Scavenger Hunts in Lower Manhattan
& Wall Street / FiDi

Lost New York—found on this FiDi Scavenger hunt!

You’ll discover surprising, amusing traces and places of the Wall Street area—featuring the narrow, winding streets laid out by the Dutch, vanished and transformed forts, places where the Founding Fathers walked and fought, burn marks left by the enormous fire of 1776, and a fence that bears the scars of a Revolutionary riot.

You’ll enjoy amazing changes in scenery, from the eye-popping interiors of the canyons of finance to Battery Park’s sweeping views of New York Harbor. You’ll even encounter Hollywood in spots used as locations for such movies as Ghostbusters, Men in Black, Working Girl, National Treasure, and The Day After Tomorrow.

Search the Financial District for answers to questions about…

• The War of 1812–era fort that gave Battery Park its name
• Fraunces Tavern, where George Washington bid his troops farewell
• Strange figures outside the Stock Exchange
• The Custom House, a stunning landmark featured in Ghostbusters and Friends
• Federal Hall, an 1835 Greek temple to commerce, fitted with bank vaults and built on the site where Washington became president
• Trinity Church and its age-old graveyard, starring permanent resident Alexander Hamilton
• Scars gouged in marble by a 1920 anarchist bombing of J.P. Morgan’s offices and Federal Hall
• And many more sites you’ve never heard of but won’t forget

No previous knowledge of downtown NYC is required: you just need sharp eyes, comfy shoes, and good teamwork. Find out why this is one of our staff’s favorite scavenger hunts!

Along the way you’ll also crank up your creativity to complete team photo challenges. Some are in specific places. Others require specific poses. All of them provide laughs at the end of the hunt.

An International Edition is available for groups that include people whose first language is not English. If you’re looking for some whodunit fun, consider The Murder on Wall Street Scavenger Hunt.

The Kids Edition is perfect for school groups and families—check out The Secrets of Wall Street Scavenger Hunt for Kids.

Looking for team-building activities in NYC?

Look no further. Since this lower Manhattan scavenger hunt made its debut in the year 2000 for one of the world’s largest financial firms, literally hundreds of companies have enjoyed it, such as American Express, Facebook, Citi, Credit Suisse, and Allianz, to name just a few.

What are people saying about the Wall Street scavenger hunt?

A 5-star review on Google: “I scheduled the Wall Street scavenger hunt for a team outing. It was perfect. We had a number of people from out of town who were thrilled to explore NYC. Our jaded NYCers were thoroughly enlightened. Our host was funny and personable. The app was easy to use. The questions were challenging and diverse. We had an amazing time and most of the group want to do more scavenger hunts!”

Another 5-star Google review: “We used Watson Adventures for a group team building activity. We had ~55 people and completed the Wall Street Hunt. It was super easy to book and the actual event was flawless. We learned a few things and made new connections and lasting memories. The event worked for a diverse group of people. I would 100% use Watson Adventures again!”

“It was a lot of fun. Well organized, a great way to explore Manhattan. My staff loved it!”—the leader of a corporate group

Contact us to learn more about The Secrets of Wall Street Scavenger Hunt—and find more fun in FiDi!

Discover the great indoors downtown…

…on a scavenger hunt in the spectacular Oculus, near the Freedom Tower, and in the World Financial Center’s Brookfield Place. Your team will be challenged to follow clues and answer tricky, humorous questions about what you discover in these great spaces. Plus, you’ll take creative Team Photos and find or create a variety of unusual items in activities designed to test your teamwork and your resourcefulness.  

Completed in 2016, the Oculus is a dramatic all-white space like something out of a sci-fi movie. An underground hallway connects with Brookfield Place, where a palm court and intriguing places to shop and eat await. Another passage connects with the dramatic Fulton Center, a hub for more stores. These venues provide fascinating, weatherproof places for an indoor adventure downtown.

Highlights of the Oculus scavenger hunt include…

• A ceramic zoo behind bars
• Huge murals of exotic harbors
• Rizhsky khleb and other exotic edibles at Eataly
• A giant clock reminding you to brush your teeth
• Spectacular views

No knowledge of the Oculus or the area is necessary to play or to win. You just need sharp eyes, comfy shoes, and great teamwork.

