The Real Escape Canada Breakdown for New (Or Nervous) Players
I’ve been in a few escape rooms before (and I’ve even escaped most of them!), but I have to say the Real Escape Canada is the real deal.
Everything there feels cranked up a notch—the sets are insanely detailed, and the puzzles are challenging with just the right amount of chaos thrown in. In a nutshell, it’s something I would go through again and again.
If you’re planning a visit with coworkers, friends, or that one ultra-competitive cousin (you know who!), this guide’s for you. I rounded up the best tips and tricks—basically, everything I wish I knew before going.
Let’s make sure you escape with bragging rights, shall we?
Where is the Real Escape Canada?
The Real Escape Canada is located at 3137 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, right next to several restaurants and hotels. It’s in the west end of the city, not far from the Perimeter highway and easily accessible by car or transit.
How to Get to the Real Escape Canada
By Car:
Simply head north on Fort Street, then take a left onto Portage Avenue (Route 85 W) and stay on it for about 11 km. Once you pass Polo Park and head into the west end, you’ll make two rights, and The Real Escape Canada will be on your left.
Their plaza offers free parking.
By Bus:
You can start by walking to Southbound Main at Lombard, then hop on Bus 11 (St. Charles). Stay on for around 28 minutes and get off at the Westbound Portage at Greenway—from there, it’s only a quick 1-minute walk to the venue.
By Bike:
Turn right onto Fort Street and continue onto Notre Dame Ave. Turn left onto Ellice Avenue, then left again onto St. James Street, and right onto Silver Avenue.
Take the Silver Avenue Pathway, then turn left onto Moray St. Pathway and right onto Ness Avenue. Keep following the path through a few more turns, including the Trans-Canada Highway—you’ll find the Real Escape Canada on your right.
Best Time to Visit the Real Escape Canada
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The best time to visit the Real Escape Canada is midweek or during weekday afternoons when it’s quieter, and you’re more likely to snag your preferred time slot. Note that evenings and weekends get crowded fast.
Things to Know about the Real Escape Canada
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History
The Real Escape Canada—founded in 2014 by Adam Schmidt and his wife, Megan— was one of the earliest escape rooms in Winnipeg. Their goal is to create fun and challenging games where teams have to solve puzzles and escape before the time limit.
Their very first room was based on a nuclear meltdown, complete with a fake reactor and cool special effects. Since then, they’ve added a bunch of exciting themed rooms like Los Angeles 1947, The Mine, and The Ruins.
Pricing & Booking Information
At the Real Escape, pricing is $30 per person (taxes included), with a minimum of four paid admissions per booking. To reserve, you’ll need a credit card—Visa, MasterCard, or Amex is accepted—plus a deposit equal to one person’s admission.
The rest of your team can pay on the day of booking using a debit or credit card. While booking, keep in mind that each escape room page has its own availability calendar and can accommodate four to eight people.
Corporate Group Discount
Real Escape Canada is known for accommodating corporate events like team-building activities designed to improve communication, problem-solving, and collaborative skills. You can book as many as eight unique rooms.
For businesses booking 20 or more participants, there’s a corporate discount of $28 per person, available Monday to Friday between 10:30 AM and 3:45 PM. The space can comfortably fit up to 64 people.
Student Group Discount
This escape room venue is also known for hosting school outings or student groups to help them with problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking. It’s a smart pick for teachers planning an interactive field trip.
They offer a special student rate of $25 per person for weekday bookings between 10:30 AM and 3:45 PM, with space up to 64 students across eight different rooms. Make sure to book in advance, so they can better anticipate your needs.
Kid-Friendly Escape Rooms
The Real Escape Canada offers several beginner versions of their room, designed for younger players. The Arcade, The Pyramid, The Ruins, Los Angeles 1947, The Castle, and Oz all have family-friendly themes that are not scary, perfect for kids aged 9 and up.
Other rooms are open to kids, too, but keep in mind that the puzzles can be pretty challenging for those under 12. If your group is composed mostly of younger players, the staff is happy to offer extra clues to help keep the fun going.
