Butcher’s Basement at Round About Canada

Yonge & Dundas

This room is not recommended for children or people with sensitive stomachs… Follow the narrow stairway from Yonge Street and you’ll find Butcher’s Basement by Round About Canada, one of the scariest escape rooms in the city. Trying to locate a friend who’s gone missing, you follow the clues to an out of the way butcher shop. But as soon as you step inside, you realize that it’s all a trap and now you have to escape your own tragic ending. The difficulty level for this room is set for beginners, but advanced players will also love it for its incredible atmosphere. Luckily, there are plenty of great bars nearby, so after you escape you can grab a drink to wash away the creepy feels in your stomach. There are also lots great places to grab a bite, you know, if you’re in a mood for some meat…

View Details

About Hijinks

Hijinks makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co‐workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, customer ratings and reviews, and easy browse and search functionality to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Toronto’s Spookiest Escape Rooms appeared first on Hijinks.

#1 – BareBones Bartending

Two Locations:  Queen West / King & Bathurst

If you are looking for a high quality cocktail making class, then check out what the guys at BareBones Bartending are doing. Their cocktail workshops are a great option for celebrating special occasions, bachelorette parties and corporate team building events. They have 2 locations to choose from and can also come to you. You’ll find out how to prepare and serve classic cocktails, learn about cocktail history, create cocktails from around the world, and have a whole lot of fun doing it.

Corporate Team Building | Bachelorettes | 8+ participants 

View Details

#2 – Salty Paloma

College & Ossington

Salty Paloma’s cocktail workshop guides you through making 3 classic cocktails – a martini, a margarita, and a sour – using their own collection of delicious cocktail rimmers. They’ll also provide you with the guidance & inspiration needed to come up with your personal interpretation of the classics.  Private group workshops are a great option for family celebrations & bachelorettes, with a minimum group size of just 4 people. Corporate groups can also sign up for an “Iron Chef” style corporate team building challenge which adds some friendly competition to your experience.

Bachelorettes | Corporate Team Building | 4+ participants 

View Details

About Hijinks

Hijinks makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co-workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, simple browse and search functionality, and expert advice to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Best Cocktail Making Classes in Toronto appeared first on Hijinks.

Check out these unique ways to kick off a bachelorette party in Toronto!

#1 – Learn how to make your own cocktails at BareBones Bartending

Looking for a fun and unique way to kick off your big night out? Book a private cocktail making party with BareBones Bartending. They offer special bachelorette-themed private workshops where you’ll learn to make super tasty cocktails and learn the secrets of the trade.  They have two locations to choose from – Queen West or King & Bathurst which offer close proximity to great dining options afterwards, and there’s even an option for them to come to you.

View Details

#2 – Hit the poles at Brass Vixens

There’s a reason pole dancing bachelorette parties are super popular in Toronto. Check out Brass Vixens, where you can shake what your mama gave you—and also shimmy it up a pole. Brass Vixens’s fun-loving instructors can tailor a party to your needs, from pole dancing to burlesque, chair dancing, and more.

View Details

#3 – Mix painting with wine at Paint Cabin

Looking to make unique art and great memories? This adorable art studio in Riverdale is for you. Book a private party where you and your girls will be led step-by-step in the creation of a featured work of art. Paint Cabin is a fully licensed café bar, so you all can get into the sauce, just like real artists.

View Details

#4 – Get out of your comfort zone with aerial silks

If you want to do something super outside the box, check out aerial silks in Toronto’s Port Lands. The Circus Fix is a big and bright circus school that offers aerial classes specifically for bachelorette parties. Go one better than the tried-and-true pole dancing class and learn how to be graceful while suspended from two brightly colored silks.

