Is a Group Excursion Team Building?

When asked "What sort of team building have you done in the past?"-- some companies will answer that they have gone to a baseball game, whale watching, visited an amusement park, etc. Is this really team building? The short answer is "no." Team building means that people will be interacting and doing something that will make them a better team. Watching a baseball game may be fun, but it doesn't require much interaction. Typically people sit with others that they already know-- not with new team members that they need to know.
So, what can you do to maximize the benefits of physically being together? There are several things, but they do require more planning and organization on your part...
1. If being transported by bus, you can play ice breakers or team games while en route. Here is a real simple one-- Hand out a pen and index card to each person as they board. Tell them to write an obscure fact about themself. These can be statements like their first job, unusual hobby, interesting place they lived or traveled to, major in college, etc., etc. It should not be mundane things like "I have two children." When everyone is done, you collect the cards (people pass them up the aisle to you). Then, you read each one, and have teams guess who wrote the card. A team could be made up of the four people immediately around you, or the six people seated in 3 adjacent rows, etc.. This game is engaging, allows people to find out about others and requires interaction among team members. You can keep score and give out some sort of prize to the winning team (maybe a coupon for free hotdogs and beer).
2. If driving their own cars, try to arrange carpools of people who do not know each other well. Give them a simple car rally event to get from your company parking lot to the stadium. This might be getting to a couple of check points to pick up their game tickets, baseball hats, etc., It makes it more fun and interesting.
3. People will want to relax and sit with friends during the game, but do encourage them to also sit with people they do not know. After all, if this is on the company's dime, part of the purpose is to get to know each other better and create some common experiences for them to build a history on.