As longtime San Francisco residents, we’ve done over 80 in-person escape rooms in the San Francisco Bay Area and will keep this list up to date with our top escape room recommendations. this list covers san francisco escape rooms and also a nearby city (emeryville escape rooms).
San Francisco makes history by being the home of North America’s first escape room: Mystery Room Escape for Junk / Real Escape Game. that game spawned an entire industry and was a groundbreaking experience when it was first released in 2012/2013.
The industry has come a long way and the escape rooms of today (circa 2022) are far above the quality of what established North America’s first escape room. fun fact: to escape the mystery room, players had to disassemble the furniture in the room. To this day, most escape rooms have warnings not to disassemble any furniture, due to the (unfortunate) precedent set by this game!
The San Francisco market is a particularly tough market for escape room businesses, as some of the city’s most prolific escape room businesses have either left or gone out of business. the most notable closure is the real/junk escape game, which used to bring new puzzle rooms and events to town. We’ve heard firsthand many times that running small local businesses in San Francisco is very difficult for many reasons (and empty offices in San Francisco have hurt the local market). Still, some of our favorite companies are still in the area, and if you’re nearby, San Francisco certainly has some world-class escape rooms for you to explore.
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how much do san francisco escape rooms cost?
San Francisco is the most expensive escape room market in the United States. The main reason is that everything in San Francisco typically costs (very) about 50% more than the US average if it’s a staffed, physical location. however, the specific reason for the escape room is the presence of five exceptional premium games from 80 to 120 minutes. You can roughly expect to pay between $40 and $100 per person per game in this market.
the best escape rooms in san francisco
- ghost patrol(4-8p, $295/game, 90 min) – trivium games (emeryville)
- attraction(4-8p, $410/game, 120 min) – palace games
- edison(4-8p, $410/game, 100 min) – palace games
- roosevelt (6-8p, $410/game, 90 min) – palace games
- houdini (6-8p, $410/game, 80 min) – palace games
- playground(2-12 players, $43/player, 60 min) – the escape game
- special ops(2-8 players, $43/player, 60 min) – the escape game
- gold rush(2-8 players, $43/player, 60 min) – the escape game
- king arthur(3-7 players, $135/game, 60 min) – escapesf
- blind tiger(2-6 players, $126/game, 60 min) – escapesf
- 1-10p – number of players
- $: base price of a game (weekend base price, if applicable)
- 60 min – duration of one game
- 9:15 am – 10:45 am (90 minutes) ghost patrol in trivium games
- 2:15 PM m. – 3:45 pm m. (90 minutes) roosevelt games at the palace
- 4:00 PM m. – 6:00 p.m. m. (120 minutes) attraction in the palace games
- 8:45 PM m. – 10:25 p.m. m. (100 minutes) edison games in the palace
- good for beginners: no, this game is too good for beginners. come back after you’ve experienced other games to truly appreciate this one.
- Price: $295 per game for up to 4 players. $32 per additional player.
- size, duration: 4-8 players, 90 minutes.
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- preorder: https://www.triviumgames.com/
- good for beginners: no, this is a complex game and better appreciated after playing other games.
- price: $410 per set
- size, duration: 4-6 players, 120 minutes.
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- preorder: https://palace-games.com/
- good for beginners: no, this is a complex game and better appreciated after playing other games.
- price: $410 per set
- size, duration: 4-8 players, 100 minutes.
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- preorder: https://palace-games.com/
- good for beginners: no, this is a complex game and better appreciated after playing other games.
- price: $410 per set
- size, duration: 6-8 players, 90 minutes
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- preorder: https://palace-games.com/
- good for beginners: no, this is also a complex game and is best appreciated after you have a few other games under your belt.
