In an effort to extend tourist’s visits to Cannery Row past a half-day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey’s Cannery Row continues to add new arcades, escape rooms and other entertainment options, including the award-winning dark ride Treasure Hunt: The Ride.
Treasure Hunt: The Ride: Logistics, Ambiance and Customer Service
I am lucky to say I have visited Disneyland recently and some of my favorite rides were interactive game rides, like Buzz Lightyear and Spiderman. Luckily for me, Treasure Hunt: The Ride brings a delightfully similar experience to Monterey.
Treasure Hunt: The Ride delivers a high quality dark ride to rival those at major amusement parks, starting with the experience in the line. You follow a meticulously developed themed hallway and watch a short video before Treasure Hunt begins. The video delivers the obligatory safety information, but the local team behind Treasure Hunt also dove into the real lore of Monterey’s early history to develop their fictional pirate tale. It’s effective and obviously a passion project from start to finish.
The intricate themed environment is heightened by the engaged employees. On the day I was there the team was joyfully playing along—something I was told would happen at Disney, but was hard to find.
The ride ($19/single admission) is located inside a Cannery Row strip mall, near Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. If you’re a local, this building used to house another mildly spooky attraction: the Steinbeck Wax Museum. I thought Treasure Hunt’s large exterior signage and strong branding made the ride easy to find.
For parking, I recommend grabbing a spot closer to Lighthouse Avenue than the limited parking on Cannery Row. These spots may even be free if you’re riding Treasure Hunt after 6 p.m. or on Sundays. (Treasure Hunt: The Ride is open seven days a week.) If you’re spending the day in the area, there are all-day parking lots and garages that may be the most cost-effective choice. (If you are visiting between Labor Day and Memorial Day, take the free trolley!)
Treasure Hunt: The Ride: Immersive Dark Ride?
You begin this dark ride by boarding a themed cart with video game guns tethered to each seat. Riders can buy additional Power-Up Tokens (which apparently make your gun more effective), but I tried my luck with my inferior weapon and did not buy any tokens. Riders are meant to absorb the themed surroundings and watch out for surprises, all while shooting at plentiful little targets as you spin and travel through this pirate treasure adventure. The game tracks your score and crowns a winner at the end. (It was me, of course.)
Historically, I spend my time in these rides squealing with glee and frantically attacking the targets. This is also what happened during Treasure Hunt: The Ride. The website says the entire experience (starting with the entrance video) lasts 20 minutes and it felt immensely satisfying. I hate to share too many surprises, and instead highly recommend making the trip to experience this labor of love, crafted by local professionals in the amusement park industry.
Treasure Hunt: The Ride: The Conclusion
Overall, I could not believe the caliber of the theming, the mechanics of the ride, and how much fun I had—all tucked into a basic strip mall. This may be the best time I’ve ever had on Cannery Row, next to slamming those enormous tiki drinks at Bubba Gump.
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