Room Escape Artist

Latest update: August 2025

The escape room scene in Chicago is building in quality, year over year.

The top games are largely outside of the city center. Be prepared to travel to the suburbs.

Additionally, some of our favorite experiences in the area are day trips out from Chicago proper.

Given this, in the Market Standouts below, we’ve also listed the standout games in 2 areas that don’t have their own recommendation guides: northeastern Illinois (about 45 minutes north of Chicago, en route to Milwaukee) and Champaign-Urbana (2 hours south of Chicago, but well worth the trek to visit CU Adventures in Time & Space!). These standout games would all also fit in the Set & Scenery Driven and Puzzle Focused categories below.

We took Escape Immerse Explore to the Chicago area in 2025! Our Tours are a hot ticket! To be among the first to hear about our next Tour, contact us and join our email list.

If you’re in the area, check out our guide to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Market Standouts

• Bonus Fun Time Game Show, Escape Factor (Forest Hills, IL)
• Jurassic Outpost, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Lockbuster Video, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Magic Heist, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• The Last Wish, iPanic Escape Room (St. Charles, IL)

Puzzle Focused

• Bonus Fun Time Game Show, Escape Factor (Forest Hills, IL)
• Ghost in the Graveyard, Escape Factor (Forest Hills, IL)
• Jurassic Outpost, 60 to Escape Schaumburg (Schaumburg, IL)
• Magic Heist, 60 to Escape Schaumburg (Schaumburg, IL)
• The Escape Game (multiple games) 🔒
• The Last Wish, iPanic Escape Room (St. Charles, IL)
• The Timekeeper’s Trapped, Escape Factor (Forest Hills, IL)
• Zodiac, Fox in a Box

Set & Scenery Driven

• Arctic Expedition, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Bonus Fun Time Game Show, Escape Factor (Forest Hills, IL)
• Cheesie’s Pizza Party, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Jurassic Outpost, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Lockbuster Video, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Mafia Heist, Mind Trap (Naperville, IL)
• Magic Heist, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• The Escape Game (multiple games)

Beginner Friendly

• Arctic Expedition, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL)
• Floor 66, Just Escape Room (La Grange, IL)
• Mystery Manor, 60 to Escape (Schaumburg, IL) (reviewed in Gurnee, IL)
• The Escape Game (multiple games)
• The Treehouse Raid at Fort Knocks, Escape Factor (Forest Hills, IL)

Regional Roadtrip

On the way up to Milwaukee:

• Duke’s Farm, 60 to Escape (Gurnee, IL)
• Hidden Temple, 60 to Escape (Gurnee, IL)
• Mad Scientist, PARADOXsquared (Woodstock, IL)
• Mystery Manor, 60 to Escape (Gurnee, IL)
• The Passage, Twisted Limits Escape Rooms (McHenry, IL)

In Champaign-Urbana:

• Calling All Villains, CU Adventures in Time & Space
• Forest of Fables, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• Game Night, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• Revenge of the Cabin, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• Rise of the Icarus, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• The Wizard’s Curse, CU Adventures in Time & Space

REPOD

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

During Season 10, we chatted with Stephen and Stevie Kristof of 60 to Escape, creators of escape rooms, mini-golf, and haunts.

If you enjoyed the games at CU Adventures, check out this interview with Anne and Chris Lukeman on 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.

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 52: Game Night, CU Adventures in Time & Space
• Episode 6: Solve Our Shirts: Escape from the Maze of the Minotaur, CU Adventures in Time & Space

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

🔒 Golden Lock Award-winning experience