In a summer filled with “been there, done that-itis,” we found a great new challenge for your vacationing smartie pants: Escape Room LA is has launched kid-friendly versions of their most popular live action escape rooms. With modified clues and puzzles just right for young minds, no special skills or knowledge is needed—just an open mind and willingness to engage in some serious teamwork. Scroll down to see where your next challenge awaits!
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Choose Your Own Adventure
Families can choose from two rooms: “The Cavern” and the “The Theatre.” Participants are “locked,” in each room for about one hour and must work together to solve clues and puzzles to “escape.” But don’t worry; the room isn’t actually locked and you won’t have to physically escape.
You’ll start by meeting with your guide (a trained actor and Escape Room LA employee) who will set the tone for the day’s adventure. He’ll help everyone in the group get well acquainted, because you’ll need to work well together to solve the puzzles and find the way out. He’ll also accompany you through out your experience, in case you need any extra clues or help.
Each room is totally decked out in the theme of each escape room, so don’t be surprised if you kiddos find themselves being completely immersed by the story itself.
Pick a Room, Any Room
In “The Cavern” (above) young detectives will descend into a mysterious underground cavern in search of a lost civilization’s ancient mysteries. You’ll have less than an hour to solve clues and uncover secrets that lead to four powerful hidden totems. You must complete the expedition and escape before your air supply runs out.
“The Theatre” (below) starts by entering the stage door of an old haunted theatre, where you must find a way to free the theatre’s ghost before the night’s performance begins. As you and your mini detectives explore the theatre’s backstage areas, you’ll uncover clues and puzzles leading to the mysterious objects you need to create a magical spell and release the ghost before your time runs out.
Getting There
Escape Room LA is located in Downtown’s bustling Fashion District, in an average looking office building. Let the Escape Room LA signage be your guide, and you’ll end up in the right place.
Parking is easy thanks to tons of paid lots and metered street parking.
Booking and Buying Tickets
To book a kid-friendly game at Escape Room LA, simply check the indicated box for a kids’ game when making an online booking reservations or specify kids when calling the venue directly.
The only drawback is that the entire room must be purchased in order to have a kid-friendly version of the games (that’s 10 tickets for “The Cavern” or 12 tickets for “The Theatre”). This makes it perfect for a summer group outing or birthday destination.
All games are held Tuesday-Sunday evening and also in the afternoon on the weekends. Ticket prices range from $32 to $37 per person. The games are best for ages 8-13, though if there are younger or older kids in your group (or grownups!), they are welcome. Check online for specific dates and times. Tip: You may be able to score discount tickets from sites like Goldstar or Groupon, so a quick online search is a good idea.
Good to know: Be sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before your game’s start time. Because these are live-action events, you may not be allowed to participate if your game has already started.
Need to grab a bite after the game? Check out nearby Cliftons Cafeteria, or Nickel Diner for some downhome fare that kids devour. Solving mysteries works up quite the appetite.
Escape Room LA
120 E. 8th St.
DTLA
213-689-3229
Online: escaperoomla.com
Have you engaged in the Escape Room craze? Let us know about your brain bending experiences in the comments!
—Christina Montoya Fiedler
