Calgary has an 'outdoor escape room' that can last a full afternoon

“Outdoor escape room” sounds like something of an impossibility, much like “low-fat donuts,” or “warm snow,” but one Canadian company is truly turning escape rooms on their head.

Mystery Town Tours operates just like the escape rooms that we all know and love (though sometimes really, really hate), but the twist is that you’re not actually trying to escape anything. You’ll actually be following clues throughout the town, receiving information via phone, and replying with your answers to the mysteries presented throughout the day.

And it could be a full day, at that, as tours can range from 90 minutes to 2.5 hours of adventuring around the town.

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Without the limitations of just a few rooms, Mystery Town Tours can extend upwards of six km of clue-tracking, which attendees can traverse by foot or by bike.

“Tours are extremely flexible. Easy-going explorers can take in the sights and enjoy the tour at their own pace, while more competitive types can race the leaderboard to earn their title as record-setting champions,” Andrew Nickerson, Creator of Mystery Town tours, said in a release.

“You can start on whichever date you like, within a set time window, and choose from different tour types.”

The three types of adventures offered in Calgary are Sculpted in Time, which is of challenging difficulty and is around 2.5 hours, Riotous Roundup, which is of moderate difficulty and lasts around 1.5 hours, and YYC Airport Caper, which is of easy difficulty and last around 1.5 hours.

The different adventures cost from $59 to $99 per team,  and all teams are recommended to consist of two to four people, though there can be some flexibility.

Mystery Town Tours are also available in Canmore, Banff, Cochrane, Edmonton, and Fort McMurray in Alberta, and Vancouver and Victoria in BC.

All adventures are different in each location, and give would be clue-solvers the chance to discover new areas of the towns and cities they’re playing in.

Mystery Town Tours

When: Available for registration now
Time: One to three hours
Where: Calgary, Canmore, Banff, Cochrane, Edmonton, and Fort McMurray in Alberta, and Vancouver and Victoria in BC
Tickets: Ranges from $59 to $99 per group, with groups ranging from two to four people