Escape Room Visit

Racine, WI: Seven Keys to Escape – Critter Craters

December 8, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Seven Keys to Escape in Racine, WI has a special distinction for me and my dad- their “Nana’s Room” game was the first escape room the two of us lost together within the United States.  Nana’s Room was filled with loads of content and it was tough for a team of two to get through all of it, but we were still itching for another try, and we finally got that try when Seven Keys opened their new Critter Craters room.  A visit to Seven Keys to Escape made sense as the perfect birthday gift for me to give to […]

Cayman Islands: Locked Inn – Pirate’s Cellar

November 7, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

Escape rooms are pretty much everywhere now, as proven when Christina and I found one only a two minute walk away from the Cayman Islands cruise terminal – Locked Inn.  I had known about this business ahead of time, but it was still surprising to see how close and accessible it was.

Hurst, TX: Thrifty Pirate – Escape Cave

September 17, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

September 5, 2019 – I’ve got a new record for closest margin of victory in an escape room.  I’ve had some close calls before, some where we needed to double check that we actually won.  At Thrifty Pirate in Hurst, TX, the opening of the final lock and the sound of the buzzer telling us time ran out were borderline simultaneous.  It was thrilling to get the win and close out the trip 3-0.

Montgomery, IL: MindTrap – The Collector / Hand Trap

August 19, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

August 18, 2019 – Christina wasn’t feeling the greatest this weekend, and that could only mean one thing: it was time for me to do a scary escape room.  Christina avoids rooms with jump scares, gore, or the occult, so I’ve got a short list of rooms near home saved for a rainy day.

Geocaching: Mystery at the Museum Event

August 15, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

As a puzzle enthusiast, I get a lot of mileage out of Geocaches (hidden objects at GPS coordinates). They’re great locally for getting out of the house, and while on vacation they can be an excellent way to experience the area.

Fort Collins, CO: ConTRAPtions – Plight of the Margo Part 1

July 13, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

May 11, 2019 – On our most recent trip to Denver, Christina and I wanted to hike a little. There’s no shortage of options around Denver for this, but we had heard from Brian at Rabbit Hole Recreation Services that the Fort Collins area had some great escape rooms in addition to its natural wonders, so we headed in that direction.

Marietta, GA: ZEscape – The Cells

June 30, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

June 9, 2019 – We visited ZEscape as a last minute stop on the way back to Atlanta after visiting family in North Carolina.  Though I didn’t have much time to read up on the place, their website showed a few clever details that suggested the overall quality of the business.  ZEscape had both a 75 minute room and an asymmetrical versus room in which a British room and a Pirates room compete against each other to be the first out, with different but complementary puzzles in both rooms.  Both of these details suggested ZEscape didn’t follow a typical formula, […]

Missoula, MT: Big Sky Breakout – Through the Looking Glass

June 2, 2019 Brian Gondek 0

November 3, 2018 – Whenever Christina and I talk about unique room designs that are immediately eye-catching and memorable, Big Sky Breakout’s Through the Looking Glass room is one of the first that comes into the discussion.  The experience takes players through the disorienting world of Wonderland, and from the very start players are thrown into an otherworldly space and have to find their bearings.