Neighborhood Scavenger Hunts in Boston

What secrets lurk in Cambridge and Harvard?

Find out on this fun team-building activity that’s packed with hidden history and unexpected humor. As your team searches for answers to amusing questions on this whirlwind tour, you’ll discover the secrets of John Harvard himself, the spot where Washington took charge of the Revolution, an L-shaped bullet hole from the same war, fowl play in Radcliffe Yard, a blacksmith made famous by a poem, the oldest poetry bookstore in the United States, a building an artist tried to eat, and much more.

Highlights include…

• Signs of pranks past in Old Harvard Yard
• A site linked with a Titanic tragedy
• The Radcliffe College stomping grounds of movie stars
• Christ Church, where George Washington prayed and Theodore Roosevelt taught
• The whimsical home of the world’s long-running humor magazine
• A building an artist tried to eat…and much more!

Uncover bygone Boston along the Freedom Trail

On this entertaining team-building adventures, your group will visit and discover the secrets of numerous historic locations where America was born—Faneuil Hall, the site of the Boston Massacre, Old City Hall, the Old South Meeting House (where a particularly large tea party had its beginnings), and the Old State House, to name a few of the highlights. Starring: Ben Franklin, Larry Bird, Mother Goose, Gulliver’s teakettle, and an Irishman’s “bowl of tears.”

But not everything on this hunt is old. It’s also packed with present-day hotspots. You’ll check out the delicious and bustling food stands of Quincy Market, see a tribute to local sports heroes, discover the birthplace of Boston’s culinary delights, and more.

No knowledge of these places or Boston history is necessary. Sharp eyes and teamwork are the only things you need to answer our fun and funny questions. Participants use their own smartphones to play, and comfy shoes are also a good idea for trekking the trail.

A top-rated Boston scavenger hunt since 2002

This scavenger hunt has been far and away our most popular team-building game with corporate groups since our first Boston hunt in 2002. Check out Watson Adventures on Google to see hundreds of 5-star reviews from delighted clients!

A 5-star review on Google: “We’ve hosted multiple company scavenger hunts across multiple offices and all feedback from attendees was great! Watson Adventures was super accommodating to our groups and super friendly—not only are you learning new things about the city that you would have never known otherwise, you are having fun while doing so! We will definitely be using them again in the future!”

“The hunt was a ton of fun! Well organized, good distance, tough but not impossible, great for team building because it requires different perspectives and ways of thinking. Overall, the team thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend to other companies for team building!” —Melissa Magerer, Head of US Marketing, iAdvize

“It went by quickly! Well constructed, tons of fun, educational, challenging. Loved it!” —a participant on a corporate team-building hunt

“This was a GREAT team building exercise. We had so much fun coming up with team names and getting together for some competition. It was such a fun time while also being educational.” —the leader of a group from a multi-national retailer

“We had SO MUCH FUN—it went by so quickly! When I got back to the office on Monday, people couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had! It was great to work with you!” —an executive assistant about a team-building outing for a hospital staff

“Our agency had a great day yesterday doing the Old Boston hunt. The ‘water cooler’ talk is that the staff thought doing the hunt was fun, the questions were tricky so it made it interesting, and made us look at Boston in a whole new way although it’s streets we walk on every day.” —the human resources manager of a charitable organization

Purchase tickets to a weekend scavenger hunt for the general public, or contact us to learn more about a private scavenger hunts for your group—and find more fun in Boston!

A game that salutes Boston, played in any neighborhood

Flaunt your hometown pride with a game of fun challenges that remind you of the many reasons Boston is a great town.

You’ll look for opportunities to take creative photos of your team such as showing your loyalty to a local team, or dramatizing a famous moment in Boston history, or re-creating the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

You’ll interact with our Hunt Host for a surprise challenge involving city landmarks.

You’ll find or create objects such as a red sock (go Sox!) or a menu that includes chowder or beans.

You’ll show off your musical knowledge while trying to break a code that reveals a Boston-themed mystery message.

This is a great game for spurring laughter and breaking the ice with teammates.

What people are saying about the Celebrate Boston Scavenger Hunt

A 5-star review on Google: “Our team of 100 had a wonderfully fun time and the coordination with Watson Adventures was super smooth and easy….The event hosts Alexis & Eric were communicative and instructed our teams with great succession and they bought the energy and fun to our team which was fantastic….[Watson Adventures] was highly recommend to me by colleagues and now I know why, if you need a fun team building event you will not be disappointed by Watson Adventures!”

