Escape Room
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Introducing: Escape Hour Gig Harbor
What happens when you mix puzzles, unique games, physical challenges, time limits, and locked doors? No, this isn't a riddle — this is an escape room. And if you've been paying attention, they've become one of the most popular activities across the world over the past decade, and we can see why! You take your friends and family, get locked inside a room (or series of rooms), solve an elaborate mystery while unlocking clues, and ultimately claim your escape! Our nerdy hearts could ask for little else! Escape Hour Gig Harbor is a multi-award winning escape room venue located in Gig Harbor, Washington, USA. They combine groundbreaking in-person immersion with a stellar online experience, making them stand out in our eyes. Here's the deep dive into Escape Hour Gig Harbor, and how to get involved!
Escape Hour Gig Harbor's History
Escape Hour Gig Harbor was the first of three Escape Hour escape room locations, each founded, owned and operated by the same owners! Upon its opening, Escape Hour Gig Harbor boasted two escape rooms, both of which quickly became popular in the greater Seattle area. This popularity led to the expansion of escape rooms at the Escape Hour Gig Harbor location! Within a few years they went from two escape experiences, to four. During this time, the company was able to expand even more, with the installment of Escape Hour Austin, in Austin, TX, and Escape Hour Point Ruston, a brand new location in Point Ruston, Tacoma, WA!
While Escape Hour Gig Harbor now offers four permanent experiences, there have been many rooms and themes that have come and gone. Escape Hour Gig Harbor also creates several "overlay" rooms, which typically take place over the holidays, and offer limited-time gameplay in brand new, holiday themed rooms! Here's a list of all the previous escape rooms Escape Hour Gig Harbor has offered over the years:
Previous Experiences:
Baker Street II (Baker Street Variant) - CLOSED
Immersive, Mysterious, Logical, Intellectual
This experience took the original Baker Street Mystery from Escape Hour Gig Harbor and offered alternate endings, choices, and gameplay! This was a great option for people who loved the first iteration of Baker Street and wanted even more! With all the same aesthetics and a mysterious detective vibe, Baker Street II was a hit!
2-6 Participants
The Cabin (Original) - CLOSED
Thrilling, Exciting, Suspenseful, Scary, May Not Be Suitable For Children.
This was the original Cabin experience brought to you by Escape Hour Gig Harbor! This experience sent you to a long-forgotten cabin deep inside a dark forest in search of answers to a decades long legend. The one that started it all, this experience became an instant classic and inspired years of content for Escape Hour Gig Harbor!
2-8 Participants
Horror Under The Big Top - CLOSED
Exciting, Immersive, Scary, Intense, Thrilling.
Horror Under The Big Top was Escape Hour Gig Harbor's first Halloween overlay, and to say it was a hit is a massive understatement! A colorful cirque du mystique, this experience set the tone for all Halloween overlays to come. Horrifying and tantalizing, Horror Under The Big Top set the bar high!
2-10 Participants
Christmas at the Cabin - CLOSED
Thrilling, Exciting, Holiday, Suspenseful
The Cabin's first Christmas overlay, this experience was a creative way to celebrate the holiday season. Still retaining its spooky ambience, but allowing more festivity, Christmas at the Cabin became many people's first in a long line of holiday overlays at Escape Hour Gig Harbor!
2-8 Participants
Christmas on Baker Street - CLOSED
Immersive, Mysterious, Logical, Intellectual, Christmas
The first Christmas overlay set inside Baker Street Mystery, this experience ignited many people's love of holiday overlay experiences. Festive, mysterious, and intense, it's no wonder why thousands of fans have made the holiday experiences at Escape Hour Gig Harbor part of their yearly traditions ever since!
2-6 Participants
Matty’s Nightmare - CLOSED
Thrilling, Nightmarish, Adventure, Scary
Matty's Nightmare revolutionized the way Escape Hour Gig Harbor did their overlay experiences! With intense scares, physical challenges, multiple settings and crowd-pleasing appearances by live-actors, this experience took terror to new heights. Set inside the nightmares of The Cabin's own Matty McKay, this story followed a twisted path that led deeper into the McKay family mystery.
