Best Escape Rooms in Asheville-A Local's Perspective
- Ian Wasserman
- Jun 12, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 5, 2023
Escape Rooms are kind of funky. Asheville is kind of funky. Ipsi facto, Escape Rooms suit Asheville particularly well. As a result, there’s a plethora to choose from, but that’s as much of a problem as it is a benefit. Too many choices spoil the soup, as the old saying goes.
Luckily for you, dear traveler, what lies before you is nothing less than a systematic breakdown of three such choices, their relative advantages, and the local information to make the most of whichever Escape Room you choose.
So, without further ado, I invite you to read on and familiarize yourself with the best Escape Rooms in Asheville.
If you’re looking to escape downtown’s hustling bustle, A-Escape is the Room for you. A drive up here, just north of West Asheville, trades high-rises for suburbia and pay-by-the-minute parking for free parking. That’s right, free parking. Absolutely delicious, I know.
Combined with prices discounted over the summer, A-Escape holds a firm position among the more low-key, low-cost Escape Rooms in Asheville. In terms of timing, Wednesday and Thursday are fairly slow compared to A-Escape’s busier weekend hours. Plan your visit accordingly.
In Context: It’s pretty distant from Asheville’s cultural-economic heartland. While it may not be as congested as downtown, correspondingly, there’s less to do in the area. However, there is a corn maze nearby.
Want a Challenge? Leave your kids in the aforementioned corn maze, while you try out A-Escape. Whoever escapes their respective predicaments first gets to go home, while the other is stranded for all eternity. Don’t have kids? Leave whomever is youngest among your friends/co-workers/spouses/etc. in the corn maze instead.
Remain outside of downtown, follow the compass south, and you’ll find yourself in the vicinity of Fox-N-Otter's South Asheville location.
What do diminutive canines and water-loving mammalians have to do with escaping a room in 60 minutes or less? I’d say its their primal, animal craftiness. Their determination to solve any puzzle, no matter how overwhelming it may seem. I’d say it’s their will to thrive and survive the brutal travails of Mother Nature, no matter the cost.
All that aside, one of their six rooms is specifically calibrated for children, making this escape room in Asheville the premier family option. Then again, the other five rooms are nothing to sneeze at, and Fox-N-Otter's establishment assures me that one does not need offspring to enjoy their offerings.
In Context: Speaking of animals, Fox-N-Otter is located directly above Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack. It’s a local staple, and for good reason. The lines may be long, but if you visit Fox-N-Otter beforehand, there should be plenty to reflect on while you wait.
Want a Challenge? Complete one of Fox-N-Otter’s challenges while pretending to be an animal of your choice. Remember: most animals don’t have opposable thumbs. Or a concept of math. Or language. They probably don’t like being trapped in rooms very much. Take on these parameters, and Fox-N-Otter may just become one of the most challenging Escape Rooms in Asheville.
Journalistic objectivity aside, Breakout wins this writer’s award for the best Escape Room in Asheville.
With a wide variety of rooms, easy booking, private-only events for up to 8 people, and an amicable staff, I think you’ll find Breakout is worth its relatively pricey rates.
Open seven days a week from 10am to 11pm, there should be plenty of time to fit Breakout into your schedule, while avoiding its busier Friday and Saturday hours.
In Context: Breakout is located on one of downtown Asheville’s best street for eating. Whether you’re in the mood for Mediterranean, Chinese, curry, bar fare, or classic Southern delicacies, you’ll find all such options within walking distance from Breakout.
Want a Challenge? Beat the 42 minute, 22 second record for Breakout’s Casino room, set by yours truly (and some friends who may or may not have done all the work). If the record has already been broken by the time you visit Breakout, beat the new record. I must be avenged.
Businesses Mentioned
A-Escape
12 Balance Lane Suite 20, Asheville, NC 28806
Fox-N-Otter Adventure Escapes (South)
3749 Sweeten Creek Rd Unit 2, Arden, NC 28704
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack South
3749 Sweeten Creek Rd, Arden, NC 28704
Breakout Games-Asheville
(828) 201-2600
60 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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