Portsmouth Trip Overview
Turn the historic streets of Southsea into an exciting outdoor escape room, with The Mystery of Southsea’s Laughing Sailor!
According to local legend, in the summer of 1910, a strange character appeared on Southsea Common for the first time, who became an overnight celebrity and a treasured city icon; a mechanical laughing sailor owned by local handyman Quentin Price. However, on one sunny morning as Price was fixing a broken carriage wheel, someone secretly destroyed the machine in a terrible act of vandalism! Why would someone want to silence Southsea’s iconic sailor? Was it a personal grudge against Price? Or did someone grow envious of the machine’s huge profits?
You must follow the route through the historic streets of Southsea, solve a range of cryptic clues including word games, maths puzzles, and hidden objects, as you unravel the historic story and discover the true identity of the mysterious Southsea vandal!
Additional Info
Duration: 150 to 180 minutes
Starts: Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Portsmouth Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom
Turn the historic streets of Southsea into an exciting outdoor escape room, with The Mystery of Southsea’s Laughing Sailor!
According to local legend, in the summer of 1910, a strange character appeared on Southsea Common for the first time, who became an overnight celebrity and a treasured city icon; a mechanical laughing sailor owned by local handyman Quentin Price. However, on one sunny morning as Price was fixing a broken carriage wheel, someone secretly destroyed the machine in a terrible act of vandalism! Why would someone want to silence Southsea’s iconic sailor? Was it a personal grudge against Price? Or did someone grow envious of the machine’s huge profits?
You must follow the route through the historic streets of Southsea, solve a range of cryptic clues including word games, maths puzzles, and hidden objects, as you unravel the historic story and discover the true identity of the mysterious Southsea vandal!
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, 1 Museum Road, Portsmouth PO1 2LJ England
Start your amazing adventure at Portsmouth’s City Museum, where you will collect your activity booklet and begin your hunt for the mysterious Southsea vandal! Take a moment to enter the museum, and see the original Laughing Sailor machine at the heart of this legendary story, before setting off on your unique mystery adventure!
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Southsea Common, Clarence Esplanade Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 3PB England
After solving your first clue at the city museum, your route takes you down the beautiful and historic Castle Road, where you have the option of stopping for a drink in Southsea’s CAMRA award-winning hidden gem of a pub, ‘The Hole in the Wall’. This pub is just yards from where Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his very first Sherlock Holmes novels, making it the birthplace of the world famous detective!
You will then be guided towards Southsea Common, which is the central location of the Laughing Sailor mystery, and where the terrible act of vandalism took place. You will stroll among the beautiful trees and wide open green space in search of your next clue!
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: The D-Day Story, Clarence Esplanade, Portsmouth PO5 3NT England
A short walk from Southsea Common you will find your next clue, at the beautiful and historic Queens Hotel, where you can receive a 20% discount on lunch when showing the mystery adventure book to staff (Mon-Thu). From here, you will make your way towards the world-famous D-Day Story, where you can climb aboard an original landing craft from the Normandy invasion!
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Southsea Castle, Clarence Esplanade Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 3PA England
Your next clue is hidden at a Tudor Castle, which was built under the reign of Henry VIII and was the location where Henry himself watched in horror as his most treasured flagship the Mary Rose sank before his eyes. Enter the castle’s historic gates and savour the view from its historic ramparts (free entry).
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Palmerston Road, Portsmouth PO5 3PT England
After Southsea Castle, it is time for another optional refreshment stop at the Jolly Sailor pub (10% off food & drink if you show the mystery booklet to the staff), where you can enjoy stunning views of Southsea Common from its beautiful raised terrace. Your route then continues towards the buzzing shopping & dining street of Palmerston Road, where you will find a wide range of local bars, restaurants and cafes.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: The Kings Theatre, Albert Road Southsea, Portsmouth England
The final section of your mystery adventure takes you towards Southsea’s famous Albert Road, where you will find a vast array of independent boutiques and hidden shopping gems. Nestled amongst the unique shops you will find the famous Kings Theatre, which is a beautiful stopping point for one of your final clues. The adventure comes to an end at a wonderful hidden gem of a pub, which concludes the story, and provides a 10% discount on drink when you show the staff your adventure booklet. You will enjoy raising a glass when you complete the mystery and get the ‘wow’ moment at the end when it all comes together!
Duration: 20 minutes
