The Traditional Board Game Meets Escape Room, Meets Walking Marathon
The happiness this board game brought to my childhood. I would play with my family nonstop. Mumbling and joking with the infamous questions WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT. It became so popular that a movie was made about it, and now, San Diego offers a real-life experience at the UC San Diego Campus.
For this revamped and immersive experience, the murder case has gone cold, and the mansion where it happened was sold. Now, the furniture is being auctioned off, and access to the catalogue will be the primary tool for solving the murder across campus, as it will help locate the furniture and items from the nine rooms, ultimately leading to cracking the case.
Yes, fans of the game will see familiar names in rooms and suspects who have also been updated to reflect the current century.
Mansion butlers will greet guests who, as soon as they start the investigation, will be upgraded to detectives. The butlers are there to help and answer questions, or… are they? It didn’t matter to me, as I loved being referred to as “Yes, detective?” when I had a question or thought. Participants will be divided into groups of 4-5 and will work in 20-minute intervals to locate the rooms, follow the clues, and take notes to conclude. There will be times when you come across other groups, and it all depends on how competitive you are and how playful the situation can become—all in good fun, of course.
For all escape room lovers, there are similarities in this experience that require keen observation to notice anomalies that lead to clues, as well as codes and other fun elements. It also meets walking marathon because the stroll is real. And, getting into the rooms is all done outdoors, so wear comfortable, airy clothes, a hat for the sun, and sunblock. Bring water, your step and calorie counter, as you will reach those goals too – guaranteed.
The length of the investigation is estimated to be an hour and a half, but it truly depends on how fast the clues are found. My group took almost three hours.
This is a great activity for friends and family to celebrate a special occasion or just because. And, this is definitely not for the weak or impatient. There are other elements towards the last room that I will not spoil, and you will have to find for yourself, while Boddy Black gets justice.
If you have someone in the family or a friend who is considering attending this school, there is the added value of being able to tour it while you play.
Clue: A Walking Mystery is currently happening until September 28, mainly running from Thursday to Sunday. This is the last weekend of previews with a discounted price of $30 per person. Starting September 4, it is $40 per person. There are also 4-person discounts, as well as group rates and other options.
All the information can be found here.
