The Ultimate List of 69 Virtual Happy Hour Ideas for Teams

Shout out to virtual happy hours for bringing us together! We love a virtual event with our family, friends, or teammates to break up the monotony of being at home, and appreciate the chance to connect. As social individuals, the Avital crew is grateful virtual happy hours are still going strong, and getting better each time. But we know coming up with ideas for a unique experience can be tiring. Fear not — we’re sharing our list of virtual happy hour ideas you can keep coming back to for inspiration, and definitely a good time. 

We’ve organized this post into the following categories for easy browsing. And will be adding to this list regularly to keep you updated with the best, most fun virtual happy hour ideas!

• VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR WITH INGREDIENTS DELIVERED
  • The best happy hour kits delivered right to your door! 
• Virtual Happy Hour Themes
  • Fun, creative themes to combat Zoom fatigue and get guests excited! 
• Virtual Happy Hour Games & Activities 
  • Instead of just drinking and chatting, incorporate a game or activity to get guests engaged! 
• Ways to Amplify Your Virtual Happy Hour 
  • Fun add-ons and ideas to take a happy hour from boring to mind-bending
• COMPANIES THAT HOST VIRTUAL HAPPY HOURS 
  • If you’re short on time, hire one of these professional companies for a turnkey solution. 

Virtual Happy Hour With Ingredients Delivered

Get everything you need minus the spirit in one kit

Everything you need for classic cocktails, minus the spirit! This kit is nice and compact so it’s perfect for a virtual happy hour at  your desk. There’s kits for an Old Fashioned, margaritas, and more. And since there’s no spirits included, everyone can get their favorite brands. Go from work to happy hour with ease.

Taste California through the world of white wine

Monochrome specializes in a virtual tasting kit that brings the best of their white wines to your home. This Californian winemaker will make you rethink what you know about white wine— and that it’s not as one dimensional as you think. You can also set up a complimentary virtual tasting session for a full experience.

Order customized cocktail boxes from The Bubble Tap

For a custom look that will impress your team or clients, order your cocktail kits from The Bubble Tap. You can choose from a wooden gift box or a custom printed box with your branding. The Bubble Tap started as pink trailer that served bubbly on on draft, so they know good branding. Set up your virtual mixology session for a fun time that gets started with your custom branded kit.

Learn shaken & stirred cocktails in one class

Get the best of both worlds with a Mixology Medley kit. You’ll learn both a shaken and stirred cocktail, as well as an understanding of the cocktail family tree that will take your skills to new levels. Plus, the kit includes all the ingredients and the class is taught by an award-winning mixologist. “Shaken or stirred” will take on a whole new meaning for you after this class!

Make it easy with bottled cocktails

If you’re looking a for a virtual happy hour that requires no set-up, pre-bottled cocktails are a really great option. You can let your guests choose the drink they want and hang out, or you can plan a virtual happy hour with Straightaway, a company that promises “astonishing cocktails” straight from the bottle. They’ll teach you about the history of cocktails as you sip away on a fresh drink.

Sip on some tasty non-alcoholic cocktails

Non-alcoholic cocktails and spirits are on the rise, appealing to both drinkers and non-drinkers. For an inclusive virtual happy hour, try joining the Curious Cocktail Club. They’ll sip a monthly variety pack of non-alcoholic drinks as part of a subscription service. This means the plans are already made, and no one needs to feel left out if they don’t drink or if they don’t feel like drinking that day.

Go classic with a beer flight

Don’t feel like making cocktails but still want a virtual happy hour kit? Go for a beer flight! It’s simple and crowd-pleasing. A virtual beer tasting has all the appeal of a virtual cocktail class and you’ll learn all about beer— how to identify tasting notes and smells, assessing the mouthfeel, and what the look means. You’ll appreciate beer in a whole new way.

Virtual Happy Hour Themes

Celebrate the national day  

Holidays are easy to turn to for themes, but we’re not just talking about Christmas or Halloween. You’ve likely heard someone mention it being “National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day” or even “National Frozen Food Day” in passing. Well, these national days are great inspirations for virtual happy hour ideas. Choose a day that sounds most appealing, and use that as a guideline for your theme. Here are a couple examples:

• National Pancake Day (Feb 16): For a cozy, casual Friday. Everyone makes a stack of flapjacks with a cinnamon maple whiskey sour on the side. 
• National Olive Day (June 1): Everyone buys their favorite olives and makes martinis!
• National Beer Lovers Day (Sept 7): Well, this one is pretty self-explanatory. Prost!

