How to Plan Your Corporate Retreat in Austin
June 4, 2025
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Austin has everything you could want in a corporate retreat destination: a creative environment, award-winning restaurants, outdoor spaces, unique venues, and endless group activities for every style.
In a city known for doing things differently, why not plan a retreat that stands out, too? Austin’s energy and character make it the perfect backdrop for a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience.
One creative idea is to host your corporate retreat at a boutique hotel. Here at the Heywood Hotel, we love welcoming groups. Our seven-room property is perfect for an inspiring team getaway, offering a relaxed and private setting for collaboration. Plus, we’re located near some of Austin’s best restaurants, breweries, trails, and group activities.
Here are some ideas from the Heywood Hotel concierge team to get the most out of your corporate event in Austin and ensure it’s as unique as the city itself.
Corporate Event Ideas in Austin, Texas
From lodging to nightlife to team building activities, here’s everything you need to know to plan your next corporate retreat, offsite, or team building event in Austin.
Lodging
For the most memorable and hyperlocal corporate retreat in Austin, we recommend staying at the Heywood Hotel. Our boutique, seven-room hotel sets the tone for the perfect team-building experience. We are conveniently located in East Austin, just blocks from downtown, the Austin Convention Center, Sixth Street, Rainey Street and Lady Bird Lake.
We take the hassle out of planning a company retreat by doubling as lodging and affordable meeting space. Plus, our team will help craft your itinerary. With a full-property rental, you get the comfort and convenience of lodging and meeting space under one roof. We provide everything your team needs for a comfortable, memorable, and productive offsite.
Austin Meeting Venues
Those of us from the corporate world know there’s nothing less inspiring than a sterile, fluorescent-covered meeting room. To get your team motivated and energized, consider a more creative space like the Heywood Hotel.
With a full-property rental, the Heywood can accommodate meetings of 10-20 participants. Our meeting space is full of natural light and local art from Austin artists and designers, offering an inspiring environment for collaboration and fresh ideas.
We include support staff, AV equipment, white boards, coffee, tea and water service, and catering assistance if needed. Plus, we’re steps away from some of the city’s best restaurants, coffee shops, and bars whenever your team needs to fuel up between working sessions. Our concierge team can also help you coordinate team activities, dinners, and other outings during your stay.
If you’re looking for something bigger, there are several meeting venues and working spaces in our neighborhood or in nearby Downtown Austin. Our concierge team can help you coordinate with local meeting venues.
Here are a few of our favorite nearby meeting and co-working spaces:
- Heywood Hotel: Our creative meeting space is drenched in natural light, perfect for inspiring big ideas.
- The Malin: Conveniently located next door to our boutique hotel! The Malin offers stylish working spaces including meeting rooms for up to 25 people. Book through the Heywood for special rates.
- Createscape Coworking: Located a couple of miles from the Heywood, this coworking space offers several meeting space options that can accommodate small groups and larger teams of up to 100 people.
- Bond Collective: Bond Collective is another office and coworking space in East Austin, just a quick six-minute walk from the Heywood Hotel.
Team Building Activities in Austin
Your corporate event isn’t complete without a team building activity. If you’re looking for a guided experience, here are some of our favorite group activities in Austin that our concierge team can help arrange on your behalf.
Compete in a game show experience at GameOn! ATX
GameOn! has become one of the most talked-about group activities in Austin, offering a live game show experience complete with a host! Its lively, competitive games resemble the classic TV games we all grew up watching, creating the perfect setting for friendly competition, team building, and nostalgia. GameOn! hosts groups of 6-44 players and is proudly BYOB.
Plan an outdoor team building exercise with Expedition School
We’re fortunate to have plenty of sunny days throughout the year. If you’re planning a corporate event in Austin during the spring, summer, or fall, then be sure to add an outdoor activity to your itinerary. The Heywood Hotel is located near some of the city’s best trails, the boardwalk, and Lady Bird Lake.
If you’re interested in a water activity, we recommend going paddle boarding or kayaking with Expedition School. Our concierge team can help coordinate guided outdoor team-building experiences, ranging from paddle boarding and kayaking to custom adventure races, zip lining, rock climbing, hiking and more.
Get crafty with Ghost Pepper Glass
For a creative activity, we recommend checking out Ghost Pepper Glass. The glass blowing studio is located in East Austin, a little over two miles from the Heywood Hotel.
Ghost Pepper Glass offers private, hands-on workshops. Everyone in your group will be able to make a small glass-blown item with the help of an instructor. The studio also has a patio space where you can bring food and beverage to enjoy during your workshop. Ghost Pepper Glass can accommodate groups of 6-24 people and the classes are around two hours long.
