Whether you’re planning a family reunion, a corporate retreat, a school camp, a sports team camp, or a yoga retreat, the activities and excursions you organise around your group accommodation stay can elevate the entire experience from enjoyable to truly unforgettable. The right mix of on-site activities and off-site excursions keeps your group energised, connected, and engaged – without overloading the schedule or leaving anyone behind.
Here’s everything you need to know about organising activities and excursions for your group accommodation stay.
Start With Your Group’s Needs and Energy Levels
Before you plan a single activity, take stock of who is in your group. A multigenerational family reunion has very different needs to a corporate team building weekend or a sports training camp. Understanding the age range, fitness levels, interests, and mobility needs of your group is the foundation of a well-designed activity program.
The best group accommodation stays cater to everyone simultaneously – the kids burning energy on the trampoline, the teenagers competing at table tennis, the adults relaxing by the pool, and the grandparents watching from a comfortable chair on the terrace. When you plan activities with the full spectrum of your group in mind, nobody feels left out and nobody feels overwhelmed.
Strike the Right Balance Between Structured and Unstructured Time
One of the most common mistakes in planning a group accommodation stay is over-scheduling. A program that is back-to-back activities from morning to night is exhausting, and it leaves no room for the spontaneous moments that often become the most cherished memories of a group trip.
The ideal program mixes structured activities with generous blocks of unstructured free time where people can do as they please. Some of the best conversations happen when there is nothing scheduled – when people drift together naturally around a firepit or a pool and simply enjoy each other’s company. A good rule of thumb is to plan one or two anchor activities per day and leave the rest of the time open.
Make the Most of On-Site Activities First
Before looking beyond the property, maximise what your group accommodation already offers. A well-equipped private group retreat will have a range of on-site activities that can fill hours of enjoyable time without anyone needing to get in a car.
Look for venues that offer a mix of active and passive options to suit different energy levels and moods. A pool is one of the most versatile on-site amenities – it serves as a recovery tool, a social hub, and an entertainment space all at once. Lawn games like giant chess, bocce, and cricket bring groups together across age groups in a relaxed and competitive way. Indoor options like a pool table, table tennis, and a media room are invaluable on rainy days or quiet evenings.
Communal cooking sessions are also one of the most underrated on-site activities for group stays. When a large group gathers in a well-equipped commercial kitchen to prepare a meal together, the cooking itself becomes a bonding experience – and the shared meal that follows is all the more enjoyable for it.
Plan Excursions That Suit Your Whole Group
Off-site excursions add richness and variety to a group accommodation stay, giving your group shared experiences and stories that extend beyond the property. The key is choosing excursions that are genuinely accessible and enjoyable for everyone in the group – not just the most active or adventurous members.
Nature-based excursions are among the most universally appealing. A scenic bushwalk, a visit to a waterfall, or an afternoon exploring a national park suits a wide range of fitness levels and interests. Food and wine experiences are a perennial favourite for adult groups – a winery visit or a group tasting at a local cellar door is relaxed, enjoyable, and naturally social. Cultural and heritage excursions – visiting a historic town, a local market, or a heritage site – offer a gentler pace that suits multigenerational groups perfectly.
Organise Group Meals as an Activity in Their Own Right
Shared meals are one of the most powerful activities available in a group accommodation setting. A long, unhurried dinner at a table that seats the whole group, a Sunday morning breakfast where everyone pitches in, or a BBQ evening where the cooking and the socialising happen in the same outdoor space – these moments anchor the stay and give the group a rhythm to gather around.
Consider themed meals or cooking challenges as a structured activity – a group challenge to prepare a three-course dinner, a national cuisine night, or a bake-off competition can be as entertaining as any organised excursion and far more personal.
Don’t Forget the Evening Program
Evenings are often the most memorable part of a group accommodation stay. A firepit gathering after dinner draws people together naturally, slows conversation down, and creates the conditions for the kind of honest, open sharing that participants carry home long after the stay is over. A movie night in the media room, a group card or board game session, or simply a long dinner that stretches late into the night – all of these cost nothing to organise and deliver enormous value to the group experience.
Berrima Retreat: The Perfect Base for Group Activities and Excursions in the Southern Highlands
For groups looking for a private group accommodation that supports a rich and varied activity program, Berrima Retreat in the Southern Highlands is the ideal base.
The property offers an exceptional range of on-site activities for groups of all ages – a pool, firepit, BBQ area, trampoline, Kangaroo Jumper, giant chess, pool table, table tennis, volleyball, bikes, kayaking, farm animals, and a fully equipped media room. Beyond the property, the Southern Highlands offers world-class excursion options – cool-climate wineries, Fitzroy Falls, Morton National Park, the Georgian village of Berrima, and scenic walking trails through open countryside.
Located just 90 minutes from Sydney and Canberra, the Berrima Mansion accommodates up to 55 guests overnight across 11 spacious bedrooms – all exclusive use, meaning your group has the entire private estate to themselves.
Great Activities Make a Great Stay
What matters is that activities are thoughtfully chosen, well-timed, and genuinely suited to the group you are bringing together. When the on-site amenities are strong and the surrounding region is rich with things to do, the activities almost organise themselves.
Visit www.berrimaretreat.com.au to explore the property, download the free info pack, and start planning your group accommodation stay today. Or call 1300 76 13 76 to speak with the team directly.