May’s Café: 519-510-2475 | Escape the Old Post : 519-510-2222

After being hidden away for more than a century,
the vision of Harriston’s original postmaster has come to fruition.

Can you solve The Postmaster’s Riddle?

Visit a remarkable heritage building to work as a team and solve puzzles in one of Ontario’s most unique escape rooms.

Your goal? Beat the clock, climb the tower and ring the bell for all to hear:
there’s a new postmaster in town.

Booking Information

FEES

Adults: $42 + HST per person
Students & Seniors (55+): $35 + HST per person

Groups of 6 or more

Adults: $40 + HST per person
Students & Seniors (55+): $33 + HST per person

A minimum of 4 players and a maximum of 10 players is required for all games.

GAME TIMES

Can’t find a time that works for your group? Additional time slots are available outside of regular hours. Please email us to discuss your group’s needs.

Thursdays: 7:15 p.m.

Fridays: 5:15 p.m. / 8:15 p.m.

Saturdays: 10:15 a.m. / 1:15 p.m. / 4:15 p.m. / 7:15 p.m.

Your game will last 90 minutes. Most groups win the game on their second visit.

LOCATION

Escape the Old Post is located on the 3rd floor of the historic former Harriston post office, in the centre of downtown Harriston.

Directions

Can’t make the weekend work?

We accept special bookings outside of regular hours to accommodate your group’s schedule.

Please email us with your preferred date and time to learn more and book your game time!

Looking for a memorable or last-minute gift for a friend or family member?

Escape the Old Post gift certificates make an amazing experience gift. They’re redeemable online, and you will receive a printable version with online redemption code to give to the recipient.

Escape the Old Post Reviews

  • I've done some escape rooms before and so had one other of my group but my parents had never done one. This was a good experience for all skill levels, the games were great and the room was well constructed. Price was good too for a group to spend 90 mins! The gamemaster Jacob was knowledgeable and catered the experience to our skill levels. The way this room is setup is more of a two part adventure - happy to say we completed the first part in the given time, will definitely be back to do the second part and also to visit the new room when it opens.

    thumb Brad
    January 2, 2026

    What a great time. Enjoyed the first part so much we had to return in two weeks to complete the challenge and ring that bell. We all had a great time. Our host was a super nice young man who seemed to enjoy his job immensely. Owners did a super job with the Harriston landmark and improving it. Looking forward to the next time we can get there. THE MIDDLE ONE UP.

    thumb Leonard Holst
    November 16, 2025

    What a great time. Enjoyed the first part so much we had to return in two weeks to complete the challenge and ring that bell. We all had a great time. Our host was a super nice young man who seemed to enjoy his job immensely. Owners did a super job with the Harriston landmark and improving it. Looking forward to the next time we can get there. THE MIDDLE ONE UP.

    thumb Trevor Lahey
    November 16, 2025
  • Great fun and amazing customer service by the owners of this escape room. The setting is truly unique amongst escape rooms, the clues are hard but do-able. Highly recommend this escape room.

    thumb Cathe
    October 18, 2025

    Impressive amount of thought, ingenuity and carpentry went into making this a first class escape room. 3 generations of players, 7 of us in total, had a blast. We rang the bell with one minute to spare. I highly recommend you try this.

    thumb Len Robinson
    October 2, 2025

    Superb! Very interesting, challenging and fun! Unexpected twists and turns, along with excellent riddles. Excellent guidance by gamemaster, Jacob, added to the experience. So intersting, too, to learn a bit of the history of the building. Highly recommend.

    thumb B / L J
    September 22, 2025
  • Loved this escape room. Our game master was super thorough and a great help. Room was very well done with so much interaction and crawling and climbing into different rooms. Will definitely be going back to finish phase 2.

    thumb P Hagedorn
    September 20, 2025

    What an absolute blast! We beat the escape room & loved every minute of it. The puzzles were clever & layered—challenging enough to keep us on our toes, but never frustrating. Our team cannot wait to complete part two! FYI tho…I def would recommend booking both parts back to back if you have 3 hours to spare The theme was super creative, with fun small town history and a storyline that made us feel like geniuses for sorting through the clues. Whether you’re a seasoned escape artist or a total newbie, this room hits the sweet spot. Highly recommend for groups of all experience levels. For sure have 4 people minimum though. See you again Escape the Post!

