The best escape rooms in London

If you’re looking for fun indoor activities with friends or family, escape rooms are a fantastic way to pass the time. Featuring a locked room, a mystery, and clues to solve, they’ll get your brain ticking and your adrenaline pumping.

There are plenty of escape rooms in London to choose from. Some are creepy, while others are better suited to families, so there’s something for everyone. 

If you’re wondering which escape rooms are best, we’ve done the research for you. Here are the top London escape rooms, which are easy to get to with South Western Railway. 

Sherlock: The Game is Now

W12 Shopping Centre W12 8PP

If you’re a fan of murder mystery escape rooms, it doesn’t get much better than this Sherlock-inspired game. Created by the writers of the hit BBC show, Sherlock: The Game is Now is part-immersive experience, part-escape room.

There are two escape rooms to choose from: Sherlock and The Mind of Moriarty, with private and shared options. Both feature a themed bar with refreshments to keep you going as you work to solve the clues!

The experience lasts 100 hours, with 60 minutes in the escape room. The recommended age is over 10. However, children seven and above can attend with an adult.

How to get there: Catch the overground from Clapham Junction to Shepherd’s Bush, then walk for six minutes to the W12 shopping centre. The escape room is disguised as Doyle’s Opticians on the ground floor of the shopping centre.

Breakin' Escape Rooms

89 Holloway Rd, London N7 8LA

Breakin’ Escape Rooms combine intricate stories with exciting theming for a unique experience. There are eight rooms for different age groups and abilities:

• Wizarding School: Fang of the Serpent – this Harry Potter-inspired escape room invites wizarding students to a mysterious castle to find a prized artefact that has been lost for years. Be prepared to fight some evil along the way!
• Joker’s Trap – inspired by the DC comics, Joker’s Trap is a thrilling escape room set up by the Joker’s henchmen. With puzzles and booby traps, there won’t be a dull moment.
• Sherlock’s Despair – this Sherlock-inspired escape room invites players to take Sherlock’s place and prevent his nemesis from world domination.
• The Flying Dutchman – a pirate-themed adventure where players must attempt to escape from a sinking ship.
• War on Horizon Alpha – you’ll be transported to outer space and tasked with defeating cyborg enemies in this thrilling escape room.
• Butcher’s Lair – this gruesome and gory escape room tells the story of a notorious serial killer – and you’re invited as his next dinner guest.
• Moriarty’s Gambit – another Sherlock-themed adventure filled with puzzles, riddles and traps.
• Heist Plan – join a gang of street racers in New York for an adrenaline-inducing high-speed chase.

How to get there: Take the northbound tube via the Victoria line from Vauxhall to Highbury & Islington. Breakin' Escape Rooms is an eight-minute walk from the tube station.

Aim Revolutionary Escape Rooms

Goodman's Fields, 8 Canter Way, London E1 8PS

Aim Revolutionary Escape Rooms is an advanced, immersive, high-tech adventure from beginning to end. There are five games to play, with fantastic themes including a creepy psychopath's lair and a futuristic Armageddon. Try your hand at being spies for the day, or work on your detective skills as you solve puzzles to find your key.

Each hour-long game is rated by difficulty and age group. Most are for adults, but some can be enjoyed by younger children so long as they’re accompanied by an adult.

How to get there: Catch the northbound Northern line from London Waterloo to Embankment. Switch to the eastbound District line to Aldgate East, then walk for four minutes.

Enigma Quests

2-12 Wilson St, London EC2M 7LS

Enigma Quests offers three exciting escape rooms with fun theming and immersive challenges. The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a cheerful nod to Harry Potter, teaching players magical skills and abilities.

If you’ve always wanted to complete a heist, The Million Pound Heist is a fun, immersive experience [ES1]that relies heavily on teamwork. Meanwhile, Submarine: Mission Wavebreak is an adrenaline-inducing adventure that sees teams working together to defuse a ticking time bomb.

The experience lasts between 80-90 minutes, and you’ll spend 60 minutes in the escape room. There are no age restrictions. However, players under nine might find the tasks challenging.

How to get there: Take the eastbound Jubilee line from London Waterloo to London Bridge. Switch to the northbound Northern line to Moorgate, then walk for three minutes.

Escape Entertainment

George Yard, London EC3V 9DH

Escape Entertainment is located in Central London and is a true test of your problem-solving skills. You’ll race against time in one of two thrilling escape rooms, whether that’s solving a murder mystery at Murder of the West End Starlet or stealing royal jewels in Bank Heist.

Each escape room lasts an hour, with a minimum age recommendation of 12+. You’ll get to take home some free team photos to commemorate your adventure.

Walk 11 minutes from London Waterloo to Embankment and take the eastbound District line to Monument. Escape Entertainment is a three-minute walk from there.

Escape Land

37-39 Oxford St, London W1D 2DU

Escape Land is a collection of live escape rooms on Oxford Street. Choose from two thrilling rooms and work out clues, defeat evil forces and solve puzzles to escape.

Solve the mysterious disappearance of the throne’s heir in Right to the Throne, or destroy evil and discover the secret to eternal life in Da Vinci’s Exploration. Each one-hour game is recommended for children aged 12 and over.

How to get there: Take the northbound Northern line from London Waterloo to Tottenham Court Road, then walk for two minutes to Escape Land.

If you plan to visit one of these escape rooms, leave your car at home and hop on a train to London. Discover cheap train tickets by travelling off-peak, or save even more with a Railcard. If you’re travelling in a group, you could benefit from GroupSave or a Family and Friends Railcard.