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What is a Tropical Treasure Hunt?

A Tropical Treasure Hunt is an immersive indoor and outdoor experience that allows you to travel across St. Thomas. You and your team of friends, loved ones, or colleagues will work together to solve puzzles and enjoy attractions as you search for buried treasure.

How long is the experience?

The length of the treasure hunt depends on which adventure you choose. Similar to an escape room, there is a maximum amount of time allotted to find the treasure. Unlike an escape room, the fun doesn’t end after one hour of game play. The Golden Age of Piracy and Magic Portal* treasure hunts are a maximum of 3 hours. The Operation Tropical Mindfall secret agent mission has a time limit of 4 hours. The spooky night treasure hunt, the Ghosts of Piracy Past*, is 5 hours. The Pirates, Puzzles, and Rum Hunt* is 4.5 hours. Our newest creation, the Salty Piracy Adventure*, is a full 7 hour experience. Clients will receive assistance if they are running behind as they solve the clues. We provide snacks and water, and some packages will include an appetizer, lunch, or dinner. Please do not order food during the adventure since it will stall the experience.

*Only available in St. Thomas

Where does the hunt begin?

It depends on your adventure! Our St. Thomas treasure hunts start in three main locations:

The entrance for Gate 3 of the WICO cruise ship dock (we meet at the gazebo)

  • Golden Age of Piracy

Our Captain’s Quarters storefront (located next to VI Coffee Roasters and Leatherback Brewery)

  • Magic Portal
  • Operation Tropical Mindfall
  • Pirates, Puzzles, and Rum
  • Salty Piracy Adventure

Bluebeards Castle (only a few minute’s drive from Havensight)

  • Ghosts of Piracy Past

Please feel free to call us at 340-693-4868 or email info@tropicaltreasurehunt.com with any questions about your adventure’s starting point. GPS can be a little tricky on St. Thomas so we are happy to help!

In St. Pete Beach, our Operation Tropical Mindfall starts at the Starbucks in Dolphin Village in St. Pete Beach. For Golden Age of Piracy and Pirates, Puzzles, and Rum you will receive a confirmation email with the starting location.

Custom treasure hunts, including ones for corporate team building events, may be able to start in a place convenient for you and your group.

Is transportation provided?

Yes. All ground transportation is provided based on the size of your group. In St. Thomas, for groups of four or less, we offer a Nissan Rogue or a two door, soft top Jeep Wrangler. Groups over four people will have a private and spacious AC van.

In St. Pete Beach, private transportation is provided.

Clients are welcome to drive their own vehicle. This may be the right option for clients who want to spend more time at the beach after the adventure concludes!

What is included?

Each Tropical Treasure Hunt package includes:

  • 3+ hour immersive treasure hunt and puzzle-solving experience
  • Adventure pack with tools to help solve puzzles
  • Pirate gear to get into the swashbuckling spirit
  • Attraction’s admission to places such as the Pirate Treasure Museum, Bluebeards Tower, EcoTours Kayaking, etc.; or augmented reality/GPS based treasure hunts (depending on the package booked)
  • Transportation
  • Bottled water and snacks
  • Drink tickets for bar crawl hunts

How much does a Tropical Treasure Hunt cost?

Please see our package prices for St. Thomas here and for St. Pete Beach here. Custom treasure hunt prices vary depending on the add-ons you choose, such as water sports, specialized treasure, or entrance to an attraction that is not included on one of our packages.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Clients will receive a 100% full refund or credit for a future date with at least 24 hours notice of cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Contact us by phone to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows will be charged the full price.

We offer our treasure hunts rain or shine, as long as the weather is not dangerous. For adventures that feature kayaking and boating, we work closely with our partners to determine if it is safe to go out in the water. If there is any chance of dangerous seas, we will try to reschedule or provide 100% refund.

Do you offer a local discount?

Yes, we provide a discount to local residents with valid ID. Please email info@tropicaltreasurehunt.com or call 340-693-4868 (St. Thomas) or 727-739-6990 (St. Pete Beach) for local prices.

Will you pick us up at our hotel?

It depends on which hotel. Currently in St. Thomas, we provide free roundtrip transportation to Marriott Frenchman’s Cove, the Ritz Carlton Club and the Ritz Carlton Resort, Bluebeard’s Castle, and Margaritaville. Depending on our schedule, we are happy to provide hotel, Airbnb, etc. pick up and drop off at an additional fee, depending on where you are staying. We can even drop you off at the airport in situations where you want to do a Tropical Treasure Hunt the morning of your flight that is in the late afternoon.

How much walking is involved in the hunt?

There is not too much consistent walking, since there are locations where you will stop which splits up the walks. Throughout the 3-4 hour experience, you can expect to walk no longer than 15 to 20 minutes total. You should not have to walk more than 10 minutes at a time. There is no running needed or allowed during the Tropical Treasure Hunt.

Is the Tropical Treasure Hunt kid-friendly?

Yes, kids of all ages love our treasure hunts! Children that are 4 years and older will get the most fun out of the experience. The clues require reading so you may need to read the clues aloud to your child. A minimum of one adult must be present for groups under 16 years old.

