SF Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt
San Francisco's Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt is happening today in the Telegraph Hill/Chinatown area, coinciding with the Chinese New Year Parade. Teams solve clues and discover hidden city landmarks in this interactive urban adventure game.
This urban adventure is San Francisco's longest-running, having challenged amateur sleuths since 1989. The creator, Jayson Wechter, is a private investigator who wanted to bring a live film noir experience to the city's streets. Teams of two to nine people navigate through Chinatown, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, and the Financial District, using the annual parade as a vibrant backdrop. Participants are given a map and a set of up to 16 clues of varying difficulty that involve wordplay, puzzles, and historical trivia. The hunt is a footrace against time, with teams aiming to solve the most clues before the deadline. While there are no monetary prizes, winners receive bragging rights, champagne, chocolate, and a symbolic key-shaped cake. Awards are also given for the most creative team names, which often incorporate the year's zodiac animal or a film noir theme. The event starts and finishes at the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales benefits local non-profits, including Walk San Francisco.