Room Capacity
Each room at the Real Escape Canada is designed for groups of strictly 4 to 8 people. This will give everyone the chance to contribute and make the puzzles more fun and collaborative, without overcrowding or being too noisy.
Now, if you have fewer than 4 people, you can still book a room—just keep in mind you’ll need to pay for the minimum of 4 players. So, if there are only two or three of you, the total will still be $120.
Accessibility
The Real Escape Canada is wheelchair-accessible, and several of their rooms include adjustable elements that may better accommodate your needs. For specific accessibility details or to make special arrangements, call them up at 204-615-7717.
Cancellation Policy
To cancel, just reach out during business hours. If you cancel 24 hours or more before your booking, you’ll get a full refund (yay!).
However, cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance will have the deposit placed on file for future use. And if you cancel within 3 hours of your booking or don’t show up at all, your deposit is forfeited.
The Real Escape Canada eGift
The Real Escape Canada has eGift Cards available to purchase online. You can enter any whole amount between $1 and $250. When you check out, choose between email or text message as your delivery method, and your gift will be on its way instantly.
Escape Rooms in the Real Escape Canada
Los Angeles 1947
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Difficulty: Easy (Beginner Version) to Moderate
Age Requirement: None
Theme: Mystery
Set in—you guessed it—LA, 1947, you and your team play as detectives tasked with solving the murder of Hollywood starlet Cynthia Collins. In this vintage crime scene, you’ll need to figure out who killed her, when it happened, and what weapon was used.
The Mine
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Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Age Requirement: Kids under 16 need an adult
Theme: Mystery
The Mine throws you deep into the Appalachian mountains, where your group of backpackers gets trapped in a creepy, abandoned mining system. The workers disappeared months ago—and now it’s your turn to uncover what happened.
Oz
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Difficulty: Easy (Beginner Version) to Moderate
Age Requirement: None
Theme: Fantasy
Set in rural Kansas, Dorothy’s adorable dog, Toto, has been taken by the wicked Miss Gulch. You and your group must work fast to rescue him before she reaches the sheriff—and before a looming storm rolls in.
The Ruins
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Difficulty: Easy (Beginner Version) to Moderate
Age Requirement: None
Theme: Mystery
The Ruins takes place in 1935, where your team is sent to a remote island off the coast of China. Your mission? To find a missing group of explorers searching for the legendary Tiger’s Eye jewel.
The Pyramid
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Difficulty: Easy (Beginner Version) to Moderate
Age Requirement: None
Theme: Horror
In Ancient Egypt, your squad just helped sentence the evil ruler Isfet to death. But now, in a twist of revenge, his advisors have trapped you inside his pyramid—alongside his mummified corpse—dun, dun, DUN! (*cue eerie music).
The Castle
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Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Age Requirement: None
Theme: Action
The castle puts you in the shoes of royalty trapped in the Tower of London, which is under siege from a rival kingdom. With the enemy closing in, your only hope is to uncover a secret passage once used by Arthur and his knights before the castle burns.
Unlike other rooms, this one has a step you need to go up on. If you’re using a wheelchair, you might need extra help here.
London 1888
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Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Age Requirement: Kids under 16 need an adult
Theme: Suspense
This room is set on the streets of Whitechapel, where a mysterious killer is on the loose. Trapped in a locked-down part of the city, you and your detective team must find a way out before the killer finds you—yikes!
The Arcade
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Difficulty: Easy (Beginner Version) to Moderate
Age Requirement: None
Theme: Mystery
The Arcade takes you back to 1997, where you and your friends hit up the Morris Arcade to try out a mysterious new game, Pik: The Lock (a bit too on-the-nose). Turns out, the rumors are right, and you’re now in trouble, unless you can escape.
Pro Tips for Escaping at Real Escape Canada
Feel free to skip this section if you’d rather experience the rooms without any hints.
Divide and conquer
Rooms like The Ruins or Oz have lots of visual clues and hidden details, so don’t all dogpile the same puzzle! Split up and solve different challenges.
