LIC Axe Throwing Group Night Picker for a Startup Offsite

Long Island City has become the place where a lot of New York work happens just outside Manhattan, with converted factories, new towers and coworking floors one subway stop from Midtown. That makes it a natural base for a startup that works remotely most of the year and gathers once for an offsite week. This axe throwing group night picker is for that team: ten to fifteen colleagues who know each other mostly as faces on a screen and want one evening that has nothing to do with roadmaps.

For a remote team, the hardest part of an offsite is getting the logistics right. Long Island City solves a lot of that. It sits right across the East River from Midtown, with several subway lines and a ferry landing, so colleagues staying in Manhattan hotels can reach it quickly. The neighbourhood's old warehouses and factory buildings have been turned into studios, offices and event spaces, which means there are plenty of rooms for a working day.

By evening, the team needs something that feels different from a conference room. Axe throwing is ideal because it breaks the ice quickly. People who have only spoken in meetings suddenly cheer for each other, laugh at missed throws and find out who is secretly competitive. That kind of shared experience is what remote teams struggle to create online, and it carries over into the working days that follow.

Offsite weeks tend to be full, with strategy sessions, workshops and one-on-ones packed into a few days. Schedule the axe night for the first or second evening, so the bonding happens early and helps the rest of the week. Avoid the final night, when people are tired, worried about early flights or still finishing presentations, and keep the session short enough that nobody feels it is another obligation.

Share the plan before people travel. Remind everyone to pack closed-toe shoes, which most venues commonly require, and to bring a warm layer if the offsite is in the colder months, since the riverside walk afterwards can be chilly. Ask about dietary needs for dinner and whether anyone does not drink, so the evening works for the whole team from the start.

Venues near Long Island City and in nearby Brooklyn fall into a few broad styles. Dedicated throwing halls run structured sessions with coaches, briefings and clear formats. Bar-style venues add lanes to a lively room with music and drinks. Mixed game halls combine axes with other activities, which helps when part of the team would rather play something else or keep the evening low-key.

For a group of ten to fifteen, look for a venue that can give you several lanes side by side or a private area, with coaches who can keep many first-timers moving. Splitting into smaller groups on separate lanes works well, especially if you mix people from different departments. A space that is large enough to stand together between rounds helps the team feel like one group rather than scattered tables.

The best team nights quietly break down the usual structure. Assign lanes so that engineers, designers, sales and leadership are mixed together, and avoid putting people from the same squad on one lane. Start with a warm-up round, then run a team round-robin and finish with a final between the strongest throwers, cheered on by everyone else.

Small rituals help. Let the newest hire throw first, give the founder a target with no special privileges and award playful prizes such as the most improved thrower or the best celebration. Many venues have their own scoring games, and staff can suggest one that fits the team's size and time slot. Keep speeches and business talk for another day.

Every reputable venue starts with a safety briefing, and it is important that the whole team listens. Throwing is about timing and a smooth release rather than strength, so people of all builds and backgrounds can do well. Make it clear in advance that throwing is optional, and that colleagues who would rather keep score, take photos or simply watch are very welcome.

Keep drinks away from the lanes and follow the venue's rules about alcohol, since staff will step in if a group gets careless. Offer good non-alcoholic options so nobody feels left out. If some colleagues have injuries or simply feel nervous, coaches can usually help them start slowly. A team night that feels safe and inclusive builds far more trust than one that feels like a test.

Organising a team night in a city you do not live in is hard, and that is where the Karpo APP helps. Open it and describe what you need in plain words, for example axe throwing for fourteen people near Long Island City, several lanes together, coaches for beginners, good non-alcoholic drinks and a place for a group dinner afterwards. You can add that many people will arrive by subway from Midtown hotels.

Karpo can help you compare a shortlist, think through how each option suits the team and plan the order of the evening, from the venue to dinner to the riverside walk. Share the options with the offsite organisers, pick one and then follow the venue's own booking process to secure the lanes. Karpo helps with the choosing and planning, while the booking and its details stay with the venue.

Queens is one of the most diverse places on earth, and Long Island City reflects that in its restaurants. There are casual spots, food halls, beer gardens and family-run places close to the waterfront and along Vernon Boulevard. Choose somewhere with long tables or a private area where the team can sit together, and let the conversation run on from the lanes.

Dinner is a good time for team members to talk about life outside work, especially for people who have only met online. Encourage people to sit next to someone they have not met in person yet. A few words of thanks from leadership at the end of the meal can help, but keep them short, because the evening is about the team rather than the business.

No evening in Long Island City is complete without a walk along the river. Gantry Plaza State Park sits on the waterfront where old rail ferries once loaded freight, and its restored gantry cranes frame one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline. After dark, the lights across the water make a spectacular backdrop for a team photo.

Walk south along the waterfront toward Hunters Point South Park, where wide lawns and paths follow the river. It is a calm, open place to talk after the noise of the lanes, and colleagues often find themselves sharing stories they would never mention on a video call. Many team members remember this walk as the moment the offsite really started.

When the offsite ends and everyone flies home, the shared memories are what keep the team connected. Create a channel for photos from the night, share the results of the tournament and give the winner a virtual badge or a small prize mailed to their home. These small touches keep the story alive long after the trip.

Some teams turn the axe night into an offsite tradition, returning to the same neighbourhood or trying a new activity each year. Whatever you choose, the evening gives remote colleagues a shared experience to build on. The next time a hard project comes up, the team will remember the night they cheered each other on in Long Island City.