This blog post was updated on April 30, 2020.
They’ve become a global phenomenon that people can’t stop talking about…escape rooms. If you don’t know, it works like this: Participants will be locked in a room for a period of time with a group of teammates to search for clues, solve problems, and work together to potentially escape. Each escape game, no matter where you go will be different, and we can bet you’ll have a blast!
Not every group successfully makes it out of their room (although, organizers have to let them out) and there are varying degrees of time limits and difficulty levels. Some games are scary, some have mysterious stories, and some may make you sweat while you and your team try to beat the clock and crack the codes.
It’s an exciting activity that’s perfect to spice up any vacation. Read on to discover some of the coolest and most popular escape games in the world!
Find the game you want to join and book round trip flights to get there!
Real Escape Game — Where it All Began…
Created and developed in Japan by Takao Kato in 2007, the ‘Real Escape Game’ was the first escape room The company has since launched versions in China, Taiwan, Singapore, the US, and Canada. Voted #1 by USA Today is Real Escape Game in San Francisco, CA. If you attend any Real Escape Game around the world, there will be a few rooms for players to choose from, with different themes in each. Ticket prices can depend on the location and the room, usually range from $XX to $XX. It’s best to do your research to choose the perfect room for your team.
Mission Escape Games — A Celebrity Favorite
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Celebrities like John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Jeremy Lin (Brooklyn Nets player), and Anthony Bourdain (Chef and TV personality) have all been victims of this escape game. You can purchase tickets to attempt Mission Escape Games in NYC, West Hartford, CT, Anaheim, CA, and Philadelphia, PA. In NYC you can choose between different games with four different themes such as secret society, mystery, space, and horror. The tickets for this game are $28 per person for 60 minutes of chaos. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, who are reportedly puzzle-solving pros and are obsessed with solving these games, signed up for (and successfully solved!) the Darkest Hour (the spooky theme).
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Escape Room LA — The Popular Game
It was featured on The Conan O’Brian Show, Buzzfeed, CBS, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and it’s been voted “Best of LA” by Los Angeles Magazine. So yeah, you can say it’s kind of a big deal. Escape Room LA began in 2014 and has grown to be the largest and most popular escape game in Los Angeles. There are 5 different games to choose from, but all will keep players on their toes. Prices vary from $32-$37 and range from 50-60 minutes long. Don’t worry the rooms here are more of a challenge rather than scary. But all of Escape Room LA’s games have the same question behind them… “Will you escape?”
ParaPark — Locked in Budapest
You’ll walk into the room, the door will slam behind you, a 60-minute countdown will start and you’ll find you and your team scrambling to complete their escape. ParaPark has locations all over the globe, but the location in Budapest is situated in the basement of Bujdosó Kert — a ruin pub. You may be frightened by the creepy and spooky theme but the challenging puzzles and clues will probably distract you. When you plan to go to ParaPark, the escape rooms allow up to 12 players, so go with two teams of 6 players each or you’ll be locked in the room with strangers. Budapest has so much love for escape room gaming that it hosted the very first Escape Room World Finals in 2017.
World Finals — A Brain-Aching Competition
Who would’ve thought escape rooms would become a world competition? The first escape room world finals was hosted by Red Bull Mind Gamers in Budapest, in March 2017. Titled Mission: Unlock Enoch, the matchup included a number of different levels with teams from 22 countries. It should go without saying, but the world finals are for those who see escape gaming as more of a competition rather than fun. So only sign up for the next one (wherever it is) if you’re serious and think you and your team actually is tough enough to qualify.
Have you ever taken round trip flights to try an escape room? If so, tell us about your game in the comments below!
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