    thumb Emma Inch
    August 24, 2025

    We had a fantastic time. Myself and 6 ladies i grew up with enjoyed an evening at The Old Post. The puzzles were creative and engaging. We were green to the escape room experience. We are already planning Part . Tony has done a fantastic job. He was also our game master, Merci mes amis ❤️

    thumb Crystal Murray
    August 20, 2025
  • What an amazing setup, a beautiful, intricate plan. Very challenging and fun. I especially enjoyed the short introduction of the history of the post office. We were seriously impressed.by the design and extent of the work and puzzles.

    thumb Marlissa Nyenhuis
    August 18, 2025

    This was an awesome activity! One adult and 4 kids and we had such a great day. The staff were super helpful and knowledgeable and we appreciated the time he took to explain everything to us. Definitely recommend!

    thumb Laurie Weber
    August 15, 2025

    From the interactions during the booking, to the experiences in both parts 1 & 2 of the Postmaster’s Riddle, you could tell they cared about your group having a great experience. Michael was so accommodating during the booking, and our game master Jacob was awesome. The set and games design were very well done. The historic venue was a cool added bonus! And they have a great little cafe (May’s cafe) on the main floor of the building.

    thumb Rose Paolercio-DeBartolo
    August 9, 2025
  • We had our son’s birthday party at Escape the Old Post, the game master wrote hidden birthday messages to make the birthday boy feel special. Both kids and adults had fun working together to solve puzzles. Our other son wants to complete Part 2 for his birthday. It is truly an amazing experience! Very well done!

    thumb Geoff Kuhl
    July 24, 2025

    We came back for a second time had just as much fun. Our game master this time was Ty and he did an awesome job even when we were clue less 😀. This still is one of our most favourite. Well done even if the frogs wouldn't come out of hiding.

    thumb Melissa Rombach
    July 13, 2025

    Escaped the rooms on July 6, 2025. Travelled from Fergus, Ontario and was surprised that its not that far to Harriston. It was the exact day of our 40th wedding anniversary, so we brought family (8 adults and 2 five-year olds) to help us celebrate. Wasn't sure whether the young ones would enjoy it, so we brought some items for the games master to hide throughout. The kids loved searching for their items as well as helping out the grown-ups, and discovering hidden passageways and corridors. A wonderful time had by all. We booked 2 times back-to-back which allowed us to use the PostScript Events Room between games. Brought in food, snacks and drinks to regenerate. Would definitely recommend this outing for escape room enthusiasts. Not your ordinary type of puzzles (but some were the type we've been used to). It's such a unique venue; it was interesting to hear the history of the building and to ring the bell at the end. Our host, Michael, made the event even more enjoyable. Thank you Michael, for helping us to celebrate our anniversary in such a unique and fun way. Looking forward to the new room opening in the fall.

    thumb Gary O'Leary
    July 9, 2025
  • Absolutely fantastic, the best escape room I've done! It was challenging and took all 7 of us working together to solve but we managed to finish with time to spare! Our game master, Ty, was excellent! We requested him when we came back for part 2. I highly recommend!

    thumb Sonya van Stee
    July 8, 2025

    Top 3 of the escape rooms I've done. Puzzles were purposeful and woven into each other. They were not overly hard but still felt earned when solved. Lots of great reveals and gave a sense of adventure. Brought a team eight with two 5 year olds to do both parts. They were able to accommodate us by hiding small jigsaw puzzle pieces around so the young ones could be included. Truly above and beyond. We had a break in the middle and were able to take advantage of their party room. A good private space that let us have lunch and get ready for part two. Very welcoming and fun staff. Provided guidance but only hints when asked.

    thumb Kendall Patterson
    July 7, 2025

    Absolutely fantastic, the best escape room I've done! It was challenging and took all of us working together to solve but we managed to finish with time to spare! I highly recommend!

