Whether you’re new to the Triangle or you grew up here, adventure and new discoveries await as you go exploring with Triangle Treasure Hunt. See your favorite local areas from a different perspective as you embark on a walking scavenger hunt around town.
Active hunts include downtown areas of Apex, Raleigh, and Fuquay-Varina, and the Raleigh Warehouse District. Downtown Cary treasure hunts are expected to return in August.
Triangle Treasure Hunt creators Ben and Whitney Strunk came up with the idea after participating in a similar adventure on a trip to Florence, Italy.
“We were winding through the streets looking for clues,” said Ben Strunk. “We didn’t speak Italian and I’m pretty sure we came in last place, but we had a great time exploring the city in that way.”
The couple enjoyed the scavenger hunt so much — they even got engaged at the end — that they wanted to start their own when they got back home. In 2018, they launched their first treasure hunt to help others explore areas around town.
“We’ve lived in Raleigh for a while and we love the Triangle, said Ben Strunk. “We love the idea of exploring, getting outside, and finding unique places you may not have noticed before.”
Participants will traverse local areas after getting a briefing with guidelines from a treasure hunt guide — usually Ben or Whitney. Each hunt lasts about an hour to an hour and a half, and expect to get your steps in. Treasure hunters can anticipate walking up to two miles looking for clues, solving puzzles, and cracking codes. Comfortable shoes are recommended, but enthusiastic attitudes are required.
At the end of the hunt, the first team to unlock the treasure chest receives the grand prize, and other teams will earn a fun surprise as well. But the real treasure from these adventures isn’t in a chest at all.
“There’s something cool about exploring somewhere on foot,” said Ben Strunk. “A lot of our clues have artistic value and historical value. You’re getting outdoors, team-building, and seeing these places in a different way.”
Tickets start at $20 for adults, and groups of two to four are recommended. If you’re an avid treasure hunter looking for a new adventure, private group hunts are available as well.
Think you can find the treasure? We won’t spoil the ending, so get your tickets, pick up your map, and go explore!
