Sandra LawsI’m a total escape room junkie. Ever since I solved one with my cousins a few years back, I’ve been hooked—I mean, who wouldn’t be?
One minute you’re defusing a bomb, the next you’re racing against time to cure a deadly virus! It’s like you’re in your own high-stakes action or thriller movie, and the only way out is your sharp wits and intense teamwork.
Over the years, I’ve managed to successfully convert a bunch of friends into joining me, and now it’s a full-blown tradition, complete with monthly outings!
So, if you’re in San Diego and want the ultimate escape room experience—be it with your friends, family, or even a date—here are the best escape rooms in the city!
Red Door Escape Room
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Website: https://reddoorescape.com/escape-rooms/san-diego/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reddoorescape_sandiego/%20
Address: 7007 Friars Rd, Suite 212
Hours: Mon – Sun: 10 AM – 10:50 PM
Contact: +1 619-679-1690
The Red Door Escape Room in Fashion Valley brings fun, story-driven adventures that have top-notch production value. You can choose between a Full Episode of 60 minutes or a Quick Play, which runs for 30 minutes.
Prison Break is a fan favorite here, where you’re locked up and accused of having dangerous powers. Your cellmates have caused a distraction, but it’s up to you to break out before the guards return—exciting, right?
We also love Once Upon A Time, a fantasy-themed escape room that has you sneaking through enchanted forests and searching castles for powerful items.
As a bonus, this venue can be rented for a private event like birthdays, work outings, or just random group hangouts. Extra perks include meeting spaces, catering add-ons, and team planning assistance.
| Pro Tip: Don’t leave without checking Red Door’s merch, which is also available on their website. You can snag cool hoodies, trucker hats, duffle bags, and tees! |
The Escape Game San Diego
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Website: https://theescapegame.com/san-diego/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theescapegame/
Address: 232 Fifth Ave
Hours: Mon – Sun: 8 AM – 12 AM
Contact: +1 619-853-2834
Tucked in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, The Escape Game San Diego offers five unique family-friendly escape rooms.
Our favorite here is Timeliner: Train Through Time, a digitally interactive game that lets you jump between centuries. As part of the Time Crisis Management team, your job is to fix disasters across time before everything goes off the rails—literally.
Another cool escape room theme is Prison Break. You’ll be split into separate cells and have to work together to get out.
Oh, and if you’re a night owl, they sometimes run games after midnight, so check the schedule for after-hours slots!
| Pro Tip: Heads up on parking—street parking is possible, but usually competitive. Your best bets are the Convention Center parking garage (a 5 to 7-minute walk) or the 6th & K Garage (just four minutes away). |
Lara’s Labyrinth
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Website: https://laraslabyrinth.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laras_labyrinth/
Address: 2110 Hancock St
Hours: Mon – Sun: 9 AM – 11 PM
Contact: +1 858-348-0420
Lara’s Labyrinth is the perfect escape room center for those who like solving puzzles with a bit of theatrical flair. We like that booking is easy online, and they even offer discounts for students!
Try BeWitched, a spooky fantasy adventure for 2 to 12 players. Imagine yourself outside a witch’s cabin, piecing together clues to save Halvar (the village knight), who was turned to stone by dark magic.
Then, there’s the DaVinci challenge, a beautifully crafted historical adventure—and fully accessible too! Set in 15th-century Florence, you’re trying to be Leonardo’s next apprentice, so you need to solve puzzles first to prove yourself.
Not sure what to get your puzzle-loving friend? A gift certificate to Lara’s Labyrinth is a guaranteed win!
| Pro Tip: Just a heads up—some rooms have strobe lighting and light physical activity. If you or someone has sensitivities or mobility limitations, do let the Game Master know. |
Steal and Escape
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Website: http://www.stealandescape.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stealandescape/
Address: 2602 Transportation Ave Suite B, National City
Hours: Mon – Tue, Thurs: 3 PM – 9 PM
Friday: 12 PM – 10:30 PM
Sat – Sun: 10 AM – 10:30 PM
Contact: +1 619-259-4096
Thousands of players in San Diego have already visited Steal and Escape. Their games are perfect for groups of two to eight, and with a recommended age of seven and up, it’s totally family-friendly.
Check out The Lost Expedition, where you explore a site that has been lost for centuries. It’s giving Indiana Jones energy that’s thrilling and satisfying.
Another cool game is The Neighbour, a spy thriller that involves befriending your neighbor to steal an important discovery from his house. It’s sneaky, clever, and full of twists—but I’m not going to spoil it for you.