Great for team building in New York City

Since this hunt’s debut in 2017 it has already been a big hit with corporate groups, including such happy hunters as American Express, Deutsche Bank, Sirius, S&P Global Ratings, the NYC Department of Education, and Debevoise & Plimpton, to name just a few. The game is guaranteed to appeal to all kinds of personalities, and it’s weather-proof!

What are people saying about the Oculus scavenger hunt?

A 5-star review on Google, from a group that did a variety of hunts, including the Rock the Oculus Scavenger Hunt: “We used Watson Adventures for a team event of 140 people in the US. Not only was the support in figuring out which hunts to do with this big group really great and detailed, also the communication beforehand was timely, friendly and super forthcoming. On the day of the event, all hosts were super friendly and ensured that all participants had an amazing time!”

“I highly recommend Watson Adventures for organizing a scavenger hunt in the Oculus. This event is an excellent team-building option, offering an engaging and interactive experience that fosters teamwork and communication. The indoor setting ensures it can take place in any weather, providing a reliable and enjoyable activity year-round. Additionally, the event is well-organized, ensuring a smooth and memorable experience for all participants while also offering a good workout.” —a group from an international bank

Contact us to learn more about our Oculus scavenger hunts—and find more fun in downtown NYC!

A downtown NYC adventure that will delight young hunters

Variety is the name of the game on this unique scavenger hunt. The oldest neighborhood in Manhattan is your playground, as adults and kids work together in teams to answer fun, funny questions about what they find from Wall Street down to the harbor.

One minute you’ll be exploring tiny, twisting streets that were laid out in Dutch times, the next you’ll burst into the open spaces of Battery Park and see the harbor and the Statue of Liberty. You’ll step inside a building featured in numerous movies. You’ll track down scorch marks left in a churchyard by fires during the Revolutionary War.

History is underfoot with every step! Other highlights include Federal Hall, Trinity Church, a giant bull, an 1812 fort, a buried building, the headquarters of Men in Black, and much more.

But no previous knowledge is required! All you need to win is sharp eyes, comfy shoes, and great teamwork.

Along the way, players will be challenged to take unusual team photos, designed to spur creativity and foster teamwork.

This scavenger hunt makes for a great school field trip, scout outing, family gathering, or other special occasion that both kids and adults will be talking about long afterward. Contact us to learn more—and find more fun for kids in downtown NYC!

It’s do or die in FiDi

Can you figure out whodunit before it’s too late? A Watson Adventures staffer has been found dead on Wall Street, and we need your help to catch his killer. Before he died, he drew a star on the ground with his own blood. Can you and your team of sleuths solve this mystery and piece together the rest of the puzzle he left behind in time to prevent a potentially disastrous international incident?

You’ll also uncover secrets on this lower Manhattan scavenger hunt, from Wall Street down to Battery Park, where surprising details turn out to be part of a cryptic code. Your teamwork skills just may save the world.

On this unusually fun team-building exercise, you’ll get the best of the Secrets of Wall Street Scavenger Hunt while also solving a murder mystery. Our Hunt Host will set you up at the start, surprise you with a special challenge along the way, and award the winners at the finish line.

Contact us to learn more about this FiDi scavenger hunt—and find more fun in downtown NYC!

Solve the puzzles to escape with your lives

…on a New York City scavenger hunt in the spectacular Oculus and the World Financial Center’s Brookfield Place. Your team has been poisoned by an evil genius, and the only way to find the antidote is to play his puzzle-filled game. 

Each puzzle, riddle, and brain-teaser will lead you to spots within the Oculus, where your group will answer tricky, humorous questions about what you discover in these great spaces. Along the way, you might find a ceramic zoo behind bars, huge murals of faraway shores, exotic edibles at Eataly, spectacular views of the Hudson, and more.

Completed in 2016, the Oculus is a dramatic, all-white space like something out of a sci-fi movie. An underground hallway connects with Brookfield Place, where a palm court and intriguing places to shop and eat await. Another passage connects with the dramatic Fulton Center, a hub for more stores. These venues provide lively, weatherproof places for an indoor adventure downtown.

No knowledge of the Oculus or the area is necessary to play or to win. You just need sharp eyes, comfy shoes, and great teamwork.