2-8 Participants
Operation Believe - CLOSED
Wholesome, Christmas, Adventure, Immersive
Another wonderful Christmas overlay at Escape Hour Gig Harbor! Operation Believe set out to solve the problem of not enough Christmas spirit over the holiday season. In this experience you solved a series of festive puzzles and dissected the wholesome storyline, leading to a heart-warming conclusion! Another fan favorite, this experience has gone down in the Escape Hour Gig Harbor hall of fame!
2-6 Participants
HEX - CLOSED
Psychological, Intense, Thrilling
An exciting Halloween overlay, HEX offered a devilish adventure into a cursed family and their murderous secrets. With live-actors, interesting physical challenges, and a story that compelled further investigation, this experience is one to remember!
2-8 Participants
Gumdrop Mystery on Gingerbread Lane - CLOSED
Heartwarming, Holiday, Adventure, Immersive
This experience was a sweet take on the traditional detective mystery theme! Like all previous holiday overlays, this experience quickly became a fan favorite, and we can see why! Exploring the inside of a gingerbread house has never been more exciting, and we doubt it ever will be again. Still offering an adventurous vibe and intricate puzzles, Gumdrop Mystery on Gingerbread Lane will surely go down in history as being the cutest gingerbread mystery ever!
2-8 Participants
The Cabin Trilogy: Episode 1- CLOSED
Thrilling, Psychological, Immersive, Not Suitable for Children
This experience was revolutionary. The first of three, a prequel to the original Cabin, Episode 1 took participants back to the very beginnings of the McKay family curse and exposed what started it all. With ground-breaking new scares, alarming puzzle innovation and a story that drew you in, The Cabin: Episode 1 was the beginning of a new era at Escape Hour Gig Harbor — an era that leveled up all future experiences!
2-6 Participants
The Cabin Trilogy: Episode 2 - CLOSED
Thrilling, Paranormal, Immersive, Scary, Adventure The Cabin: Episode 2 followed right where Episode 1 left off: following the McKay family from their cursed home to an abandoned (and just as cursed) motel. Using dramatic feats of construction, multi-dimensional soundtracks and the occasional live-actor, this experience expertly continued the prequel storyline of The Cabin. Garnering itself a cult following, this experience left its mark on hundreds of fans during its limited-time run!
2-6 Participants
Baker Street Mystery - CLOSED
Intellectual, Logical, Mysterious, Inspired by Sherlock Holmes
Baker Street Mystery was the very first permanent escape room at Escape Hour Gig Harbor to be taken down forever! One of the longest running experiences at Escape Hour Gig Harbor, this escape room was loved by thousands of people! This experience was set in Victorian London, the props were well researched and the entire aesthetic seemed to wrap you up in a cozy (but mysterious) embrace. Many will miss this experience in the years to come!
2-6 Participants
All good things must come to an end, however. Escape Hour Gig Harbor has been able to create even more escape rooms because these fantastic experiences paved the way.
This brings us to Escape Hour Gig Harbor's current experiences!
Current Escape Rooms At Escape Hour Gig Harbor
The Cabin: Final Chapter
Set inside a dark, cursed cabin, The Cabin: Final Chapter sets out to explore fear itself. You'll encounter elements never-before-seen in the escape room industry while navigating your way through the haunted grounds of a cabin drenched in death.
Not for the faint of heart, The Cabin: Final Chapter is a thrilling experience that comes with a warning: Not everyone who ventures inside makes it out alive.
What makes The Cabin so intense? Where do we start.
From the terrifying darkness to the less-than-friendly encounters with The Cabin's inhabitants, it's safe to say this experience is not a walk in the park.
Don't let that deter you, though! The Cabin: Final Chapter features some of the coolest elements and designs we've ever seen inside an escape room. In fact, calling The Cabin an escape room is a disservice. Everything about this experience felt new, fresh, and absolutely authentic.
Winner of the 2021 Best Escape Room Gold Bullseye Award from ESCAPETHEROOMers, The Cabin: Final Chapter is not to be missed.
Check out our full rundown of The Cabin: Final Chapter here: Click Here
Learn more and make your reservation to The Cabin: Final Chapter here: Click Here
Legend of Theradonia
Take a trip to a far off land inside Legend of Theradonia.
A place where magic and whimsy meet high fantasy and adventure, Legend of Theradonia is jam-packed with ethereal energy and just the right amount of high-stakes action.
You and your group have been called upon by the archmage of Theradonia, a distant and beautiful realm. He needs help to ward off an attack by the goblin king that threatens to destroy Theradonia and all her citizens.