“Everyone, even the cynics who weren’t planning on having fun, really enjoyed themselves. We were having so much fun that a complete stranger tried to join our group photo at the finish line!” —a director of sales

Contact us to learn more about the Celebrate Boston Scavenger Hunt—and find more fun in your favorite city!

See the best of Boston on a whirlwind tour…

…that takes you to Quincy Market, the North End, Harvard Yard, Fenway Park, Chinatown, Boston Common, Beacon Hill, and many other cool places. On teams, you’ll follow a trail of clues and answer humorous questions about the sites you visit. You’ll also work together on Team Photo Challenges and meet up with the Hunt Host for a surprise bonus challenge.

This team-building adventure is perfect for out-of-town guests, but even native Bostonians will be surprised by the secrets they find.

Along the way, you might…

• Track down Founding Fathers (and Mothers) on the Freedom Trail
  
• Uncover the secrets of statues surrounding Faneuil Hall
• Flock to Mother Goose in a centuries-old burying ground
• Get fired up about a firehouse made famous on MTV
• Step up to the plate against some old-time Red Sox outside Fenway Park
• And much more!

Your intrepid team could take on such questions as…

• In Copley Square, find people who are traveling 26 miles to visit Mr. Copley. Complete this sequence: brook, hop, ash, _______. Answer: “Framing,” as in Brookline, Hopkinton, Ashland, and Framingham, seen on a map of the marathon route near the statue of Copley in Copley Square.
• Make way for ducklings in the Public Garden and visit the Boston Common. Nearby, off Charles, what executioner was killed in 1876? Answer: The great elm, a bygone execution site, mentioned on a sign near the Commons entrance across from the ‘Make Way for Ducklings’ statue in the Public Garden.

Don’t worry: we left out some of the directions that guide you to search for the answers in the right place. Whether you do the hunt by mass transit (mainly the T, Boston’s subway) or by limo, you and your teammates will find the navigating fun. Our directions are very clear, and no participant has gotten lost since our first Citywide Boston hunt in 2004—and that was before Google Maps!

We recommend doing a three-hour version of this scavenger hunt, although longer and shorter versions are available.

We also offer a version of this game designed for kids and adults to do together. Suitable for ages 7 and up.

Explore possibly the most ghost-ridden town in America

Brace yourself for a “spirited” search that reveals the ghosts and historic highlights in this bewitching town. Armed only with a flashlight, you’ll visit haunted places and learn the tales of the restless souls you might disturb.

Along the way, your team might…

• Discover how witch-trials villain Sheriff Corwin helped one house become the “fourth most haunted” in the country.
• Visit locations associated with the crushed-to-death execution of suspected wizard Giles Corey and assorted witches.
• See where Nathaniel Hawthorne met a ghost.
• Learn from one murder victim why you should never brag about treasure hidden in your home.
• Get a whirlwind tour of even more of the most important sites in town while answering humorous questions.

Of course this is a popular hunt destination during the Halloween season, but all kinds of groups have enjoyed this hunt from spring to fall, whether in daylight or (if you dare) after sunset.

Contact us to learn more about this spine-tingling, funny-bone-tickling team-building scavenger hunt—and find more fun in Salem!

Follow in the footsteps of Paul Revere

Explore the twisty scenic streets of the North End on a quest for hidden history and startling stories on this team-building activity for fans of old Boston and new adventures. On teams, you’ll follow a trail of clues that follows the Freedom Trail and then goes beyond it, as you find intriguing locations and answer tricky, fascinating questions about what you find.

No knowledge of the North End is required: you just need sharp eyes, comfy shoes, and great teamwork. Along the way, expect to say things like, “I never knew that!” and “I’ve never been here!” and “That’s amazing!” and “Did that guy hang one lantern or two?”

Your team will discover…

• The historic places mentioned above on the Munch Around the North End Hunt
• The oldest sign in Boston and its connection with persecuted Quakers
• A church where the minister wound up as a character in Moby Dick
• The home of Ben Franklin’s overlooked sister, Jane
• A Salem Street salute to the “Last of the Red Hot Mamas”
• A dastardly grave robber—he literally took over a dead man’s tomb!
• The site of a sticky situation: the Great Molasses Flood of 1919

And just think of all the great places you can wine and dine at the end of the hunt!