Turn happy hour into a virtual poetry reading 

One of our favorite virtual happy hour ideas for a classy evening is adding some poetry into the mix. A poet creates live poetry on-demand, and then the poems get mailed to your door. Add some wine and cheese, and you’ve got yourself a special evening planned. 

Explore the high seas as pirates 

Talk Like A Pirate Day is the ultimate national day, in our not so unbiased opinion. A pirate-themed virtual happy hour is a lot of fun. Have everyone dress up as pirates, find their perfect ship background, and make sure lots of rum is handy. Of course, a competition for the best pirate accent is mandatory. Ahoy, mateys! 

Throw an improv night 

If you’ve got some natural comedians in your group, try hosting an improv night. But you don’t need to be Will Ferrel to have a good time during improv. The inherent silliness of the games and quick-thinking on your feet is sure to have guests laughing. This is a great option if you want to get the whole family involved too! Just make it a mocktail, keep the prompts PG, and you’ve got yourself a wholesome night of fun. 

Virtual Karaoke Night 

While nothing will beat belting Whitney Houston in person, a virtual karaoke night is not impossible, and just as fun. Virtual Voicebox helps you book an online room, and provides all the karaoke music. All you need are headphones with a built-in microphone…and maybe some earplugs for the neighbors. 

Make it an 80s Power Hour 

It will be totally rad to throw an 80s-themed virtual happy hour. Grab an 80s playlist and make sure to include everyone’s favorites and break out the hair spray for some big hair. Ask everyone to dress up as 80s icons or in their best 80s fashion and party all night long. 

Belt it out with Divas 

Everything is glamorous with legendary divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion. For your diva-themed virtual happy hour, tell everyone to get glam and get read to belt. Cocktails must be fabulous, feather boas and sequins are non-negotiable, and a spotlight (or ring light) is necessary. 

Show and Tell Night

This doesn’t have to be your typical elementary school-style show and tell— for this virtual happy hour theme, you can choose to ask each person to share about a unique hobby or skill, something from their culture, cherished pictures from their younger days, etc. It’s a simple way to bond that doesn’t require much set up, but still manages to make people feel special.

Pretend you’re at “The Office” 

Nope, not the one you actually used to go to, but the beloved sitcom series. There’s plenty of “The Office” trivia games and virtual backgrounds to make this theme possible. You can even throw your own version of The Dundees. Ask everyone to dress up as their favorite character from the show, but keep an eye out — there’s a lot you can tell about someone who chooses to dress up as Dwight or Creed. 

Celebrate the Olympics

We’re excited to celebrate the Olympics this year, and an Olympics-themed virtual happy hour is a fun way to share the spirit of the event. You can choose to host your own office Olympics with different games or just organize nights to stream the events together, have everyone choose different countries to support, dress up as Olympians, etc.

Go on an Italian getaway 

Viva Italia! Go on a Roman holiday ala Audrey Hepburn with pictures of Italy for the background, Italian music, and of course, some pasta and wine, or other delicious Italian delicacies. Plan a menu, pour the Chianti, and transport yourselves to Italy. 

Visit Harry Potter at Hogwarts 

Sorry, we had to. If you’ve ever wanted to get into Hogwarts, now’s your chance. A Harry Potter-themed happy hour is easily put together with trivia, escape rooms, or a simple movie marathon. Sort your group into houses, choose your wands, and practice your magic. It’s escapism at its finest. 

“Greece” is the word

What could be more lively, spirited, and relaxing all at the same time? A trip to Greece. Set up a night celebrating the culture of the ancient country. Learn how to dance the surtaki, experience Athens through the eyes of its infamous cats, or play a quirky Greek trivia game. Opa!

Bring back summer camp!

Summer camp doesn’t just have to be for the kids. Host a summer camp themed virtual happy hour by making some s’mores, singing some songs, telling scary stories, and competing in games.

