Sarasota — Secrets of the Big Top
Decipher the hidden codes of the Ringling Circus elite to uncover the lost treasure of the Big Top, buried amid Sarasota's circus legacy sites. Solve the mystery before it's gone forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the golden age of the American circus, Sarasota was the winter home of the legendary Ringling Brothers
Sarasota — Secrets of the Big Top
You are a dedicated Ringling archivist, arriving in Sarasota today, tasked with preserving the legacy of the Grand Chapiteau.
In the golden age of the American circus, Sarasota was the
1936 — John Ringling takes his ultimate secret to the grave
« The circus is a jealous wench. Indeed that is an understatement. She is a ravening hag who sucks your vitality as a vampire drinks blood. »— John Ringling, 1934
The Ringling Empire in Florida
In 1884, five brothers from Wisconsin — Al, Otto, Alf, Charles and John Ringling — founded a modest traveling circus. In forty years, they built the greatest show business empire in America, buying Barnum & Bailey in 1907 to create "The Greatest Show on Earth". John, the most visionary, fell in love with Sarasota in 1911 and established the circus's winter quarters there.
Transforming this small coastal town into Florida's cultural capital, John Ringling built a Venetian palace, a European art museum and developed pharaonic real estate projects. At his death in 1936, ruined by the Great Depression, he bequeathed to the State of Florida an invaluable artistic heritage but also, according to legend, clues leading to a secret treasure he had assembled during the circus's golden years.
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
5-10 curated sites across the territory
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 · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
The Circus Legacy
Dive into the fascinating world of the greatest circus on earth and discover how five brothers from the Midwest revolutionized American entertainment.
Venetian Palace
Explore the extravagant Ca' d'Zan and sumptuous gardens where John Ringling dreamed of making Sarasota the Venice of America.
Treasure Hunt
Solve eight puzzles to reconstruct the secret combination leading to the hidden treasure of John Ringling, the king of American circus.
The greatest show on earth hides its greatest secrets
An adventure between circus history and mysteries of the Florida Riviera
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
Solve John Ringling's mystery by exploring Sarasota's iconic locations. From the lavish gardens of Ca' d'Zan to the secret backstage of the circus empire, each clue brings you closer to the treasure hidden by the king of American entertainment. A thrilling quest in the heart of Florida's cultural capital!
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
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