The 9 Best Ottawa Escape Games Tours

1.Street Art Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour in Ottawa

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 20 reviews · 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes (approx.) · from $7Our pick

Use the Questo app to follow clues through central Ottawa, from Ottawa Mural and The Living Room to BLM, DaVinci, and KindComments murals. You set the pace, solve story-based challenges, and explore with only your own group. Plan for much longer on foot than the advertised 50 to 80 minutes.

“I'd say this activity is best done by bicycle or scooter, unless you want a very long walk. The estimated time given is definitely for bicycle or scooter, not for walking time. We walked it, and it took about four hours. Lovely way to explore some neighborhoods we would not otherwise have seen as tourists, and the murals are amazing!”

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2.Ottawa Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Detective Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 11 reviews · 3 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes (approx.) · from $8

Use your phone to play a private detective game through central Ottawa. You will solve 10 clues at City Hall, Parliament Hill, the War Memorial, Rideau Canal, and more, moving at your own pace. The route ends across the river at the Tessouat sculpture in Gatineau.

“we indicate to go to an address on departure for pick-up. No precise time and no one on site when we could just start the puzzle. the address was not easy to find. Why not simplify by saying city hall. The number of kilometres to cover would have been good information to know for someone like me who is mobility impaired. When I saw that the end ended on the side of gatineau. We did the part that was getting closer to the byward market and we finished it there.Auto-translated”

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3.Rockcliffe Ottawa: Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $7

Use the Questo app to follow a one-hour to 90-minute clue trail through Ottawa’s Rockcliffe Park. You’ll pass ambassadorial residences, Stornoway, Rockeries, and Rockcliffe House. It is self-guided, English-only, and best done in daylight with a charged phone.

“This was a great experience, we loved the walking, the story and the facts. I would even do it again.”

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4.Ottawa Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $9

Use the World City Trail app to guide yourself through nine Ottawa landmarks, from Parliament Hill to the National Gallery. Solve observation-based riddles, hear short stories, and pause whenever you like. The 2.4-kilometre route takes about 2.5 hours with stops and breaks, and works well for families and teens.

“We did everything on the app but was great.. All my teens downloaded the app and tried to complete the tasks.. We really enjoyed the tour and the attractions..”

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5.Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Crazy Dash

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $10

You and your private group explore Ottawa from 100 Elgin St using the Crazy Dash app. Find listed items, complete challenges in any order, earn points, and message a remote host when needed. The hunt takes about two hours, with no strict time limit and no transportation included.

“Thought this was a great activity to do with our 11 year olds. The app stopped working about 1.5 hrs into the search. That was disappointing . Other than that. Great way to walk around the City and explore.”

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6.Ottawa Murder Mystery: Self-Guided City Detective Game

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $7

Start at the Bank of Canada Museum and follow a smartphone mystery through downtown Ottawa. Investigate Bella Wanderlust’s death, question suspects Percy Shadows and Walter Bridges, solve clues, and return to the starting point in about two hours.

“Fun but could have used 2 phones instead of having everyone’s looking down at their phones. Not too much walking. Everyone was able to do it”

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7.Ottawa Self Guided Walking Tour And Scavenger Hunt

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

You’ll follow a smartphone-led route from 2 Rideau Street through Ottawa’s civic core, solving 57 challenges at 44 points of interest. See the Rideau Canal, Parliament, Sparks Street, Major’s Hill Park, memorials, museums, and more. The tour is private for up to six people and takes about two to three hours.

“This is a total waste of time. Terrible instructions, plus the app keeps closing and then you have to start all over, it doesn’t remember your previous answers! We quit after 2nd question, completely lost and would advise anyone to find any other tour”

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8.Outdoor Escape Room Adventure Tour – Many Game Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

You’ll follow an iPad-guided puzzle trail from Rideau Street through the Bytown Museum, ByWard Market, and Parliament Hill. Expect geocaching-style clues, landmark searches, and fresh challenges for your private group of up to six. A water extension may be available on request.

“Fun concept. Lack of instructions to find the starting point (7th floor of fairmont). It was a very hot day so we didn’t finish but my kids had a blast solving puzzles and finding landmarks 10,11,13. Tour manager was accommodating and helped make our experience great. Would do again on a cooler day!”

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9.Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Wacky Walks

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 2 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $10

Use your phone to explore Ottawa from 100 Elgin St., finding items, taking photos, and completing playful tasks for points. A remote host can help, add challenges, and follow your group for about two hours. You finish where you started and compare your score worldwide.

“The hints didn't make any sense some of them made references to things you would have to already know which isn't good for tourists but at the same time is was either stuff you already knew so not great for locals but also kind of boring”

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