Follow the theme
If you’re solving a detective case from the 1940s, you won’t find any techy clues. Think like someone from your appointed era and stay in character.
Communicate constantly
Say every little thing you find or notice out loud. Even something small like a weird symbol or a loose stone might be the missing piece your teammate needs.
Search thoroughly
There are rooms like The Arcade that are packed with knick-knacks and sneaky surprises. Check inside drawers, under props, behind posters—just don’t break or force anything.
Where to Eat near the Real Escape Canada
Olympia Diner
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Website: https://www.olympiadiner.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olympiadiner/
Address: 3253 Portage Ave
Hours: Wed – Sat: 11:30 AM – 9 PM
Contact: (204) 888-8884
Olympia Diner is only a 7-minute walk from the Real Escape Canada, making it a perfect spot to grab a bite before or after your game. It’s a cozy, modern Greek restaurant known for its generous portions and friendly service.
If it’s nice out, I recommend sitting on their patio, which is really cute, and it even has an herb garden!
As for food, you can’t go wrong with their zesty lemon potatoes or succulent ribs (with an amazing BBQ sauce that I’m still drooling over)!
Chacha Wow East Indian Cuisine
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Website: https://chachawowrestaurant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chachawow_winnipeg/
Address: 3123 Portage Ave
Hours: Mon – Fri: 11 AM – 10 PM
Sat – Sun: 12 PM – 10 PM
Contact: (204) 504-0011
Only a minute away from the Real Escape, Chacha Wow is a charming Indian restaurant that offers outdoor seating, lots of parking slots, and free WiFi. Most importantly, they serve delicious East Indian dishes that’ll have you craving more!
My go-to order is their Veg Thali, with chickpea curry, palak paneer, fragrant rice, spiced potatoes, and fresh naan—all beautifully plated. They’re also super accommodating with dietary needs; simply ask your server for any requests.
Tokyo Sushi
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Website: https://www.facebook.com/MNKfoodinc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wpg_tokyosushi/
Address: 3140 Portage Ave
Hours: Tue – Wed, Sun: 5 PM – 9 PM
Fri – Sat: 5 PM – 10 PM
Contact: (204) 889-9700
Not in the mood for Greek or Indian? Japanese it is! Tokyo Sushi is only 2 minutes away from the Real Escape.
This authentic Japanese restaurant offers top-tier sushi, crispy tempura, and yummy udon.
There’s nothing like Salmon Sashimi after a successful escape—it’s thick-cut, marinated perfectly, and ridiculously fresh. Don’t skip their crispy rolls or custom soy sauce, either.
And if you’re into sake, they’ve got some worth coming back for.
Where to Stay near the Real Escape Canada
Super 8 by Wyndham Winnipeg
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Website: https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/super-8/winnipeg-manitoba/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/super8wpgwest/
Address: 3760 Portage Ave
Hours: Check-in time: 3:00 PM
Check-out time: 11:00 AM
Contact: +1 204-831-9800
Super 8 by Wyndham Winnipeg is only a 6-minute drive away from Real Escape. Their family-friendly rooms are equipped with air conditioning, private bathrooms, kitchenettes, work desks, TVs, and free WiFi.
Breakfast is another win here—you’ll get a buffet spread with local dishes, fresh fruit, as well as options like a full English or gluten-free plates. And if you want some light sightseeing, the Royal Canadian Mint is only a 4-minute drive away.
Best Western Plus Winnipeg Airport Hotel
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Website: https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-rooms.63017.html
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/best-western-plus-winnipeg-airport-hotel/
Address: 1715 Wellington Ave
Hours: Check in: 3 PM
Check out: 12 AM
Contact: (204) 775-9889
True to its name, Best Western Plus is only 5 minutes away from Winnipeg Airport Hotel and 15 minutes from Real Escape Canada. They offer free airport shuttle service, too, so you don’t have to hail a cab to check in.
Before or after your escape room visit, you can fuel up at Dalton’s Restaurant, hit their 24-hour gym, or take a dip in the indoor pool.