10 Last-Minute Ideas for an Epic Office Holiday Party in Cincinnati
There comes a point every year when dodging the office holiday party turns into a full-blown strategy. Suddenly everyone has travel plans, mysterious car trouble, or a “thing” that just came up.
That usually says more about the party than the people.
The truth is, most office parties just aren’t that fun. But when done right, a great company event can boost morale, strengthen team relationships, and even improve employee retention. People actually look forward to them.
Planning a memorable office party is less about tradition and more about experience. Whether you’re organizing a holiday party, employee appreciation event, or team outing, the goal is simple: make it something people genuinely want to attend.
Forget the predictable bar night or another awkward gift exchange. If you want your event to stand out, it needs energy, interaction, and something different.
Here are 10 last-minute ideas in Cincinnati that will actually get your team excited. Here are 10 Last-Minute Ideas for an Epic Office Holiday Party in Cincinnati:
1 ) Archery Dodgeball at Archery Arena
When you are looking for fun games that add a real splash of competition instead of just sitting around a bar all night, try Archery Dodgeball at Archery Games.
This is a cool new twist on the game of dodgeball that you remember from childhood. You divide your officemates up into teams and dodge sponge-tipped arrows! It’s an absolute blast that keeps you having a great time. Your co-workers will talk about this one forever afterward.
You don’t need any special training, but you should be in reasonable shape. You will get plenty of instruction when you arrive and then the games begin! The session lasts for 75 minutes and food and drinks are available for purchase.
Arrive with your group wearing comfortable shoes and clothing and get ready to have fun. The cost is $28 per person.
Archery Arena also offers Nerf Wars for those.
2) Eat and Drink with Cincinnati Food Tours
Image Credit: Royalparks
If you have magazines like “Taste of Home” and “Bon Appetit” laying around your office your crowd will really enjoy the Hyde Park Food and Drink Tour. You learn the history of one of the most well-known parts of the Cincinnati area and you get a great culinary experience.
The one-mile walk has several sit-down stops that showcase local restaurants like Peace, Love and Little Donuts, Dear Restaurant & Butchery, and The Echo. You receive around a medium-sized meal in total with a glass of wine, seltzer or beer included. You can purchase additional drinks if you want to.
Make sure you wear comfortable shoes because you are on your feet for most of the tour. It starts at The Echo and costs $69 per person. The entire tour takes around three hours to complete. Call ahead to make reservations for this tour. The tour operates regardless of weather, aside from extraordinary situations- so bring your umbrella or boots if needed.
3) Play Games at 16-Bit Bar and Arcade
Arcade games and fantastic drinks are on tap at 16-Bit Bar and Arcade. They offer a super fun atmosphere with lots of old-school-style arcade games like Ms. Pac-Man, NBA Jam, and Donkey Kong.
The best part is as long as you are drinking you can play for free. Their drinks include classic cocktails, mocktails, and craft beers. There is something for everyone.
Everyone in your party will need to be over 21 and bring legitimate identification to attend. Make sure you choose a designated driver or set up a ride service in advance of your office outing.
4) Go for a Ride with BB Riverboat Cruise
See Cincinnati in a whole new way! Plan your next office party aboard a BB Riverboat Cruise. You will get the most amazing views of downtown Cincinnati from the decks of a BB Riverboat floating down the Ohio River.
The cruise takes you and your co-workers all the way down to Northern Kentucky and back home again. The staff helps you plan the event and you get a vast array of menu and bar options your guests will adore.
This is a unique choice that definitely is memorable. Cruises include a meal, party favors and souvenirs, and entertainment. You can choose from different packages that range from breakfast through dinner and sightseeing. The price starts at $20 per person.
5) Play at The Escape Game Cincinnati
From a heist to deep space you choose a theme and solve puzzles to complete a timed 60-minute game. These are completely immersive games that take you away to another reality. Enjoy the unique hands-on experience for an elevated event with your coworkers.
You must book your Escape Game adventure in advance and you can have a private session for an extra fee. Although the game is an hour, expect closer to two hours with arrival and instructions.
You must arrive about ten minutes early and you will be required to sign a release form before starting the game. The games cost $33.99 per person to play.
6) Visit the Cincinnati Art Climb
Image Credit: cincinnatiartmuseum
Art lovers will enjoy this one-of-a-kind way to appreciate art. Emersion Design and Human Nature designed an amazing space at Eden Park Drive and Gilbert Avenue.
