Being stuck in a room with friends and family during the holidays might sound like a situation you want to escape at times. Good news: That’s exactly why Fox-n-Otter Adventure Escapes in Asheville exists.

This is a local company that specializes in escape rooms. Don’t worry, you’re not actually locked in, you’re not trapped. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, you basically enter a cool, themed room with your friends or family, and you have an hour to solve puzzles, clues, and riddles to eventually escape. It’s a blast!

During each experience, you’re presented with a scenario and a problem to solve. You work together to sort through these complex challenges. One leads to another with the goal being to solve the mystery. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you always have a good time.

A good time is what it’s all about at Fox-n-Otter. They have three locations in Western North Carolina; Hendersonville, Arden; and at the Asheville Mall. Look up each one, find your adventure, and gather your friends and family to tackle the challenge.

You can compete with groups as small as two and as large as 10. Connect clues, solve riddles, use cyphers, discover patterns, and get creative to complete your group challenge. You literally put yourself inside the game. You jump right into the plot and you’re in the action. These inventive rooms are almost like movie sets, complete with dynamic lighting and sound.

You can even get an escape room passport that’s good at other similar businesses in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia (and across the country and around the world). You can get discounts and prizes and track your triumphs.

So, recover the gold stolen from the Federal Reserve, stop the saboteur at the circus, prove yourself worthy in the fantastical forest cabin, or solve the mystery to save the world from inside your new friend’s game room.

This is a great indoor activity for the colder months of the year, and it’s a fun way to bond with your friends and family. You can find and book these attractions online here. Your weekend is waiting on the Ingles Open Road.

To learn more about Ingles Markets, visit their website at ingles-markets.com.