The Philly Treasure Hunt 2026
HAPPENING NOW; REGISTER HERE; BEGIN HERE: Instagram or TikTok
This free adventure invites Philly-area treasure hunters to solve elaborate and unusual puzzles—but the clues to solving them are embedded in the very fabric of your surroundings! That’s right, this hunt can only be solved by putting boots on the ground to explore Philadelphia. The fastest teams win prizes, but most players say the experience alone is worthwhile even without tangible rewards on the line.
The hunt is structured around a series of password-protected web pages. Solving the puzzles reveals both how to access them and the passwords that unlock them. Each of these digital checkpoints records your team’s completion of that step, then rewards you with the next puzzle. Prizes are bestowed upon the fastest teams to complete the final checkpoint! No prizes have been claimed yet.
Please find the full rules below. For a little more about me and how this year’s hunt came to be, read my guest blog post on the Navy Yard’s website.
Ok, but what is this really?
A lot of treasure hunts start with a 300-page book or an incredibly vague poem—where anything could mean anything but anything could also mean nothing. These sorts of hunts go on for years, because they provide frustratingly little validation to solvers. In many, there’s often not much you can actually accomplish beyond taking wild stabs in the dark.
This is not one of those treasure hunts.
The Philly Treasure Hunt 2026 is an adventure puzzle, or a puzzle-based experience built into the real world. In practice, this means that puzzles will only make sense when you’re at particular locations. Furthermore, solving is not about making random guesses—it’s about analysis, lateral thinking, and inference. The puzzles give you clues about how to solve them and positive feedback when you’re right. You could perhaps think of it like a mentally rigorous escape room—except the “walls” are Philadelphia city limits.
With valuable prizes on the line, The Philly Treasure Hunt 2026 is designed to be challenging—but it’s also intended to be completed in a single human lifespan. If you find yourself saying…
I discovered a codebreaking technique used by Polish generals in WWII that decrypts a secret message I extracted from every third word in a handwritten letter I found in an archive of mail from the 1800s...
...just remember that this is a treasure hunt, not a conspiracy. Maybe try, like, anagramming instead.
The Philly Treasure Hunt 2026 has a map. Download it here.
Where:
Within Philadelphia city limits.
When:
7/18/26 through 9/27/26.
Difficulty:
◉◉◉◉◉ (but designed for anyone to be able to take part!)
Price:
Free! Everything needed to solve the treasure hunt is free and publicly available.
Rules:
• You must register and agree to these rules to participate.
• DO NOT ENTER ANY AREA SHOWN IN RED ON THE HUNT MAP. Regardless of physical appearance, these areas are closed to the public and by entering them, you may be subject to arrest by the U.S. Navy.
• In all other areas shown on the hunt map, obey all signage regarding private property, restricted access, and parking.
• The existence of Google Street View imagery for areas that are currently closed to the public does not constitute an exception to posted signage or areas shown in red on the hunt map.
• You may use any legal means at your disposal to solve the hunt. Trespassing, entering areas shown in red on the hunt map, or taking any action that prevents or discourages others from participating, including tampering with physical locations involved in the hunt, will result in disqualification from this and all future Eric The Puzzler projects.
• At least one member of your team must be 18 or older as of 7/18/2026.
• By participating in The Philly Treasure Hunt 2026, your team assumes all associated risks and agrees not to hold Eric The Puzzler or the Navy Yard responsible for any liability that results from your participation. (The Philly Treasure Hunt 2026 is not designed or intended to be risky.)
• No one on your team may be employed by or be a close family member of someone who is employed by Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. (It’s ok if you work at a business with offices on the Navy Yard campus.)
Other Information:
• All passwords are entirely lowercase.
• All physical locations involved in solving the treasure hunt are within Philadelphia city limits and open to the public.
• No prizes are buried or hidden in the real world—do not dig up the Navy Yard! Prizes will be awarded based on timestamped completions at the final digital checkpoint and winning teams will be contacted by Eric via email.
• Teams are responsible for dividing up any prizes they win.
Prizes:
Every team to complete the first checkpoint wins a commemorative prize card, and the fastest teams to complete the hunt win the prizes below!
1st Place: Phillies Navy Yard Staycation ($3,800 value)
2-night stay for 4 at AVE Normandy (2 rooms from 9/24 to 9/26; includes pool and gym access)
4 Phillies tickets (vs Milwaukee Brewers at 6pm on 9/24)
$300 cash
2nd place: Navy Yard Staycation ($650 value)
1-night stay at Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard (your choice of date)
$100 Gatehouse gift card
$200 cash
3rd place: Fitness Classes ($350 value)
One week of fitness classes at Alchemy X
$150 cash
4th place: $125 cash
5th place: $75 cash
Accessibility information:
All locations involved are ADA accessible, but in the same way that urban planners talk about the “last mile problem” in transportation, Puzzlers with accessibility needs may encounter a “last foot problem” with this treasure hunt. Make sure you have a teammate who can help with these spots!
Tips:
• Sometimes, the biggest clue is the experience’s sponsor.
• When a puzzle seems to indicate a specific location, search it thoroughly.
• In my puzzles, it’s safe to assume that everything means something.
• A computer is not required but it may be helpful.
Read about last year’s Hunt in Philly Voice!
“I’ve done other treasure hunts before, but this one is so much fun.”
—Nicholas, currently on the Hunt
2026 Presenting Sponsor:
The Philly Treasure Hunt 2025 winning team:
“These puzzles are extraordinary. We are very impressed
with the elegant and clean solutions!” —2025 winners
What people said about The Philly Treasure Hunt 2025:
“[It] left an indelible impression on my family. …the most valuable thing we are taking away from the treasure hunt is that it reestablished our relationship with Philly.”
—Marissa
“I can’t thank you enough for making this experience come to life. It came at a time when I really needed it! I’ll miss it now that it’s over.”
—Vin
“This is now the second time I’ve left my West Philly apartment and hopped on Septa after 10pm just because I figured something out and couldn’t wait until tomorrow!”
—Allison
“One of the coolest puzzles I’ve ever done.”
—Chase
The Philly Treasure Hunt 2024 winning team (plus me):
“We had the best time solving these clues! Thank you
so much for organizing this, Eric!” —2024 winners
What people said about The Philly Treasure Hunt 2024:
“This was seriously so much fun. The puzzles were perfect. The most thrilled I've been in a really long time!”
—Caleb
“Thanks a bunch for doing all this! We found lots of cool places that ended up having nothing to do with the treasure, but it's been an adventure!”
—Mason
“What a fun, wholesome, exciting thing to bring to the community. Truly amazing.”
—Pana
“I wish I’d never seen this video. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
—Jillian