Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
OUTDOOR MURDER MYSTERY
Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Santa Barbara
4.33Player rating
THE CITY IS YOUR CRIME SCENE
Play at your pace · usually 90 min 2.1 km Santa Barbara App-guided
Play in
English
CASE #01 / YOUR MISSION
Your city. Your suspects.
Your case to crack.
- Real streets
- Fictional crime
- App-guided play
CONFIDENTIAL / CASE BRIEFING
The story starts here.
You know the old saying, “The boyfriend did it”? On an ill-fated night, love goes terribly wrong for Bella Wanderlust and Walter Bridges.
Bella, a famous travel blogger, was found dead during a ghost tour led by the theatrical Percy Shadows. Now, it’s up to you to uncover the truth.
Was it Walter, the obsessed boyfriend? Percy, the ghost tour guide with a flair for the dramatic? Or is someone else hiding in the shadows?
🔎 Gather clues, interrogate suspects, and expose the real murderer before they strike again. Make sure to have your pen and paper ready to jot down all the crucial evidence.
Is this for you?
Who it's for
From the start at LBC in Santa Barbara, a 2.1 km walk of around 90 minutes has you questioning Walter Bridges and ghost-tour guide Percy Shadows over the death of travel blogger Bella Wanderlust. Couples, friends and families with teens play detective outdoors, at a time they choose. If you want an indoor escape room or have young children who would find a killing too dark, pick something else.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
A travel blogger is dead and the trail through Santa Barbara is still warm enough to follow.
Read the scene, then read the people, decipher hidden messages and piece the evidence together until the alibis stop agreeing.
Twelve stops across 2.1 km from State St #, past Lobero Theatre and Paseo Nuevo, on historic streets and in the corners most visitors walk straight past.
A date night that is also a killer group activity, played with your partner, a few friends, or alone if you trust yourself.
Just your phone, starting whenever you like, with nothing to collect and nobody waiting on you.
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.33 / 5
6 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
MULTIPLAYER QUEST
Choose your pass
Choose access for the phones you’ll use.
Get this quest✓ Full refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
The real-world playing space
Santa Barbara
A · Start
1114 State St # 6, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
B · Finish
1112 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Setting
- This quest
- An outdoor route through the city
- Escape room
- An indoor setting designed for the game
2 / 4
Playing together
- This quest
- Use your own phones to team up or compete
- Escape room
- Solve challenges together in the room
3 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Check this quest’s playing modes and access hours
- Escape room
- Usually a booked session with a time limit
4 / 4
Price
- This quest
- Choose device access above to see your total
- Escape room
- Prices and group sizes vary by venue
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Murder Mystery
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
Is there a murder mystery game we can play in Santa Barbara?
Yes. This is a self-guided murder mystery played outdoors on your phone. You walk about 2.1 km in around 90 minutes, gather clues and interrogate suspects to find out what really happened to travel blogger Bella Wanderlust. You can start whenever it suits you.
How is this different from an escape room in Santa Barbara?
Instead of being shut in a room against a clock, you walk through the city while the app leads you from place to place. Puzzles are set in what is in front of you, there is no time slot to book, and you can pause and carry on later.
Is this like a murder mystery dinner?
There are no actors and no meal. You and your group do the investigating yourselves, deciding whether the obsessed boyfriend Walter, the theatrical ghost tour guide Percy Shadows or someone else is behind Bella's death. It suits people who prefer to solve the case on foot.
Where does it start and how long does it take?
The game begins at Point 1 - LBC, and the app guides you from there. Plan on about 90 minutes to cover roughly 2.1 km, though you can take a break at any point and continue later from where you stopped.
Can our group play together, and do we need to book a time?
One ticket covers your whole group, with each player following along on their own phone, up to the number of devices stated. There is no set start time, so you can begin whenever you are ready. The story centres on a death, so it best suits adults, older kids and teens.
What’s the mystery I’ll be pulled into?
A shocking crime has left a trail of clues across Santa Barbara’s historic core. Your mission: track suspects, reconstruct timelines, and expose the killer hiding among the city’s palm-lined streets and Spanish Revival landmarks.
Where does the hunt actually take place?
The route winds through State Street, past the iconic Courthouse, through Spanish-style arcades, and even quieter alleys near the Funk Zone. Every stop is tied to a clue about the crime.
Could this work as a one-of-a-kind date night?
Yes. Sunset along the waterfront, secret courtyards, and a shared detective challenge create a night that’s far more memorable than a simple dinner reservation.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
Explore Questo giftsKeep exploring Santa Barbara
More adventures in Santa Barbara
OUTDOOR MURDER MYSTERY IN SANTA BARBARA
A citywide case for mystery and escape-room fans
Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Santa Barbara is for players who want to solve a fictional case on real streets in Santa Barbara. It fits date nights, friends and mystery fans who prefer doing the investigation themselves instead of watching a staged dinner show.
The route is self-guided over 2.1 km, with 12 challenge locations. 2.1 km walking route; 12 challenge locations
Choose this for an outdoor case you play at your pace. Choose an escape room or murder-mystery dinner when an indoor set, actors or a meal are the main appeal. Playable languages: English.
