The Keepers of Balance — Local services in Charlotte

My fellow travelers,

The portals here are simply some of the best to ever be traversed, and the Keepers' guides are ready for action, no matter what gets thrown at them. I'm quite the yapper and yes-and-er, but Sara, Rebecca, and Connor (two n's -- that's how they get ya) were all fantastic. Over two nights, back to back, my group and I experienced both adventures currently available at the time of this writing. Simply stunning. I've been a puzzler since a young age, (Myst, anyone?) and the sounds, textures, and story all have a similar fabulous quirk and fun to them while keeping you working together. They know when to give a nudge, and they remember these things are about the fun and experience, not competitive edge. They know how to show rather than tell, so you never feel pushed, rushed, or spoiled and you will complete your journey.

Quest for the Temple of Light: The rooms do change (without you even noticing) sometimes and it's awesome when reality snaps back to you. In this adventure, you travel across several portals with your guide. Each themed set piece fully transports you to a different locale. You won't be disappointed as you fully embody every thematic adventurer locale on your journey. As Sara reminded us though, do watch out for black holes in the parking lot.

We failed to ignore Sara's warning and wound up falling into a parking lot black hole, only to return the following night. After a brief rest, we encountered Rebecca (I did forget to ask the spelling here) and Connor, and ended up becoming

Defenders of the Sunken Realm: There's a magnificent story line blossoming here that connects to the future of the location. You simply have to follow it and experience it yourself. The room DOES move! OMG! There are many amazing lighting effects and reveals as you progress in the area. There's some minor extra athleticism required in this journey versus Temple of Light (it's just some light climbing for a couple party members) but they've made the areas sturdy and spacious for folks of all shapes and sizes who can bend and move. Everything is very rewarding as you progress. The buttons, levers, and mechanical bits and bobs are extremely satisfying (there's a big switch at one point!!). Put on your diving suits and defend the sunken realm!

This is a place to detour for. Make time for. This is special. I would live here if I could. The craftsmanship and love in this place is strong. Support them and keep it thriving. I'm not a local, but I will be flying, taking a train, or portaling back to Charlotte for every future room they open, and any event I could hope to partake in if I'm lucky enough. The people and place...

We recently did the Keepers of Balance escape room, and WOW. From start to finish, it was a masterclass in immersive storytelling and challenging (but totally solvable) puzzles. The moment we stepped into the building, we were transported into a beautifully designed world that felt both ancient and cool, like stepping into a live-action adventure movie.

The puzzles were incredibly well thought out, each one felt unique, and required a mix of logic, observation, teamwork, and creativity. Nothing felt random or out of place. It was clear that a lot of love and attention to detail went into designing the whole experience.

It had a great mix of mental challenges and hands-on tasks, with just the right amount of pressure and surprise twists to keep us on our toes without ever feeling overwhelmed.

Each room in the experience was incredibly cool and full of surprises. Once you solved the clues or puzzles in one area, a hidden door or secret passage would open, revealing a completely new space to explore. It felt like discovering a hidden level in a video game every time, and we loved that sense of excitement and progression.

The actors were amazing, super friendly, helpful (without spoiling anything), and clearly passionate about what they do. Their excitement added to the energy and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Our guide, Colby, was hilarious and kept us on our toes.

If you're looking for an escape room that raises the bar, Keepers of Balance is a must-do. Whether you're a seasoned escape artist or a total newbie, you'll walk out grinning and already planning your next visit.

Highly recommend. 10/10 would get...

By far the most incredible escape room I've ever done! My husband and I completed Temple of Light on Friday and were blown away. Naomi was a delightful and enthusiastic portal guide (although it’s hard to say more without spoilers!). And, even though we didn’t go adventuring with her, we also had a great time chatting with Rebecca after our escape.

The Imagineering experience of the designer was evident through the level of detail, special effects, and quality of the entire experience. The only suggestion we have would be to maybe tone down a little bit of the smoke effect in the room after the sloped portal, but that is truly a very tiny nit to pick. The puzzles were all fair and highly intuitive. As two escape room enthusiasts with a decent amount of experience, we had no trouble at all getting out within the time allowed. I would recommend Temple of Light to both beginner (for the intuitive nature of the puzzles) and expert (for the one-of-a-kind immersive experience) escapees— although any first-time escapee may be spoiled for all future escape rooms!

We can’t wait to come back to journey through the...