Virtual Happy Hour Games & Activities

Try your hand at DIY 

Arts and crafts are relaxing activities for the end of the day, made even more relaxing with a delicious cocktail in hand. Whether it’s paint-n-sip or knitting something simple, many crafts can be done virtually. A bonus? If you mess up, no one has to know! 

Add some color to a spreadsheet 

While arts and crafts are relaxing, we know they aren’t for everyone. A simpler, cleaner activity? Filling in a drawing on a spreadsheet with the colors of your choice. Put your guests into breakout rooms and see who is the Picasso of the group. 

Build a terrarium 

Terrariums and tequila anyone? Another relaxing virtual happy hour idea is building a custom terrarium together. Send out these kits beforehand, and chat while you put together something special for your desk. 

Virtual Family Feud 

The beloved game show comes to your computer screens. With a professional host leading the game, you can compete by teams or individuals as you go head-to-head answering popular survey questions. 

Play with Legos 

Yes, Legos! This team building event still manages to get people to work together, even while being remote. Everyone will have to get a box of Legos to build specific things with their blocks, all part of a challenge. The kids might get jealous of this one! 

Write a radio show 

Move over podcasts — it’s time to head back to the days of classic, storytelling radio with this cool, interactive workshop. Write a radio show with your team, then record and edit it for a memorable experience. 

Play some Jackbox games 

All you need is a Steam account and a phone to host a virtual Jackbox night. Jackbox games are quirky and engaging, and we really love how they manage to bring out the sillier side of everyone attending. 

Find out who’s an imposter with Among Us 

Among Us is one of those games that brings out the worst in people — and we’re here for it. Have everyone download the app to play beforehand, and make sure they understand the game is all about staying alive or lying your way to a win. Go off camera while you’re playing, and when a dead body is found, test your poke face to determine who the killer is. A warning: it will get ugly, but it will be so much fun. 

Spot out the lies in ancient Greece in this quirky history game

For an interactive experience with Socrates himself (sort of), play a game of true vs. false as you learn about the wacky history of ancient Greece. It promises to be lots of fun, full of new, quirky facts you didn’t learn and no school, and no boring speeches. Sounds like a good time to us!  

Go back to your college days and play some beer pong 

It can be done! All you need to make sure is that your guests have enough space for a beer pong set up, cups, and ping pong balls. Split up your team into breakout rooms and go head to head in a competition to see who can come out on top (and played the most in college). You can keep people in breakout rooms as spectators as the competition heats up to find the beer pong champion. 

Try out a color changing vodka 

This magical vodka pours out of the bottle as a lovely cobalt blue color— but changes as soon as you add in another ingredient to your cocktail. Tell your virtual happy hour guests to pick up a bottle, a couple mixing options, and create a beautiful array of drinks. From pink, purple or blue, you haven’t had a drink like this before.  

Play a round of Scattergories 

This Scattergories list generator gives you the categories, chooses a letter, and even has a timer for each round. If you’re looking for a last-minute virtual happy hour game, this one couldn’t be more convenient. Drinks will definitely make it more interesting. 

Use Alexa as your game night host

What can’t Alexa do? Turn your trusty robot friend into a game show host by picking from different games she can play, like Most Likely To, Spelling Bee, and a Movie Challenge. She’s a real Alex-a Trebek. 

Test your relationships with a game of Monopoly 

We’re not going to pretend that Monopoly can’t get a little…intense. But it is a classic and lots of fun, so it still makes this list for virtual happy hour ideas. Everyone can download the app and play together on Zoom. We like it for a mainstay game that brings teams back to their childhood. 

Conquer the world with Catan 

It is possible to play this classic board game online, too. This helpful guide provides great tips for putting together a night of Catan virtually, so you don’t have to worry about the details, just the drinks. 

Make the best cup of Vietnamese coffee

Order some coffee from the folks at Nguyen Coffee Supply, the first specialty Vietnamese coffee company in the US, and then join them for their “Brew With Me” series on Instagram live. You’ll end up with one delicious, strong cup of coffee and a serious caffeine fix.

