5 Great Examples of Best Practice Treasure Hunts. Black Cat Treasure Hunts` Answer to Treasure Hunt Top Trumps
Posted on: 02/10/2024By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)
When I am asked to give details of my different treasure hunts, I start off by giving the basic information. I will rattle through the timings, the format/content that would be included in a specific type of treasure hunt, such as a team building or hen party one, and then conclude with the costings and the possible next step. Feeling content at this stage that I have given a thorough and speedy reply I make a note of who contacted me, and on what date.
When I am asked to give details of my different treasure hunts, I start off by giving the basic information. I will rattle through the timings, the format/content that would be included in a specific type of treasure hunt, such as a team building or hen party one, and then conclude with the costings and the possible next step. Feeling content at this stage that I have given a thorough and speedy reply I make a note of who contacted me, and on what date.
Today though I started wondering whether it might not be better to include some kind of mention of the best examples (`best practice` if you want me to sound professional!) of each genre of treasure hunt in my reply. A kind of `Top Trumps` of the treasure hunt world! I`m hoping you are aware of or have played Top Trumps before! First released in 1978 (sorry to recall I actually played the game in that year) but still around today. I have concluded that it was a good idea...well ..for a blog anyway!
Set out below are five styles of treasure hunt described via real treasure hunts that went down spectacularly well over the last year or two. I have given some Top Trumps ratings here and there as well to help you understand, and to inspire, your choices.
Team Building Treasure Hunts: The competition for which one to include on behalf of team building treasure hunts has been mighty fierce. I have settled in the end for one I wrote last year from Camden to Stratford in London. Team building treasure hunts often start from a company`s office and focus a lot on original and amusing challenges allied to quirky questions. Sometimes there are a lot of locals taking part so there is less focus on the `headline` attractions in the area (although they can be featured) and more on the actual aim of submitting great responses to the challenges and finding the answers to the "I never knew that" type questions.
If I said this treasure hunt had challenges featuring Pac-Man, album covers, Lara Croft/Amy Winehouse and Hansel and Gretel with food tasting and a Mexican Wave on a train added in for good measure then you start to get an idea as to the organised chaos going on. There was also a Rocky film impersonation as the team clambered up steps and celebrated (see Rocky1!) at the side of Stratford train station.
Top Trump ratings: Hilarious challenges: 95/100 Original routes: 80/100 Suitability for your grandparents looking to have a pleasant stroll: 8/100. Team building potential: 99/100..The 50 participants in the treasure hunt described above filmed a Mexican Wave on a flat roof and sent it to me via WhatsApp whilst they were also having a drink.
Birthday Treasure Hunts (Celebration Treasure Hunts):
Obviously, the title indicates the treasure hunts are geared up for family and friends. The information used in the challenges would mean much less for a team building treasure hunt but will definitely keep the group amused on the way round.
The treasure hunt chosen was a family completing a treasure hunt as one group around Lewes at their own pace. It was to celebrate their husband`s/father`s/grandfather`s etc 75th birthday. The family had supplied me with a beautiful selection of photos/info across the ages which made it easy to include at appropriate places. Lewes was where they lived and provided a great backdrop for this treasure hunt. I included a fun points guide at the end that they could `aspire` to as well.
Top Trump ratings: Totally personalised treasure hunt: 93/100 Complete at your own pace/stop and start as you wish: 82/100 Competitive Element: This particular one...10/100, but when in teams: 90/100.
On-line, Downloadable Treasure Hunts (From Black Cat Treasure Hunts website):
There are a selection of treasure hunts listed under Sussex treasure hunts on Black Cat Treasure Hunts` website. These cover villages/towns and cities across East and West Sussex. Some of the places, Brighton for example, has several treasure hunts to show you around specific parts of the city. These ones score highly for ensuring you pass a lot of noteworthy attractions and interesting streets. The style of the treasure hunt is to use a high number of multiple-choice questions which allow you to input your answers via smartphone as you go or on your laptop back at home.
I shouldn`t really tell you my favourite example of these, but if you promise to keep it a secret I will...it`s Chichester! I took ages to work out that there is one great route that works its way around the Eastern side of the city. It brings you to sculptures outside famous theatres, a beautiful park, draws attention to a number of historical, Roman features and of course the stunning cathedral. Slide in some quirky things at and near an art gallery and you have the perfect treasure hunt for a first-time visitor/tourist. At £5 it`s half the price of alternative ones you might find.