What clients are saying about the North End scavenger hunt

5-star review on Google: “This is a great way to get folks out of the office and into a whole new atmosphere. Doing scavenger hunts, in museums or in various sections of the city, is a great teambuilding exercise that is also fun and educational!”

“We had the best time on the scavenger hunt. Even for those of us that live in and around the North End the hunt was very challenging and we all learned some new things about the neighborhood. Well done whoever came up with the clues and answers. Meghan [the hunt host] was wonderful and represented Watson Adventures in an energetic, professional and friendly manner. We will definitely keep Watson Adventures in mind for a future outing.” —an executive staffing agency

“We had an amazing time! Lots of great feedback from the group!” —an aerospace company

“We had a great time. The teams definitely bonded during the activity and at the celebration afterwards.” —a software company

Contact us to learn more about the Secrets of the North End Scavenger Hunt—and find more fun in Boston!

Rediscover America’s first park

…on a scavenger hunt that reveals the secrets and best sights on the Boston Common. Plus you’ll also sample the splendors of the adjacent Public Garden. On teams, you’ll follow clues to find answers to fun questions about what you’ll find. Along the way, you’ll also look for opportunities to complete Team Photo Challenges. And of course you’ll enjoy the open spaces, historic monuments, beautiful gardens and trees, and other delights of Boston’s best public space.

Highlights include…

• Stops in the park on the Freedom Trail, including a monument to the Boston Massacre
• The stunning Civil War monument featured in the movie Glory
• A map that points to a deadly tree, and a World War I memento you might want to tiptoe around
• The famous Swan Boats in the Public Garden
• Boston’s most famous ducklings and eels at the Frog Pond
• The eerie 1756 Central Burying Ground and the “subway surprise”

For any team-building outing this hunt is like a day outside of town, while remaining close to downtown. A version for Kids, perfect for school field trips, is also available. Contact us to learn more and get in the game.

What clients are saying about the Boston Common scavenger hunt

A 5-star review on Google: “Such a great time! We did the Uncommon Boston Common hunt. Even with a little rain, we had a blast. Can’t wait to sign up for another one!”

“The event was great, and Jeff [the hunt host] did a great job!” —a law firm

“It was a great outing overall and the group really enjoyed the scavenger hunt! Andy [the hunt host] did a great job coordinating.” —an investment firm

Contact us to learn more about the Uncommon Boston Common Scavenger Hunt—and find more fun in Boston!

Fun games with humorous twists!

If you’re looking for a good, old-fashioned scavenger hunt, we have one—with very unusual challenges that will exercise your brain and tickle your funny bone. Your tasks may involve strange uses for food, new lyrics for old songs, people in any kind of uniform, strangers wearing valuable words, secrets about local landmarks, and more. If you’ve been on scavenger hunts where you’ve had to collect boring things like clothespins and obscure CDs, you’re in for a surprise and a treat.

Teams fan out to tackle such challenges as…

Take unusual team photos

Get creative and keep your eyes open as you explore your area and try to meet the requirements of diverse “photo op” challenges. Everyone has to get into the picture (except the person holding the camera, of course). We’ve designed them to allow room for creativity while also delivering dramatic visuals (not just shots of people standing around, smiling and pointing). You might be asked to demonstrate a group member’s superhuman powers. Or treat a staircase as if it’s a carnival ride. Or photobomb another team.

Participants use their smartphone cameras and our browser-based app. You’ll get to see the other players’ pictures and download them afterward.

Find or create unusual items

As in a classic scavenger hunt, you’ll have to locate or create unusual items. But in our version, you might encounter these tricky tests: Can you create and name an amazing new food by combining two unlikely foods? How about an appropriate trophy for the hunt winners? Three items that rhyme? Something improved by being broken? You’ll be surprised by the results that come from great teamwork.

Crack a code to decipher a mystery message

Your hunt materials will include a bizarrely coded message. What the heck does it say? To crack the code, you’ll need to solve crafty, fun puzzles, involving a trivia questions, pop music, and a “pigpen cipher.” Can you piece together the key that unlocks the mystery message?

Locate the Hunt Host for a surprise bonus challenge

At a designated spot in the hunt area, the Host will be waiting for you, ready to spring a tricky, humorous visual puzzle for you to ponder. It could involve unusual celebrity pairings…or musical snippets…or international maps…or strangely altered art.