By accepting the call, you agree to fight back against the forces of evil, and restore peace to Theradonia once more. But be cautious: time is of the essence, and inside Theradonia, not everything may be what it seems.
Winner of the Top Escape Room Award from Morty, Legend of Theradonia may just go down as your new favorite experience!
Check out our full rundown of Legend of Theradonia here: Click Here
Learn more and make your reservation to Legend of Theradonia here: Click Here
Curse of the Mayan Ruins
Curse of the Mayan Ruins at Escape Hour Gig Harbor is a thrilling, action-packed adventure set in the heart of an ancient, cursed ruin. Every inch of this experience transports you to another world, whether it is the sparkling stars overhead, or the thrumming of distant drums.
Intensity builds the deeper you venture, but don't forget your mission: Collecting two priceless artifacts and escaping with your lives!
With an epic storyline and the immersion that only Escape Hour seems to pull off, Curse of the Mayan Ruins will surely make the top of your list. It did for us!
Check out our full rundown of Curse of the Mayan Ruins here: Click Here
Learn more and make your reservation to Curse of the Mayan Ruins here: Click Here
Limited-Time: Hijacked on the Holiday Express
The holidays found their way to Escape Hour Gig Harbor once more with Hijacked on the Holiday Express! An adventure that takes participants directly to the North Pole, this experience showers you in Christmas magic and unfolds a story that warms the heart.
Here is an excerpt from the Escape Hour Gig Harbor website:
With so many places to visit in the North Pole, the enchanted Holiday Express, manned by train conductor Charlie, comes in handy! This year, you and your elf friends have been assigned an important job: Use the Holiday Express to bring the last batch presents from Santa's Workshop all the way down to the town square for a magical Christmas ceremony! But when the Holiday Express suddenly breaks down on your way to the town square, you have to act fast! You have 70 minutes to repair the train and make it to the ceremony in time! If you don't, Christmas will be ruined!
Check out our full rundown of Hijacked on the Holiday Express here: Click Here Learn more and make your reservation to Hijacked on the Holiday Express here: Click Here
Reservation Structure
We've been to many escape rooms with different policies regarding private vs. non-private rooms, extra large groups, and event hosting. Here's what goes down at Escape Hour Gig Harbor:
100% Private bookings
This means no strangers in your group — ever!
Special Group Accommodations
Have a group that is larger than the maximum room capacity? Escape Hour Gig Harbor staff will work with you and your group to find the best solution. Usually, groups will divide in half. One half will play one experience, while the other half will play a different experience — most often at the same time! There are other options for larger groups, however. Be sure to call ahead and ask what your options are!
Tiered Pricing
Escape Hour Gig Harbor offers tiered pricing. If you have four or more people in your group, you will pay a slightly discounted rate than if your group has two, or even three people!
Event Hosting
While Escape Hour Gig Harbor does not offer a party room, or a place to socialize for long periods of time after your experience, they do often host all sorts of get-togethers and celebrations! So if you have a birthday party group that wants to get out and do something, or a team building work event to plan, call up Escape Hour Gig Harbor and figure out the details!
Large Group Discount
If your group has 22+ people, you can expect a 10% discount across the board! Be sure to contact them prior to your desired reservation date so the Escape Hour staff can accommodate your request!
Escape Hour Gig Harbor's Awards And Accolades
Tripadvisor's Certificate of Excellence
Tripadvisor's Certificate of Excellence has been a staple in the traveling and entertainment industry to establish those companies that go above and beyond!
Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice (2020, 2021, 2022)
Here's what Tripadvisor has to say about their Travelers' Choice Award:
The Travelers' Choice awards honor travelers' favorite destinations, hotels, restaurants, things to do, and beyond, based on the reviews and opinions collected from travelers and diners around the world on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period ... Travelers’ Choice recognizes businesses that earn consistently great reviews. Travelers’ Choice award-winners are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor.
Note the Best of The Best Award is for the top 1% in the world!
ESCAPETHEROOMers Gold Bullseye Award
ESCAPETHEROOMers is a global escape room platform that hosts yearly competitions between escape rooms across the world! The Cabin: Final Chapter won the Gold Bullseye Award for Best Escape Room in 2021!
Gig Harbor Living Local
Based on votes in the Gig Harbor community, Escape Hour Gig Harbor won the Finest Small Business Award in 2021!