View Details

#6 – Make something sweet at Chocolate Tales

Not all brides-to-be want to get rowdy. For those who are gentle at heart (and LOVE chocolate) there’s Chocolate Tales, a sweet option that will have your gang creating some super delicious treats. Choose from the classic chocolate workshop, a truffle making workshop, or the savory & sweet option that pairs chocolate with exotic flavors such as Himalayan pink salt, ginger, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Take home everything you make. (And then eat it immediately? We’ll never tell.)

View Details

About Hijinks

Hijinks makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co-workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, easy browse and search functionality, and expert advice to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Unique Bachelorette Party Ideas In Toronto appeared first on Hijinks.

#1 – The Circus Fix

6 Carlaw Avenue

If you’re looking for a studio that will help you master aerial arts, check out The Circus Fix on Carlaw Avenue. This bright white studio with neon-colored silks offers drop-in classes for complete beginners as well as intermediate and advanced adult aerial courses for after you’ve boned up on the basics. Super welcoming to newcomers, The Circus Fix offers newbie classes that are specifically designed to give you the training and support you need to move up the ranks.

GO HERE FOR: comprehensive aerial silks

View Details

#2 – Brass Vixens

If you’ve ever been to Brass Vixens it should come as no surprise that in addition to pole dancing classes they offer aerial yoga. Whether you’re inverting on the pole or a silk hammock, you’ll need to start with the fundamentals. The courses are Brass Vixens as Aerial Stretch and Fly Vixens Levels 1, 2, and 3, and they are all great for agility and flexibility.

GO HERE FOR: sexy aerial yoga

View Details

About Hijinks

Hijinks makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co-workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, customer ratings and reviews, and easy browse and search functionality to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Top Aerial Silks Studios in Toronto appeared first on Hijinks.

#1 – The Imaginarium

Caledonia Road

The Imaginarium is relatively new to the Toronto escape room scene but it’s already becoming a fan favourite! Their well-thought-out game design & high production quality (they call it theme park level) delivers one of the best experiences in the city. For corporate groups, they also have a VIP lounge available for meetings. Best of all is the attention they put on storytelling. The Wrath of Amun Ra room will immerse your group in the wonders of ancient Egypt. For a spookier option, check out The Grand Wilshire Hotel and face off with a ghost rumored to be Jack the Ripper.

Top Production Quality

View Details

#2 – Looking Glass Adventures

Danforth

A Danforth gem that’s known for its high quality experience and kid-friendly game design, Looking Glass Adventures offers immersive game design, rewarding storylines, and some real head-scratchers. They offer unlimited hints here meaning you can make your escape room as easy or as hard as you’d like. They also have great corporate packages that will turn your next team building event into something everyone will remember.

Family-friendly

View Details

#3 – Proxima Command

The Annex

If you’ve always dreamed of taking the bridge of your very own starship, Proxima Command is the choice for you.  Their fully immersive game was designed by local indie gaming talent and combines the best puzzle solving activities of an escape room with 27 interactive screens that challenges your crew to work together to save other members of your fleet, and ultimately save the universe. If you’re looking to fine tune your teamwork skills with your co-workers, this also makes a great corporate team building event.

Immersive Sci-Fi Experience

View Details

#4 – Roundabout Canada

Downtown

This centrally located escape room offers high-tech puzzles, intricate set design, and immersive storylines, all just steps from Yonge and Dundas Square. Roundabout Canada’s fun and flexible team of escape room enthusiasts will let you add more players to your booking right up until you start your game—as long as you don’t exceed the room limit. Also, in Butchers Basement, they have one of the scariest escape rooms in the whole city.

Great location

View Details

#5 – Escape From The 6

Mississauga

For escapers looking to get out of the city, check out Escape From the 6 in Mississauga. This large and brightly lit escape house offers two fun storylines both of which are kid-friendly. They have a spacious waiting area with games and a ping-pong table, suiting this escape game perfectly for parties and corporate events.

Family-friendly

View Details

Hijinks makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co-workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, customer ratings and reviews, and easy browse and search functionality to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Top Escape Rooms In Toronto appeared first on Hijinks.

