Top 10 Places to Have a Company Picnic – West Coast Florida

By, Jessica Santiago

The company summer picnic is an opportunity for your organization to come together mid-way through the calendar year to celebrate and have fun with colleagues. The Monday through Friday workweek can be stressful and at times, exhausting. Some organizations, have gone to concerts, sporting events or amusement parks. Regardless of the venue, finding a way for your employees to just have fun and enjoy each other’s company is what your organization should be striving for when scouting for a venue.

The summer picnic allows colleagues who are dispersed in a given region or even nationally in some instances, to come together and formally meet and learn more about one another. This also means having the opportunity to connect with senior level managers or junior associates and speak with them in a neutral environment. An event like this can be advantageous for two reasons: 1) You can learn about a new project or initiative that is up and coming; 2) Having the chance to showcase what you are working on directly with a leader who is easily accessible during business hours.

One of the best ways for your senior leadership team to show its appreciation for its employees is to sponsor a get-together where people can have a meal and connect outside of work. The picnic doesn’t have to be any more complicated than having cold drinks, simple foods like hamburgers and hotdogs, and good music. In an age when we are continually trying to keep up with the latest trends, sometimes less is more and is as effective in accomplishing the goal of thanking your employees. Remember, thanking your employees is one of the reasons you are getting together.

Here are some great Tampa Bay locations for your next summer company picnic.

1. Lettuce Lake Park
2. Honeymoon Island State Park
3. Vinoy Park
4. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
5. North Straub Park
6. Hillsborough River Park
7. Indian Rocks Beach
8. Clearwater Beach
9. St Pete Beach
10. Lake Thonotosassa

The real value in summer picnics is in the connection-building opportunities they provide. Teamwork work becomes much easier when you have formally met and gotten to know the people you are working with.