Contact us to learn more about the Oculus scavenger hunts—and find more team-building fun in downtown NYC!

Follow in Alexander Hamilton’s footsteps…

…through the streets of Lower Manhattan, from Wall Street to Battery Park, to discover the places where the feisty Founding Father worked, played, debated, fought, and planned his fatal duel. Whether you’re a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical, or the Ron Chernow book that inspired it, or just curious about the Founding Fathers and early New York City, you’ll love this scavenger hunt.

No knowledge of Alexander Hamilton or the Wall Street area is necessary! You just need sharp eyes and comfy shoes to follow a trail of clues to discover fascinating historical places and answer tricky, fun questions about what you find. 

Highlights on this FiDi scavenger hunt include…

• Hamilton’s grave
• Federal Hall, where Washington was inaugurated, Hamilton dodged rocks thrown by an angry crowd, and Hamilton and Burr worked together to defend a man accused of murder
• A bank founded by Aaron Burr in a sneaky deal that duped Hamilton
• Fraunces Tavern, where Hamilton worked as Secretary of the Treasury and where Washington bid farewell to his troops
• The site of Hamilton’s home on Wall Street
• Pearl Street, part of the route of Hamilton’s funeral procession
• Hanover Square, the location of the publisher of The Federalist, written mostly by Hamilton and James Madison
• The site of a fort where, in 1775, Hamilton joined a group that stole cannons from the British

Plus, you’ll touch a fence that bears the scars of a patriotic mob, walk through a former hanging ground and slave market, gaze at singe marks from the great fire of 1776, visit the real grave of a fictional character, decipher a Freemason’s cryptic last message, and more.

It’s a great, fast-paced tour of the Wall Street area. Even if you don’t give a farthing for the Founding Fathers, you’ll be surprised and delighted by this hunt. And if you’ve seen the hit Broadway musical, you’ll be forgiven for spontaneously rapping as you recognize touchstones in Hamilton’s lyrics.

Kids Edition: Do have a school group of kids who’d enjoy discovering history in a new way? Check out Hamilton: The Scavenger Hunt for Kids.

What people are saying about the Hamilton scavenger hunt

A 5-star review on Google: “We’ve hosted multiple company scavenger hunts across multiple offices and all feedback from attendees was great! Watson Adventures was super accommodating to our groups and super friendly—not only are you learning new things about the city that you would have never known otherwise, you are having fun while doing so! We will definitely be using them again in the future!”

Contact us to learn more about the Hamilton scavenger hunt—and find more fun in FiDi!

We dare you not to start humming Hamilton tunes…

…as you answer funny and tricky questions about the intriguing statesman and wind your way through the streets of Lower Manhattan, from Bowling Green to Federal Hall on Wall Street, from Hamilton’s grave near Broadway to Fraunces Tavern (where Hamilton dined with Washington).  

On this history-filled activity that’s perfect for school field trips and birthday parties, kids and adults collaborate on teams to discover the places where the feisty Founding Father worked, played, debated, fought, and planned his fatal duel. This hunt is sure to be a hit with fans of the insanely popular Broadway musical, as well as with those who don’t know much (yet) about Hamilton and early New York City.

And don’t worry—no knowledge of Alexander Hamilton or the Wall Street area is necessary! You just need sharp eyes and good teamwork.

Recommended for ages 10 and up. 

Contact us to learn more about this great field trip scavenger hunt—and find more historical fun in lower Manhattan!

A scavenger hunt between two Worlds

If you want to explore the revived, exciting neighborhood of the World Financial Center, The Oculus, and the Freedom Tower, this is the game for you. Your team will check out the beautiful waterfront park and outdoor plazas along the Hudson River as you follow tricky clues and answer humorous questions about what you find. Along the way, you’ll also be challenged to take creative Team Photos and create or find unusual items.

Highlights include…

• A slice of hillside from Ireland
• Harbors of the world within view of the Winter Garden
• Mini millionaires who have overtaken a playground
• Unusual outdoor art along the Hudson
• A pond where you’ll encounter “fowl play”

If you’d rather hunt east of the Freedom Tower, another version is available that focuses on sites near Broadway.