- price: $410 per set
- size, duration: 6-8 players, 80 minutes
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- preorder: https://palace-games.com/
- good for beginners: yes, this game is suitable for beginners
- price: $43 per player
- size, duration: 2-12 players, 60 minutes
- play with strangers: yes, you can group up with strangers
- preorder: https://theescapegame.com/sanfrancisco/
- good for beginners: yes, this game is suitable for beginners
- price: $43 per player
- size, duration: 2-8 players, 60 minutes
- play with strangers: yes, you can group up with strangers
- preorder: https://theescapegame.com/sanfrancisco/
- good for beginners: yes, this game is suitable for beginners
- price: $43 per player
- size, duration: 2-8 players, 60 minutes
- play with strangers: yes, you can group up with strangers
- preorder: https://theescapegame.com/sanfrancisco/
- good for beginners: yes
- price: $135+ per set
- size, duration: 3-7 players, 60 minutes
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- booking: https://escapesf.net/
- good for beginners: yes
- price: $126+ per game on weekends
- size, duration: 2-6 players, 60 minutes
- play with strangers: no, you will not be grouped with strangers
- booking: https://escapesf.net/
- san jose escape rooms
- los Angeles escape rooms
- san diego escape rooms
- las vegas escape rooms
- Seattle Escape Rooms
- portland escape rooms
our annotations:
Disclosure: We have received beta test or media discount tickets for some of these games.
which san francisco escape rooms are best for kids?
trivium games seem to be the most accommodating and welcoming for families with children. palace games has a minimum age of 16, escapesf has a minimum age of 10-14, and escape game only recommends players over 13 years of age. consult the most recent policies of the company before making your reservation.
ultimate san francisco escape room marathon 1 day
we put together a sample itinerary for the four games in san francisco that are generally considered the “best”. this itinerary can be useful for escape room enthusiasts who have a full day they want to spend escaping. all the games in this itinerary allow groups of up to 8 players.
make sure you book at least one month in advance. these games will fill up, especially games during the main slots on the weekend afternoon. please confirm availability and latest hours before booking. this program is a grueling 4 game long day but includes 2 breaks for eating, driving and relaxing. make sure you get plenty of rest the night before!
Please note that travel from Emeryville and San Francisco is prone to traffic, so make sure you have plenty of time to reserve. During rush hours, your GPS can tell you north to take the Richmond + Golden Gate Bridges instead of the Bay Bridge. that’s the most scenic and generally quietest route, though it’s twice as long in terms of mileage.
Be careful when parking your car in San Francisco (and the Bay Area in general). Make sure you lock your car doors and don’t leave valuables in your car. We’ve heard many stories from friends, co-workers, and acquaintances about carjackings.
tomorrow block (emeryville)
afternoon block (san francisco)
night block (san francisco)
Did you end up trying our latest 1-day sci-fi escape room marathon? tell us how it went in the comments.
#1. ghost patrol – trivium games (emeryville)
You are a group of amateur paranormal investigators, who have taken a job to investigate some ghostly happenings in a haunted mansion. while the theme is ghosts, the game is not scary in any way, and instead treats the subject with humor and nonchalance. This is Trivium Games’ first game on the market, with another one coming soon. this is not in san francisco but across the bay bridge in emeryville.
review
Going in, we knew this is a unanimous favorite among the enthusiast community. Despite sky-high expectations, this game managed to surprise us in every way. It joins the ranks of the Lab Rat in Los Angeles and the Storytellers Secret in Boston as one of the most elegantly designed escape rooms we’ve played in our 350+ history. the technology and inputs in the game were some of the most responsive and enjoyable we’ve ever played with. this game paid attention to lighting and sound design, a part often overlooked in escape rooms, creating magical and rewarding experiences when solving a puzzle or progressing through the story.
Nearly all of the puzzles were language-independent, meaning more of a focus on playing with the tangible environment rather than getting stuck in reading. the story of the game was told through the experience itself. the series of puzzles had a satisfying form of construction, with a kind of “meta-puzzle” element that any puzzle hunter or recreational mathematician would appreciate. this is a beautifully designed game that has all the makings of a great escape room, and nothing more.
tips
Free covered parking is available in the garage just down the block. visit their website for more details. While the game is labeled for groups of 4-8 players, it’s doable (albeit expensive) with a group of 2 enthusiasts. If you’re looking for food, there are a collection of counter service options available at the Emeryville Public Market.
fast facts
#2. the attraction – palace games
palace games is the escape room company embracing its home in san francisco. Palace Games takes its inspiration (and name) from its century-old historic home, the Palace of Fine Arts, once the site of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco residents (and visitors) they will recognize the building as the former headquarters of the exploratorium (until 2013).