Are there options that are for adults only?

Adult-only groups will have just as much fun or more! We recommend Operation Tropical Mindfall, The Ghosts of Piracy Past* (spooky night hunt with kayaking), Pirates, Puzzles, and Rum Hunt*, or our brand new boat treasure hunt, The Salty Piracy Adventure*, if you are looking to leave the children at home.

*Only available in St. Thomas

How many people can participate?

We offer private group treasure hunts. Most have a minimum of two people, although some have a higher minimum (see St. Thomas hunts, St. Pete Beach hunts). We can handle over 100 employees for team building or group events, and just about any size in between for corporate or private hunts. To learn more about our team building events, please click here.

How active is it or how active do you need to be?

You do not have to be active to thoroughly enjoy the adventure. You will not need to run or lift anything heavy. All you need are your wits and sense of adventure to find the buried treasure. Our new boat treasure hunt, The Salty Piracy Adventure*, will require someone who is an experienced swimmer and can swim at least 100 yards at a leisurely pace (we will provide full snorkel gear and various floatation devices).

*Only available in St. Thomas

Is there real treasure in the treasure chest I find?

No. We have replica treasure in the treasure chest, however you are welcome to purchase real treasure or other jewelry or gifts and have us lock it in the treasure chest for a loved one to find. You can check out the high-quality treasure we offer here.

We will accept treasures sent ahead of time in the mail. However, we are in no way responsible for the Post Office or mailing services in St. Thomas, USVI. Please allow a minimum of 10 days for shipping and delivery.

Do I need to buy a buried treasure?

No. Plenty of our clients decide not to purchase a gift or treasure to put in the treasure chest. The true treasure is the experience itself, and your loved ones will enjoy the experience with or without a souvenir treasure in the treasure chest. If you are interested in reviewing the treasures we offer, please see our treasure page.

What happens when it rains? When do you cancel?

Private treasure hunts are self-paced, and the attractions visited will be indoors or areas with cover. Many times, tropical rain showers are very brief. We do not cancel Tropical Treasure Hunts due to weather unless the conditions become dangerous. If those conditions occur, you can reschedule or receive a 100% refund.

What happens if I get stuck or can’t answer a clue?

You have nothing to worry about if your group gets stuck on a puzzle. That is part of the fun! You will be provided with a walkie talkie that you can use to radio your guide, who will guide you through the clue. They will give you additional hints to support you in solving the puzzle yourself. Our team is always in the area to assist, so your guide can come and meet you if you get really stuck.

Do you have different packages or different routes?

We take great pride in creating custom treasure hunts for our clients’ special occasions. We can insert sentimental locations and activities based on your knowledge of the location. We can even customize the treasure you find at the end of the experience.

Additionally, we continually work to create new, engaging clues and adventures for our past and future clients. These have different routes and activities than other pre-packaged routes.

Is food included?

We do not include full meals for all of our hunts, but we do have light snacks for you to enjoy during the experience. There are multiple establishments, including a beach bar, that serve delicious food after your hunt. The Salty Piracy Adventure* includes lunch and The Ghosts of Piracy Past* includes a late dinner. We highly recommend eating a full meal prior to the hunt. You may run out of time to find the buried treasure chest if you order a meal at one of the locations during the adventure.

*Only available in St. Thomas

What should I wear?

Wear light and comfortable clothes as well as comfortable walking shoes. We also recommend bringing a bag with towel, beach slippers, and bathing suit in case your group wants to enjoy the beach at the end of the experience. For the Ghosts of Piracy Past Hunt,* please ensure you bring either water shoes or sandals since the island that you kayak to has rocks and shells on the ground.

*Only available in St. Thomas

Will I be going to a beach?

Yes, all packages will end at a beach or near the ocean. We want your group to experience one of the most beautiful beaches in the tropics. However, none of the clues require you to go in the ocean or any body of water, with the exception of The Salty Piracy Adventure* which requires plenty of swimming.

*Only available in St. Thomas

Is a Tropical Treasure Hunt like an escape room?

During a Tropical Treasure Hunt, you will solve puzzles and locate clues as a team to progress, just like an escape room. Your group will have the opportunity to go into multiple establishments where you will need to find a clue or solve a puzzle to “escape” to the next portion of the treasure hunt.

Our experience differs from an escape room because you are not confined to one area. The whole island becomes your “escape room,” allowing you to see the best parts of St. Thomas while solving puzzles indoors and outdoors. Also, unlike most escape rooms that last only one hour, a Tropical Treasure Hunt can last up 3 to 4 hours, depending on the package selected. The Ghosts of Piracy Past Hunt* lasts approximately 5 hours and The Salty Piracy Adventure* lasts approximately 7 hours. Clients will receive assistance if they are running behind as they solve the clues.

Our clients have included people who have never heard of an escape room, to people who are escape room veterans. Both types of clients have thoroughly enjoyed their adventure. Please see testimonies on TripAdvisor to learn more about our client’s feedback.

*Only available in St. Thomas