Cracking Mysteries Through Scavenger Hunts - New York, USA

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No matter how well you think you know a city, chances are good that you’ve hardly scratched the surface of what lies below a touristy facade. Secrets and mysteries lurk in every corner. Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunts is just the group to help you discover the often unseen parts of your favorite American cities.

With informational scavenger hunts that attract both locals and travelers alike, Watson Adventures offers the opportunity for groups to compete against other hunters to unlock mysteries hidden in neighborhoods, museums, parks and a variety of unique locations throughout the country.

I opted to try the “Sex and the Village” hunt in New York’s West Village. Based primarily on locations and clues related to the popular HBO series, the hunt presents the show’s fans a completely different view of shooting locations - and allows them to view the Village in a way they’ll never forget.

Groups participating in the hunt meet in a pre-determined location to receive a list of clues to solve puzzles. The groups eye each other warily, sizing their competition. The goal is to finish the hunt with as many correct answers as possible in a set amount of time. These hunts are the ultimate way to let our competitive spirit blossom without apology.

My group joins in a quick huddle to go over our clue sheet and map, then jets off to the first location on our particular list — the building which was used as Carrie’s apartment stoop. As both Sex and the City fans and scavenger hunt competitors, we try to balance snapping a photo of the famed location while quickly figuring out the puzzle presented to us. After one of our group members discovers the answer, we jot down the solution and scurry through the maze of the West Village to figure out the next challenge.

We think we see another group off in the distance. Our competitive spirit spikes. Arriving at the next destination, we use teamwork to scour every corner and crevice for the clue until we succeed again. That “Aha!” moment when we solve a puzzle and feel goofy grins spread across our faces is the ultimate adrenaline boost. This is good, old-fashioned fun. We work collaboratively and race through the challenges.

Our particular group is a mix of young and old, male and female, Sex and the City addicts and those who’d never watched it. Our diversity serves us well since some of us are able to crack clues the others aren’t. Midway through the hunt, we come face to face with other groups. Each group coyly attempts to throw the others off track and offers inaccurate tips.

Hey, this is war! Besides, the last time this kind of behavior was acceptable was when we were ten, so we’re going to use any excuse to semi-legitimately act that age again. People sitting at sidewalk cafes think we’re a tad insane as they watch us gallivant through the streets trying to crack clues.

That’s part of the fun — realizing we’re in on a secret they haven’t been told. The folks at Watson have developed unique challenges that make us see the neighborhood in a fresh way. It’s good exercise for our brains to think outside the box, to unravel the mysteries with which we’re presented. If tests in school were more like figuring out answers to hunt puzzles, studying would be a lot more fun.

As soon as the hunt ends, I instantly miss the teamwork and out-of-the-box thinking. I crave the challenge of the hunt — and immediately make plans to join another one.

Watson Adventures offers both public hunts, which are available to everyone, and private hunts, which are developed specifically for corporate and other types of groups. Public hunts are offered throughout the U.S., including adventures like Murder at the Met in New York, the Hooray for Hollywood Hunt in Los Angeles, the Haunted Philadelphia Hunt in the city of brotherly love, and the Air and Space Hunt in Washington, D.C. Start hunting today!

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