Take a look at our list of the top team building activities in Toronto and challenge your team to try something new!

#1 – Get shaken and stirred at BareBones Bartending

Two Locations:  Queens West / King & Bathurst

This highly-rated bartending school offers private cocktail workshops for corporate team building, parties & celebrations. They have two locations to choose from and will also come to your office, with all the tools in hand, to teach your team how to make delicious cocktails.  Cocktails feature seasonal ingredients, premium spirits, and all recipes are provided. This one is definitely a hit with teams looking to bond while trying out their cocktail making skills.

Perfect for groups: 8+
Good for: cocktail-loving teams

View Details

#2 – Save the universe at Proxima Command

Dupont & Christie

Sometimes there are things that are even more important than your next marketing team meeting or product planning session – like saving the universe! Proxima Command is a high tech experience that will put your team in control of your very own spaceship. Take your posts on the bridge and use 27 interactive screens to work together, defeat the bad guys, and rescue your intergalactic friends. Their fully immersive simulator, designed by local indie gaming talent, will challenge your team to get outside their comfort zone, collaborate to accomplish your mission, and have a few laughs along the way.

Perfect for groups: 4-14
Good for: space commanders in training

View Details

#3 – Make some sweet memories at Chocolate Tales

Some of the best team building activities bring out your creative side. Chocolate Tales corporate workshops are a great way to accomplish this as your team crafts delicious creations under the guidance of an expert chocolatier. Options include the classic chocolate workshop, a truffle themed workshop, and an “Iron Chocolatier” challenge where you’ll be placed in teams to see which group can combine Belgian chocolate and exotic ingredients to create the best tasting treats.

Perfect for groups: 10+
Good for: teams with a sweet tooth

View Details

#4 – Discover your inner Picasso with Paint Cabin

Riverdale

Paint Cabin is a modern studio located at Gerrard and Broadview in Riverdale. Their friendly instructors ensure that everyone in your group will have fun – even the least artistic members of your team – as they guide you through creating your own masterpiece. They also have a full bar available and can arrange catering with advanced notice. Unlike other paint studios in Toronto, Paint Cabin gives you the option to pick your medium, from the most popular option acrylics, to the more niche watercolors, woodcutting, and mixed media.

Perfect for groups: 6+
Good for: art (and wine) lovers

View Details

#5 – Work together to solve an Escape Room

Midtown, Danforth & Downtown

One of the best ways to sharpen your teamwork skills is to take on an escape room.  You’ll step outside the challenges of the day-to-day grind to solve high-tech puzzles, experience intricate and immersive storylines, and work together as the clock counts down. Some great options for corporate groups include The Imaginarium in North York boasting the most realistic escape rooms in the city, Looking Glass Adventures on the Danforth which has special packages tailored for corporate groups, and Roundabout Canada centrally located right off Yonge/Dundas square. For smaller groups you can book direct. Larger groups can contact Hijinks Concierge to arrange for private group bookings.

Perfect for groups: 3 – 30
Good for: teams that like to be challenged

View Details

#6 – Cook up some memories with Viva Tastings

College & University

If you’re looking for a fun and creative way to bring your team together, Viva Tastings offers 3 & 4 course cooking classes that can be customized to fit the needs of your group. Options include stress-free events focused on learning new techniques, to problem-solving challenges where you’ll be given all of the ingredients but only part of the recipe.  No matter which program you choose, the results will be delicious. And the best part?  You get to eat everything you make!

Perfect for groups: up to 14 people 
Good for: foodie teams

View Details

#7 – Go on a private food tour with Chopsticks+Forks

Kensington Market

Treat your team to a private walking tour of Kensington Market—with lots of stops to sample the wares along the way. This unique food tour offered by Chopsticks+Forks will take you to 6 different restaurants, each offering food from a different corner of the world. With tastes that include spicy Jamaican patties, South American humitas, and authentic Indigenous bannock, your team will be gasping for breath by the end of it.

