As former San Francisco residents, we’ve done 80+ in-person San Francisco Bay Area escape rooms and will be keeping this list up-to-date with our best escape room recommendations. This list covers San Francisco Escape Rooms and also one nearby city (Emeryville Escape Rooms).

San Francisco makes history for being the home of North America’s first-ever escape room – Escape the Mysterious Room by SCRAP / Real Escape Game. That game spawned an entire industry and was a groundbreaking experience when it first launched in 2012/2013.

The industry has come very far and today’s escape rooms (circa 2022) are leagues beyond the quality of what North America’s first-ever escape room established. Fun fact – In order to Escape the Mysterious Room, players had to take apart the furniture in the room. To this day, most escape rooms have warnings to NOT take apart any furniture, due to the (unfortunate) precedent set by this game!

The San Francisco market is a particularly difficult market for escape room companies, as some of the most prolific escape room companies in the city have left or closed up shop. The most notable closure is SCRAP / Real Escape Game, which used to bring both new rooms and puzzle events into the city. We have heard first-hand many times that running small, local businesses in San Francisco is very difficult for many reasons (and empty offices in San Francisco have hurt the local market). Still, some of our favorite companies are still in the area, and if you’re around, San Francisco certainly has some world-class escape rooms for you to explore!

Let your hosts know that you found them on “Escape Room Tips”!

How much do San Francisco escape rooms cost?

San Francisco is the most expensive escape room market in the United States. The primary reason is that everything in San Francisco generally costs (very) roughly 50% more than the US average if it involves a staffed physical location. However, the escape-room specific reason is the presence of five exceptional 80-120 minute premium games. You can roughly expect to pay anywhere from $40-$100 per person per game in this market.

Best Escape Rooms in San Francisco

  1. Ghost Patrol (4-8p, $295/game, 90 min) – Trivium Games (Emeryville)
  2. Attraction (4-8p, $410/game, 120 min) – Palace Games
  3. Edison (4-8p, $410/game, 100 min) – Palace Games
  4. Roosevelt (6-8p, $410/game, 90 min) – Palace Games
  5. Houdini (6-8p, $410/game, 80 min) – Palace Games
  6. Playground (2-12 players, $43/player, 60 min) – The Escape Game
  7. Special Ops (2-8 players, $43/player, 60 min) – The Escape Game
  8. Gold Rush (2-8 players, $43/player, 60 min) – The Escape Game
  9. King Arthur (3-7 players, $135/game, 60 min) – EscapeSF
  10. Blind Tiger (2-6 players, $126/game, 60 min) – EscapeSF

Our annotations:

  • 1-10p – Number of players
  • $ – Base price for a game (weekend base price if applicable)
  • 60 min – Length of a game

Disclosure: We have received media-discounted or beta test tickets to some of these games.

Which San Francisco escape rooms are best for kids?

Trivium Games seems to be the most accommodating and welcoming for families with children. Palace Games has an age minimum of 16 years, EscapeSF has age minimums of 10-14 years, and The Escape Game only recommends players aged 13+. Check the most recent policies of the company before you make your booking.

Ultimate 1-Day San Francisco Escape Room Marathon

We put together a sample itinerary for the four games in San Francisco that are generally agreed-upon to be the “best”. This itinerary may be useful for travelling escape room enthusiasts that have a full day they want to dedicate to escaping. The games in this itinerary all allow groups of up to 8 players.

Make sure to book at minimum a month in advance. These games will fill up, especially the games during the prime weekend afternoon slots. Please confirm availability and the latest schedule before booking. This schedule is a EXHAUSTING day of 4 LONG games, but includes 2 breaks for eating, driving, and decompressing. Make sure you get enough rest the previous night!

Note that the drive from Emeryville and San Francisco is prone to traffic, so make sure you put in enough buffer time. During peak hours, your GPS may direct you north to take the Richmond + Golden Gate Bridges instead of the Bay Bridge. That’s the more scenic and generally calmer route, although is twice as long in terms of mileage.

Be careful when parking your car in San Francisco (and the Bay Area in general). Make sure to lock your car doors and remove any valuables. We have heard plenty of stories from friends, coworkers, and acquaintances about car break-ins.

