Paint a mural in the city, swim with sharks at an aquarium, or make a cannoli at a bakery in South Philadelphia: These are just some of the new experiential tours that the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau has introduced specifically for meeting planners and their groups.

The bureau is offering 40 experiential tours that meeting planners can book for attendees as part of a meeting in the city. "These are not your typical tours," says Danielle Cohn, vice president of marketing and communications at the CVB. "They are very immersive; you really experience something." They can be used for teambuilding, spouse programs, or off-site activities.

The CVB decided to offer these tours to groups based on feedback from meeting planners, who said they were looking for experiential activities for attendees, says Cohn.

The bureau works with 23 organizations in the city, including Philadelphia Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field, the Academy of Natural Sciences, National Constitution Center, Mural Arts Program, Adventure Aquarium, Termini Brothers Bakery, and Herr's Snack Factory, to name a few. There are 40 packages, but planners can work with the CVB to create their own behind-the-scenes activities.

For a list of the experiential tours, go to the Philadelphia CVB's web site.