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Escape rooms have been popping up in various locations across the country for the past several years, so I’m sure you’ve at least heard of them, even if you aren’t familiar with all the ins-and-outs of how they work.

One particular escape room, The Escape Game, is an immersive, 60-minute, real-life adventure game with locations across the country. Click on any of the ones below to find the one nearest you:

• California
  • Irvine
  • Rancho Cucamonga
  • San Francisco
• Florida
  • Jacksonville
  • Orlando
• Georgia
  • Atlanta
• Illinois
  • Chicago
• Louisiana
  • New Orleans
• Minnesota
  • Minneapolis
• Nevada
  • Las Vegas
• New Jersey
  • East Rutherford
• New York
  • New York City
• Ohio
  • Cincinnati
  • Columbus
• Pennsylvania
  • King of Prussia
• Tennessee
  • Nashville
  • Pigeon Forge
• Texas
  • Austin
  • Dallas
  • Houston
• Washington DC

What you’ll probably first notice is that there are different room themes and various levels of difficulty to choose from. If you have never tried one before, I suggest selecting one with a lower level of difficulty. Remember, you only have an hour to try to escape, and that hour goes by quickly, especially when you aren’t sure what you are looking for.

I remember my first escape room. It was with a group of friends, and I don’t believe any of us had ever done one before. We were given a few hints to get us started, but after that we started to understand a bit more about what we were trying to do.

What is the goal?
Each themed room has a different mission, and your job is to complete that mission before time runs out. How do you do this? By solving clues, discovering hidden keys, and ultimately connecting these together to find your way out. Of course, you are never really locked in, so no worries if you’re claustrophobic.

What are the clues?
The clues and puzzles come in many different varieties and in various locations. Perhaps there are some words highlighted in a book. Did you find a blacklight flashlight? That can illuminate hidden words or numbers. Is there something that has to be put in order to reveal a series of numbers? They might be used on a combination lock.

Where are the clues?
Well, they can be hidden in plain sight or could be a little harder to find. Don’t act like you’re a guest who is afraid to look at anything. The desk drawers are meant to be opened. Buttons are meant to be pushed. Look in, under, and around everything in the room.

I’m not really good at puzzles, will I still enjoy it?
This is a great question, because I think it’s what holds a lot of people back from trying. No one wants to fail, even at something that is just meant to be fun. But that is why this is a great activity for any group. Just like any other team, each person brings their own strengths, which will play a part in solving the puzzle. Some people are observant and notice patterns or something that looks out of place. Others are great at remembering, which comes in handy when you’ve found 4 different locks but no way of opening them. Still others are good at organization and planning, so they may be the person who keeps track of what clues have been used already and which ones the group is still working on.

I have done escape rooms with friends, just me and my husband (much more difficult with only 2 people trying to escape!), and family ranging in age from 10-70. It’s a different experience each time, and part of the fun is learning new things about each other, too. Maybe you never realized that your mom gets very quiet when she’s trying to solve a problem, or maybe your normally quiet best friend becomes the take-charge leader when presented with the task of escaping.

Think this sounds like something you’d like to try? I highly recommend giving it a go!

Click here to book your game time and try your best to escape The Escape Game! Let us know in the comments below which themed room you tried and whether your group was able to escape or not.