You’re sent back in time with nothing but a compass and a map. The choice is yours; how will you play? If you are a fan of Canadian history and the gold rush, you may check out Escape Maze in Peterborough, Ontario. They practice a variety of different game scenarios as well as seasonal themes.
The location is set on a farm just South of highway seven, where you are transported to a preindustrial gold rush era. A large family of game masters greets you; everything is set up waiting for you. All you have to do is book online or by phone. Hours are typically 10:30 am – 6 pm and 8:30 pm on weekends with regular escape games.
Escape Maze has extended evening hours for the Stalking Dead, and for fans of the holidays, there will be rooms planned for the theme. Bookings start as late as 11 pm. The team loves to host special holiday events as well, so get booked for this coming December. The Escape Maze business offers fun to all parties, including families, friend groups, and corporate packages. They will also sell pre-made games to other facilities. I had the chance to chat with Jake Walling, who has expansive knowledge about anything and everything you can escape.
What inspired your family to start the Escape Maze entertainment business, and when?
“We started in 2014. We were reading about an escape room in Holland, and I was planning a trip there, so I went to check it out. Before even doing the room, I was already thinking about doing it better and how we could do this idea at home. Three months from returning from the trip, we were open for business. We had a family discussion, and everyone thought it was a good business to start.
We had been looking for a family business that we could run on the farm. We have ten adults living here, and we were looking for a joint venture. This idea fits the family’s talents and skills so that everyone can participate on different levels according to their time schedules. As it turned out, this business was a great match to our family and our gorgeous location”.
What should participants expect from your escape rooms / outdoor trail games experience? Who is your general demographic?
“We have a variety of participants visiting our business. During the weekends we see many families playing together. Later into the evening, we see more groups of friends, date nights, and bachelorette parties. During the week, we would see corporate team-building events. The outdoor adventure games are great for large groups. Everyone can play the game at the same time, divided into teams.
The teams’ race to see if they can beat the time of the other teams. Sports teams also come to do team-building activities. On the outdoor adventure trails, participants can expect a one and a half kilometers walk through forests and fields on dirt paths. There are not many hills and nature is beautiful. Autumn is the best time to make the trails to see the tree colors, and all the bugs are gone”.
What should participants expect in the haunt mazes?
“The Stalking Dead is our zombie trail. We began it as an alternative activity to our haunted escape room during Covid restrictions. The Stalking Dead is played outside without having to touch the game pieces and props. Perfect for a time when there weren’t many activities people could participate in for Halloween. Yes, we have live zombies in the game, so we require all players and zombies to wear a mask.
The story behind the game is that corn farmers started to turn into zombies and quickly infected others. Scientists set up a containment area at ground zero, this farm, to develop a cure. The scientists were from the pharmaceutical business, the Human Advancement Research Medicine company. They were about to break the cure when the containment fence went down, and scientists quickly ate. Players to the game will visit all the scientist stations to gather information and input it into the computer vault for the cure”.
What future developments at Escape Maze, visitors can look forward to soon?
“We look forward to adding other activities to our farm adventures. We like to see families spend more time here playing other games. We are talking about adding a game that is a cross between mini putt and Survivor challenges. It’s a little hard to explain, but it will be a great game for all ages when we set it up. Plans also include wagon accommodations and possibly family reunion destinations”.
Resources: To book please contact:705-740-3657
156 Cedar Bank Rd, Peterborough, ON K9J 6Y3
https://www.facebook.com/escapemazefun
Author: Kayla Stephens, Content Writer, Toronto, Canada. If you have any stories or comments, kindly email: – kstephens755@gmail.com