Perfect for groups: 8+
Good for: foodie teams

View Details

#8 – Get silly at bubble soccer

Multiple Locations in GTA

Forget about fostering communication and just let the team have fun at bubble soccer. Conventional rules don’t apply—this game is more like bumper cars. Bubble Soccer Toronto makes it easy to experience this unique activity by providing all of the equipment needed, as well as arranging for an outdoor or indoor venue for your event.

Perfect for groups: 20+
Good for: silly teams

View Details

Book Your Event With Hijinks

Our Corporate Concierge team works hard to make it easy for you to plan fun events, corporate team building experiences, and group activities. We know the value that the right experience can bring to your group. Let us take care of the details for you.

Learn more

The post Toronto’s Top Team Building Activities appeared first on Hijinks.

You get to paint with your friends

At its core, paint night is a creative way to hang out with your friends. You get to go to a local bar or to a painting studio, hang out with all your best friends, and create a masterpiece. Most studios will put their own spin on things, but that’s it in a nutshell. Most of these painting studios also have cool cafes with excellent selections of tea, coffee, and cakes—and sometimes wine and beet too!

You learn to paint

At paint night you learn to paint. Don’t worry, you’re not just set loose on the canvas. There’s a teacher there to help you. Most paint nights last from one to two hours and begin with an introduction in which the teacher preps you to begin your painting. You’ll learn about mixing colours, the application of paint on the canvas, and how to create good composition. In the most popular configuration of this trend, everyone in the class is working toward creating their own version of the same painting. The teacher will lead your through the painting step-by-step, helping you to create the image yourself, and then while you’re working he or she will wander through the easels offering advice and answering questions.

You can pick the style that suits your needs

A painting workshop (detailed above) is the most popular version of paint night and it’s the best option for groups of friends, birthday parties, and bachelor and bachelorette parties. But it’s not the only type of paint night you can get up to. There’s also the collaborative workshop and the freestyle workshop. These are less common and not every studio offers them.

In a collaborative workshop, a large group will work together to complete one huge painting. Each participant works on a small piece of the larger picture on their own small canvas; when all the small canvases are combined, they make one large painting. Collaborative workshops are perfect for work colleagues and family members because everyone adds a special twist to the picture.

Another option is the freestyle painting workshop. Freestyle painting is just what you think it is—you drop into the studio during freestyle hours and let loose. You pay a fee and receive a painting space and a canvas, and are granted free range over the studio’s extensive painting supplies. The teachers are also available, at most studios, to help you if you need assistance mixing colours or coming up with a strong composition. These workshops are great for people who love painting and want to fit in some creative time during their busy week. They’re also great for dates and for off-beat birthday parties.

You get to work with different media

Most studios work with acrylic paint, but if you do a little research you can also find paint nights that will let you play with different media. The best part about paint night is that you can paint and have a great time without having to buy all the super expensive painting supplies. If you’ve ever tried to pick up a paint brush at Curry’s, you know what we mean. Worst of all is when you pick watercolour but then, after buying all the supplies, realize you want to go oil. You cannot use a watercolour brush to paint with oils. It’s sad, but it’s true.

You can drink alcohol

Obviously this is a huge part of the appeal. Some studios have bars in the studio so you can drink while you paint. Other paint nights host workshops in bars so you can, again, drink while you paint. Other studios aren’t licensed but you can apply for a special occasion permit for those special, bachelorette occasions.

It’s therapeutic

No, for real, painting is really good for you! It’s great to get out, do something with your hands, and shut down your brain for a while. Painting workshops are a favorite among those who like to try new things, meet new people, and explore new sides to themselves. At these painting studios you have a chance to relax for an hour or two and give your brain a little vacation.

