I’ll admit that going to an Escape Room wasn’t the highest priority of mine. It wasn’t like I was opposed to them, per say. It just wasn’t the type of thing I was inclined to do. So, when my friend invited me to his birthday party, which began with an escape room, I went along for the ride.
Oh. My. Gosh…. You guys. ESCAPE ROOMS ARE SO FUN!!! It’s really entertaining to see how your friends react to everything, get competitive, or (like me) just totally take the back seat.
So, with the help of my fellow escape-es, we have compiled a list of tips to completely enhance your Escape Room experience. Even though I don’t have anything to compare it to, I really liked the Escape Room Live! locations. They’re decorated so well, and the place makes you feel very swanky. They have locations in Old Town Alexandria (which will always be one of my favorite areas of D.C.), Georgetown, and Glover Park. All of these locations have great restaurants nearby, so making a night of it is totally fun a doable.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Here are the tips.
Book ahead of time. Escape Room Live is very popular, and for good reason. The time slots sell out pretty quickly, so make sure to book your room at least a few days ahead of time, preferably a week or more.
Communicate. You will find all kinds of things when you get in to the room. You may think that they mean nothing, and they might indeed mean nothing. But, tell everyone on your team what you see. Some weird things might make sense later.
Think outside the box. Does anything even kind of look out of place? Say it out loud to your teammates. It just might come in handy later. Also, gaining more clues can come from the most out-of-sorts places. Yes, even weird things can unlock clues.
Ask for help ONLY if you need it. Don’t underestimate yourself! You can ask the Escape Room Live people for help, but odds are you can figure out more than you think you can.
Have fun. Is it sometimes a little frustrating to be at a dead end? Yes, but remember you’re not actually sinking in the Titanic, or saving someone’s life. If you lose, you lose, and that’s OK. These rooms are CHALLENGING, and, while everyone wants to win, you very well might not. And that’s OK.
Shut up when you’re out of the room. I know it’s super tempting to rehash everything with your pals when you’re finished with the challenge, but resist the urge to talk about it right away. There will be other groups in the waiting area, and you don’t want to ruin anything for them!
Ham it up. Obviously, photos are not permitted in the actual escape rooms. However, Escape Room Live has a little photo area with cute, fun props. Definitely recommend…
But, talk away when you’re at dinner/brunch/drinks after. Talking about your experience afterword is half the fun, and it’s definitely worth it to make a day or night out of the Escape Room and do something together afterword.
Even though I wouldn’t altogether call Escape Room Live affordable, it is DEFINITELY worth forking over the extra cash for such a fun experience. The Glover Park location is less expensive, though, so check it out (less than $20/person). Looking for a way to stay in budget? Do the escape room and then host a potluck afterword! Yay!
Have a great weekend, DC!
**This is not a sponsored post.. Everything is my honest-to-goodness-opinion**