Greetings from Traverse City, MI! Now that we have had a week to recuperate, we’re ready to give you a recap of our twelve state, thirty-five escape room marathon that we completed in just sixteen days!
States Visited This Leg: Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan
Total Miles Traveled: 19,795
Total Escape Rooms Played: 187
Due to family obligations, we had a limited amount of time to travel from Washington to Michigan, but we wanted to play escape rooms in as many states as possible. After leaving Washington, we traveled through Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and finally into Michigan. We stayed at least one night and played at least one escape room in each state. Our escape room sticker map filled up fast!
This experience was so much fun, but we didn’t realize how exhausting it was until we had a few days to rest and process it. We’ll hit the highlights of our travels, but the real focus of this mad dash was the escape rooms. Because of the uniqueness of this part of our journey, we’re switching up the format we usually use and going state by state.
When we left Washington, we drove through the top of Idaho and into Montana. As we were traveling along I-90 to our first stop in Montana we kept seeing signs for the” Best Milkshake Ever.” Soon we came to a sign that told us we could get it at the next exit at the St Regis Travel Center in Montana. Come to find out, it was a Huckleberry shake. Huckleberry? Neither of us had ever had anything made from Huckleberries. After getting our shakes, we tentatively sipped them, and we’re pleased to report that these shakes were really good! Were they the best shakes ever? That’s debatable, but later in the trip, Curt got some Huckleberry ice cream. He’s now a fan of the berry!
The Pirates Code -This game was pretty good for a pirate room. Overall, we liked the puzzles. It was darker than we like, especially in the first room, but they do provide flashlights on request. This wasn’t our favorite pirate room that we’ve ever done, but we enjoyed the game. We would have done a second game if they had offered any sort of same day discount for second rooms. They didn’t, so we didn’t.
A Death in Wonderland - We were pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable this game was. The puzzles were good and the set design was fun. We weren’t expecting much when the owner told us that he and his partner had only done a couple of escape rooms before they decided to open their own business, but they put together a really good room. You may have to yell for hints more than once as the owner runs multiple games and deals with anyone coming in the lobby. One thing that was a bit different is that the hints are slid to you under the door. Overall, though, we recommend this game if you’re in the area.
After two nights in Montana we drove south through Yellowstone National Park to get to southern Idaho. Yellowstone was beautiful. Much of our drive was along the Gallatin River where we saw white water rafters and kayakers. We just wished we could have stayed a few nights there to explore what Yellowstone has to offer. But, the escape rooms are calling and we must go!
We stayed one night in Idaho in the parking lot of the Idaho Potato Museum (a Harvest Host location). That was an adventure. The parking lot was located right next to railroad tracks. When booking the spot through Harvest Hosts the reviews said the trains rarely came by and it was usually around 6 AM. Uh, nope! At midnight a train slowly rolled by blaring its horn. Our RV shook and we woke up, eyes wide and wondering if a train was about to crash through the RV. The Potato Museum experience was odd, fun, and unique. Not only was this a museum all about the history of spuds, it also has a café where they serve all sorts of potato snacks. We got the tater tots.
The Great Potato Escape - A potato-themed escape room? Yes, please! When we saw there was a potato-themed game, we had to play it. Based on the website and picture of the room, we weren’t expecting much. We were pleasantly surprised. The potato characters and theme were very cute, but the puzzles were very good as well. There was a nice flow and a mix of locks and electronics. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and play this game. We doubt you’ll find another potato-themed game anywhere. Even though the website says a minimum of four, you can pay for and play with just two. You just have to call to book.
From Idaho, we went to Utah and stayed one night. This is where we realized that our refrigerator was not switching to propane to stay running while we drive like it is supposed to. We tried troubleshooting it, but had no luck finding the problem. With no time to find an RV Tech to get it looked at, we decided we would just have to fill it with bags of ice when unhooked from electricity, and keep moving on.
The Haunting of Moonrise Manor -This one-room game is dimly lit, but they provide flashlights. The game master is in the room with you, but ours was good about walking around looking at things as though she was part of the team instead of just standing there watching us. That was appreciated, as it didn’t feel as awkward as it could have. The game, including the puzzles, flow, and set design, was just okay. This is meant to be a four-person game and the two of us barely made it out in time. Another player would have been helpful with some of the searching.
