The 9 Best Ottawa Escape Games

1.Street Art Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour in Ottawa

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 20 reviews · 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes (approx.) · from $7Our pick

Use the Questo app to follow a clue-based route through central Ottawa, stopping at murals such as The Living Room, Faith in Our Community, DaVinci, and the BLM mural. There is no guide, so you set the pace and play only with your own group. The route is listed at 50 to 80 minutes, but walking can take about three to four hours.

“I loved it! The 80min is definitely by bike though and NOT on foot. On foot I would count on 3h or so. Because it was much longer than expected, I didn't manage to finish it on scene, but I completed it by using Google street view xD The support was really good, it is difficult to go from the support back to the game though.”

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2.Ottawa Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Detective Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 11 reviews · 3 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes (approx.) · from $8

This self-guided Ottawa mystery game sends you through downtown with a phone, a private-investigator storyline, and 10 puzzles. You begin near the Algonquin Land Acknowledgement and finish across the river at the Monument to the Algonquin Chief Tessouat. Plan on about 3 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes, with no guide or attraction admission included.

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3.Rockcliffe Ottawa: Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $7

Use the Questo app to follow a one-hour to 90-minute walking story through Rockcliffe, Ottawa’s embassy quarter. Solve clues at Norwegian, Chilean, Dutch, Irish, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Danish, and American residences, with stops at Stornoway, Rockcliffe Park, the Rockeries, and Rockcliffe House. It is self-guided, in English, and costs $7.20 per person.

“This was a fun activity to do if you want to get a good walk and explore a new part of Ottawa. The challenges were much easier than I was expecting but I still enjoyed the experience.”

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4.Ottawa Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $9

Use the World City Trail app to follow a 2.4 km Ottawa route, solve observation-based riddles, and hear short stories about Parliament, the Rideau Canal, the National Gallery, and other sights. Start any time, pause for food or photos, and complete it in about two to two and a half hours.

“J'y suis allée en 1987 et la restauration n'était pas avancé comme maintenant et c'est tout simplement magnifique! Ni trop long, ni trop court.”

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5.Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Crazy Dash

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $10

You and your private group explore Ottawa from 100 Elgin Street using a mobile app filled with items to find and challenges to complete. There is no strict time limit, and a remote host is available by chat. Expect about two hours of walking, teamwork, and leaderboard competition in English.

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6.Ottawa Murder Mystery: Self-Guided City Detective Game

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $7

Start at the Bank of Canada Museum and follow a two-hour Ottawa mystery through downtown. You investigate the death of travel blogger Bella Wanderlust, with suspects including her boyfriend Walter Bridges and theatrical ghost guide Percy Shadows. Use the Questo app, solve clues, and walk at your own pace with your group.

“It was a wonderful way to get some fresh air on a nice walk with beautiful sights (highly recommend doing it in the evening when it's dark), and super cheap!”

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7.Ottawa Self Guided Walking Tour And Scavenger Hunt

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 2 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.)

You’ll follow a self-guided Ottawa route from the Senate of Canada to Major’s Hill Park, solving 57 challenges at 44 points of interest. The 2 to 3 hour walk covers the Rideau Canal, Sparks Street, Parliament, memorials, museums, and historic buildings. Use your own smartphone, mobile data, and a moderate fitness level.

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8.Outdoor Escape Room Adventure Tour – Many Game Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Start at 1 Rideau Street and use the supplied iPad to solve location-based puzzles around Ottawa, Bytown Museum, ByWard Market, and Parliament Hill. This private game combines geocaching, a treasure hunt, and a boat-tour option. Up to six people play together, with several language modules available.

“Fun concept. Lack of instructions to find the starting point (7th floor of fairmont). It was a very hot day so we didn’t finish but my kids had a blast solving puzzles and finding landmarks 10,11,13. Tour manager was accommodating and helped make our experience great. Would do again on a cooler day!”

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9.Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Ottawa by Wacky Walks

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 2 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $10

Start at 100 Elgin Street for a two-hour Ottawa scavenger hunt led through a mobile app. Find items, take photos, complete oddball challenges, and earn points while a remote host answers questions and sends extra tasks. You finish where you began, with your score ready to compare worldwide.

“Trying to write 1826 from our body parts. We had so much fun and lots of laughs. We brook up into 3 teams to be able to find all the items, and still didn't complete everything in 2 hours.”

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