure Forest

• Birthday Parties: for birthday groups
• Bachelor Parties: for bachelor party groups
• Bachelorette Parties: for bachelorette party groups
• College Groups: for student organizations and college groups
• Youth Groups: for youth groups
• Celebrations and Venue Rental: for private celebrations and venue rental

Ready to plan your team's day?

Tell us your headcount, your preferred date, and which activities interest you. The canopy tour is $83 per person for groups of 6 or more, and two activities together are $100 per person. Call 843-928-3947 to talk through your group.

Request a corporate team building day, or book the zipline canopy tour directly.