    thumb Sonya van Stee
    June 29, 2025
  • We would recommend the escape room at The Old Post! We had so much fun solving puzzles and trying to ring the bell before our time was up! Great time was had by all of us!

    thumb Ang Nicholson
    April 6, 2025

    We went to Escape the Old Post for the first time tonight. Our group was four adults and we all LOVED the experience. Games Masters were awesome and the room had so many cool components and a great mix of puzzles. Absolutely cannot wait to return and complete part two. Highly recommend!!

    thumb Jessie Greidanus
    March 22, 2025

    The Old Post Escape was an absolutely lovely experience as it proved difficult while being extremely fun. The game master was really good and the designs of the room were unique

    thumb WhiteChocolate 15
    December 29, 2024
  • Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!! I felt like Nancy Drew finding secret compartments, keys, clues. So glad we tried this, all our group had fun, definitely would like to do this again!

    thumb Nella Monaco-Wells
    December 15, 2024

    I rented the Studio at the Old Post for the entire day to host my annual 'tis the season Christmas photo mini sessions! The space was in great condition, allowing me to place my set accordingly. The brick wall was the perfect backdrop, and the large arched windows allowed for great natural light during the morning to early afternoon sessions. Set Design: Delaney Norman Design

    thumb Delaney Norman
    November 13, 2024

    We Rented the studio upstairs for our little girls 3rd birthday over the weekend. It was updated esthetically and had a sink, washroom, couch and carpeted area for the kids to play on a small pickler triangle and ball pit. The other side was where we setup tables for the eating portion of the party and the kids had a tea party. We were running a few minutes late but Jacob was kind and understanding. He let us in and the Owner of the building followed up with us too see how it worked. Super cute space. Half brick half windows. Lots of natural light. 10/10 recommend. Thanks!

    thumb Samantha Greer
    October 6, 2024
  • Recently completed Part 1 with a group of good friends and had a fantastic time. It was a wild and crazy 90 minutes with lots of laughs, head scratching and cheers. This was my second escape room and the other doesn't come close to comparing to Escape the Old Post. The venue was the perfect setting and the puzzles were exciting to solve. The owners have done an amazing job restoring the building and integrating the escape room. I was familiar with the building from growing up in Harriston during the 70's, so it was really nice to see the old building with a new life. Compliments to the owners. Can't wait to go back and complete Part 2!

    thumb Pam Gover
    September 23, 2024

    3 adults, 1 senior, 2 teens including the birthday girl. GREAT time. VERY unique, beautifully built and the challenges were indeed, challenging. Definitely team effort. Many surprises never seen at other escapes we’ve done. FUN FUN and more FUN through-out the experience. We did a back to back with a break for pizza from Dominos across the street. The Gamemaster was very accommodating and helpful, relaying some fascinating history. The birthday girl found all of her presents hidden along the way. We plan to return when the new build is ready to open! Great family fun and would be an excellent team building event.

    thumb T S
    August 25, 2024

    We had an awesome time completing Part 1. We’ve done a lot of escape rooms but this was one of my favourites. The level of detail that went into the puzzles was incredibly impressive and our game master Jacob was the best. We can’t wait to come back for Part 2!

    thumb Matt Duffy
    August 17, 2024
  • Our group of adults, kids, and seniors had a fantastic time!!! The room is much more elaborate and lovingly crafted than others we've done, and our gamemaster gave the right level of clues. We will be back to try the clockwork room next year!

    thumb Andrea Tompa
    August 1, 2024

    Last year, I went to the Old Post. And it was fun there! I didn't make it sadly, but it was fun! There was a crawl space and it was too small for me. And I was like about 70% done and I didn't even ring the bell. It was fun overall!

    thumb Dog Dude
    July 12, 2024

    Our family of eight finished part 1 on Saturday and loved it so much we returned on Sunday to successfully ring the bell. It was a great family bonding experience. We have done a number of escape rooms in the past but this one was by far the best. The escape room itself was extremely well thought out and the puzzles and challenges were varied and collaborative in nature. The building itself was beautifully constructed and you can tell it is a passion project for the family who owns it. They are proud of what they have put together and so they should be. It was an extraordinary experience and well worth the drive. Can't wait to return for their clock room experience when completed. Thanks so much to our escape room moderators who were so wonderful.

    thumb caroline meyer
    June 23, 2024

The Postmaster’s Riddle

The Old Post has seen its share of renovations in the last couple of years, and no area more so than the attic.