Top Trump ratings: Discovering the best places to see for the first time: 88/100 Straightforward routes/questions: 75/100 Sussex expert in a few months: 60/100. Personalised challenges: 0/100..you can choose from one of the personalised treasure hunt options for those!
Hen Party Treasure Hunts:
I feel these combine some of the best features of the three styles of treasure hunt listed so far. The best examples, of which I am using a couple from this Summer to work from, have the personalised challenges for which the team building treasure hunts are famous. In addition, they will mean a lot to the people taking part as everyone is encouraged to contribute photos, memories, and anecdotes in advance about the bride to be. Finally, I do make sure that the route (wherever it starts/finishes) passes as many `must see attractions` as possible whilst also taking in a few less well travelled routes that a tour guide neglects to their cost.
A Brighton hen party treasure hunt is an absolute classic idea to bond your group together either as one group or more often in teams. It is an opportunity to get to know what is quite possibly a new place for the majority of the participants. It is a brilliantly flexible choice to combine with indoor activities such as life painting, cocktail making, pottery or karaoke. I am often told the treasure hunt was one of the big highlights of the weekend!
Top Trumps Rating: Fast way to find your way around a new place: 91/100 Laugh out loud fun with people you haven`t met for a long time or maybe never before: 87/100 Personalised to the bride and everyone chips in: 96/100. Outrageously rude, old fashioned (not that funny) challenges: 1/100...yeah..my aim is not to embarrass you or anyone else for that matter but to ensure you have fun and a great time exploring.
Language School Treasure Hunts.
Great introduction to a new, foreign town or city in Sussex. Opportunity to speak some English with locals amidst some gentle, but fun challenges. There is an opportunity to read Black Cat`s treasure hunt English with a helpful sheet of `difficult words` that can be practiced in advance.
I met up with a large group of French students in Hastings this year and introduced myself, the town and the details of the treasure hunt in near perfect French! (thanks Google!) I`m not totally sure any other company has anyone else who does all of these roles. There are a few less questions, but the aim is to cover all the interesting attractions and keep everything simple. Occasionally I slip in a few of Black Cat`s trademark dry humour questions that may lose a bit in translation though!
The Hastings treasure hunt was completed in large teams, but the aim was more to finish the treasure hunt rather than to concentrate on the tactics associated with competing to win.
Top Trumps Rating: Discover and explore a foreign town in a fun way: 85/100 Learn new English words: 50/100 Realisation that Black Cat is not that good at foreign languages: 5/100(!)... ok..probably a lot higher score than that!!
Hang on Black Cat...what about your Brighton Heist Escape Challenge, the Cluedo treasure hunt and the Murder/Mystery treasure hunt? Surely, they need Top Trump ratings?! You have a good point but although they could be loosely combined under a theme of `lawbreaking(!)` they have many differences between them. As such I am going to have a blog about them alone very soon.
Which Top Trump game did you first play or was it your children`s game? Do you agree with the ratings above. Let me know or, even better, make an enquiry for a treasure hunt booking either for the last part of this year or for 2025. Contact me (Black Cat...if you prefer a hint of mystery in your communications..or..Tim..if you want to get straight down to the important business of booking your treasure hunt. Email: info@blackcattreasurehunts.co.uk or Business line (01323) 655346.
Birthday Treasure Hunts (Celebration Treasure Hunts):
Obviously, the title indicates the treasure hunts are geared up for family and friends. The information used in the challenges would mean much less for a team building treasure hunt but will definitely keep the group amused on the way round.
The treasure hunt chosen was a family completing a treasure hunt as one group around Lewes at their own pace. It was to celebrate their husband`s/father`s/grandfather`s etc 75th birthday. The family had supplied me with a beautiful selection of photos/info across the ages which made it easy to include at appropriate places. Lewes was where they lived and provided a great backdrop for this treasure hunt. I included a fun points guide at the end that they could `aspire` to as well.
Top Trump ratings: Totally personalised treasure hunt: 93/100 Complete at your own pace/stop and start as you wish: 82/100 Competitive Element: This particular one...10/100, but when in teams: 90/100.