The Glitch That Stole Christmas -This was a cheesy, but cute game. We enjoyed the puzzles. The game master is in there with you and it’s a small two-room game. So, it can feel a bit awkward. There were a couple of issues, one with a remote and another with a smell puzzle, but nothing major. Overall, though, we enjoyed this one more than the Manor game, for sure.
The next morning, we drove nearly eight hours to a Harvest Host site in Wyoming. It was a goat farm called Prairie Grass Ranch. The owner makes soaps and cheeses from goat milk. We purchased a few things from her little shop, but the best part of our stay was her dog, JoJo. This farm dog was so friendly! She just wanted to hang out with us the whole time and then came back in the morning to say hi. She brought her ball and stood on our RV steps waiting for us to come out. Having just lost Max so recently, it was fun to have some doggie playtime. If we could have taken JoJo with us, we would have. We’ll include a picture of her at the end.
Dead End Inn Room 307 - We really wanted to do an escape room in Wyoming. Unfortunately, there are very few in the state. This was one of them and it’s in a small family entertainment center (which oddly enough also sells used boots), and since it is not a dedicated escape room business, we weren’t expecting much. Good thing, too. This is the second worst escape game we have played in nearly 300 games. It felt like something a parent would put together for their kids at home using second hand Halloween props. We’re guessing that the person who put this game together played one room somewhere and thought, “I can make an escape room.” The one positive thing we can say about this game is that it’s a multi-room experience. The final part involves a very long, low crawl area and they give you the option before you start to opt out of that part, which we did, so the ending was very abrupt.
Our next stop was in Strasburg, Colorado, just outside of Denver. We stayed here for two nights so that we could play escape rooms and visit Meow Wolf: Convergence Station. Tina has now been to all three Meow Wolf locations (though there is a fourth one opening in Texas), and Tina says Convergence Station is her favorite.
If you’re unfamiliar with Meow Wolf, it can only be described as a large-scale interactive art exhibit. Many artists contribute to the different locations, and each has a theme and storyline. Convergence Station is a place where four planets have converged. There is a storyline about four women who were involved in the convergence and have gone missing.
As you walk around this massive, multi-floor building that feels like a city, you can simply look and admire the art and production, or you can interact with the displays and try to uncover the mystery of the four women’s disappearances. We opted to investigate (you have to pay for an interactive card) and made it about halfway through the storyline in about four hours. The interactive card also allows you to play some fun side quests. This location also has a cool quarter system, where you can put quarters in some of the displays to make things happen and then the quarters will show up in other parts of the building for other people to find. We recommend bringing a few quarters in case you are not lucky enough to find any.
Experiment C73 -This was a neat split start room. You are the subjects of an experiment in what can only be described as a mental hospital. The puzzles and decor all fit the theme and there are some unique task-based puzzles. Our game master wasn’t the most attentive, but our team of two made it out in time with a couple of hints. We really enjoyed this game.
We had heard a lot of good things about this venue and were excited to play here. Luckily, they did not disappoint!
Paradox: The Incredible Time Machine - This was our favorite game at Rabbit Hole. Like the other games, the set design is fantastic. We really liked the puzzles and flow with Paradox. This was a non-linear room with a steampunk vibe. Non-linear rooms can often feel overwhelming for our team of two, and we really liked the structure provided by the checklist in the room, which kept us on track. While the two of us made it out in time with a couple of hints, having more players would have been ideal for the number of puzzles..
Ruins of the Mystic Temple - Fantastic theming, great decor, and some neat tech. Dimly lit rooms, but you are given bright flashlights, and we do mean bright. There were some fun, unexpected moments in this game. We had a good time.
Frost Base Z - Some neat puzzles. The set design is fantastic (like all the games here). A couple of the puzzles were a bit frustrating for us, but we enjoyed the game overall.
After two nights in Colorado, we headed to Nebraska. It’s a very wide state with a lot of farmland to travel through. We stayed one night in Nebraska, but actually did not do an escape room there until we were staying in Iowa. The middle of the state where we spent the night had nothing within driving distance, so we had to drive back into Nebraska once we had set up camp in Iowa.