For more than a century, this magical space was only accessed by an old wooden ladder through a small hatched opening in the second storey ceiling. The potential of this mostly forgotten floor was begging to be explored.

Once restoration of the first and second floors were complete in early 2016, interest inevitably turned upward to the mysterious and completely untouched third floor. With unique characteristics such as a clock tower, a 1,200 pound bell, the small “archer’s” room with six slender windows, and the massive central skylight structure, the design possibilities were extraordinarily interesting to say the least.

But what to do…

WHO WAS THE MCCREADY FAMILY?

It was obvious from our research that the McCready family was going to play a very prominent role in the history of The Old Post. Alexander McCready was appointed Postmaster of Harriston in 1859.

He was a respected citizen of the town, but was also remembered as somewhat of an enigma, being a bit eccentric and known to be a master storyteller. Holding the position for 45 years, he handed over the title to his eldest son Robert in 1905.

 

ALEXANDER MCCREADY’S DREAM

Sadly, Alexander died in 1908, just a few years before the construction of the Old Post began in 1912. His long-desired dream of gazing up at the four storey clock tower and hearing the ringing of the bell was not meant to be.

Robert McCready was Postmaster until 1939 when he, in turn, handed over the reins to his only son, Archibald. This was the first time a third generation appointment had ever been made. Archibald was Postmaster until he retired in 1970.

Now, how does all this relate to what’s been happening on the third floor?

Well, even though old Alexander McCready died prior to construction of the Old Post, his influence has very much been felt.

Amid the cleanup of the third floor, some documents were discovered hidden in an old crate.

Two of the articles within these documents became immediately noteworthy.

 

The first was a rudimentary sketch of the third floor dated 1914, diagramming possible design features and concepts, and covered in extensive notes and descriptions.

The second article was a lyrical poem or “riddle” written by none other than old Mr. Alexander McCready. It was instantly clear that the two articles were related and that somebody, predictably Robert McCready, envisioned the construction of a fairly peculiar endeavour on the third floor of The Old Post based on his late father’s riddle.

 

Why the plan never became a reality is a mystery.

Perhaps the fact that the country would soon join the First World War has something to do with it.

After being hidden away for more than a century, the combined vision of Alexander and Robert McCready has come to fruition.

 

Can you solve The Postmaster’s Riddle?

Create A Complete Escape Experience

Complete your Escape the Old Post experience with a visit to the Café before or after your game!

The Café at the Old Post is a community-focused café offering locally-sourced specialty coffee, handcrafted sandwiches and soups, baked-in-the-building sweet treats, and soft serve ice cream. A curated selection of Ontario craft beer, cider and cocktails are also available.

The Café features indoor seating, and a street-side courtyard that offer the perfect setting for pre-game strategizing and post escape room debriefing.

For larger groups, the Post Script event space on the lower level can be booked before or after your game.

FAQs

Booking Questions

How much does the Postmaster’s Riddle game cost?
$35 + HST per person. Special rates for students and seniors. See online booking for details.

Is there a minimum number of people who can play? What is the maximum number of players?
We recommend 6-8 players for the Postmaster’s Riddle game. If you’re up for a challenge, you can book with only 4 people. We do not allow more than 10 people, or less than 4, to play at one time.

What age do the players need to be?
We recommend that the players be 13 years of age or older. Younger players are welcome to join their family or group, but may find the puzzles to be challenging. All participants will pay the regular pricing, regardless of age (student and senior rates available).