Morning Block (Emeryville)

  • 9:15am – 10:45am (90 minutes) Ghost Patrol at Trivium Games

Afternoon Block (San Francisco)

  • 2:15pm – 3:45pm (90 minutes) Roosevelt at Palace Games
  • 4:00pm – 6:00pm (120 minutes) Attraction at Palace Games

Evening Block (San Francisco)

  • 8:45pm – 10:25pm (100 minutes) Edison at Palace Games

#1. Ghost Patrol – Trivium Games (Emeryville)

You are a group of amateur paranormal investigators, who have taken up a gig to investigate some ghostly happenings in a haunted mansion. While the theme is ghosts, the game is not scary in any way, and instead treats the topic humorously and light-heartedly. This is Trivium Games’ first game in the market, with another one coming at their facility. This is NOT in San Francisco but rather across the Bay Bridge in Emeryville.

Review

Going in, we knew that this is a unanimous favorite among the enthusiast community. Despite the sky-high expectations, this game managed to amaze us in every way. It joins the rank of Lab Rat in Los Angeles and Storytellers Secret in Boston as one of the most elegantly-designed escape rooms we have ever played in our history of 350+. The technology and inputs in the game were some of the most responsive and delightful we’ve played with. This game paid attention to lighting and sound design, an often overlooked part of escape rooms, creating magical and rewarding experiences when we solve a puzzle or move along in the story.

The puzzles were almost all language-agnostic, which means more of a focus on playing around with the tangible environment instead of being bogged down in reading. The story of the game was told through the experience itself. The puzzle series had a satisfying form of buildup, with a neat kind of “meta-puzzle” element that any puzzle hunter or recreational mathematician would appreciate. This is an elegantly designed game that has every component of a excellent escape room, and nothing more.

Tips

There is free covered parking available in the garage on the same block. Check their website for more details. While the game is labeled for groups of 4-8 players, it is doable (although pricy) with a group of 2 enthusiasts. If you’re looking for a meal, there is a collection of counter-service options available at the Public Market Emeryville.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: No, this game is too good for beginners. Come back after you’ve experienced some other games to truly appreciate this one.
  • Price: $295 per game for up to 4 players. $32 per additional player.
  • Size, Duration: 4-8 players, 90 minutes.
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://www.triviumgames.com/

#2. The Attraction – Palace Games

Palace Games is the escape room company that embraces its San Francisco home. Palace Games takes its inspiration (and name) from its century-old historical home, the Palace of Fine Arts, once the site of the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco residents (and visitors) will recognize the building as the former home of the Exploratorium (until 2013).

Each of Palace Game’s four in-person rooms explores a different story based on the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. This particular game, The Attraction, focuses on a mysterious contraption that was unveiled at the 1915 Expo but immediately shuttered for reasons unknown. The team at Palace Games has renovated The Attraction and you and your team are the lucky players that get to explore it for the first time in over a century.

For those of you following along with the history of Palace Games, this game was initially supposed to debut in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After much anticipation, it launched in 2021. This is their fourth game which takes up the last of Palace Game’s current buildable space, rounding out a full suite of 4 excellent games.

Review

This is potentially the most ambitious escape room that we have played so far out of our 350+. The theme is not completely clear from the game’s promotional material or the name – that itself seems to be intentional as the game has a habit of immersing the players in surprise. It’s a 2-hour journey that kept us fully on our toes throughout as we experienced the odyssey unfold.

The “Attraction” served as the game’s nexus which whirled us through a ensemble of contrasting sets and objectives. The game is not focused on one of the “eight great American innovators” as players of their previous games might expect – but does still have a hero to guide you through your saga. The theming no longer focuses solely on the early 1900s but collects ideas from a much broader corpus of inspiration. We’d describe it a bit like being in a lucid dream.

Palace Games is most known for its spectacular engineering, and this game takes all that they have learned from the previous games and applies it masterfully to create a few engineering marvels in their carved-out corners of the Palace of Fine Arts. The full layout of the space is never quite clear even after you finish, and the room transitions will give your team a truly metaphysical experience. This game is an absolutely must-do, engineering marvel.

