The north Florida natives—and ardent history buffs—at Escape U have put on a master class of mental challenges. Guests won't be wrestling with lofty philosophical ideals or the intricacies of physics, though. Instead, they'll have to bring together their investigative skills, logic muscles, and teamwork to solve a duet of room-escape games, each allowing just an hour to spare.

Castillo De Matanzas

You and your fellow guards have the tables turned on you when a troop of secret soldiers imprisons you in your own cells. With your fort under their control, they'll have no trouble sneaking their ships up to the Castillo de San Marcos. It's up to your team to figure out how to escape and warn the castillo. Relive history as you explore the 1700s-style jail cell, complete with handmade furniture crafted by a local artisan and a real, firing cannon.

Save the Fleet

As Hurricane Earl begins to batter the shore, your team of sailors is ordered to find some way to guide the shipping fleet to safety. Through driving rain and hammering waves you manage to make landfall just steps from the famed St. Augustine lighthouse. Now hundreds of sailors depend on your quick thinking and puzzle-solving skills as you make your way to the top and operate the life-saving beacon. This room includes a 15-foot replica of the St. Augustine lighthouse and keeper house to add unparalleled realism to this history-based game.—