I've done quite a few escape rooms in the past, and this one was pretty good! We did The (Un)Common Room, which had plenty of challenging puzzles and a fun ambience. Our game host, Attic, was kind and enthusiastic, which helped make the experience enjoyable. The facility itself was clean and well kept, and the waiting room had a lot of fun games to play before starting. The only thing to keep in mind is the booking/payment system for smaller groups. I came with one other person, but the online reservation system requires payment for a minimum of three people. Since there were only two of us, we still had to pay for a third person upfront, and the difference was given back as a coupon code for a future visit rather than as an actual refund. While I appreciate that they offer a credit, it did feel a little confusing and less straightforward than simply charging a higher two-person rate or clearly listing the minimum charge upfront. Overall, we had a good experience, but I do think the pricing/booking system could be made more transparent. read more

Escape on Purpose - Interior - Escape Games Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

I took a group of tweens to their first escape room and they were all blown away. We did Terror in the Sky, which is a good non-linear room, so the kids could each work on individual puzzles and then come together to unlock doors and cabinets. The room itself had a few rows from an actual airplane, and screens in the window simulated flying, which was a great touch. The puzzles were good for our young group, and the ability to ask for unlimited hints was crucial (we ended up asking for 5 hints). Some of the puzzles were pretty basic (akin to doing a sudoku puzzle without giving too much away). And almost all of the locks were basic 4-number locks; it would been cool to have some more creative locks instead of just trying to find 4 numbers over and over. For example, different style locks or automated mechanisms that would open a door when triggered would have made all the difference. But the airplane theme was strong, and the kids LOVED it. I did want to call out our game master, Jay, who could not have been more patient with our group. Thank you for making the experience so memorable for us! read more

Escape on Purpose - Waiting room - Escape Games Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

It was a fun escape room experience. Yelp offers a free gift but they said they didn't know anything about that so I'm not sure about that. They offer 4 different escape rooms and you have an hour to find clues and solves puzzles to get out! We had a group of 4 and finished with 36s to spare. They are very thorough in explaining everything. If you want to try the escape room experience start here! read more

Escape on Purpose - Escape Games Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This place is consistently amazing. We've gotten Attic as our escape guide each time and they've been great! Super considerate and fun! We've done the airplane escape room (they use REAL airplane parts in their room) and the submarine room (the bulkheads are super realistic and they brought in a special theme park designer to help make it). The best part of the hints at this place are that they are written on a big TV so you can look at it if you forget your hint or if too many people are talking at once. 10/10, we will be back! read more

The staff was super friendly and helpful. They made us feel welcome and proud of our escape room performance! The Starship Mission was an awesome immersive experience. So much fun for our family! read more

A room escape where you are greeted by two adorable pups?! Heck yes, 5 stars before even going in! Seriously though, my friends and I were skeptical because of the lack of social media presence or word of mouth about Escape on Purpose, but I can tell you that it is real and it is great. The owners are super friendly and were extremely patient with our rather rambunctious group. We did the Terror in the Sky room and it legit has an actual airplane in it. The room was not easy, but it was definitely one of the best-designed rooms I've done in terms of aesthetics, humor, and plot line. And at the end, you can even take your obligatory escape photo with the dogs. What could be better than that? read more

We have gone here twice and it is absolutely awesome! The experiences are clearly crafted with lots of love and care. The owner is really kind, fun and helpful. Highly recommend the submarine room, its super realistic and immersive. Don't miss out on this spot, it's truly is a hidden gem in Durham. read more

We celebrated our daughters 18th Birthday here. We had such a good time. Our room was challenging and fun. I'd recommend. The owners are very kind and you can tell they take pride in their business. The price is affordable. read more

I've been to several escape rooms in the area, and a few out of state ones, and this seriously was one of my absolute favorite experiences! If you've never tried an escape room before, "Escape on Purpose" is definitely the way to go. They have an awesome lounge area with classic games readily available for you and your party to play around with while you wait. That was a lot of fun! The room itself is seriously beyond what I expected. When my friend told me it was a airplane, I had no idea what to expect but it for sure surpassed my expectations! The clues were creative and the game was challenging but not frustrating! Overall we had such an amazing time, and it really is a great way to have a good night with friends/family/coworkers. The staff was super friendly and got us right into it! Will definitely go again to check out the other creative rooms and challenges! read more

If you are looking for a good team building experience, look no further. The employee I met was super nice and welcoming. Not to mention, the two dogs there are ADORABLE. Escape On Purpose is tucked towards the back of a shopping center but it's definitely a hidden gem. You're given an hour to "escape" a room by using clues that are found within the room. A couple of coworkers and I scheduled a room for 8:30. Since I have a tendency of going to bed early, I was concerned about getting sleepy. I was wrong. During the entire duration, I was wide awake trying to "escape" the room. We chose Terror in the Sky, which was not easy. Looking at the fixtures, you can tell that the owners spent a lot of work on the room. I will definitely try to come back again! read more

Loved the escape room we did. Excellent! It was a 10 person room but just 4 of us did it and had a great time. The owner was super kind as well. read more

Airplane room was a great challenge level with fair challenges that works well with a larger group. We solved with three hints, but all hints were for fair challenges we had overlooked due to our own fault. Fun experience for our group of 10. read more

Great personal service! Fun, well kept room, and a beautiful pup to cuddle before and after :)

We had a group of 6 friends and we have all done escape rooms before. We loved the (T)Error in the Sky and barely got out. The rooms had amazing props (an actual plane cabin) and lots of puzzles to solve. This is an awesome escape room and I would recommend it. We plan to go back to try the other 2 rooms soon. read more

This was my first escape room experience and definitely won't be my last! I was visiting family in Durham and we decided this would be a fun and different group activity. The owners were working there and were so hospitable and friendly, and ensured we had a great time from start to finish. Our room had a couple of phenomenal surprises - go do one and see for yourself! read more

Perfect quarantine activity. Staff is so friendly! Escape rooms are so creative. Highly recommend

This was such a fun experience! My wife and I did one together and surprisingly we were able to solve it on our own with some time left. It challenges your teamwork skills along with critical thinking. The owners were super friendly and the environment was very welcoming. It's fun as a date night or going with a group. We will definitely be back again to try the other rooms! read more

Escape on Purpose - Escape Games Near Me - Durham, North Carolina