Each of the four in-person palace game rooms explores a different story based on the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. This particular game, the attraction, focuses on a mysterious contraption that was featured in the 1915 exposition. but that was immediately closed for unknown reasons. The Palace Games team has renovated the attraction and you and your team are the lucky players who get to explore it for the first time in over a century.
For those of you who follow the history of palace games, this game was initially supposed to debut in 2020 but was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic. After much anticipation, it’s released in 2021. This is their fourth game occupying the last current buildable space of the palace game, completing a full set of 4 excellent games.
review
this is potentially the most ambitious escape room we’ve played so far out of our 350+. the theme isn’t entirely clear from the game’s promotional material or name, which in itself appears to be intentional as the game has a habit of plunging players into surprise. it’s a 2-hour ride that kept us on our toes throughout the process as we experienced the unfolding of the odyssey.
The “attraction” served as the game’s nexus that took us through a set of contrasting scenarios and objectives. The game doesn’t focus on one of “Eight Great American Innovators” as players of its previous games might expect, but it still has a hero to guide you through your saga. the theming no longer focuses solely on the 1900s, but draws ideas from a much larger body of inspiration. we would describe it a bit like being in a lucid dream.
Palace games are best known for their spectacular engineering, and this game takes everything you’ve learned from previous games and masterfully applies it to create some engineering marvels in your carved corners of the palace of fine arts. the entire layout of the space is never entirely clear, even after you’re done, and the room’s transitions will give your team a truly metaphysical experience. this game is an absolutely essential marvel of engineering.
tips
the palace games team recommends 4-6 players, and we would recommend exactly the same. anything more would actually be too much, and anything less may not be possible. make sure you rest, eat, hydrate and use the bathroom before you start – this is a 2 hour trip! check the palace game parking guide before you start driving – this is not an area you want to try to figure out parking when you arrive.
fast facts
#3. edison escape room – palace games
thomas edison requests your presence in his office at the palace of fine arts as he has created a challenge for his guests for a mysterious reason. this is another sequel to houdini room (you don’t need to play them in order), with the first of the 8 innovators.
review
The team has outdone their Roosevelt and Houdini rooms, creating an extravagantly high-tech room containing a dazzling array of sensors, lights, and surprises. palace games manages to execute some dramatic changes within the space as you play.
tips
While we think the ideal team size is 4-6, the game will actually scale slightly to your team size, so it won’t matter as much if you go overboard. We don’t recommend this game for beginners, come back when you’ve experienced other escape rooms in the Bay Area! check palace games parking recommendations before you arrive.
fast facts
#4. Roosevelt Escape Room – Palace Games
theodore roosevelt is collecting some of the best and brightest minds of the age to achieve a critical goal. Opened in 2016, this room is a continuation of the Houdini room from Palace Games, but can be played regardless of whether you played the first one or not.
review
This room is spacious, fully automated, and packed with fun physical and tactile puzzles. the style is more linear in nature, which helps ensure that you get to experience most of the cool stuff. this room physically requires multiple teammates to do certain puzzles and executes teamwork quite well. (read full review)
tips
This room is not for beginners. bring your best experienced team, as you’ll need to split up at different points, and each split sub-team needs to be at the top of their game. we recommend 6-8 players for enthusiasts, although less experienced teams can bring more. check palace games parking recommendations before you arrive.
fast facts
#5. houdini escape room – palace games
the great escapist harry houdini built a contraption inside the palace of fine arts to challenge 8 great american innovators. Launched in 2015, this game (along with its sequels) is not only found in the best of the San Francisco Bay Area, but also in all of North America.
review
The entire room is a fully automated contraption made with a complex intricate system of arduinos and sensors. More importantly, the technology is executed so well that the Houdini room is transformed into a truly magical experience.
