The Syndicate · Outdoor escape game
Self-Guided The Old Town San Diego Syndicate City Escape Game
1.5–2 hours · 2–5 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
Secrets of · Scavenger hunt
Secrets of San Diego Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
- In the free Loquiz app on your phone
- Start any time within 12 months
- Free cancellation until you start
Explore San Diego on a self-guided scavenger hunt through Little Italy, past its piazzas, fountain and firehouse museum.
Secrets of San Diego hands you the streets themselves as a puzzle. It is a self-guided scavenger hunt on your own phone — no guide, no group, no departure time.
It works off GPS, so the game knows where you are and hands over that location's riddle, puzzle or photograph. All of it points outward, at San Diego rather than at the phone. The history arrives sideways, through the puzzles, which is why it stays with you.
The route takes in The Guardian of Water, San Diego Marriage License and Piazza della Famiglia, and the walking between them is where most of the finding happens — what you need is out there in front of you, never on the screen.
You also reach San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Station 2 and Firehouse Museum. Everyone works out soon enough that the useful detail is never the obvious one.
A Self-Guided Walking Tour of San Diego, With Riddles Instead of a Guide
A self-guided tour with the guide replaced by riddles. The route through San Diego is real, the history is real, and the difference is that you dig it out instead of being handed it — no commentary, no umbrella to follow, nobody held up at the back. Intermediate difficulty: most groups solve most of it, and the rest is a good argument. Riddles, code-breaking, and photographs you would otherwise never have taken.
Looking for a Scavenger Hunt to Do in San Diego?
This is one, and it takes about a minute to set up: book a date, download the Loquiz app and start whenever you are ready. There is nothing to print, nothing to hide in advance and no list to write — the route, the riddles and the photo tasks are already built around San Diego — 3 to 4 km on foot, about two hours — and one ticket covers a group of up to four on a single phone for €19.95. If you were about to spend an evening making one yourself, this is the version where somebody else did the work.
An Outdoor Scavenger Hunt That Works for Any Group in San Diego
Adults. Nothing about this resembles a printable list of things to find. It runs at intermediate difficulty, the riddles want things read properly rather than glanced at, and two hours passes without anyone checking their phone for other reasons.
Teams. One ticket covers four people, so a department divides straight into groups running the identical route through San Diego. No host to hire, no venue to reserve, no departure time. Put three or four teams on it together and the competition takes care of itself.
Couples and friends. A self-guided walking tour that does not involve following an umbrella. You set the pace, stop where you want, and end up knowing things about San Diego that most people who live there do not.
Families. Children manage the walking easily and tend to win the photo tasks outright. Because the riddles get solved together, a group spanning three generations still functions as one team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Secrets exploration game work?
Book a date and a link arrives by email. The Loquiz app does the rest. You start it at the first location in San Diego, and from there your position drives everything — each stop brings a riddle, a puzzle or a photograph to take, and answering it opens the next stop.
Is this a walking tour or a game?
Both, and that is the point. It follows a walking route through San Diego the way a self-guided walking tour does, and you pick up the history as you go — but instead of a commentary in your ear you get riddles to solve. Nobody walks in front of you holding a sign.
What do we need to bring?
Just a charged phone and comfortable shoes for 3 to 4 km. You get a link when you book and open the game in the Loquiz app at the first stop; nothing to print, nothing to plant beforehand, nothing to pick up anywhere.
How long does it take?
Two hours is typical, over a 3 to 4 km route. There is no clock and no scheduled departure — you fix the day when you book and start whenever you want on it.
How many people can play on one ticket?
Between one and four people share a single phone on one €19.95 ticket. Beyond four, take a second ticket — two groups on the same route can race each other, which is the better way to do it anyway.
Is it hard?
Intermediate. Observation and sideways thinking do the work; you do not need to know the city, and nothing on the route is built to stop you permanently.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes — the 3 to 4 km is no obstacle and the photo tasks are where younger players get ahead. The riddles sit at intermediate, so families tend to solve them as a group, which is the intended way round.
Do we need to book a time slot?
Not a slot, just a date. When you start on that date is entirely up to you, and there is nowhere to assemble and nobody to find.
What happens if it rains?
You decide when to play and you can pause whenever you like. If a shower comes over, step inside somewhere, wait it out and pick up where you left off — you pause whenever you like and there is no clock running.
Will we actually learn something about San Diego?
That is the point of this one. The riddles are built on the history, the characters and the odd details of San Diego, so you finish knowing things most visitors never find out. If you would rather have a story than a tour, look at the other city games in San Diego instead.
More City Games: city games across the United States · Secrets of Lübeck
- The Guardian of Water
- San Diego Marriage License
- Piazza della FamigliaWest Date Street 523, 92101
- San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Station 2
- Ariel Luxury Rentals
- Firehouse Museum
- Mission Federal Credit Union
- St Joseph Cathedral
Show all 14 stops
- Farmers Market
- Little Italy Fountain
- Piazza Pescatore
- Piazza Basilone
- Clock Tower
- Serpent Tree
How it works
- BookYour ticket arrives by email.
- Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
- PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.
What players in other cities say
- ★★★★★
Wir (Mein Mann, unsere 9-jährige Tochter und ich) haben heute ganz spontan das Spiel "Moordmysterie Düsseldorf" gebucht und gespielt. Die Buchung verlief schnell und reibungslos. Es hat super viel Spaß gemacht! Die Story, die Rätsel, das Konzept, die Route, die Gestaltung der App... richtig gut!!! Das Spiel würde ich vor allem Familien mit Kindern empfehlen. Für Erwachsene waren die Rätsel (meiner Meinung nach) zu einfach. Aber trotzdem wegen der schönen Route durch Düsseldorf, der Story, den lustigen Anweisungen zwischendurch eine schöne Aktion, die man zusammen machen kann.
Lingling Z.October 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!
Martin M.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Game in Amsterdam was fun!
Enzo L.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had So much fun playing while exploring the city
Philip C.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!
Jessica S.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.
JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google
How we check reviews
These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.
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