On-line, Downloadable Treasure Hunts (From Black Cat Treasure Hunts website):
There are a selection of treasure hunts listed under Sussex treasure hunts on Black Cat Treasure Hunts` website. These cover villages/towns and cities across East and West Sussex. Some of the places, Brighton for example, has several treasure hunts to show you around specific parts of the city. These ones score highly for ensuring you pass a lot of noteworthy attractions and interesting streets. The style of the treasure hunt is to use a high number of multiple-choice questions which allow you to input your answers via smartphone as you go or on your laptop back at home.
I shouldn`t really tell you my favourite example of these, but if you promise to keep it a secret I will...it`s Chichester! I took ages to work out that there is one great route that works its way around the Eastern side of the city. It brings you to sculptures outside famous theatres, a beautiful park, draws attention to a number of historical, Roman features and of course the stunning cathedral. Slide in some quirky things at and near an art gallery and you have the perfect treasure hunt for a first-time visitor/tourist. At £5 it`s half the price of alternative ones you might find.
Top Trump ratings: Discovering the best places to see for the first time: 88/100 Straightforward routes/questions: 75/100 Sussex expert in a few months: 60/100. Personalised challenges: 0/100..you can choose from one of the personalised treasure hunt options for those!
Hen Party Treasure Hunts:
I feel these combine some of the best features of the three styles of treasure hunt listed so far. The best examples, of which I am using a couple from this Summer to work from, have the personalised challenges for which the team building treasure hunts are famous. In addition, they will mean a lot to the people taking part as everyone is encouraged to contribute photos, memories, and anecdotes in advance about the bride to be. Finally, I do make sure that the route (wherever it starts/finishes) passes as many `must see attractions` as possible whilst also taking in a few less well travelled routes that a tour guide neglects to their cost.
A Brighton hen party treasure hunt is an absolute classic idea to bond your group together either as one group or more often in teams. It is an opportunity to get to know what is quite possibly a new place for the majority of the participants. It is a brilliantly flexible choice to combine with indoor activities such as life painting, cocktail making, pottery or karaoke. I am often told the treasure hunt was one of the big highlights of the weekend!
Top Trumps Rating: Fast way to find your way around a new place: 91/100 Laugh out loud fun with people you haven`t met for a long time or maybe never before: 87/100 Personalised to the bride and everyone chips in: 96/100. Outrageously rude, old fashioned (not that funny) challenges: 1/100...yeah..my aim is not to embarrass you or anyone else for that matter but to ensure you have fun and a great time exploring.
Language School Treasure Hunts.
Great introduction to a new, foreign town or city in Sussex. Opportunity to speak some English with locals amidst some gentle, but fun challenges. There is an opportunity to read Black Cat`s treasure hunt English with a helpful sheet of `difficult words` that can be practiced in advance.
I met up with a large group of French students in Hastings this year and introduced myself, the town and the details of the treasure hunt in near perfect French! (thanks Google!) I`m not totally sure any other company has anyone else who does all of these roles. There are a few less questions, but the aim is to cover all the interesting attractions and keep everything simple. Occasionally I slip in a few of Black Cat`s trademark dry humour questions that may lose a bit in translation though!
The Hastings treasure hunt was completed in large teams, but the aim was more to finish the treasure hunt rather than to concentrate on the tactics associated with competing to win.
Top Trumps Rating: Discover and explore a foreign town in a fun way: 85/100 Learn new English words: 50/100 Realisation that Black Cat is not that good at foreign languages: 5/100(!)... ok..probably a lot higher score than that!!
Hang on Black Cat...what about your Brighton Heist Escape Challenge, the Cluedo treasure hunt and the Murder/Mystery treasure hunt? Surely, they need Top Trump ratings?! You have a good point but although they could be loosely combined under a theme of `lawbreaking(!)` they have many differences between them. As such I am going to have a blog about them alone very soon.
Which Top Trump game did you first play or was it your children`s game? Do you agree with the ratings above. Let me know or, even better, make an enquiry for a treasure hunt booking either for the last part of this year or for 2025. Contact me (Black Cat...if you prefer a hint of mystery in your communications..or..Tim..if you want to get straight down to the important business of booking your treasure hunt. Email: info@blackcattreasurehunts.co.uk or Business line (01323) 655346.
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