Escapology Bethesda: The Live Escape Game

My kids and I had been wanting to try an escape room for a long time and after visiting Escapology Bethesda I’m not sure what took us so long!

All we had to do is choose our, schedule it and show up.

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How to Book an Escape Game at Escapology

The first step of booking an escape room is to choose your adventure. Escapology has four different challenges:

Antidote
Mayday
Budapest Express
Mansion Murder

Each has a different theme but also a different level of difficulty.

What to expect at Escapology Bethesda

My family chose Antidote for two reasons.

One, it is the easiest level and I thought that was good choice for our first time out and because we were going with my 7 and 11-year-old children.

Two, my kids could relate to the theme of needing to find a cure for a deadly virus.

As complete escape room novices, we were walked through the entire process of what to expect.

Real-life game experience with the kids!

My kids were very happy to learn that the door to the escape room was not actually locked.

We were given instructions first by a live person who answered our questions then via a video.

We were happy to learn that at Escapology we could ask for a hint at any time and get our hint through the screen. One time when we were obviously stuck, we got a clue even when we didn’t know we should have asked for one.

I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I will share that even the easiest challenge was not too easy!

Solving the puzzle to escape

We did escape but only with 14 seconds to go. The first few clues were relatively easy but as we moved through the process of trying to get the antidote it became increasingly more difficult to figure out the next step.

My 11-year-old was able to help in a substantial way and my seven-year-old had some good ideas along the way.

We all had a lot of fun and got bracelets as a prize for solving the puzzle in (just) under an hour.

Group photo with sayings if you completed challenge at Escapology Bethesda

No one except employees can take photos inside the room because that could lead to spoilers!

However, an employee of Escapology will take one photo in your escape room before you go and another holding up signs letting everyone know you escaped – or didn’t.

My kids are already asking about when we are going back to Escapology. Now that we know the ropes it’s time to try a slightly more difficult challenge!

Good to Know

Standard price is $36 per player. Children 4 and under are welcome to play free with an adult.
There is a 2-player minimum when booking an escape room, with payment for three required at some premium times.
Teens are welcome to play without an adult player.
Children 12 and under require an adult to be at the venue at all times.
Standard playtime is one hour.
Birthday parties are available and are a great idea for tweens and teens.
Escape Bethesda is in the vibrant Pike & Rose neighborhood. Make a day (or night) of your visit and stay for a bite to eat or a treat.
You can make reservations on the Escapology website

Things to Do Nearby

Escapology Bethesda also has a lot of fun things to do near them if you’re looking for even more to do. Some other family fun activities are:

Let kids visit the various rooms (Georgetown bakery, fire station, car repair shop, florist, disco and a lot more) for a whole lot of fun at The Little Towns Children’s Museum
The Locust Grove Nature Center is a beautiful, natural sanctuary right in Bethesda
The Cabin John Regional Park has a nature center, nature trails and a playground
Brookside Nature Center & Wheaton Regional Park offer plenty to do whether for a nice picnic afterwards or for the rest of the day
If you have train lovers in the group, definitely head to the National Capital Trolley Museum

Written and photographed by Jamie Davis Smith