13 Chicago Escape Games Tours to Build an Evening Around

1.The Escape Game Chicago: Epic 60-Minute Adventures in River North

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 332 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $47Our pick

At The Escape Game Chicago in River North, you and up to seven others get 60 minutes to solve clues and complete one themed mission. Choose Prison Break, Special Ops, The Heist, Mission: Mars, or Legend of the Yeti. Guides such as Nathan, Julie, and Izzie offer helpful hints without taking over.

“Had an absolute blast. Entire staff was pleasant and attentive. Special Ops Escape Room was amazing. Highly recommended!”

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2.Outdoor Escape Room in Chicago – Fulton Market

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

You and up to five companions investigate a fictional murder around Chicago’s Fulton Market. Follow clues in the streets, solve puzzles from a physical game box, and enter answers in the app to identify the killer, motive, and location. Allow about two hours, with the game beginning and ending near Morgan and Lake.

“It was fun to explore a part of Chicago we may not have ever thought to go to. The experience also brings you into different shops and bars, which was a little odd with kids. It has you open the box and start the mystery on an intersection which made it hard to hear the video. Would be better to open the box and hear the video in the car before hand. We all finished with mixed feelings about this. The clues are challenging and the teens in our group lost interest halfway.”

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3.1-Hour Escape Room Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 1 hour · from $47

Spend 60 minutes tackling one of five Chicago escape rooms: Prison Break, Special Ops, The Heist, Mission: Mars, or Legend of the Yeti. An English-speaking Game Guide supports your team with unlimited hints. Rooms hold up to eight players, though some games have different limits.

“Really enjoyed it!! Even if we didn’t escape, it was still a very fun experience!”

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4.Chicago Murder Mystery Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $82

Follow guide Andre through River North, the Magnificent Mile, Gold Coast, and Oak Street Beach while solving a fictional murder. Your $82 ticket includes donuts, a Chicago hot dog, deep dish pizza, a surprise dessert, history, architecture, and clue-based game play for groups of up to 15.

“A super fun blend of murder mystery, Chicago architecture, and history. Would definitely recommend to adults or a family. (We have 3 kids 13, 10, and 8, and it was fun for them too!) Andre is an engaging and fun host whom made it a great day fRead more”

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5.Eastside Chicago The Heist Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 10 reviews · 1 hour 35 minutes (approx.) · from $7Best value

Use your smartphone to solve a self-guided mystery across Millennium Park and Grant Park. You will visit Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute, and other Chicago landmarks while learning their stories. Plan on a brisk 1-hour-35-minute walk with no physical guide.

“At first the quest started out good until we ran into construction areas where things were being blocked. We had to use a clue/hint reveal answer which started taking the fun out of the game. We decided to continue anyways and had a problem getting into range of the water fountain. Had to use an expand radius. There were 4 of us in the group and like to get everything correct without using "points", this made the game more difficult when one person couldn't get game reconnected since she was not able to go back to last location and not be able to reach the fountain again to restart game…”

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6.Haunted Chicago Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $7

Use the Questo app to guide your private group through Lincoln Park on a self-led, ghost-themed Chicago scavenger hunt. Solve clues at seven landmarks, including the Lincoln and Grant monuments, South Pond, the zoo, and Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. Allow about two hours and bring a charged phone.

“This was worth the little money it cost. The download and getting ready was a bit of a hassle still worth it. We really enjoyed all of it up until the last clue that was not accessible anymore. However the help menu and chat from the app let us know what happened at the end. Would probably liked a big finish. Still lots of interesting facts and places we would have missed on our trip. I did report the issue so hopefully others won’t get to the last chapter and not be able to complete it as well.”

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7.Chicago Chocolate Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $8

Use the eATLAS app to follow chocolate clues through Chicago’s Loop and River North. You’ll visit Palmer House, Macy’s, Fannie May, and other dessert stops, solve challenges, and compete on a leaderboard. This private, self-guided hunt lasts about two hours and has no in-person guide.

“I was looking to do somethng that would highlight unique chocolatiers within Chicago. This was a commercial for mass produced chocolate.”

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8.Chicago Scavenger Hunt Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

You and your private group solve smartphone clues across Chicago, moving between North Avenue Beach, Macy’s, Cloud Gate, and Millennium Park. A live remote host, such as Kat, sends challenges, checks your photos, and offers help. Bring a charged phone with GPS, data, and texting.

“Was super fun had a great time, the host kat was amazing and did such a great job. Would definitely do again and will find in other states.”

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9.Chicago Scavenger Hunt Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Use your smartphone to guide a 3-hour Chicago scavenger hunt from the River North area through the Loop. Solve clues, visit Cloud Gate, the Art Institute, Hard Rock Cafe, and Palmer House Hilton, then track your team score online.

“We did not get to do it. It states to go to a hotel that knows nothing of it. It was not until after reaching out to support and hours after the time planned did I get informed that it was done on our phone.”

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10.Chicago Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $8

Use the World City Trail app to guide your private group on a 5-kilometer Chicago walk from Navy Pier through Millennium Park, the Art Institute, Buckingham Fountain, the Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium. Solve location-based riddles, hear audio stories, pause whenever you like, and finish where the route suits you.

“A fun way to get to explore a great part of the city. We learned and laughed and high-fived our way through the clues. And genuinely enjoyed the locations. Many pictures were taken! We only had an afternoon to complete but we did it and didn’t feel rushed at all. We didn’t go into any of the big locations but it left an idea of what we could do/visit the next time we’re here. We had a blast!”

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11.Secrets of Lincoln Square: Self-Guided Puzzle Quest in Chicago

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes (approx.) · from $9

Use the Questo app to solve clues across Chicago’s Lincoln Square, stopping at Merz Apothecary, Gene’s Sausage Shop, Waters Garden, the Old Town School of Folk Music, the Davis Theater, and more. This self-guided English quest takes about two hours, costs $9 per person, and lets you pause whenever you like.

“This was a great experience! The story was fun, and it took is all over the area to see really neat thongs and learn about the history. The price was well with it and 2 hours was a good amount of time. The one issue is that one of the train stations was under construction so one clue want actually visible, but it didn't hurt the overall experience. Would definitely recommend for people not from the area, or Chicago natives wanting to learn more about the city!”

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12.Lincoln Park Zoo Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 2 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $8

Use the eATLAS app to solve clues across free Lincoln Park Zoo, from African Journey and Penguin Cove to Arctic Tundra. This private, self-guided hunt takes about 45 minutes, can be paused, and works on your schedule. No guide meets you, and Zoo Lights requires a separate ticket.

“Overall a fun thing to add to our trip to the zoo! It was a little complicated to get to the actual activity (since I purchased through Viator and had to access the activity through eAtlas), but was fairly straightforward once I figured it out. We couldn’t find everything, but also didn’t see every single thing at the zoo.”

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13.Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Chicago by Zombie Scavengers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 1 hour (approx.)

Start at Congress Plaza Garden and use your phone to find survival items anywhere in Chicago. You choose the route, complete zombie-themed challenges, earn points, and chat with a remote guide during this private one-hour game for up to 10 people.

“Finding the different items and having to act out random scenes. Also just seeing the different ideas we came up with as a group. It was super fun and enjoyable.”

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