tips
This room is not for beginners. bring your most experienced team as there is a lot to do. we recommend a team size of 6-8 for enthusiasts, although less experienced teams can bring more. there are many puzzles for everyone to do from the beginning. check palace games parking recommendations before you arrive.
fast facts
#6. playground – the escape game
This game takes place inside and outside of an elementary school classroom. You and your classmates need to get an A on your final report card before you can go out and play! Escape Game is our favorite national chain of escape rooms, and Playground is, at the time of this writing, our favorite game in their collection.
review
The theme of this game is very fun: the game is packed with fun elements, many of which you will be able to interact with as part of the puzzle process. the game is decorated wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling with various appropriately themed decorations, and we enjoyed the good variety of puzzles.
tips
There is a lot to do in this room, so we recommend parallelization when possible. If you can’t play this game in the San Francisco location, Escape Game also has copies of this game in many of their US locations. The closest municipal parking garage is the SFMTA Sutter Stockton Garage with 1865 parking spaces.
fast facts
#7. spec ops: mystery market: the escape game
You and your team of special agents are tasked with investigating the local market in the area following reports that something is up. you discover that the market hides some secrets that you and your team must solve. This is one of the 5 escape game games in its San Francisco location. we’ve been impressed with the consistency of their games everywhere we’ve played.
review
The theme is unique and the entrance halls are elaborately decorated from floor to ceiling. we loved the transitions in the game, the variety of puzzles, and their accessibility for beginners.
tips
Just like the playground above, if you can’t play this game in the San Francisco location, Escape Game also has copies of this game in many of their US locations. The closest municipal parking garage is the SFMTA Sutter Stockton Garage with 1865 parking spaces.
fast facts
#8. gold rush: the escape game
Set during the California Gold Rush era of the 19th century, this may be a particularly suitable game if you’re visiting the area and want to do things that have a link to early California history (if that’s your thing). vocation). san francisco, be sure to visit alcatraz). You are invited by your recently deceased relative who made a fortune discovering gold in the California hills. but you and your team must claim it for yourselves by going into his cabin and extracting the hidden stash.
review
We were particularly impressed by the changes in the environment of this game: there is certainly an outdoor part, a cockpit part and even more that is better left a surprise. this game is more “tangible” than many other games, and we enjoy the feeling of “getting dirty” with some of the environmental actions in the game. this is another reliable and consistent escape game experience.
tips
same advice as “special operations – mystery market”. Please note that just like the other escape game experiences, you may have strangers in your game. to avoid strangers, we usually try to book at the last minute, or book the first or last shift on any given day.
fast facts
#9. king arthur’s legacy- escapesf
You must gather your knights around the round table and extract excalibur from the stone. Opened in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic, King Arthur’s Legacy takes the place of the old escape room at escapesf.
review
This game features some heavy props and plenty of puzzles in the first room to keep tea busy. we enjoyed some of the good opening room moments, as well as some of the special effects in some of the later areas of the game. escapesf certainly packed a lot of material into its smallest space.
tips
Unlike the other rooms on this list, this game is suitable for beginners and features some classic and accessible puzzles. we recommend 2-3 players for enthusiasts, though beginners should bring more. There are two large, city-owned, and reasonably priced underground parking garages nearby: St. mary’s square garage and portsmouth square garage.
fast facts
#10. blind tiger – escape
This is an older room (opened in 2015), but still offers engaging underground-themed gameplay for beginners and experienced groups alike. Your team is tasked with investigating a speakeasy and learning about secret underground dealings from suspected mob members.
review
This is a well decorated and executed game, with various decoration elements that give the feel of a speakeasy. There are some automatic surprises throughout this game that are especially appropriate for smaller groups.
tips
We recommend 2-3 players for enthusiasts, although beginners should bring more. There are two large, city-owned, and reasonably priced underground parking garages nearby: St. mary’s square garage and portsmouth square garage.
fast facts
more escape rooms
We also make these lists for other areas. Check out our other west coast escape room listings:
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