Morty App
The Morty community rated Legend of Theradonia and Curse of the Mayan Ruins among the top games in the world in 2022.
Morty is an organized database of escape rooms across the globe, with individual ratings from enthusiasts all over the world! Like the others, this award makes sense to us!
YouTube Review of Curse of the Mayan Ruins
Curse of the Mayan Ruins was reviewed by two dedicated and passionate escape room enthusiasts over at Escape Roomology. Here's what they had to say:
How Escape Hour Gig Harbor Is Different
Escape Hour Gig Harbor is unlike a lot of escape rooms we've been to. They have a robust online following, a superb in-lobby experience, stellar escape rooms and staff that go above and beyond every time we've been back. Here's where they rise above the rest:
Their social media
If you thought the fun stopped when your experience ended, you have another thing coming. Following Escape Hour Gig Harbor on their social sites is a great way to engage with their 10,000+ followers. Find like-minded enthusiasts and stay connected to all new updates they put out!
Their staff interactions
From our experience, the Escape Hour Gig Harbor staff love what they do, and they're great at it. Whether they are enthusiastically greeting you at the door, or expertly giving you nudges while you're in the room, they make sure you're taken care of. Whenever we've attended, they recognize us and pick up conversation right where we left of last time. And from witnessing their interactions with others, its safe to say they make everyone feel right at home. 10/10 for genuine connections!
Their escape rooms
Every room is hand built and designed in-house by the owners. Staff play a huge role in experience creation, and everyone plays their part. This quality and homegrown care shines through in every inch of their experiences. You won't find another Escape Hour room at any other venue.
They claim they are More Than An Escape Room™. This tracks.
Their motto and slogan holds true. You can tell Escape Hour Gig Harbor keeps this at the front of their minds in everything they do.
Become A Fan!
Escape Hour Gig Harbor has many ways to get — and stay involved! Here's what we gathered from across the web:
Patreon
Escape Hour offers a way for dedicated fans to get monthly free tickets and merch packs, as well as another avenue for updates and special content! For more information on how to get started, visit: https://www.patreon.com/escapehour
More Than A Podcast
Escape Hour has created a podcast! If you enjoy entertaining conversations, sneak peeks, and deeper insight into the Escape Hour universe, this podcast is for you! Here's where to listen: https://anchor.fm/escape-hour-us
Escape Hour's Passport Program
Escape Hour Gig Harbor offers a program to get weekly discounts, massive Try Again discounts, exclusive invites to Escape Hour events, and even discounts on merchandise! These passports are a great way to track all the experiences you've done, and there are even small prizes for collecting a certain amount of victory stamps in your passports! To get started, visit any Escape Hour location and purchase a We The Enthusiasts passport. Check out more information on the Passport Program here: https://www.escapehourgigharbor.com/faq
Like mentioned above, Escape Hour Gig Harbor's Facebook page is a great place to connect with other fans and stay updated on all new announcements. Follow along here: https://www.facebook.com/escapehourgigharbor
Here's What People Are Saying
With a 4.9 average on Google, it's safe to say there are plenty more reviews just like this.
Looking To The Future
When we asked the owners what their plans were for new developments at Escape Hour Gig Harbor, they said they have a few things cooking. New rooms, new overlays, and new ways to immerse through epic storytelling are all on the table, but we won't know for sure until they make a big announcement.
We do know they have massive goals, and have set their sights on continuing to improve and expand the entire escape room industry. We can't wait to see what they do!
Conclusion
By now you should have a good idea what makes Escape Hour Gig Harbor so special — immersion, unparalleled creativity, amazing staff, meaningful social interactions, and beautiful storytelling. It goes without saying we readily and eagerly recommend this venue as one of the best escape room venues we've had the pleasure of visiting.
And if you're in the market for a great escape room, you've found it. Book your reservation and see what they're all about.
Escape Room
This blog calls the ESCAPE ROOM topic on our blog home. Browsing the ESCAPE ROOM Topic you'll find reviews and information about small businesses offering unique escape room experiences. We also provide valuable resources for enthusiasts. In addition to showcasing new escape rooms, we highlight some of the best and most innovative experiences. Our team is dedicated to finding the most thrilling and immersive escape rooms, and we provide honest reviews to help you choose the perfect adventure. So come back often to stay up to date and find your next great escape!