Get “Lit” with this book club series

Nothing wrong with a glass of wine and a good book. The Get Lit book club series brought to you by WYNC and The Greene Space brings you closer to upcoming and established authors. Read the book, stream the interview, and discuss with your friends.

Organize a video game tournament

If you and your group have a Nintendo Switch or Playstation, you can easily organize a video game night. A round of Mario Kart or Fall Guys is enjoyable and relaxing. Even if everyone can’t join, you can hop on Zoom and chat while everyone plays.

Ways to Amplify Your Virtual Happy Hour

Send a customized snack box 

What’s happy hour without great snacks? A curated snack box is a tasty treat that will satisfy your team or friends. They’ll be thankful they don’t have to keep going back to the kitchen for snacks! 

Take a class at the James Beard Foundation

Join the best of the best in the food world at the James Beard Foundation— virtually, of course. The monthly events range from classes on wine, how to use spring vegetables in unique ways, and much more. Virtual offerings mean you don’t need to travel to NYC to learn more about great food. 

Hit up Laughter on Call for a good time 

This organization came out of the desire to help people through tough times. Laughter is the best medicine, and a great way to engage your team while lifting spirits. These comedians will bring “Happier Hours” to your group in an interactive, unique way, all virtually. 

Have a virtual photo booth to capture memories 

There are lots of apps, filters, and more to help you create a virtual photo booth experience. While you and your guests are enjoying your happy hour, encourage everyone to take pictures in the virtual photo booth. This is also a great addition to any themed virtual happy hours. And obviously, if it’s not posted on social media, it didn’t happen, so make sure everyone shares their fun photos! 

Turn your taste buds upside down with Flavor Tripping 

Think you can trick your taste buds? Or maybe you have taste buds of steel that can’t be fooled? Find out with Flavor Tripping, a quirky virtual happy hour activity that takes you and your team on a mind-bending experience. As you bond over flavor, you’ll learn how your senses truly impact your experiences with food, as well as your memory of it. 

Make your own cheese 

Another delicious way to change up your virtual happy hour is by attending a cheesemaking class. Cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta are easy to make at home, and the results are pretty much immediate. Hire an expert to walk you through the entire process, as well as some cheesy facts. Nothing goes better with a wine happy hour than homemade cheese! 

Put the cheese to good use in a pizza-making class

What’s a better way to use your homemade cheese than on top of a homemade pizza? A professional chef will walk you through making a pizza that you can customize to your liking. Play a little Italian music, sip on some wine, and you’ve got yourself a great pizza night. 

Make your own handcrafted soap

Whether you keep it for yourself or give it as a gift, this virtual soap making class will teach you the art of the handmade melt and pour soap making. Learn about the benefits of making your own soap, different recipes and more in this unique virtual course.

Customize gin to your taste

Although you won’t get to taste it right away, infusing vodka with botanicals, fruits, and aromatics is an easy way to create your own gin for a different kind of virutal happy hour activity. These kits help guide you through making your gin to your liking, and a list of optional ingredients helps make the activity even more customizable. 

Taco Tuesday

This is not your typical Taco Tuesday — if you want to add some snacks to your happy hour (and who doesn’t?), learn how to make Mexican street tacos from a professional chef. It’s a crowd-pleaser without a doubt. 

Virtual Tapas Night 

Happy hour and tapas couldn’t be more synonymous. Send over a list of items and ingredients to purchase for a Spanish tapas night with drink suggestions like wine, vermouth or gin and tonics. You can also call in an expert to teach you how to put together an amazing tapas spread, if needed! Most importantly, don’t forget the Manchego or the jamon serrano. 

Put together the most epic charcuterie board 

Yup, you’ve gawked over the Instagram pictures of beautiful charcuterie boards, and now someone can teach you how to do it at home. That Cheese Plate will teach you how to make a Salami River, pick the perfect cheeses, and find the tastiest accouterments. 

Satisfy chocolate cravings with a chocolate tasting

What could be a better way to bond than over chocolate? Theo is a chocolate brand based in Seattle now offering virtual classes. They send their mouthwatering chocolate to your home, talk about the history of chocolate, and of course, walk you through a tasting. Everyone loves chocolate!

Take a Bollywood dance class

Learn how to dance like your favorite Bollywood stars in this lively dance class. Stream it together as a group for a fun-filled evening!

