Looking for a fun place in Omaha to escape to for an hour where NO cell phones are allowed? Well, several months ago such a place arrived in the Omaha Old Market District. It is fast becoming a favorite spot to enjoy time with family, friends, and even co-workers. Get Out Omaha escape room is a totally immersive, puzzle solving experience where everything you need to escape is right there in your room.
We would like to thank our friends at Get Out Omaha for hosting us.
WHO Is Get Out Omaha?
Three years ago, 2 friends started a company in Kansas City called Swell Spark. Their goal was to provide entertainment for everyone that doesn’t involve cell phones. You just use what is in the room with you. Get Out has locations in Kansas City and Omaha, and sister centers called Break Out with locations in Hawaii, Lawrence, Kansas, as well as Kansas City.
The staff at Get Out Omaha.
In Omaha, the goal was to become part of the Old Market community in order to build on Omaha’s history in a positive way. They found the perfect spot on 13thstreet between Jackson and Howard.
WHAT Exactly Is Get Out Omaha?
Get Out Omaha is an escape room experience. If you haven’t heard of an escape room game, here’s how it works. Participants (typically 2-20) have separate rooms to choose from. Each room has a theme and a series of puzzles to be solved that bring you to the final puzzle that gets you out of the room. You are given 60 minutes in your room and a few clues to get you started.
Everything else you need to solve each puzzle is in the room with you. The whole idea is to listen to each other and work together to get out. If you get stuck, there is always an employee available with 3 free clues. What a fun way to get to know each other better!
WHO Is Playing?
This is a place for everyone. It’s great for families who want time with their kids WITHOUT the cell phones interrupting the conversation or friends who just enjoy spending time together. Thinking outside the box, marriage proposals are made here, along with bachelorette and bachelor parties. As Dave, the manager, put it, “It is the new bowling – something for everyone.”
The company has even designed an effective team building program called Team Lab. This is a place that gives co-workers and management teams an opportunity to learn how to better work and problem solve together. You learn so much about yourself and those in your room as you work together to solve the puzzle. As you can probably tell, the key word no matter the group is “together.”
WHAT Are The Rooms?
Get Out Omaha has 4 rooms to choose from: Room 13, Y2K, Civil War, and The Gambler.
Room 13. This room is a 1970’s hotel room with a secret. Each clue in this room gets you closer to learning its secret and thus, getting out of the room.
Room 13 at Get Out Omaha.
Y2K. Here you walk into a 2000 New Year’s Eve Party. A computer hacker is throwing this party and unknown to everyone, she participated in the Y2K concern. Your mission is to stop Y2K from happening and reset the system before midnight. Everything you need to accomplish this task is in the room with you. Once you reset the program, you may leave the party.
Y2K Room at Get Out Omaha.
Civil War. This room is probably the most immersive of the group, requiring communication with your team. Based in the 1800’s, you and your fellow soldiers are caught in an enemy bunker and must get out. Your clues come from a previous solider who had been held there. Good luck here.
The Gambler. The owner of this casino has died and the building is about to be torn down. The owner’s daughter has hired you to find an I.D. Card that is somewhere in the room. This card had belonged to her dad and all of his life’s work is in the card. Your goal is to find the ID card so you can get out before demolition begins.
Slot machine from The Gambler.
My Experience
I left the interview knowing the best way to really “get it” was to join in the fun. So, I walked out with a time on the following Saturday for my husband, Brian, and me to see how good we are at solving puzzles. I chose the Y2K room as it has one of the highest rates of escape.
When we arrived a staff member explained how it works, including the 3 free clues, and the goal for that particular room. I have always thought Brian and I were good at coming up with ways to work together on the various issues life throws at us. But, when that door closed behind us, we honestly didn’t know where to start.
We each began looking at different things. We picked up anything that was loose and checked out the pictures on the walls. But, we couldn’t come up with an idea on what to do with any of it. I think the staff member assigned to us took pity and threw us our first clue. Fortunately, it did get us going toward solving our first puzzle. It didn’t take long before we realized the puzzles didn’t have to be solved in any particular order. We just needed to work together and not go around trying to figure out each clue on our own.
Unfortunately, our puzzle solving skills did not get the the last 2 puzzles solved, so we could not reset the system. Even though we did not “escape”, we had a lot of fun in the process. We actually survived not having a phone in our hands talking or texting.
Need to Know
- The best way to make your reservation is online. If you walk in, there is a good chance they will be booked and you would have to make a reservation for another time. Reservations are NOT taken over the phone.
- You always want a minimum of 2 people in a room. Depending on the number of people allowed in the room, you may share the space with others.
- Each game is 60 minutes.
- The cost per person is $25.
- All rooms, except the Civil War Room are handicap accessible.
- Discounts are available for Old Market residents and employees, tourists, and our military.
- Hours of operation are Monday – Sunday 11:00 am – 12:00 am.
- Get Out Omaha is located at 501 S. 13thStreet, Omaha, NE. The phone # is 402-881-0368.
- Arrive 15 minutes early and remember, parking can be tough in the Old Market District area.
So, if you live in or are just visiting Omaha, Get Out Omaha escape room is a great place to connect or reconnect with almost anyone in your life. Gather a group and come have fun working together to solve puzzles that allow you to make your great escape!
Kathy was a business owner for many years. Specializing in the field of orthopedic joint replacement, her time was spent in the operating room and conducting training programs throughout the United States. Since moving to the midwest with her corporate husband, she divides her time between caring for Brandy, their 4-legged family member, cooking from scratch, and searching out exceptional undiscovered restaurants both at home and wherever their travels take them. She also creates greeting cards that are sold around the world. Kathy discovered her love of writing while in college and has begun using it as a way to share her travel experiences and the restaurants she seeks out along the way.
Kathy, her husband, and Brandy currently live in Nebraska.
I love how escape rooms generally last an hour. That makes sense considering you want the game to be long enough. I’ll have to consider getting an escape room ticket for my family.