5 Amazing York escape rooms

The “Fresh” Way To Experience A York Escape Room

You’re always prepared to go the extra mile, York - and with these escape rooms, we mean that literally. 

Until now, York’s curious, quick-witted and creative brains have been trapped behind doors, confined to opening hours and incarcerated within four walls.

But not on our watch! 

Prepare to take on new challenges, puzzles and fiddly riddles to uncover York’s many mysteries and plunder the city’s secretive snickelways with CityDays!

Our York escape rooms reveal more than just your competitive streak. 

You still get all the puzzles, riddles, cryptic clues and challenges of a traditional escape room – but instead of being cooped up inside, we take the games outdoors. 

No doors. No ceilings. No specific time slots. No hassle. That’s the CityDays way!

Urban Escape Rooms York: An Outdoor Extravaganza

We know that Yorkies are up for a challenge, and they’re willing to work hard to play hard.

That’s why we’ve created escape rooms that are, shall we say, a little outside of the box. 

We love the philosophy of traditional escape rooms - you know, working together as a team, solving puzzles, deciphering riddles, all that stuff! But we fundamentally disagree with one point: that you have to be inside to do it.

You see, our York escape rooms are held outdoors, and look a little different from other games you might have played. Let us fill you in…

CityDays’ Outdoor York Escape Rooms: A Lesson in “Touching Grass”

Have you ever heard the slang phrase “touch grass”? No, we hadn’t either. It was one of the most-used slang phrases of 2023 and it basically means “go outside”, or as we might have said back in the day, “you need to get out more”. 

Inadvertently, we’ve been encouraging people to “touch grass” for over five years now. 

Right from the start, York has been our playground and our easel - and we’re very proud to say that a lot of our success stems from Yorkshire explorers like you. 

We transform cities into playgrounds by creating routes and puzzles from scratch that are designed to test you and your puzzle-solving, teamwork and observation skills, based on the city in question - in your case, York. 

You’ll have to use your powers of deduction, wit and guile to complete the game. Brains, not brawn, will win you and your team the top spot on our York leaderboard.

Prepare to take on some York escape room games like you’ve never played them before. Stick with us to find out how it works… 

How Our York Escape Rooms Work

Since our York escape “rooms” are held outdoors, they’re “built” slightly differently. After all, as there are no rooms or physical barriers involved, you might be wondering what the object of the game is…

Well, it’s really very simple. 

You and your team start at a chosen location (depending on which trail you pick). 

From there, you have to complete a set of tasks, puzzles and riddles, deciphering clues to take you between locations, sent to your phone(s) via WhatsApp. If you don’t give us the right answer, you can’t move on in the game!

When you’ve sent us the correct answer, you’ll be given new clues and challenges to lead you to your next destination. Each location is located a short walking distance away, and may require you to keep your eyes peeled for possible clues along the way…

Once you’ve answered all our clues, visited all the destinations and completed the trail, we’ll tally up your score. This is based on how many correct answers you got, any time penalties you accrued, and how many hints you asked for. 

All you need to play our games is a phone with Whatsapp, access to cellular data and a pair of comfy shoes. That’s it!

Any questions? Here’s how it works. 

Escape Room City Centre York: An Adventure On Your Doorstep

Whether you’re a lifelong York resident or just in this marvellous city for the day, you deserve a thrilling adventure that takes you beyond 

Our escape rooms in York are based around the city centre and easily accessible - so whether you’re a local or a visitor, you can easily find the start location for your game and start playing! 

Each route is set in a particular area or suburb and contains a mix of puzzles, challenges, clues and more. The type of outdoor escape routes differ slightly, so here’s a breakdown of what to expect…

Narrative, Picnic and Classic Routes: Choosing Your York Escape “Room”

York holds a very special place in our hearts and it seems we’re not alone. It was one of our original CityDays cities to receive an urban adventure trail and remains a fan-favourite destination for our explorers. 

Since those halcyon days, we’ve expanded our trail roster to include all manner of York treasure hunts, walking tours and escape rooms.

Here’s a quick breakdown of our trail types:

Classic: The original style York escape room that delivers challenges, puzzles, history, and exploration, plus plenty of pub, cafe and bar recommendations along the way.

Picnic: The most delicious escape room style trail that blends exploration, puzzle-solving and learning but with added stops to local gourmet hotspots where you collect delicious sweet and savoury treats throughout the route.

Story: A York escape room with a plot twist! We’ve woven a fictional narrative alongside facts to give you even more fun while exploring and racing through the city. These are often themed routes where characters reveal York’s secrets in an engaging and occasionally cryptic manner!

The Best Outdoor Escape Rooms in York

Here are our available games and outdoor escape rooms in York city centre!

Quirks and Snickets: York's Hidden History

Unravel the mysteries of York in 'Quirks and Snickets', an outdoor escape room game set in the city's labyrinthine snickelways. Starting at St Helen's Square, tackle puzzles to discover York's hidden historical gems, from Viking tales to Roman emperors. Explore landmarks like the Roman ruins, Barley Hall, and the Shambles while enjoying brain-teasing challenges. Perfect for locals and tourists alike, this adventure blends history and fun in an exploration of York's iconic streets.

The Drowned City: Myth and Mystery

Prevent the doom of York in 'The Drowned City', a mythological outdoor escape room adventure. Solve riddles involving Roman Emperors, Norse monsters, and Greek gods while exploring York's renowned sights. Visit Museum Gardens, York Minster, and more, delving into puzzles that bridge fact and fiction. Ideal for dreamers of all ages, this journey offers a thrilling blend of York's history and mythology.

A Fatal Feud: Time-Travelling Murder Mystery

Step back to 1491 in 'A Fatal Feud', a time-travelling murder mystery outdoor escape room in York. Begin at Clifford's Tower and follow clues around historic locations to solve a centuries-old crime. Test your detective skills at landmarks like Mansion House and York Minster, interspersed with puzzles and local pub stops. A must for true crime and history enthusiasts seeking an immersive York experience.

York Gourmet Food Hunt: Culinary Quest

Combine gastronomy and gaming in 'York Gourmet Food Hunt', an escape-room style adventure exploring York's culinary delights. Gather picnic items from local eateries, from historic pastries to artisanal cheeses, while solving clues and uncovering city secrets. Conclude your journey in a picturesque garden, savouring your finds. Suitable for all foodies, this unique experience blends fun, food, and history.

Ghosts of York: Paranormal Puzzle Adventure

Transform into paranormal investigators in 'The Ghosts of York', a spine-tingling outdoor escape room game. Interact with spectral characters from York's history, spanning Roman legionnaires to Vikings. Tackle challenges and clues across haunted locations, with optional pub breaks. Discover ghostly tales and historical facts in this engaging exploration of folklore and fiction in York.