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  • Low Supplier Cancellation Rate
  • Agent Low Quality Product
  • Short term availability
  • Walking Tours

Pasadena Spy Quest: Stop the Bomb (Einstein & Caltech)

4.0(4 reviews)Los Angeles, USAOperated by Questo
  • Duration1 hour 10 min – 1 hour 40 min
  • GroupPrivate tour
  • TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
  • LanguagesEnglish
  • BookingInstant confirmation

About this activity

It's your first day as a janitor at Caltech when you stumble into an abandoned lab and press a large red button. A handwritten note appears: a nuclear bomb has been armed and eight devices are hidden across Pasadena to disarm it. You have no choice but to run.

This self-guided spy mission takes you on an 86-minute adventure through Old Town Pasadena. Using the Questo app on your smartphone, you decode secret messages, crack clues at historic landmarks, and follow a conspiracy connecting Caltech physicists, the Manhattan Project, and Albert Einstein.

Chase the trail from Vroman's Bookstore to the Pasadena Playhouse, through hidden cobblestone alleys and past City Hall, all the way to a famous mural of Einstein on his bicycle.

Start whenever you like and play entirely at your own pace across 3 kilometres of Pasadena's most storied streets.

Perfect for curious explorers, couples, and families. No prior knowledge of history needed, just a sharp mind and a sense of urgency.

What to expect

1 hour 10 min – 1 hour 40 min7 stopsPrivate tour

  1. Vroman's Bookstore

    695 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, California, 91101-2116, United States

    5 minutes

    You will begin at Vroman’s Bookstore. Here you will be given your first clue to solve the challenge that awaits you, which will unlock the next part of the story and give you the directions to the next stop.

  2. 5 minutes

    You will be given a new clue to solve the challenge that awaits you at Pasadena Star-News Building. You can stop for as long as you like and continue exploring at your own pace.

  3. USC Pacific Asia Museum

    46 N Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, California, 91101, United States

    5 minutesAdmission not included

    You will be given a new clue to solve the challenge that awaits you at Pacific Asia Museum. You can stop for as long as you like and continue exploring at your own pace.

  4. City of Pasadena City Hall

    100 N Garfield Ave, Pasadena, California, 91101, United States

    5 minutes

    You will be given a new clue to solve the challenge that awaits you at Pasadena City Hall. You can stop for as long as you like and continue exploring at your own pace.

  5. 5 minutes

    You will be given a new clue to solve the challenge that awaits you at Legge Alley. You can stop for as long as you like and continue exploring at your own pace.

  6. 5 minutes

    You will be given a new clue to solve the challenge that awaits you at Russell’s. You can stop for as long as you like and continue exploring at your own pace.

  7. Pasadena Memorial Park

    85 E Holly St # 3907, Ca 91103, Pasadena, California, 91103-3907, United States

    5 minutes

    You will finish at Pasadena Memorial Park. Here is where both the story and the city exploration games end.

Pickup & meeting point

There is no pickup — all travellers meet at the start point.

Start

The game starts at Vroman's Bookstore. After booking, we'll message you a code and activation link. Activate with your own email, then log in to the Questo app with that email. No message? Open the Questo app, tap "Bought a quest somewhere else?" and enter your booking reference number.

End

You will finish at Pasadena Senior Center Public Art Einstein & Beyond.

Redemption

Thank you for booking with Questo. Your code is your booking reference number: the digits after "BR-". Here's how to play it: 1. Activate your quest. Go to the unlock page on the Questo website (questoapp.com/unlock), enter your email and your code. 2. Download the Questo app on your phone (App Store or Google Play) and create an account with the same email used for activation. 3. Once you're logged in to the Questo app, open the Quests section. Your quest will be there, ready to be played. IMPORTANT - Booked more than one ticket? You can invite the other participants right after activating, or later from the Quests section in the app. - If you don't see your quest in the Quests section in the Questo app, tap "Bought a quest somewhere else?" and enter your code again. You can also upload a screenshot of your booking confirmation there. GOOD TO KNOW - The quest is available every day, at any hour. Go to the starting point and begin whenever you're ready. - Download the story and the map before you head out. After that, it works without internet. - Start with at least 50% battery. Still have questions? Send us a message or talk to our customer support at: questoapp.com/chat

What's included

Included

  • Self-guided nuclear thriller puzzle adventure through Old Town Pasadena
  • Interactive puzzles: code-breaking, observation, logic, wordplay at real landmarks
  • Fascinating facts about Pasadena history, food, film locations, and hidden gems
  • Team play or solo on one booking
  • Flexible scheduling, available all day, every day of the week
  • Story-driven clues connected to Caltech, the Manhattan Project, and 1930s Pasadena

Not included

  • Live tour guide (self-guided via the Questo app)

Good to know

Accessibility & suitability

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Traveller requirements

  • Minimum 1 traveller per booking
  • Maximum 15 travellers per booking
  • Age bands: Adult (1–99)

Languages

Written
English

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

  • 1+ days before100% refund
  • 0–1 days before0% refund

Important booking information

Confirmation
Confirmed immediately after booking.
Tickets
One per booking
Local time zone
America/Los_Angeles
Product code
107194P293

What you'll be asked when booking

  • Any special requirements

Traveller reviews

4.0/ 54 reviews
  • 52
  • 32

Ratings aggregated from Viator (1) and Tripadvisor (3).

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Ready to book Pasadena Spy Quest: Stop the Bomb (Einstein & Caltech)?

From EUR 6.29 per person · Free cancellation available

Check dates & book

Activity information provided by Viator, an authorized travel partner. Gateera does not operate this activity.

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