Tips

The team at Palace Games recommends 4-6 players, and we would recommend the exact same. Anything more would actually be too many, and anything fewer may not be possible. Make sure you rest, eat, hydrate, and use the bathroom before you start – this is a 2-hour journey! Check out Palace Game’s parking guidance before you start driving – this is not an area where you want to try to figure out parking when you arrive.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: No, this is a complex game and is best appreciated after you have a few other games under your belt.
  • Price: $410 per game
  • Size, Duration: 4-6 players, 120 minutes.
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://palace-games.com/

#3. Edison Escape Room – Palace Games

Thomas Edison requests your presence at his office at the Palace of Fine Arts as he has created a challenge for his guests for a mysterious reason. This is a another sequel to Houdini Room (you don’t need to play them in order), featuring the first of the 8 innovators.

Review

The team has outdone both their Roosevelt and Houdini rooms, making an extravagantly high-tech room that packs a dazzling array of sensors, lights, and surprises. Palace games manages to execute some dramatic changes within the space as you are playing.

Tips

While we think the ideal team size is 4-6, the game will actually adapt slightly to your team size so it’s not as big of a deal if you go over. We don’t recommend this game for beginners, come back when you’ve experienced other escape rooms around the Bay Area! Check out Palace Games’ parking recommendations before you arrive.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: No, this is a complex game and is best appreciated after you have a few other games under your belt.
  • Price: $410 per game
  • Size, Duration: 4-8 players, 100 minutes.
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://palace-games.com/

#4. Roosevelt Escape Room – Palace Games

Theodore Roosevelt is collecting some of the best and brightest minds of the era to accomplish some critical objective. Opened in 2016, This room is the sequel to Palace Games’ Houdini Room, but can be played regardless if you’ve played the first one or not.

Review

This room is expansive, fully automated, and packed with fun physical and tactile puzzles. The style is more linear in nature, which helps make sure that you can experience most of the cool stuff. This room physically requires multiple teammates to do certain puzzles, and executes teamwork quite well. (Read Full Review)

Tips

This room is not for beginners. Bring your best experienced team, since you’ll have to split up at different points, and each split up sub-team must be at the top of their game. We recommend 6-8 players for enthusiasts, although less experienced teams can bring more. Check out Palace Games’ parking recommendations before you arrive.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: No, this is a complex game and is best appreciated after you have a few other games under your belt.
  • Price: $410 per game
  • Size, Duration: 6-8 players, 90 minutes
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://palace-games.com/

#5. Houdini Escape Room – Palace Games

The great escape artist Harry Houdini built a contraption inside of the Palace of Fine Arts to challenge 8 great American innovators. Opened in 2015, this game (along with its sequels) are not just in the best of the San Francisco Bay Area but also all of North America.

Review

The whole room is a fully automated contraption made with an intricately complex system of Arduinos and sensors. Most importantly, the technology is executed so well that the Houdini room transforms into a truly magical experience.

Tips

This room is not for beginners. Bring your most experienced team, since there’s a lot to do. We recommend a team size of 6-8 for enthusiasts, although less experienced teams can bring more. There are plenty of puzzles for everyone to do from the very start. Check out Palace Games’ parking recommendations before you arrive.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: No, this is also a complex game and is best appreciated after you have a few other games under your belt.
  • Price: $410 per game
  • Size, Duration: 6-8 players, 80 minutes
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://palace-games.com/

#6. Playground – The Escape Game

This game takes place inside and outside an elementary school classroom. You and your classmates need to ace your final report card before you can go out and play! The Escape Game is our favorite national chain of escape rooms, and the Playground is at the time of writing our favorite game of their set.

Review

The theming of this game is a whole lot of fun – the game is packed throughout with a bunch of playful elements, many of which you will get to interact with as part of the puzzling process. The game is decorated wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling with various theme-appropriate décor, and we enjoyed the good variety of puzzles.