The Final Frontier - Wow, this game is in bad shape! The staff are friendly, but that’s the only positive we have for this game. The setting is a Klingon ship, and we’re sure when it was new it looked cool, but that was a long time ago. This game has been beat up by players and the owners don’t seem to want to keep up repairs. There is no door to the “room.” There were holes punched into walls, a broken puzzle, broken tech, bad sound on videos, and the speakers the game master talks through are so distorted you can barely make out what they’re saying. Unfortunately, the puzzles aren’t very good either. Even the sign we held to take our team photo with at the end was missing part of the frame. It’s like the owners just gave up on this place. But, we got our Nebraska sticker for our RV map! Woohoo!
In Iowa we stayed in the parking lot of another Harvest Host site; an ice cream and candy shop called Sugar Makery. This was Tina’s dream come true. We got ice cream and they gave us a bag of their Zebra Popcorn. It’s kettle corn drizzled with chocolate. We should have bought 10 bags. So good!
Paradise? - This was an interesting tiki-themed room. We really liked most of the puzzles, and we loved the personal touch of the little “chosen one.” We didn’t enjoy the dim lighting with no flashlights, though. Speaking with the owner afterwards we learned a bit about the origin story of this game and some of the props, and that made it even more special. Overall, we enjoyed the whole experience and recommend it if you are in the area.
After our night in Iowa, we were off to Kansas for one night. We only had time to drive there, set up the RV, play the escape room, sleep, break down camp and head out on the road again. Luckily, our next stop was in Missouri, where we were staying two nights.
Pyramid Paradox - Curt liked this room. Tina did not. We both liked the music (Walk Like an Egyptian, Indiana Jones theme music, etc.) when there was music. It is a math-heavy room (one reason Tina didn’t like it) and like any typical Egyptian room, you need to do some hieroglyphic translation. Some of the tech was very cool. This room definitely played towards all of Curt’s strengths and none of Tina’s. She was happy to stand back and watch him carry the team though. We didn’t care for the staff, but maybe they were having an off day. They really rushed us in and out.
We had been blessed with good weather for most of our trip so far, but that is until we got to Missouri. While we were in Missouri it rained hard for hours, and that’s when we noticed we had a roof tear from a branch we either hit or that fell on us. Water started coming in through the bedroom ceiling, so we laid out towels and a bucket. When the rain stopped, Tina boldly went on the roof to patch the tear with waterproof tape. Luckily, her patch job held up and the next rain did not cause leaking. We have an insurance adjuster checking it out when we get to Michigan. We may have to get a whole new roof, which will cost around $10,000. Stay tuned!
This is also the stop where we finally had time to have an RV tech come out to fix our fridge. The temperature control module had to be replaced and with the service call, it was $350. But, it was fixed, and we were happy to not have to fill up the fridge and freezer with bags of ice before disconnecting from the campground electricity.
The bad news is that it is now broken again! Not sure if it’s the same issue or something else entirely, but it is not switching over to propane again. At our next stop in Michigan we have an RV tech already scheduled to inspect our trailer brakes, wheels and bearings, since it is recommended to have them serviced every 12,000 miles. Guess we’ll be having them look at the fridge, too. Stay tuned for our next update, where we will fill you in on what we find out about the roof and the fridge!
This place is a hidden gem! We have done a lot of rooms in what would be considered “small towns.” We never expect much from these places. Festus, MO would definitely be considered a small town, and we’re happy to say that Boxed In has the BEST escape rooms we have played in any small town and even many big cities!
90s Nostalgia - This game starts off in a ’90s bedroom and ends in a video store. The set design was on point. Not all the puzzles hit it out of the park, but overall, most of the puzzles, the flow, the nostalgia, and the décor made for a fantastically enjoyable game. We just wished they’d take the team photos in the rooms like so many other venues do these days.
Search for Sasquatch - We’ve had good luck with Sasquatch-themed rooms. This is our fourth one and they have all been fantastic. This game has some neat surprises, and the puzzles were very good. We needed a couple of hints (searching is our kryptonite) but we made it out with just the two of us with plenty of time to spare. Everything made sense and flowed really well. Parts of the room are dim, but the lanterns they gave us provided enough light.