Build a terrarium at Plant Party
Looking for an activity that’s a bit more relaxed? We recommend taking your group to Plant Party. You can book a private workshop where everyone on your team can build their own terrarium. All supplies are included and the event is BYOB. Plant Party can accommodate up to 45 people at its East Austin studio, which is located just a couple of miles from the Heywood Hotel.
Get an overview of Austin with AO Tours
If this is your group’s first time in Austin, consider taking them on a sightseeing tour with AO Tours. There are several public and private tours to choose from, whether you want to see the best of downtown or the scenic Hill Country. Or allow the Heywood Hotel to curate a trip specifically around your group’s interests!
Your team will hop aboard a convertible top or closed top sprinter van — we recommend the convertible top for the best panoramic views! During the summer, the climate-controlled vans arean excellent reprieve from the sun. Tours can accommodate up to 14 people and can range in length from 90 minutes to all day, based on your preferences.
Learn how to two step at the White Horse
White Horse is the Eastside’s “hipster-honky tonk” and one of our absolute favorite recommendations for groups. With live music nightly, $10 cover nightly, pool tables, whiskey on tap, and free two-step and swing lessons, it’s a must-do while you’re staying at the Heywood.
Group Dining in Austin
You’re never far from a good meal or drink in Austin. Here at the Heywood Hotel, we’re within walking distance to more than a dozen Michelin-rated and recommended restaurants.
If you’re looking for a more casual setting where your team can decompress after a day of meetings and brainstorming sessions, there are also several patio bars, breweries, and BBQ spots. Here are a few of our favorite neighborhood spots that are perfect for group dining.
Oseyo
Oseyo is a modern Korean restaurant serving family recipes in a fun, comfortable environment. It’s also located directly across the street from the Heywood Hotel!
Dishes are served with homemade banchan (side dishes like kimchi) and inspired by “mom’s recipes.” Dinner reservations are encouraged and can be made online. Our concierge team is also happy to help coordinate a reservation for your team.
la Barbecue
There’s nothing more Austin than a good plate of BBQ. Just a couple blocks away from Heywood is la Barbecue, which serves up perfect brisket along with excellent sides, and received one of the first-ever Michelin stars for American barbecue.
la Barbecue is one of Austin’s most popular BBQ joints, so individuals come prepared to wait in line. However, groups wanting to skip the wait can take advantage of la Barbecue’s online group ordering system. Pick up your brisket, sausage and ribs, then head back to the Heywood Hotel to dine with your group in our private courtyard.
Casa Bianca
Casa Bianca is a modern American-Italian restaurant and cocktail bar conveniently located across from the Heywood.
The restaurant serves what they call “weirdo Italian” food — influenced by Japanese forms and techniques — craft cocktails, and wine. Casa Bianca is open for dinner and happy hour. If the weather is nice, they also offer private rooftop dining for groups.
Zilker Brewing
Head over to East 6th Street to the Zilker Brewing Company taproom, one of Austin’s premiere brewers and the official beer supplier of the Heywood! (Did you know that all Heywood guests receive complimentary Zilker beers at check-in?).
There are also several other breweries on the Eastside that are spacious and flexible for team outings. A couple of our nearby favorites include Blue Owl Brewing, which is known for its sour-mashed beers, and Central Machine Works which offers a massive patio area in an industrial-chic setting.
Private dining
Looking for a private space for your group? There are several nearby restaurants that offer private dining spaces. Here are a few options that our concierge team can help coordinate during your stay.
- Juniper: Juniper is a contemporary restaurant with a focus on North Italian cuisine. They offer a private dining room that’s located above the restaurant and can seat up to 50 people.
- Emmer & Rye: A Michelin Green Star and Bib Gourmand restaurant, Emmer & Rye focuses its menu on heirloom grains, whole-animal butchery, and handmade bread and pasta. Groups can rent the semi-private dining space. It’s located on Rainey Street, so your group can conveniently check out the nightlife after dinner.
- Canje: Located on East Sixth Street, Canje is a modern Caribbean cuisine restaurant offering an open dining room, a covered patio that can be closed off for private events, and a special nook for large parties.
- Il Brutto: Another Italian cuisine option, Il Brutto is located on East Sixth Street, less than half a mile from the Heywood Hotel. Il Brutto offers family-style meals for groups, served in a private dining room or outdoor patio space.
Planning your corporate event in Austin? Contact us to book the Heywood Hotel for your team building retreat. We’ll take care of lodging, meeting spaces, and everything in between.