They will come to you

A great option for paint night, if you are planning a special occasion, is a mobile paint night. In the summer you can book paint night in your backyard and enjoy an afternoon with friends while also working on your tan. This also comes in handy when booking corporate events, in the case that you’d like the paint night to come to your office to cut down on travel time for your team.

If you decide to try paint night, there are a lot of options to you. It’s not all Facebook selfies! You can bring a friend or fly solo, choose one with coffee and cake, or enjoy wine while letting loose. But whatever you choose, you can rest assured it will be a lot of fun. Find your favorite among all the options for paint nights near you!

About Hijinks

Hijinks is the online marketplace that makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co-workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, customer ratings and reviews, and easy browse and search functionality to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post What is Paint Night? appeared first on Hijinks.

#1 – Discover flavors of Kensington

Skip the dinner-and-a-movie date and try something completely different. Chopsticks+Forks will take you on an exotic tour of the Kensington market, where you’ll get a chance to try dishes from all over the world. Rediscover this beloved corner of Toronto while tasting hot and spicy Jamaican fare, steamy Tibetan mo-mos, and mouthwatering South American specialties.

#2 – Go rock climbing

Rock climbing is a perfect activity for thrill seekers and fit couples who like a good challenge. At True North Climbing you can take a beginner lesson together and learn all the basics including how to belay, tie safety knots, and confidently climb on your own. This gym has everything you need, plus it’s clean and super spacious.

About Hijinks

Hijinks is the online marketplace that makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co‐workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, customer ratings and reviews, and easy browse and search functionality to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Toronto Date Ideas For Any Budget appeared first on Hijinks.

Pursuit OCR

Little Portugal

Pursuit OCR is a huge, 10,000 sq. ft. obstacle training facility located on Dufferin north of Queen. This gym specializes in alternative fitness and attracts those who like to push the limits of a regular workout. The design itself is reason enough to stop by: the facility looks like a retro community center with teal walls and orange accents. And the main attraction, the obstacle course, doesn’t disappoint with nineteen obstacles designed to engage every part of your body. Pursuit OCR is more than just an obstacle course—it’s a lifestyle. From the cryosauna (you heard right) to the courses in injury prevention, Pursuit OCR is about the full fitness package, not just the workout. Check out their specialized fitness classes, independent training area, and the private room in the upper gallery for parties and team building events. This is an 18+ facility, though they do have special offers for teens and kids.

Day pass costs: $20 per person

Go here for: adults-only obstacle course racing

The Monkey Vault

The Stockyards

Located on Symes Road near Runnymede and Saint Clair West you’ll find The Monkey Vault, a 10,000 sq. ft. alternative fitness arena. One of the first of its kind in Toronto, The Monkey Vault was founded in 2008, moving to its current location in 2013. It’s more parkour-focused than its contemporaries—it began, after all, as a parkour collective—but it has extensive fitness offerings including ninja warrior training, stunt training, gymnastics, and acrobatics. Housed in a huge refurbished refinery in Toronto’s old Stockyards, The Monkey Vault is huge with towering ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, and impressive jungle-gym configurations. Here you’ll find dozens of ropes, stairs, barriers, bridges, quad steps, and climbing walls. They offer parkour classes and well as open gyms. Check out their parkour classes for kids and teens as well as their parkour class specifically designed for women.

Drop-in daily rate is: $15 per person

Go here for: parkour and free running

Aspire Climbing & Fitness

Milton

Aspire Climbing & Fitness located in Milton, Ontario, just north of Oakville, combines rock climbing and ninja warrior training. This is a bonafide ninja warrior gym with all the classic obstacles, like the Salmon Ladder and a 12-foot Warped Wall. What sets Aspire’s is the only course in Toronto that uses interchangeable swinging elements like in American Ninja Warrior. You can book a ninja warrior day pass here for $14, making it the most affordable option on the GTA. They also offer ninja warrior classes for adults and for kids as well as ninja warrior kids birthday parties. It can get a little crowded on the weekends, so keep that in mind when booking.

