Scavenger Hunts
LICENSE TO THRILL
Unleash the Sherlock Holmes within and turn your vacation into a mystery-solving adventure
BY CHRISTINA COUCH
Steve Jacobs keeps his head low, his face covered and his eye on the map as he makes his way through the streets of Chicago, trying to attract as little attention as possible. Wary that those trying to foil his mission could be hiding anywhere among the picture-taking tourists, Jacobs keeps his unmarked envelope of instructions by his side and the collection of gadgets he’ll need close at hand. Searching desperately for the next clue—a blank sheet of paper that, when dipped in water, reveals the next mission destination—Jacobs and four members of his incognito entourage keep their puzzle-solving skills sharp, their eyes open for adversaries, and their feet on the move as they flit from one Chicago landmark to another with the swift ness and stealth of Carmen Sandiego herself. Welcome to the newest and coolest way to explore your next AirTran Airways destination.
For those who crave action and adventure over double-decker bus trips, “reality tours” off er an interactive (and addictive) way to unlock the mysteries of your hometown or vacation destination. Part scavenger hunt, part live-action Clue game, reality tours such as those off ered through Ravenchase Adventures (www.ravenchase.com), Watson Adventures (www.watsonadventures.com) and Urban Interactive (www.urban-interactive.com) send teams of wannabe detectives across cities—and in some cases entire regions of the country. These code-cracking missions are designed to both tickle the explorer within and introduce locals and out-of-towners alike to major landmarks and hidden hot spots.
“It’s a combination of ‘The Amazing Race,’ The Da Vinci Code and Raiders of the Lost Ark,” says Joshua Czarda, creator of Ravenchase Adventures, a reality touring company that off ers neighborhood, citywide and regional treasure hunts in eight destinations (Richmond, Chicago, Baltimore, New York City, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Washington, DC). “We use codes, ciphers and anagrams to set people out on courses that are challenging, but always solvable. We’ve had great success in taking people to some of the famous landmarks and institutions that they’ve never seen before, and we’re also good at finding the hidden jewels of the city.”
Instead of hearing about the history and attractions of their destination, reality tourists uncover it themselves. They solve riddles about local legends, follow treasure maps to city attractions and pick up fun facts from planted actors that help or hurt the hunt.
“It’s never a boring old piece of history that you’ll see. We’ll jazz it up for you,” says Rachel Hausner, the director of publicity for Watson Adventures, which off ers both citywide and museum-based tours in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. “In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, for example, we’ll direct you to a certain room of medieval art and ask you what stained-glass saint ‘can’t get no satisfaction.’ As it turns out, one of the saints in this room looks exactly like Mick Jagger. It’s really just a way of seeing the art in a totally diff erent way and having a few laughs about it.”
What makes reality tours diff erent from typical sightseeing excursions is the level of challenge, interactivity and illusion, all of which vary significantly from tour to tour and company to company. Whereas Watson Adventures focuses primarily on creating clue-based scavenger hunts, Ravenchase Adventures and Boston-based Urban Interactive strive to create an alternate reality where participants assume the role of detective, spy, explorer or cryptologist. Here, they must master role-appropriate technology and interact with planted actors to win.
“It’s like stepping into your own living play,” says Czarda, recounting a hunt where participants spent 48 hours playing bank robbers by finding a hidden vault and disarming its security systems to retrieve a stolen artifact. “If you want to be a cop from ‘Law and Order’ and crack a case for a day, you can do that. If you want to be Indiana Jones and raid tombs, you can do that, too.”
For travelers hungry for a shorter fullimmersion adventure, 5Wits (www.5-wits.com) off ers 45-minute theme park-esque experiences in Boston, where guests step into a living video game and use their physical and mental prowess to solve clues and avoid traps. “It’s very hands on; it’s not like a museum exhibit. You’re pushing objects, you’re moving statues, ceilings are dropping,” says 5Wits founder Matthew DuPlessie. “The shows diff er based on the decisions the guests make and the timing the guests have. They’re the ones running the show.”
It’s precisely this idea that makes these tours a unique and unforgettable experience. Not focusing on the destination itself keeps thrill-seekers returning to reality tours time and time again. “People learn better and enjoy a richer experience when they’re driving their experience,” DuPlessie says. “Plus, everyone wants to be the hero.”
NOT FINISHED SNOOPING AROUND YET?
Check out these other hush-hush hideaways.
THE BORING STORE
CHICAGO Stock up on your trench coats, compact periscopes and cell phones disguised as bananas— proceeds from this secret agent supply shop benefit the nonprofit children’s writing and tutoring center hidden in the back. www.826chi.org
INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
WASHINGTON, DC The only public museum in the world devoted exclusively to espionage, the International Spy Museum chronicles the history, techniques and technology of the underground world of spies. www.spymuseum.org
SAFE HOUSE
MILWAUKEE Don’t let the International Exports Ltd. sign on the door fool you. Tricked out with the latest trap doors and surveillance equipment, this spy-themed bar is one of Milwaukee’s best-kept secrets. Those who know the password (“We’re looking for the Safe House”—you can thank us later) or pass the required entry tests should head straight to the blackjack table in the back, where card-savvy spies can win free drinks. www.safe-house.com