Looking for something a little different to impress your date with? Why not consider an escape room for date night?
Now, we’re not suggesting you take your Tinder or Bumble match into an escape room. Date nights in escape rooms probably aren’t the best for a first date, whether or not you already know the person. ‘Trapping’ yourself in a room with the other person probably won’t give off the mysterious air of seduction you’re after.
That said, escape rooms are great date ideas once you’re slightly further along your romantic journey, or perhaps even as an unusual anniversary celebration. In this article, we’re going to explain what makes the best kind of escape room for date night, as a fun, light-hearted way to bring you and your partner together and put your compatibility to the test.
A hint of danger (but not too much)
Did you know, dates that take place in adrenaline-inducing environments can actually do better at bringing people together than standard dates in coffee shops or low-lit bars? That’s because being put in stressful or scary situations triggers the fight-or-flight response, and as a result, boosts the production of endorphins, oxytocin and dopamine (the ‘happy’ and ‘love’ hormones). After you’ve left the room and escaped the ‘threat’ of being trapped together, whether you’ve escaped or not, you’ll feel more bonded, because fear and love are inextricably linked.
That said, we don’t advocate for sending your date into the scariest escape room you can find. A mild thrill from a moderately scary escape room will be enough to trigger those chemical responses, without actually scaring your date away.
Make sure you speak to your date beforehand, in case they suffer from claustrophobia or anxiety and might not enjoy any escape room experience, even if it’s not designed to be scary.
An organic chemistry test
Escape rooms are all about problem-solving and teamwork. You won’t get out of any room without good communication as a pillar of your strategy. When you’re still getting to know someone, you might not have had the opportunity to see how you work together to tackle an issue. An escape room game presents a natural situation in which you can test your partnership without any real-life consequences.
You’ll have to complete a number of different escape room challenges, which have been designed to target a variety of different skills and types of knowledge. Successfully escaping a room will come down to the ability to listen to each other, delegate puzzles effectively, take on feedback and adjust your tactics – all whilst working against the clock.
You’ll get to see how your date keeps cool (or doesn’t) under pressure, how well they listen to you, and how good they are at trying different approaches to a situation.
An immersive activity with no room for awkwardness
The dreaded awkward silence…
The thought of running out of things to say halfway through a date is enough to put some people off from going altogether. But when you’re attending an escape room as a couple, you’ll be so immersed in the activities that you won’t have time to twiddle your thumbs or bring up your ex.
An escape room keeps you in the present moment. It provides hands-on activities to work on together, and will give you plenty of things to talk about afterwards if you decide to keep the date rolling at a nearby venue. It’s like watching a film together – except you’re both the main characters. Get your first shared experience under your belt, and perhaps it will be one of many. Or, if you’re already in a long-term relationship, try something new together rather than circling over the same conversations or memories.
An easy escape (after the game!)
No one wants to get stuck on a date with someone they clearly have no compatibility with. Most escape rooms last for around an hour, so you’re not committing yourself to spending half a day with each other. If it’s going well, you can suggest heading out after your game. And if not… you’re presented with an easy opportunity to part ways at the end of your experience.
In terms of escaping the room itself, unless you’re both avid escape room experts, we recommend choosing one of the easier rooms. You’ll be in an unfamiliar environment, potentially with an unfamiliar person. Picking one of the harder games will only make you and your date feel exasperated or irritated if you fail to make much progress. Don’t make things harder for yourself, especially if you’re heading into the game as a couple.
Alternatively, if you’re in a position to do so, you could turn the occasion into a double (or triple) date night, and choose a game that works for up to 4 or 6 people.
Choosing the best escape room for a date night
We’ve just provided some insight into what makes an escape room for date night a great pick, with some caveats.
Escape rooms are exciting date activities, because they let you and your partner get a feel for your compatibility and teamwork capabilities, in a fun environment that’s not too serious – or too time-consuming.
We suggest picking a room that’s not too difficult, with an added element of fear. Above all, remember to enjoy the game. Focus on the time you’re spending together, rather than prioritising your escape.
If you’re looking for a date-friendly escape room right here in Melbourne, we suggest ‘Kellar’s Magic Emporium’. Or, perhaps you can impress your date by taking them to the original escape room in Australia. You can also check out the rest of our rooms, to pick a game that suits you or your date’s particular interests.
Speak to our team if you want more information on any of our escape room games.
Or, book your date now by securing your slot directly on our website.
