I’ve been wanting to try an escape room but been a little hesitant because I was also a tiny bit worried it would trigger some anxiety episode. I’m happy to say not only did I survive without an anxiety attack, but I actually enjoyed my first escape room experience and want to do one again!

I went to Escapology while visiting family in Huntsville, AL. I just checked their website and saw there’s one right here in Jacksonville! Our team consisted of me, my aunt and cousin. The rooms were kind of small, so three was a really good number of people. You can have a team up to six people, but I think more would have been a little crowded and hectic.

First Choose Your Escape Room Theme

There were several differently themed games to choose from, all with a unique backstory. We chose Antidote as our escape room game and were tasked with finding the antidote to a powerful virus that could be used a chemical weapon. According to the story, one of our team has accidentally knocked over a vial and the virus has infected everyone. We only have one hour to find the antidote before the facility self-destructs!

We watched an intro video and were given the option of requesting three clues. Each clue would add on two minutes to our time. We last about five minutes before requesting a clue. It was a first-time experience for us all, so we didn’t know where to begin, what to look for or what to do.

Learning to Play the Game

So here’s my best escape room tip: look EVERYWHERE for clues. Lift things up, look on the top, bottom, sides of things. Each clue will unlock a new part and lead to a new clue. Almost everything has a reason for being there.

I think our team did a good job of working together, and everyone took part in solving the puzzles. We found the antidote with just a minute and half to spare! It was definitely something different to do, and I’d totally want to do it again. I plan on checking out the one here in Jacksonville soon.