How do I book/reserve my game?
All of our bookings are completed online on our website. Click here to check the availability of time slots for Escape the Old Post. All modifications and changes to your game booking are also completed online before you and your team arrive.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule my game?
We require 48 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your game. Cancellations, re-scheduling and other modifications to your booking should be completed online. Check your confirmation email for links to modify your booking.

Can I change the number of players once my game has been booked?
Yes, you can add players to a maximum of 10 people. All booking changes and additional player fees must be paid in advance of arriving at Escape the Old Post.

Do you offer group rates or bookings for special events?
For special group rates, please contact escapetheoldpost@gmail.com for more information.

Is there a room we can rent before or after our game? What can we do before or after we play?
Yes, if you are looking for a private area for your group, please contact us at 519-510-2222. We can assist with this as well as arrange potential food and beverage options. We also highly recommend local restaurant Harry Stone’s Social House. Contact the restaurant directly to make a reservation for your group.

Before or after you play, there are many other local experiences that we suggest to enhance your time. Just ask one of our customer service staff members and they will be happy to give you some suggestions. You can also visit the Treasures of Minto website for more details on local attractions and events, restaurants, accommodations and more.

Game Questions

How long is each game?
Each game will be a maximum of 90 minutes to complete. The introduction will take about 10 minutes and after the game we’ll have some time to chat and take a picture of your group. You can expect to leave Escape the Old Post at the latest 2 hours after your booked time begins.

Does the room have any scary elements or require physical effort?
Our game focuses primarily  on the mental challenge  of solving puzzles. The experience is not intended to be scary. There are some narrow walkways and spaces that you may find challenging. You are never locked in or confined to a space – there are always distinct exits. There may be light lifting, twisting, turning, reaching, stepping up or down, or kneeling to solve or find clues. There may be some elements that may not be suitable for children under the age of 13.

Can I bring my phone/ bags/packs into the game?
No. We do not allow ANY technology to be brought into the game. There will be a safe place to lock up your cell phones and belongings.

Do you give us hints if we get stuck on a puzzle?
Staff members will be monitoring your game and will assist you with clues if your group asks for assistance.

Is there surveillance?
All game areas and public spaces have cameras. Cameras in the game zone allow us to observe your progress and assist you directly if your team requests a clue or other help. Surveillance also helps ensure the safety of you and your team.

Is everything in the room part of the challenge?
No. Items such as fire extinguishers, sprinklers, duct work and some fixtures/furniture may not be touched. These items will be clearly marked and will be discussed during your team’s game orientation.

Can I leave the room to go to the bathroom?
We have washroom facilities within the game playing zone. If for any reason you require leaving the game, the game will continue. You are not permitted to return to the game and no discounts and refunds will be given.

How often do you change the game/puzzle?
We will announce any new games or changes on our website and via social media.

How should I dress to play your games?
Please dress comfortably, in clothing that allows you to move comfortably, search, bend down and solve puzzles.

Are we actually locked in the room?
No, the door will not be locked. You can leave at any time though you are not permitted to return. If you exit, no refund or discount will be given.

Can participants be refused entry to the room?
Yes. For safety and insurance reasons, if it appears that a participant is intoxicated or behaving inappropriately, they will be refused entry. For everyone’s safety, we maintain the right to refuse any person(s) from entering our premises and/or the game room and no refund will be given.

Other Questions

Where should I park/how do we access Escape the Old Post?
Escape the Old Post is located on the 3rd floor of the historic former Harriston post office, in the centre of downtown Harriston. You can find directions here.

There is street parking in front of the building, and a free parking lot located behind the building. You can park outside of Escape the Old Post and enter through the doors on the right at the front of the building. Your gamemaster will meet you in the Armory (first floor) just before your game.

Are your games suitable for pregnant women, those with health conditions, or people on crutches?
You are required to sign a waiver prior to the start of your game. When you sign your waiver, you release us from any liability. You are to use your own judgement. As indicated on the waiver, any health conditions that may affect your participation should be disclosed to staff.

Is Escape the Old Post wheelchair accessible?
We have one game that is located on the 3rd floor of the building. Due to the building’s age and heritage designation, the building does not have an elevator. We apologize for any inconvenience.