The Cincinnati Art Climb space includes fantastic sculptures that can be viewed from multiple sets of stairs and landings. You can also view the city from the pavilion that sits atop the park.
This is one that does include a lot of walking, so make sure you wear or bring comfortable shoes. The views are gorgeous and it remains open year-round with spectacular decorations during the holiday season.
7) Have Lunch at Paycor Stadium
Book your corporate event at Paycor Stadium. The stadium is home of the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. The stadium has multiple event venues and you can even include fully catered meals and appearances by the team’s mascot and cheerleaders.
You can also rent a luxury suite to catch a Bengals game live for the ultimate experience. There are lots of options in amenities and catering. There are even dedicated members of staff for the suites.
This is an expensive option as the luxury suites run between $12,000-and $20,000 per game, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience your co-workers will never forget.
8) Explore the City with Cincinnati Scavenger Hunt
You download the app and get in on the game, racing all over the city cracking codes at notable landmarks to win. Way better than a traditional walking tour, this gives your exploration a heightened sense of fun and your co-workers can either get their competitive juices flowing or work in teams to increase cooperation.
The Cincinnati Scavenger Hunt is app-led, but you do have a live interactive host that works with you during your adventure. The tours have themes like Cincy’s Grand City Sights, True America, and Zombie Scavengers, a zombie apocalypse-themed scavenger hunt.
The price of these scavenger hunts starts at $10 per person.
9) Have Drinks at The Righteous Room
Image Credit: stayrighteous
While the same old happy hour work bar is not a good idea for an office holiday party, The Righteous Room is a next-level experience for a holiday party at a bar. They have a courtyard that is a private outdoor area that is heated and tented throughout the winter giving you a truly unique outdoor party experience.
There is luscious landscaping and a private bartender to help your party have a sophisticated vibe. The space can accommodate 30 to 60 people and you are welcome to hire a DJ. There is no rental fee for the rooms there but they do have a minimum spend that must be met.
10) Bounce at Altitude Trampoline Park
Altitude Trampoline Park Cincinnati will make you feel like a kid again! Spend some time unleashing your energy on a trampoline.
There are multiple packages available including Celebration Table, Private Party Room, and Book the Park.
All of the packages include a bundle of products like pizza or cake and two hours of jump time for jumpers starting with groups of eight.
Jumpers will need to provide jumping socks. Group packages start at $199.
Tips for Throwing an Epic Office Holiday Party in Cincinnati
Some companies just throw notoriously bad parties in general. If you are the one left in charge of your next office holiday party, it is easy to buck the trend and throw a great party. The only trouble you will have if you follow these tips is that your co-workers will be coming to you to plan all of the office parties and events in the future.
Here are five tips you should follow when planning your office holiday party.
Tip 1: Do Something Different
The basic truth is that no one really wants to go to another stuffy holiday office party. It’s just not any fun. If you want to plan an epic office party, start with doing something different that you don’t just automatically do every year.
Tip 2: Keep Everyone’s Budget in Mind
You probably have a good idea of how much money your co-workers make, but you really don’t know their personal circumstances. Either try to cover the party with petty cash or start a fundraiser in the office. Try not to burden anyone too much with crazy fees to attend an additional event outside of work.
Tip 3: Choose the Right Activity
Depending on where you work you might all go out to a bar twice a week together or a bar may be completely inappropriate. It is important to pick a venue that doesn’t offend any of your co-workers.
Try to pick something fun and active. It is better to build relationships and memories while having a good time than it is sitting around staring at each other trying to force dry conversations.
Tip 4: Outsource Everything
Don’t let your holiday office party become a burden for you or any of your co-workers. Choose a venue that offers food and drinks and games as well. No one wants to have to do a bunch of cooking to attend the party or suffer through trying to come up with several hours’ worth of appropriate games for everyone to play together.
A good venue is one that has decent service, provides everything you need for your party, and keeps everyone entertained for the duration of the event. This leaves you and everyone else free to really enjoy themselves and the venue that you have chosen.
Tip 5: Coordinate the Date
If you are throwing a holiday office party, don’t forget that choosing dates and times around the holidays can be very complicated. Many people are celebrating different occasions on different days and there is tons of travel going on.
Try to coordinate with your co-workers to pick a time and day that works for as many people as possible. Depending on the number of people involved, you may not be able to include everyone but you do want to try and include as many people as you can.
Kick Back and Enjoy the Party!
Once your party is planned, don’t be too uptight about things. Kick back and enjoy the party or get in on the game. Either way, make this the best holiday office party ever!