Go on a scavenger hunt anywhere, with versions and themes to suit your group

Go Deluxe: Let us tailor the hunt to your needs. Tell us what you want to highlight and we’ll weave it into the game. Perhaps someone you want to celebrate? A theme or slogan for a new campaign? Hidden talents in your group? Talk to us! We like a challenge.

Care to take a bite out of crime? Check out the Murder Mystery Mayhem Scavenger Hunt.

The hunts are available in International Editions, for hunters whose first language is not English. They are also available in Spanish, as well as in other select languages.

A Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunt for Kids challenges youngsters and adults to work together to tackle challenges appropriate for ages 7 and up. It’s the perfect activity for birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, family reunions, school field trips, summer-camp outings—you name it.

For a snack-tastic adventure, the Grab ’n’ Go Food Edition features food-themed Collect & Create and Photo Challenges.

And young Harry Potter fans will be cheating if they use their wands and other magical powers on the Wizards & Witches Scavenger Hunt, for ages 7 and up.

What happy clients are saying

“The Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunt was so much fun! All of the teams were engaged and working together. We couldn’t have asked for a better team-building and celebration event.” –Brittney Gallardo, Office Manager/Executive Assistant, Texture by Next Issue Media

A 5-star review on Google: “We hired Watson Adventures to host the Grab ‘n’ Go scavenger hunt for a teambuilding event in our local downtown area. We chose to pay for an on-site host and it was well worth it. Kim, the host, was fantastic, well organized, very helpful with the game app, and added even more fun to the game with opportunities to earn extra points. Our team had a blast!! We thoroughly enjoyed getting out from in front of our computers to spend time together in this fun and creative environment!”

A 5-star review on Yelp: “I planned a surprise custom scavenger hunt for my fiancé’s birthday last year and it was so much fun! Tara was a pleasure to work with and incredibly accommodating with all of my requests. The event host was equally wonderful. We all had a blast. I wish I had more reasons to plan scavenger hunts!”

Contact us to learn more about the Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunts—and find more fun wherever you are!

Happy Halloween!

Whether you want festive fun or a chance to show off your costume before you go party, a spooky Halloween scavenger hunt is a mummy-rable—sorry, memorable—adventure for all. You might have to discover weird new uses for food, dig up a skeleton, ward off a vampire, use your bodies to spell “BOO!,” do your best zombie impression, and more.

Teams fan out to tackle such challenges as…

Take unusual team photos

Get your creative juices flowing and your haunted side showing as you come up with clever ways to complete fun “photo op” challenges. Everyone has to get into the picture (except the ghoul holding the camera, of corpse).

They’re designed to give you room to have fun while also delivering dramatic visuals (not just shots of people standing around like a bunch of stiffs). You might have to do the Monster Mash in a crowded place. Or rise from the dead in a funny way. Or pretend to go trick-or-treating.

Participants use their own smartphone cameras and send the images to our photo-sharing site. You’ll get to see the other players’ pictures and download them afterward.

Find or create unusual items

You’ll also have to procure or concoct unusual items, often with a tricky twist. Can you find or draw a creature that represents your team spirit? How about a food menu featuring blood and bone? A haunting Halloween mask? Something inflatable with a terrifying message written on it? You’ll be shocked—and occasionally horrified—by the results that come from devilishly good teamwork.

Crack a code to decipher a mystery message

Your hunt materials will include a bizarrely coded message. What the H-E Double Hockey Sticks does it say? To crack the creepy code, you’ll need to solve crafty, fun puzzles, possibly involving a few twisted trivia questions, an intriguing message from beyond the grave, a musical phone call, and other surprises. Can you piece together the key that unlocks the mystery message?

Locate the Hunt Host for a bone-tingling bonus challenge

At a dead-signated spot in the hunt area, the Host will be waiting to treat you to a tricky, icky visual puzzle. It’s a monstrous good time, and you’ll want to do your best if you hope to stay alive…to win the game, that is!

’Tis the season for a team-building game

Gather your friends and colleagues for a holly, jolly holiday scavenger hunt in your favorite neighborhood. Your challenge: take creative team photos and collect items that relate to the holiday season. If you’re looking for a different way to kick off your year-end celebrations, you don’t have to ask Santa: just go on this holiday scavenger hunt!