Day pass costs: $14 per person

Go here for: rock climbing and ninja warrior training

About Hijinks

Hijinks is the online marketplace that makes it easy to discover and book life experiences to enjoy with friends, family, and co-workers. Whether it’s an escape room visit, cooking class, or team building activity, we provide comprehensive listings, customer ratings and reviews, and easy browse and search functionality to help you book with confidence. For more information check us out here!

The post Ninja Warrior Training Gyms In Toronto appeared first on Hijinks.

#1 – Location, Location, Location

The most important team building tip of all is–get out of the office. If you try to do something fun in your work environment, you’ll lose people to everyday emergencies throughout the day. Also try to avoid a lot of venue changes. Find a cool activity to do and someplace nearby for drinks and snacks afterwards. The more distance traveled, the more people you will lose during each change of location.

#2 – Know Your Team

The best team building activities get people outside their comfort zone, but not too far outside their comfort zone. If vigorous outdoor activity isn’t fun for part of the group, skip the 10-mile hike and think about a cooking class instead.

#3 – There’s Competition and There’s Healthy Competition

An element of competition can really add to a team building event. That said, pro team building tip, too much competition can be a bad thing. Some people in the crowd might get carried away and this can alienate other team members. If you hear screaming and cheering, but there’s also people lying in a corner quietly weeping, you’ve probably gone too far. Look for ways to add in a competitive element, but don’t make the entire day one big competition.

#4 – Your Friend, The Clipboard

If you are trying to manage a large group, it’s super helpful to be organized. A clipboard can be your friend, as it helps keep the info you need (team names, contact numbers to locate stragglers, booking confirmations, etc.) on hand and ready to go.

#5 – Have A Theme

This team building tip isn’t always obvious: themes help make your event special. Themes can link back to a corporate imperative or objective such as overcoming obstacles together as a team (when you’re solving puzzles in an escape room), or the power of focus (which becomes clear when you’re navigating a high ropes course and staring 60 feet down to the ground).

#6 – Give Back

Your choice of team building activity is a reflection of your own values, and the values of the organization you represent. One of the best ways to demonstrate your values is to incorporate an element of philanthropy into your event. Good examples include an “Iron Chef” cooking activity that supports an after school youth program, tree-planting in a local green space, and donating food to a local food bank as part of a scavenger hunt.

#7 – Represent

Don’t be shy to represent your brand when you’re out there in the world. Swag, company branded clothing, etc., can help create a sense of unity and can also help with recruiting when others pick up on the fact that your company has a cool culture that cares about employee engagement.

#8 – Try Before You Buy

The best team building activities can also be the most complex ones to organize. If you have a large group, take the time to physically run through your plans in advance. Don’t make your first trip to an escape room or axe throwing activity with a group of 100 people when you’re the one organizing the event. Pro team building tip: if you are planning multiple stops, walk or drive them in advance so you know what you’re asking the group to do, rather than dealing with eye-rolling later on.

#9 – The Build-Up

One of the theories on why experiences are more meaningful for people than things, is the element of anticipation. You “live” the experience many times over in your mind, waiting for it to come. To take advantage of this, share your plans in advance, create a sense of excitement with a build up, and reinforce the plans and goals of the day as the big date approaches.

#10 – Relive Those Memories

It’s equally important to take the time to celebrate the fun you had together and relive the memories when you return to the office. Great ways to do this include sharing photos during a team meeting, handing out prizes for the competition winners, and reinforcing key messaging or themes that relate back to team goals.

If you have any other team building tips to share, let us know, and best of luck with your event!

Book Your Event With Hijinks

Our Corporate Concierge team has spent years building our expertise in planning fun events, corporate team building experiences, and group activities. We know the value that the right experience can bring to your group. Let us take care of the details for you.

Learn more

The post Top 10 Team Building Tips appeared first on Hijinks.