We can’t stress enough how much we really liked this place. It’s a must-do if you live in or are traveling through Missouri!
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz -This game was just okay. The set design is very cool. After all, this company started off designing Halloween haunts, which is usually an indicator of good set design. The puzzles are just okay and there could be much better signposting. The audio in the second part of this game is very distracting and loud (great for a haunt, not so much for an escape room). Yet, it’s not loud enough to drown out the hints we heard being given to the players in the game next to ours (the walls don’t go all the way up to the ceiling). The tech in this room was impressive and we feel that this would be a fine game for families and anyone new to escape rooms, as long as you are ok asking for some hints. For enthusiasts that love puzzles, this game can be skipped unless you want to enjoy some very good tech and play a Wizard of Oz-themed room (albeit with no references to the Lion or Scarecrow).
From Missouri we headed to Illinois for a few nights. There were two venues we wanted to visit, but they were two hours away from each other, so we set up camp in between them and had to drive an hour to each.
Bonus Fun Time Game Show Challenge - We were excited to play this game since we had heard so many good things about it. While it was fun, our expectations were perhaps too high going in. There are a bunch of games set up that feel like you were on the set of an 80s game show. In that respect, it was very cool and nostalgic, but you can definitely tell that it is an older game. Based on the website description, we thought it would be more of a competition between players like a real game show, but it’s not. It’s a cooperative game like most escape rooms are. We liked that. It’s a low-tech room, but the puzzles were fun for the most part. The game master is in the room with you playing the game show host. The two of us divided and conquered on some puzzles and worked together on others, finishing the game with plenty of time left.
The Tree House Raid at Fort Knocks - This is a small one-room game that has decent enough puzzles, a fun storyline, and fun decor. You are in the tree house of a bully kid, and you are looking for a particular item. The issue Curt had with this game is that between the decor and all the game pieces you come across in a small space, it feels very messy and cluttered. Tina enjoyed the game more than Curt did, but it was our least favorite of the three games we played here. Again, the puzzles and gameplay were fine. It’s a good game in that respect and it has a fun, nostalgic hint system.
Ghost in the Graveyard - This was our favorite game of the three we played here. It’s their news game and is set in a small graveyard. At the beginning, it was a bit underwhelming, though we liked the story intro. As it went on, though, we really got into the game. We needed a little help to get started, but after that, we found the puzzles and props in the rest of the game to be quite clever. This is a higher tech game than the others at this venue.
We were excited to visit CU Adventures. They are the creators of Solve Our Shirts, an escape room on a t-shirt. Tina purchased one of the shirts during COVID and enjoyed playing it. The other neat thing about this venue is that the owners have created ways in each room to adjust the difficulty based on the size and experience of the team playing, which we found fascinating. They did a presentation on their methods during the recent virtual RECON conference.
Revenge of the Cabin - This game is creepy, but not scary. We enjoy creepy games and sets. This was Tina’s favorite game here out of the three that we played. The puzzles were good and the best part of this game was the creepy doll hint system.
Game Night - This one was Curt’s favorite. It starts off in an 80’s basement that has been turned into a nerd space with a Dungeons & Dragons game set-up and a bunch of 80s videotapes around the room. Then the game turns into something of a live-action D&D game. There is a live actor component and even a dragon that talks to you. It’s very fun.
Rise of the Icarus - This spaceship game is all tech. Our friends Chris and Carrie joined us and it felt a little cramped for four people (which is the minimum number you can play with). The robot hint system was very cool and at least one member of your team will have a unique experience in the weapons bay. There were puzzles we had never seen before and that was neat. Overall, though, it didn’t land with us as much as the other rooms because we enjoy games that are a mix of tech and traditional locks. This game gets a lot of love from enthusiasts, and it’s definitely worth playing . . . it just wasn’t our favorite.
From Illinois we traveled into Wisconsin, where we first stayed outside of Milwaukee for a night and then stayed in the Wisconsin Dells for three nights. We added Miwaukee onto our trip specifically to play the four hour Save the City experience at City 13. While in Milwaukee, we had dinner at Safehouse. It’s a really fun spy-themed restaurant with a scavenger hunt experience that has some minor puzzling. If you go, make sure you ask to use the secret exit!
