If you’re in Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin and you’re searching for an escape room, you’ve probably noticed something annoying. Most of the venues you find online sit way up in North Jersey, an hour or more away.
You want something close, something you can hit on a weeknight without fighting the Parkway.
Here’s the thing: Toms River sits almost perfectly in the middle of all three towns. It’s ten to twenty minutes from any of them, depending on Route 37 traffic, and it’s home to three escape rooms, including ours. This post walks through the closest options, what each one offers, and why Solve The Room NJ makes the most sense for groups coming from Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin.
Solve The Room NJ Toms River (That’s Us!)
We run three themed rooms right in Toms River, and the drive from Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin takes about fifteen minutes on a good day.
All bookings are private, so you’re never stuck with strangers.
Our rooms range in difficulty. Pharaoh’s Tomb has a 60 percent escape rate and fits two to seven players, which makes it the best choice if anyone in your group is new to escape rooms. Escape the Bar sits at 40 percent, and Jail Break clocks in at 25 percent for groups that want a real challenge.
Players need to be twelve or older for Jail Break, but the other two welcome younger kids with an adult.
Pricing starts at thirty dollars per person, and it drops to twenty-five each when you bring four or more people. Peter, who runs the games, takes photos from multiple angles and genuinely cares that you leave happy.
Check out our Pharaoh’s Tomb page for a closer look at our most beginner-friendly room.
Exit 4 Escape Rooms Toms River
Exit 4 is at 1311 Route 37 in Toms River, in a plaza near a Walgreens, so it’s the other quick option for anyone coming from Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin.
It runs four private rooms: Room 172 (a haunted hotel inspired by The Shining and Twin Peaks), Three Suns Cantina, Cabin of the Jersey Devil and Davy Jones’ Locker. Difficulty runs from easy (Three Suns Cantina) to hard (Davy Jones’ Locker), and games last 60 minutes.
Pricing is per person plus tax. We’re per person, and each when you bring four or more.
East Coast Escape Room
East Coast Escape Room is at 1747 Hooper Avenue in Toms River. Its three games are unique to the venue: Pier Pressure, a boardwalk mini-golf mystery with a ball pit (2 to 10 players, best for groups of three or more), Sweet Tooth Candy Shoppe (2 to 6 players) and Dreamcatcher (2 to 8).
All games are private and run up to an hour. Pricing is per player Sunday through Friday; on Saturdays a two-person game costs . With four or more people, we come in at each.
Escape LBI
Escape LBI opened in Beach Haven back in July 2019 with three rooms: What Happened in Raven Woods?, Cypherspace, and The Lost Jewel of Zanzibar.
What Happened in Raven Woods? is played in the dark, with fog, strobe lights and sudden prop movements.
If your group likes haunted houses, this might be your speed.
The drive from Manahawkin is short, maybe fifteen minutes. From Brick or Lakewood, you’re looking at thirty to forty minutes, depending on whether you take Route 72 or the Parkway. It’s a solid choice for anyone staying on Long Beach Island for the weekend, but it’s not the closest option for most Ocean County residents.
Patch covered the opening if you want more background.
Solve It Sherlock Escape Rooms
Solve It Sherlock is at 708 Route 35 in Asbury Park, about thirty minutes from Toms River and maybe forty from Manahawkin depending on traffic.
It’s a good option if you’re planning a day at the beach and want to add an indoor activity to the mix.
The drive from Lakewood or Brick is manageable, but it’s not as quick as staying in Toms River. If you’re already heading to Asbury for dinner or the boardwalk, it makes sense to book a room here.
Otherwise, you’re adding twenty extra minutes each way for what amounts to a similar experience closer to home.
Amazing Escape Room
Amazing Escape Room’s Freehold location is at 2 Monmouth Avenue in Carlton Plaza, just off Throckmorton. It runs six rooms: Dirty Money, The Great Train Heist, Cabin In The Jungle, File X, The Wizard’s Apprentice and Curse Of The Gold Skull, and all of them are always private.
The drive from Toms River is about thirty minutes, longer from Manahawkin. It’s a solid option if you’re already heading to Freehold, but it doesn’t beat the proximity of staying in Toms River if you’re starting from Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin.
Verdict
If you’re coming from Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin, we’re the most practical choice.
Toms River sits roughly equidistant from all three towns, the drive rarely tops twenty minutes, and our pricing starts at thirty dollars per person (twenty-five each for groups of four or more).
All our bookings are private, so you’re never sharing a room with strangers, and Peter makes sure every group leaves with photos and a good story.
Pharaoh’s Tomb works well for beginners and mixed-age groups, with a 60 percent escape rate that keeps it challenging without being frustrating. If you want something harder, Escape the Bar and Jail Break both deliver.
Ready to book? Head to our booking page and grab a slot before the weekend fills up.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an escape room in Lakewood, NJ?
No, Lakewood doesn’t have an escape room inside city limits.
The closest options sit in Toms River, about ten to fifteen minutes away. We’re one of the nearest venues, and the drive is quick enough that most groups treat it like a local trip.
What is the average cost of an escape room?
Most New Jersey escape rooms charge between thirty and forty dollars per person.
We start at thirty dollars per person and drop to twenty-five each when you bring four or more people, which puts us on the lower end of the range. Private bookings are included at that price, so you’re never splitting the room with strangers.
Are there any escape rooms in Lakewood?
No.
The nearest escape rooms are in Toms River, roughly ten to fifteen minutes from Lakewood depending on traffic. We’re one of the closest options, with three rooms and pricing that starts at thirty dollars per person.
Which escape room in New Jersey is considered the best?
There’s no single best, it depends on your group size, experience level, and where you’re starting from.
For groups coming from Lakewood, Brick, or Manahawkin, we’re a strong choice because of our central Toms River location, private bookings, and beginner-friendly Pharaoh’s Tomb room. Check our FAQ page for more details on what to expect.
