Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
The Island Game: Highlights of Roosevelt Island
4.45Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 72 min 4 km New York City App-guided
Play in
English
The experience
About this quest
Get ready to play a game that takes you through New York’s secret-filled island and discover why Roosevelt Island is considered architecturally, historically, and culturally significant by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
You’ll learn about the island’s Dutch past and how it later went from a Welfare Island to a Lunatic Asylum to what it is today, a thriving community, as you find out how the past speaks to the present and future.
Are you ready to play an exciting island exploration game?
Is this for you?
Who it's for
Visitors arriving on the tramway and locals curious about the island's past get a 4 km walk from the Tramway station to the Lighthouse, past the Smallpox Memorial Hospital, Blackwell House and the Octagon Tower, following its story from Dutch beginnings to Welfare Island, the asylum years and today. Plan on just over two hours. If you want a live guide or a ghost tour, choose something else.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
● Find out what happened to the old Asylum
● Discover the ruins of the Smallpox Hospital
● Learn the story behind the fifty-foot-high Lighthouse.
● Explore the sixth oldest farmhouse in New York City.
● Uncover the first laboratory dedicated to pathological and bacteriological research.
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.45 / 5
20 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.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull 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.
Your walk, at a glance
New York City
A · Start
West Rd/Road 5 Tram, New York, NY 10044, USA
B · Finish
Blackwell Island Light, 900 Main St, New York, NY 10044, USA
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
The people behind the adventure
Created by Jason Stein.
A route that brings places and playful storytelling together.
Made by Jason Stein
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Roosevelt Island ghost tour?
Not as such. It is a self-guided history game rather than a ghost walk. The route does pass sites tied to the island's darker past, including the Smallpox Memorial Hospital, the Strecker Memorial Laboratory and the Octagon Tower. The story also covers the island's time as Welfare Island and the Lunatic Asylum.
Where does the walk start and finish?
It starts at the Roosevelt Island Tramway Island Station and finishes at the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse, so it is not a loop. Along the way you visit Cherry Tree Walk, the FDR Hope Memorial, the base of the Queensboro Bridge, Blackwell House and the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, among 13 stops.
How long does it take and can we pause?
Most players take just over two hours to cover the 4 km route, including walking and solving the puzzles at each stop. You can pause at any point and continue later, so there is time for a break along the way.
Can we play as a group, and do we need to book a time?
Yes. One ticket covers the whole group playing together on a phone. There is no time slot to book, no group to join and no guide to wait for. You start whenever you are ready at the Tramway Island Station.
Is The Island Game: Highlights of Roosevelt Island self-guided?
Yes. The Questo app guides you between locations without a tour guide or fixed departure. Start when it suits you and pause if needed.
Where does The Island Game: Highlights of Roosevelt Island start and finish?
It starts at Roosevelt Island Tramway Island Station, West Rd/Road 5 Tram, New York, NY 10044, USA and finishes at Roosevelt Island Lighthouse, Blackwell Island Light, 900 Main St, New York, NY 10044, USA. The route is approximately 4 km and includes 13 location-based puzzles.
How many accesses does our group need?
This classic quest sells access per device and player. Each person who wants to solve clues on their own phone needs their own access.
What language is The Island Game: Highlights of Roosevelt Island available in?
It is currently available to play in English.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
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A day out, gifted.
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EXPLORE NEW YORK CITY ON FOOT
A flexible self-guided way to discover New York City
The Island Game: Highlights of Roosevelt Island is for travelers who want a private, self-guided city experience rather than joining a scheduled walking-tour group. You follow a route, solve clues and discover places at your own pace.
The route starts at Roosevelt Island Tramway Island Station and finishes at Roosevelt Island Lighthouse over 4 km, with 13 challenge locations. Typical duration: 72 min; 4 km walking route; 13 challenge locations
Choose this for flexibility, privacy and active discovery. Choose a guided walking tour when live commentary and asking a guide questions matter more. Playable languages: English.