We also played two escape rooms while in the Dells, but the real highlight there was the Wizard Quest experience. It’s an escape room-adjacent activity where you have to explore and go on quests. There are a few puzzles involved in the quests, but the best part for us was exploring the immersive worlds designed around fire, air, water and earth elements. This place is loaded with hidden doors and secret passageways. We did the two hour experience and completed several quests, but you would probably need at least four hours to complete them all. Even longer if you are playing with kids. Be aware that this is a multi-level experience and each quest sends you all over. There is a lot of going up and down steps. We were sweating through most of it. You can go to the café and pause your time to have a snack and hydrate, though.
This place is located in a mall. We played two games here and would have played a third if they offered a discount for playing additional rooms on the same day. Some places will do that, and others won’t. We have passed up a lot of games because venues won’t offer same-day discounts. Whenever we’re on the fence about playing another game at a venue, we always ask about any discounts. If they offer one, we’ll play. If they don’t, we won’t.
Casino Heist - This game had fewer puzzles than we would normally see in a 60-minute escape room, but we enjoyed the puzzles that were there. Also, they had a wow moment in the middle of the game that we won’t spoil, but it was very unexpected. The story is that you are trying to rob an underwater casino while it’s closed. We finished the game with around twenty-three minutes left. It was easy for two enthusiasts, but it would be perfect for new players. Still, we really enjoyed it.
Invasion - This game has some challenging and fun puzzles. While you are playing baseball with your friends, a ball gets hit into the house next door. Your friend goes in to get it, but he never comes back out. Your group decides to try and find him. You find your friend but now he’s . . . different. This storyline definitely got a little sad. The set design was good. It was dim in places, and they didn’t provide flashlights. A pet peeve of ours, for sure. The first half of this game is stronger, puzzle and game-wise, than the second half. We didn’t understand how we completed one puzzle and when we asked at the end we were told that you just have to press random buttons.There were a few red herrings, and our GM triggered the ending before we finished the final puzzle even though we had over 10 minutes left, because she said that she didn't want us to run out of time. That was a bit odd and disappointing.
Save The City is four escape rooms combined into one epic experience! There are also puzzles in the alleyways that make up the City and connect the four main “rooms,” and a bonus room, so it is actually like doing five escape rooms in four hours. This is a four person minimum and our friends Chris and Carrie joined us again.
Save the City - City 13 has four separate games all within the same storyline of heroes saving parts of the city from villains. Save the City is a four-hour-long game that combines the four rooms along with an additional room and puzzles in the alleys that connect the four main games. You do get to take a break in the middle to rehydrate, eat if you want and use the restroom. This is such a neat concept. However, four hours is a bit much, even for four enthusiasts. We all felt that three hours was about when our enthusiasm started to wane. But overall, we had a really good time . . . with a few exceptions.The set design is so well done. The puzzles overall are also really good. But, it’s not perfect. The story is driven by audio narration. All four of us found the ongoing story to be long, a bit confusing at times and, quite frankly, uninteresting. If they were to have it be more condensed and visual through video, also, rather than just auditory, that would make a huge difference. Also, flashlights and something to take notes on are not provided. We all were constantly using our phone flashlights. They do allow you to use your phone for these things (battery drain). Had we known this, we would have brought our own flashlights and a notebook. That said, the experience of doing a four-hour game was amazing and the set design is truly spectacular. It’s unlike anything else available in the US that we know of.
While we were in the Dells, we played a couple of rooms. The two places we played were owned by the same company, but at locations with different names. Our conclusion is that the Dells doesn’t have very good escape rooms . . . at least not for enthusiasts. If you spend time in the Dells, we recommend you skip the escape rooms (as we mentioned before, do Wizard Quest instead!).
Wellington Manor - The set design and puzzles were meh. The game ends when you guess the murderer and weapon correctly and you only get to make one guess. We had it figured out with thirty minutes left, but we kept thinking that there must be more. After about ten minutes of looking around for more to do, our GM finally had to chime in and tell us to make our guess. Also, the room needed some TLC. Everything seemed very worn out. Unfortunately, in a tourist location like this, places get a lot of first-timers who can be hard on props and rooms in general. We think that's what happened with this room. Even the lobby and the bathrooms were in rough shape.
