Haunted and Scary Escape Rooms: Pick Your Level of Fear

Some groups want a light chill. Others want their heart pounding before the timer hits zero. At The Great Escape Room, our haunted and scary escape rooms come in different levels of fear, so you can pick the one that fits your crew. Each game runs 60 minutes, takes place in a room just for your group, and asks you to work together to solve the story before time runs out. Success isn’t guaranteed, but the screams and the team bonding are!

Below you’ll find our fear scale, a closer look at our four spookiest rooms, which locations have each one, and tips for anyone who would rather keep the lights on.

How Scary Are Our Escape Rooms?

Every room page on our site carries a category label. For our darker games, those labels work as a simple fear scale:

All four rooms are rated Hard on our difficulty scale, so plan on a real challenge as well as a few goosebumps. Player counts vary by location, and you’ll see the exact range when you book.

The Haunted Hotel

Story

Harry Houdini died on October 31, 1926. Before he passed, he and his wife Bess agreed she would try to reach him from the other side, and he would answer with a secret phrase. Every Halloween since, Bess has held a séance at The Knickerbocker hotel without success. Now it’s October 31, 1936, and this is her final attempt. Your group has 60 minutes to help her complete the séance and contact Harry before the lights on his shrine go out for good.

Special effects

The Haunted Hotel uses strobe lights and brief periods of darkness. It carries our “Spooky” label, the lightest of our scary categories, which makes it a great first step for groups easing into scary games.

Where to play

The Haunted Hotel is available at 12 locations: Orlando, St. Pete, Tampa, Chicago, Grand Rapids, NYC (Queens), Long Island (Syosset), Akron, Providence, Pigeon Forge, Washington DC (Arlington) and Burlington.

Mountain Top Murders

Story

Your Nana Hannah lives alone in a remote mountain cabin, and she always calls. But nearly a month has passed without a word. You drive up to check on her and arrive after dark. Through a broken window you spot red marks at the end of the hall, and nobody answers when you call out. Did someone break in? What happened to Nana Hannah? You have 60 minutes to find out.

Special effects

Mountain Top Murders uses specialty lighting and brief periods of darkness. It contains references and imagery that may be disturbing for some players, including depictions of death, and we do not recommend it for young children. This is our top pick for groups who want a true horror escape room.

Where to play

Mountain Top Murders is our most widely available scary room, open at 13 locations: Orlando, St. Pete, Tampa, Chicago, Boston (Newton), Grand Rapids, Asheville, NYC (Queens), Long Island (Syosset), Akron, Providence, Pigeon Forge and Burlington.

Mind Trap

Story

The good Doctor has always loved clever games, especially over a vintage bottle of wine and a meal made with “extra special ingredients.” After a lifetime of searching for him, you find yourself trapped inside his dining room. Your only way out is to crack the fiendish puzzle he left behind before the dinner bell chimes. Bon appétit.

Special effects

Mind Trap carries our “Scary” label, with a dark, unsettling story and the pressure of the Doctor’s ticking clock. It’s also the only one of our scary rooms listed for as few as 1 player, so a single brave soul can take it on.

Where to play

Mind Trap is exclusive to our Washington DC location in Arlington, VA.

Poe’s Chamber

Story

Edgar Allan Poe has died, and your group of fellow scholars has been sent to his residence to collect his final works. Once you step inside, you’re locked in by his arch-rival, Rufus Griswold, who plans to ruin Poe’s good name with lies about his life and stories. Navigate the secrets of Poe’s chambers, escape, and protect the legacy of a literary genius.

Special effects

Poe’s Chamber is labeled “Thrilling.” Expect a gothic, suspenseful story that fans of mystery and classic horror literature will love.

Where to play

Poe’s Chamber is also exclusive to our Washington DC location in Arlington, VA, which makes Arlington the only place to play all three of Mind Trap, Poe’s Chamber and The Haunted Hotel under one roof.

Tips for Scaredy Cats

• Start at level 1. The Haunted Hotel is the gentlest of our scary rooms. If your group has mixed nerves, start there and work your way up.
• Read the room notes first. Each room page lists its special effects, such as strobe lights or periods of darkness. If anyone in your group is sensitive to flashing lights, check before you book.
• Bring backup. There’s comfort in numbers. Fill the room with friends who can take the lead when things get tense.
• Give everyone a job. Focusing on a puzzle is the fastest way to forget you’re scared. Split up searching, code-cracking and keeping track of clues.
• Arrive early. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your game and about 90 minutes total for your visit, so nobody walks in rushed and rattled.
• Not feeling spooky at all? Pick a lighter adventure instead. Operation Treehouse, Escape the Midnight Carnival, The Grimm Escape and Arcade Challenge are great for families, depending on the location.

Halloween Escape Room Ideas

October is peak season for scary escape rooms, and The Haunted Hotel has a story built for it: the game takes place on Halloween night, on the anniversary of Houdini’s death. A few ways to make it part of your Halloween plans:

• Halloween night out: book a scary room before a costume party or a haunted house tour.
• Group challenge: bring a large group and book more than one room at the same time, then compare escape times afterward.
• Office Halloween outing: a spooky room makes an easy October team event that’s more memorable than the usual potluck. See our team building options.
• Scary gift: know a horror fan? Gift certificates make a great Halloween surprise.

If you have your heart set on Halloween week, book your time slot early. Check your location’s page for any seasonal specials.

Find a Haunted Escape Room Near You

Here’s which of our scary rooms you can play at each location. Tap a city to see all of its games, or go straight to booking.

Our Detroit (Royal Oak) and Rochester locations don’t currently have one of these four rooms, but both offer plenty of other adventures, from heists to scavenger hunts.

Haunted Escape Room FAQ

What is the scariest escape room at The Great Escape Room?

Mountain Top Murders and Mind Trap both carry our “Scary” label. Mountain Top Murders is the one to pick if you want horror: it includes disturbing imagery and depictions of death, plus specialty lighting and brief darkness, and we don’t recommend it for young children. Mind Trap is built around a sinister host, his dining room and the twisted puzzle he leaves behind.

Are escape rooms scary?

Most escape rooms aren’t scary at all. They’re puzzle adventures built around a story, like a heist, a treehouse battle or an arcade challenge. Only a handful of our rooms are designed to be spooky, and each one is clearly labeled on its room page, so you always know what you’re signing up for before you book your game.

Can kids do scary escape rooms?

Players under 16 must be accompanied by an adult in all of our rooms. Mountain Top Murders is not recommended for young children because of its disturbing imagery. For a family outing with older kids, The Haunted Hotel is the mildest of our spooky games. For younger kids, choose a room we describe as great for families, such as Operation Treehouse or Arcade Challenge.

Do actors touch you in your escape rooms?

Our room pages describe each game’s story and special effects, such as strobe lights, specialty lighting and brief periods of darkness. If you have questions about any part of a game before you book, contact your location directly and the team will walk you through what to expect so everyone in your group feels comfortable.

How long does a haunted escape room take?

Each of our scary rooms runs 60 minutes. Plan on about 90 minutes total for your visit so you have time to check in, get a quick briefing and celebrate (or regroup) afterward. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled game time.

How many people can play a scary escape room?

Player counts depend on the room and the location. Most of our scary rooms are listed for 2 to 8 players, and Mind Trap can be played with as few as 1. You’ll see the exact range for your location when you book. Larger groups can book multiple rooms at the same time.

Ready to test your nerves? Book a haunted escape room at the location nearest you.