We love that the entire space is wheelchair-accessible, and the staff are friendly, professional, and passionate about what they do.
| Pro Tip: If you’re planning a team event, this is the place. Their games are designed to push communication, problem-solving, and out-of-the-box thinking so that you’ll walk out stronger and more connected. |
MindFox Escape
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Website: https://mindfoxescape.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfoxescape/
Address: 7404 Trade St
Hours: Thursday: 2:45 PM – 8:30 PM
Friday: 2:45 PM – 10 PM
Saturday: 10:45 AM – 10 PM
Sunday: 10:45 AM – 8 PM
Contact: +1 858-800-1234
MindFox Escape is the city’s first-ever 2D escape room! And yes, it’s just as cool and quirky as it sounds!
Start with the Black &White Cafe—one moment you’re picking up your usual order at your favorite cafe, and the next, all color vanishes from the world! It’s up to you to solve the problem before you’re stuck in grayscale forever.
Moriarty’s Manor is another offering—it’s a multi-room escape set in Victorian London. You and your crew need to outwit the infamous Professor Moriarty to save none other than Sherlock Holmes himself.
What’s cool is that you can book the spot to celebrate special events—birthdays, bachelor parties, reunions, what have you.
| Pro Tip: Don’t stress about parking—Mindfox has two reserved spots out front, and yes, they’re totally free! |
Top Tier Escape Rooms
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Website: https://www.toptierescaperooms.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toptierescaperooms/
Address: 4750 Oceanside Blvd a13, Oceanside
Hours: Mon – Fri: 1 PM – 9:30 PM
Sat – Sun: 12 PM – 10 PM
Contact: +1 760-536-3193
Top Tier Escape Rooms lives up to its name by creating top-notch, original escape rooms. Every puzzle solved unlocks something new, opening secret pathways, unexpected items, and those “whoa!” moments that make escape rooms addictive.
We love their Pirates of the Mediterranean, where you’re exploring the eerie wreckage of a ship lost nearly 500 years ago. You need to solve puzzles and ghostly clues in order to escape.
Atlantis is another cool game—imagine being equipped with only one hour of oxygen. Your team dives into the ruins of an ancient civilization with the goal of saving it.
Unlike other escape rooms, this one welcomes kids—in fact, kids six and under play for free. Just note that they might get scared of certain jumpy moments.
| Pro Tip: If you’re planning a corporate team exercise, you can’t go wrong with booking a few games here rather than doing boring ‘trust falls.’ Top Tier’s escape rooms help develop collaboration and communication skills. |
Escapology
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Website: https://www.escapology.com/en/san-diego-ca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapologysd/
Address: 3116 Mission Blvd
Hours: Mon – Sun: 10 AM – 9 PM
Contact: +1 858-412-5914
Escapology was opened in 2014 by two brothers. Now, it has gone global with locations from the UK to Mexico, and of course, in San Diego.
We suggest trying the Antidote—a spy thriller where you and your squad are tasked to stop a rogue chemical weapons expert from releasing a deadly virus. Expect high tension, puzzles, and a full-on movie moment when you crack that final code.
Plus, you’ve got Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Castle Adventure—yep, it’s the real deal and officially licensed! You’re solving a ghostly mystery in Crystal Cove alongside the gang, who are helping you from the outside while you’re locked in the castle!
As a bonus, you can ask your Game Master for as many hints as you want—no limit (and no judgment!). It keeps the game moving, so you’re always having a good time.
| Pro Tip: Before you lock in your booking, check Escapology’s website for current deals. They often run online promos or limited-time offers that’ll save you some serious cash. |
Quicksand Escape Games
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Website: https://www.quicksandescape.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicksand_escape_games/
Address: 1001 Garnet Ave
Hours: Mon – Sun: 10:30 AM – 9 PM
Contact: +1 619-929-0152
Quicksand Escape Games is one of the best-kept secrets in the San Diego escape room scene. You and your crew have 60 minutes to crack codes, find clues, and unlock your way to freedom before time runs out.
The Family Cabin is our go-to here, a throwback adventure about you and your cousins who used to spend school breaks here, playing Tamagotchis and Nintendo. Now, your goal is to outsmart them and grab a retro game cartridge that could be worth a Bitcoin.
Another awesome game is The Diner, which has vintage mobster feels. Basically, your team needs to get in, grab the loot, and get out before the heat shows up.
All games are best for players 12 and up, and kids 14 and under will need an adult tagging along.
| Pro Tip: You can book a two-player game, but it’ll cost more per person, and discount codes won’t apply. This option is great for expert players but not recommended for newbies. |
Nightwalker Caverns Escape Room Adventures
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Website: http://www.nightwalkercaverns.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightwalkercaverns/
Address: 6760 University Ave #100-110
Hours: Tue – Thurs: 10 AM – 11 PM
Fri -Sat: 10 AM – 1 AM
Sunday: 1 PM – 10 PM
Contact: +1 619-280-7029
Since 2014, Nightwalker Caverns Escape Room Adventures has been crafting escape rooms using custom-built props and Hollywood-level effects.
