Bellevue Avenue — Vanderbilt Secret
Uncover the Vanderbilt family's hidden conspiracy in Newport's Gilded Age mansions. Decipher clues across opulent estates to expose a scandalous secret buried for over a century.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the glittering summer of 1892, Alva Vanderbilt unveiled Marble House on Bellevue Avenue, a $11 million palace that masked a darker truth
Bellevue Avenue — Vanderbilt Secret
You are the trusted private investigator, summoned to Newport in 1892 by a dying Vanderbilt descendant.
In the glittering summer of that year, Alva Vanderbilt unveiled Marble House on Bellevue Avenue
The Vanderbilt Mystery: A Forgotten Legacy in Newport
« « My fortune is a responsibility. » »— Cornelius Vanderbilt II
The Gilded Age of Newport Magnates
In the late 19th century, Newport, Rhode Island, became the summer playground for America's elite. Families like the Vanderbilts, Astors, and Belmonts built extravagant 'cottages' there, more akin to European palaces, to display their immense wealth and social status. This period, dubbed the 'Gilded Age' by Mark Twain, was characterized by rapid economic growth, but also by enormous social disparities and a relentless pursuit of outward signs of wealth.
Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt, wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, was one of the central figures of this society. After her husband's premature death in 1899, she inherited a colossal fortune and iconic properties like The Breakers. Known for her keen business sense and dedication to philanthropy, she also had to navigate a world where public image and the preservation of family legacy were paramount, sometimes leaving cryptic messages about her intentions.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Gilded Age Splendor
Explore the opulence of Newport's mansions, witnesses to immense wealth and architectural ingenuity.
Clandestine Legacy
Reconstruct a secret document that could redefine the history of one of America's most powerful families.
Social Investigation
Delve into the intrigues and codes of an elite and secret society where every detail matters.
True power hides behind the brightest façades.
Can you decipher the whispers of history?
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Decipher Alice Vanderbilt's hidden will and uncover the secrets of an empire at its peak.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in Newport, Rhode Island
See all games in Newport, Rhode Island→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
Newport Mansions — Gilded Age Secrets
Uncover the hidden scandals and rivalries that tore apart Newport's Gilded Age elite. Decode clues from lavish mansions to expose a conspiracy of blackmail and betrayal among the Vanderbilts and Astors.
Bellevue Avenue — Unmasking the Gilded Conspiracy
Decode the hidden scandals and social conspiracies that shattered Newport's elite during the Gilded Age. Uncover the truth behind the mansions' closed doors.
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