Players use our browser-based app on their phones to check off challenges, take photos, and at the end, share them with other teams. The emphasis is on teamwork and appreciation. By the finish line, even a Scrooge will be acting like it’s Christmas morning.

Your team will tackle holiday-themed challenges…

Take unusual team photos

Get creative and keep your eyes open as you explore your area and try to meet the requirements of diverse “photo op” challenges. Everyone has to get into the picture (except the person holding the camera, of course). You might need to pose while blending in with a holiday window display. Or act as if you are caroling. Or spell a season’s greeting with your bodies. Or re-create a sleigh ride, dashing through the snow.

Find or create unusual items

As in a classic scavenger hunt, you’ll have to locate or create unusual items. But in our version, you might encounter these tricky tests: Can you create and name an amazing new holiday treat by combining two unlikely foods? How about something that could create a “snow storm” for one of your photo challenges? Something you’d put in a colleagues stocking? A holiday gift that is improved by being broken? You’ll be surprised by the results that come from great teamwork.

Crack a code to decipher a mystery message

Your hunt materials will include a strangely coded holiday message. What the heck does it say? To crack the code, you’ll need to solve crafty, fun puzzles, involving a trivia questions and festive holiday season music. Can you piece together the key that unlocks the mystery message?

Locate the Hunt Host for a surprise bonus challenge

At a designated spot in the hunt area, the Host will be waiting for you, ready to spring a tricky, humorous holiday-themed puzzle for you to ponder. It might involve celebrities who have played Santa or the Grinch or Scrooge…

This game can be played in almost any outdoor location. A Kids Edition is also available. Contact us to learn more about this holiday scavenger hunt—and find more fun!

And show what makes your state so great…

…on special versions of the Grab ’n’ Go Scavenger Hunts featuring activities that give you a chance to flaunt your hometown pride. The fun tasks involve collecting unusual objects, taking creative Team Photos, and meeting the Hunt Host for a surprise challenge.

If you’re from New York City, you might need to locate an actual big apple, or know the best subway route to get from Yankee Stadium to Citifield.

If you’re from Texas, the Lone Star Showdown might challenge you to come up with one of the six flags that have flown over the state, or get a photo with a Longhorn signing “Hook ’em Horns” or with an Aggie signing “Gig ’em.”

Celebrate Milwaukee and the great state of Wisconsin on games that send you in search of such local delights as frozen custard, cheese curds, brats, and booyah stew. Or dramatize the phrase “Fear the deer!”

If you have a case of Minnesota Mania, we might prescribe that you collect some cough drops or lozenges, in honor of Minnesota homeboy Bob Dylan.

In Wilmington, Delaware, you can help a stranger in honor of Joan of Arcadia (the TV series in which Wilmington poses as the fictional Arcadia), or collect a used Amtrak ticket in a salute to hometown hero and rail enthusiast Joe Biden.

In Atlanta, brace yourself for a photo in which you seem to be “gone with the wind” (you know why), or strike a pose with one of the more than a thousand works of street art. Or find a takeout menu with the word peach on it. Peachy!

Or are you visiting the Magnificent Mile in Chicago? Get in the spirit of the Windy City by taking a Team Photo as if you’re being blown away by a gust, or get historical by remembering the Great Fire and finding something toasted (not yourself, please).

In Washington, DC, you can “filibuster” another team for points, or get caught by a “spy camera” with just your heads showing. Or present a stranger with DC’s official flower, an American Beauty red rose.

What people are saying about the Celebrate Your City Scavenger Hunts

A 5-star review on Google: “Our team of 100 had a wonderfully fun time and the coordination with Watson Adventures was super smooth and easy. Laura L. was a wonderful event consultant…she was exceptionally knowledgeable and answered every question I had when planning our team’s Grab n Go option from our hotel conference in San Francisco, which for any event planner is a gold standard. The event hosts Alexis & Eric too were communicative and instructed our teams with great succession and they bought the energy and fun to our team which was fantastic. Overall this [company] was highly recommend to me by colleagues and now I know why, if you need a fun team building event you will not be disappointed by Watson Adventures!”

“Everyone, even the cynics who weren’t planning on having fun, really enjoyed themselves. We were having so much fun that a complete stranger tried to join our group photo at the finish line!” —a director of sales

Let us know what city or state you love, and we’ll provide a madcap team-building scavenger hunt for your group!