They’ve got five escape room adventures, each with its own quirky theme, plus something called Quiz Boxing, which is like a live TV trivia game show. There’s even a party area that’s perfect for big groups or team-building events.
As for escape games, try Last Chance—you’re trapped in a cursed gold mine and forced to gamble your way out (literally). There’s also Gooneze, a 90-minute pirate-style hunt for One-Leg Willy’s treasure that’ll leave you soaked.
Note that from January to August, there are no scary games, but come September, all bets are off. Live actors roam the rooms, pranking and spooking players with that macabre energy fans love.
| Pro Tip: If you’ve got kids under 14 who want to join, you’ll need to contact Nightwalker Caverns’ management ahead of time to work something out. |
Escape Game SD
Website: http://www.escapegamesd.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapegame_sd/
Address: The 50’s on Fourth, 3956 Fourth Ave
Hours: Mon – Thurs: 3:30 PM – 12 AM
Friday: 11 AM – 12 AM
Saturday: 11 AM – 1 AM
Sunday: 1 PM – 12 AM
Contact: +1 619-642-0095
Escape Game SD brings all of the fun but none of the filler—just straight-up 60-minute escape room fun.
We love that there’s a monthly leaderboard with a real prize—free tickets for the top-scoring team. Just make sure you and your team pay attention to the extra secret tasks given before a game.
We love their Superheroes escape room—trapped by a villain with a ticking time bomb, you need to find a way to escape before it goes out! Another fun game is Wizards and Spells, where you try to outwit Professor Lupus in a test of spell-casting smarts.
If you’ve got a big squad, no worries. They can accommodate up to 25 people per time slot and even handle groups as large as 200 across the day.
| Pro Tip: Parking can be a bit tricky here since there’s no dedicated lot, but the area has plenty of meter spots, street parking, and paid lots to pick from. Just build in a little buffer time so you’re not late for your game. |
The Unlockables Escape Rooms
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Website: https://escaperoom.com/venue/unlockables-san-diego-san-diego-ca-usa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the-unlockables-puzzle-room-experience/
Address: 7380 Clairemont Mesa Blvd #205
Hours: Mon – Sat: 11 AM – 10 PM
Sunday: 11 AM – 8 PM
Contact: +1 619-535-6259
Founded by Emmy-winning animation designer Edwin Tactay, The Unlockables Escape Rooms offers a cinematic flair, with original props and moody lighting.
Their games are top-tier, and we’re not just saying that. They’re actually widely considered to be the number one escape room in San Diego—and based on my experience, I think I might have to agree.
Try their Sister’s Secret game, where you’re a member of the Paranormal Division of the Bureau who will investigate a house that has been freaking out the neighborhood. Make sure to bring your courage—and maybe a flashlight!
The Informant is another amazing game about a trusted informant turning up dead, and your team has to pick up the pieces. As a secret agent, you’ll encounter corrupt land deals, suspicious deaths, and more in this race-against-time mission.
| Pro Tip: When you book a game at The Unlockables Escape Rooms, try to keep your team size right—four is the magic number. It’ll make the game smoother, more collaborative, and way more fun. |
The Entrapment
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Website: https://www.theentrapment.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theentrapment/
Address: 7990 Dagget St Suite A-10
Hours: Mon – Thurs, Sun: 11 AM – 9 PM
Fri – Sat: 11 AM – 11 PM
Contact: +1 858-848-6539
The Entrapment is a locally owned San Diego spot that pours serious heart into every game. That’s why they earned love from players (like us!) and landed near the top of many local escape room rankings.
We think you’ll love The Disappearance at Fogmore Manor, the first chapter in the Fogmore saga. You wake up in a mansion, and your partner is missing, and all you’ve got is a scribbled note.
The Bayou: Legend of the Midnight Raven is another highly recommended room. It involves century-old family secrets involving black magic, curses, and possibly portals to who-knows-where.
A unique option is their Outdoor Puzzle Pursuit, which is basically an escape room held at Balboa Park. Your group splits into teams, gets a pizzle packet, and races across the park solving riddles tied to real-world posts like plaques and statues.
| Pro Tip: If you have friends or family members who love escape rooms, give them one of The Entrapment‘s gift certificates. It’s certainly not a cookie-cutter gift—perfect for those who love puzzles and races! |
