Room Escape Artist

Latest Update: November 2025

We spent almost all of our 24 hours in beautiful San Diego locked in giant puzzles. Regrets? None.

It’s a fun, puzzley escape room market. It has a surprisingly different feel from Los Angeles, considering how geographically close they are.

Here are a few of our favorites broken out by category.

Market Standouts

• The Lost Expedition, Steal and Escape 🔒
• The Missing Season, Steal and Escape
• The Neighbor, Steal and Escape
• Moriarty’s Manor, MindFox Escape
• Outside In, Top Tier Escape Rooms
• Parlour Nouveau, Puzzalarium 🔒

Puzzle Focused

• Black & White Cafe, MindFox Escape
• Moriarty’s Manor, MindFox Escape
• Outside In, Top Tier Escape Rooms
• The Diner, Quicksand Escape Games
• The Lost Expedition, Steal and Escape
• The Neighbor, Steal and Escape

Set & Scenery Driven

• The Lost Expedition, Steal and Escape
• The Missing Season, Steal and Escape
• The Neighbor, Steal and Escape

Beginner Friendly

• Black & White Cafe, MindFox Escape
• Cosmic Crisis, The Escape Game 🔒
• Outside In, Top Tier Escape Rooms
• The Diner, Quicksand Escape Games

Regional Roadtrip

If you don’t mind driving 65 miles, check out 40 Thieves 🔒 at MindTrap Escape Room in Temecula, CA.

REPOD

On REPOD, co-hosts Peih-Gee Law and David Spira interview immersive gaming creators about the nuance of their craft.

Check out our conversation with Jason and Marketa Richard from Steal and Escape during Season 7 of REPOD

Spoilers Club

In this monthly Patreon exclusive podcast, David Spira and Peih-Gee Law discuss an escape room in great detail, spoilers and all! They often bring on the show’s creator to go behind the scenes.

To listen to this show, back Room Escape Artist on Patreon at the “Search Win!” level ($15 per month). We have Spoilers Club episodes on the following games from this recommendations guide:

• Episode 32: The Missing Season, Steal and Escape

You are always welcome to contact us if this recommendation list doesn’t answer your specific questions.

🔒 Golden Lock award winning experience