Tips

There’s a lot to do in this room, so we do recommend parallelizing when possible. If you aren’t able to play this game at the San Francisco location, The Escape Game also has copies of this game throughout many of its locations across the United States. The closest municipal parking garage is the SFMTA Sutter Stockton Garage with 1865 parking spots.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: Yes, this game is suitable for beginners
  • Price: $43 per player
  • Size, Duration: 2-12 players, 60 minutes
  • Play with strangers: Yes, you may get grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://theescapegame.com/sanfrancisco/

#7. Special Ops: Mysterious Market – The Escape Game

You and your team of special agents are tasked with investigating the area’s local market upon reports that something is afoot. You discover that the market hides some secrets that you and your team must resolve. This is one of the Escape Game’s 5 games at their San Francisco location. We’ve been impressed with the consistency of their games across all of the locations that we’ve played in.

Review

The theming is unique and the entry rooms are elaborately decorated from floor to ceiling. We loved the in-game transitions, the variety of puzzles, and its approachability to beginners.

Tips

Like the Playground above, if you aren’t able to play this game at the San Francisco location, The Escape Game also has copies of this game throughout many of their locations across the United States. The closest municipal parking garage is the SFMTA Sutter Stockton Garage with 1865 parking spots.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: Yes, this game is suitable for beginners
  • Price: $43 per player
  • Size, Duration: 2-8 players, 60 minutes
  • Play with strangers: Yes, you may get grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://theescapegame.com/sanfrancisco/

#8. Gold Rush – The Escape Game

Set in during the Gold Rush era in California in the 1800s, this may be a particularly suitable game if you’re visiting the area and want to do things that have a link to California’s early history (if that is your calling in San Francisco, make sure you visit Alcatraz). You are invited by your recently deceased relative who struck a fortune discovering gold in the California hills. But you and your team must claim it for yourself by entering his cabin and extracting the hidden stash.

Review

We were particularly impressed by the changes in the environment of this game – there is certainly an outdoors portion, a cabin portion, and even more that is better left a surprise. This game is more “tangible” than many other games, and we enjoyed the feeling of getting “down and dirty” with some of the environmental actions in the game. This is another reliable and consistent Escape Game experience.

Tips

Same tips as “Special Ops – Mysterious Market”. Keep in mind that like the other Escape Game experiences, you may be getting strangers in your game. In order to avoid strangers, we usually try to book last-minute, or book the first or last slot in any day.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: Yes, this game is suitable for beginners
  • Price: $43 per player
  • Size, Duration: 2-8 players, 60 minutes
  • Play with strangers: Yes, you may get grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://theescapegame.com/sanfrancisco/

#9. King Arthur’s Legacy- EscapeSF

Photo Credit: EscapeSF

You must assemble your knights around the round table, and extract Excalibur from the stone. Opened in 2020 admist the COVID-19 pandemic, King Arthur’s Legacy takes the place of the former Anitique Room escape room at EscapeSF.

Review

This game features some weighty props and plenty of various puzzles in the first room to keep a tea busy. We enjoyed some of the neat room-opening moments, as well as some of the special effects in some of the later areas of the game. EscapeSF certainly packed a lot of material in their smaller space.

Tips

Unlike the other rooms on this list, this game is suitable for beginners, and features some classic, approachable puzzling. We recommend 2-3 players for enthusiasts, although beginners should bring more. There are two large, municipally-owned, and reasonably-priced underground parking lots nearby: St. Mary’s Square Garage and Portsmouth Square Garage.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: Yes
  • Price: $135+ per game
  • Size, Duration: 3-7 players, 60 minutes
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://escapesf.net/

#10. Blind Tiger – EscapeSF

This is an old room (opened in 2015), but still offers a compelling speakeasy-themed game for beginner and experienced groups alike. Your team is tasked with investigating a speakeasy and learning about secretive backroom deals of alleged Mafia members.

Review

This is a well-decorated and executed game, with various items of decor making the feel of a speakeasy. There are some automated surprises throughout this game that is especially appropriate for smaller groups.

Tips

We recommend 2-3 players for enthusiasts, although beginners should bring more. There are two large, municipally-owned, and reasonably-priced underground parking lots nearby: St. Mary’s Square Garage and Portsmouth Square Garage.

Quick Facts

  • Good for beginners: Yes
  • Price: $126+ per game on weekends
  • Size, Duration: 2-6 players, 60 minutes
  • Play with strangers: No, you will not be grouped with strangers
  • Booking: https://escapesf.net/

More Escape Rooms

We make these lists for other areas too. Check out our other West Coast escape room lists:

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