The Great Outdoors - Our entire experience here was not good. Let’s start with the unfriendly staff. They weren't rude, they just weren't welcoming. Our GM specifically was not great. At one point we had to ask multiple times for a hint. At the end of the game, she rushed us out and didn't engage with us about the game at all. The set design of the room was meh. There were way too many Glade plugins (we counted at least four) and car air fresheners to try and give the room a pine scent. It was so overwhelming that it made us all a bit queasy. Some of the puzzles were okay (if not basic) while a couple of them didn't make sense. One of the answers required adding a zero to the end to make it four digits to fit the lock, but you are not led to do this by anything in the room and we had to ask for a hint to be told that. Ugh! Major pet peeve. One of the electronic puzzles also didn't work like it should have and opened a box prematurely. Again, skip the escape rooms in the Dells.
After leaving the Wisconsin Dells, we headed up to Minneapolis for two nights.
The Set-Up - This was a fun speakeasy-themed game. It’s basically the same one that you might see elsewhere under the name “Blind Tiger.” We’ve seen quite a few with the same general description of having to break-in and find the hidden ledger. Whatever company designed this game, it seems like they sold it to several venues. Now that we’ve played, we will have to do some extra research before booking a speakeasy room in the future, to make sure that it’s not the same game. The set design and the puzzles were all well done. While the two of us made it out, a group of 3-4 would be ideal for this one. There is a lot to do and some searching.
Utopia - This is a very unique game/theme that we really enjoyed. It is set in the future, and you are part of a community that is all about happiness and harmony. Your group is going in for a “happiness” recalibration, but not everything is as it seems. This game is challenging. It was just the two of us and we made it out with just ten seconds left. Having a group of three or four would be best. While there are a couple of puzzles/tasks that could have used better signposting or instructions, the puzzles were interesting . . . in a good way. We definitely recommend this one.
Witchcraft Alley - We have done a handful of Wizard-themed rooms. This game may not have been the most polished one we’ve played, but as for puzzles and storyline, this one was the most fun. Tina especially enjoyed it. She said that it is her favorite he–who-shall-not-be-named for copyright purposes-themed game so far.
It’s all Fun and Games - After playing Witchcraft Alley, this game was disappointing. Many of the puzzles required leaps in logic. The set and design also feel dated. It had a cute hint system and a couple of fun puzzles, but overall, it was a meh for us.
Nightmare at the Museum - This room was nearly a love for us. Our game master wasn’t the friendliest or most attentive, and there were a couple of puzzles that needed some leaps in logic, but the creepiness and most of the puzzles were very good. There is a very fun sequence in the middle of the room that adds an extra creep-factor. We can see how some people might get very freaked out by it. It’s a small space, so the two of us had no problem, but we wouldn’t suggest more than 3 people. Overall, we really enjoyed this game.
That wraps up our mad dash across the United States! We made it to Michigan on time and now we have a couple of weeks of sightseeing and visiting with family. This is Tina’s home state, so there are lots of people to visit and things she wants to show Curt, since he has never been here before. We will be doing several escape rooms while here, too, just not as many as we usually play in the same time frame. Once we get into Indiana, we will fill you in on those games and all the cool stuff we got to see and do (we’ve booked a tour of a haunted asylum!). We will also update you on our roof and refrigerator issues. Keep your fingers crossed that the fixes aren't too expensive. We need to save our money for escape rooms!
Until Next Time!
PS. Jojo!
Enthusiasts, travelers, bloggers
Tina is a former city and transportation planner turned escape room owner and Curt is a podcaster/blogger/content creator for the summer camp industry. Their worlds collided when they were handcuffed next to each other in a pirate themed escape room while attending an escape room enthusiast meet up event.
Hey fellow escapists and adventure seekers! If you’ve been following along with our RV trip around North America, you know that we've just wrapped it up with a whopping 282 escape rooms played! You heard that right – 282!
On Saturday, December 16, the announcement of the top 100 rooms according to TERPECA took place. Escape rooms from all over the world kept their fingers crossed to be among the top 100. Where do the most outstanding rooms come from? How has the ranking changed from last year? What rooms do puzzle fans like to play in?