Travel the world through food

With the MOFAD Supper Club, you can learn all about food through chefs, experts, and historians to talk about foods from all over the world. You can also enhance your virtual event with ingredient boxes to bring a taste of different cultures straight to your door. 

Go shopping in Mexico City

You don’t need to hop on a plane to go shopping in Mexico City. Explore the Ciudadela Market with a tour guide as they introduce you to different artisans and the history of the market. The best part? You can buy what you see!

Explore Colombia through empanadas and arepas 

Empanadas and arepas are great for a filling snack or even a meal. Learning the secrets from a Colombian family restaurant is a unique cultural experience your team won’t forget. 

Visit your favorite bar (virtually)

While we can’t go to a crowded bar right now, this site makes it possible to recreate the atmosphere at your favorite local spot. I Miss My Bar let’s you control different sounds to build the ambiance at your desired level. Take turns creating the bar vibes during each virtual happy hour for a pleasant enhancement.

Book a professional chef to make a restaurant-quality meal 

As another fun way to bond with your team, booking a professional chef allows you to learn from a master, as well as improve your cooking skills. Ingredient kits are sent to your door, and all you have to do is show up. You’ll learn to make a meal that serves 4, hear about industry secrets, and get VIP time with a chef. And to make it happy hour, send along a cocktail kit, too!

Companies That Host Virtual Happy Hours

Drag Queen Wine Tasting 

Drink wine with a drag queen for what promises to be an outrageous time. The hosts promise to make you laugh, engage your team, and bring along some great tunes. 

Come on, get Happied

Happied puts together all sorts of virtual food and drink experiences from cocktails to boba tea, and even sushi making. It’s a fully hosted experience complete with kits!

Party in Paris 

This company brings a Parisian expert to your home, all virtually. You’ll learn French vocabulary, play Parisian icebreaker games, and quirky French stories. No passport required! 

Drink wine & make some too!

Enhance your typical wine tasting by learning about fortified wines from an expert and then craft your own vermouth. All ingredients are delivered so you can get creative with different sweeteners and herbs to create your perfect blend.

Become a certified Pitmaster

Calling all BBQ fans: now you can learn the secrets of smoking with BrisketU. Experienced pitmasters will walk you through barbecue culture, how to choose the right meat, and all the tools and skills you need to become an expert yourself. Plus, you get a certificate after completing the event— perfect for showing off.

Participate in a private trivia night 

Trivia buffs will love this one. What’s a happy hour without trivia? Hire a trivia master to test your group in a variety of topics like music, movies, pop culture, etc. It’s a classic happy hour event for a reason! 

Try over 40 virtual experiences with Team Bonders

From virtual happy hour parties to virtual Texas Hold ‘Em competitions, Team Bonders can host multiple types of virtual experiences. You won’t run out of options with this group.

Go back to the 80s with the VIPER SQUAD 

For an action-packed virtual happy hour, you’ll need to call on the VIPER SQUAD. This immersive theater experience turns the best of point-and-click 80s action games into an immersive theater experience. Channel your inner Tom Cruise and stop a bank robbery on Wall Street with your team. 

Practice gratitude together

There’s a lot of benefits to practicing gratitude, including bringing you and your team closer together. On a Kindness Quest everything you do is part of a mission to inspire kindness, as well as contributing to the community. 

Have a day At The Races

This virtual game is designed to bring your team to the racetrack. Everyone will get a chance to train their horses, sabotage their rivals, and bet on your favorites. It’s an exciting day of horse-racing at home!

Hire an award-winning mixologist

If you like the idea of a classic virtual happy hour, but want to elevate the experience, considering hiring an award-winning mixologist. The mixologist will lead guests through the experience, step-by-step, with stories, tips and laughs along the way! You can even get all the cocktail ingredients delivered to guests’ doors for an extra special event!

Book Your Virtual Happy Hour with Avital: Virtual 

With zoom fatigue and virtual burnout on the rise, keeping things engaging and interactive is crucial for team morale! The virtual happy hour is here to stay and the possibilities are endless. We hope this list inspired you! We’d love to host you and your team on one of our virtual culinary experiences soon!