Secret City: Service Agreement, Terms & Policies

Welcome to Secret City! We’re thrilled to have you join us for an unforgettable team adventure. Before completing your booking, please take a moment to review our service agreement, terms and policies.

Last updated: October 2026

Service Agreement

Secret City Scavenger Hunts agrees to plan, organize, and facilitate a professionally designed scavenger hunt experience for your group. The hunt will guide participants through a designated location, encouraging teamwork as they solve clues and puzzles about notable landmarks, hidden details, and interesting features within the selected hunt area.

Secret City will provide all materials necessary for participation. All scavenger hunt content, including but not limited to clues, puzzles, materials, and graphics, remains the intellectual property of Secret City Scavenger Hunts and may not be copied, reproduced, photographed or distributed without written permission.

Clients may switch to any other available hunt for the same scheduled date and time with at least 24 hours’ notice.

Payment is kindly requested at the time of booking. Payment of your invoice completes your booking and indicates acceptance of these terms, policies and service agreement.

Terms and Policies

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❌ Cancellation, Rescheduling & Weather Policy

Bookings are non-refundable – but they may be transferred to another group prior to your scheduled event, subject to the requirements outlined below. If you need to change your date, please provide as much notice as possible — ideally at least one week. If you want to give your rebooking credit to another group, we will honor that. We ask that, if you need to rebook, you do so within one year of the original booking.

Rebooking or Transfer Notice Requirements: If you request to postpone or transfer your event with fewer than 72 hours’ notice, a rebooking premium of $150 per 20 participants will apply, calculated proportionally (e.g., $225 for 30 participants, $300 for 40, etc.). A minimum fee of $150 will apply for groups smaller than 20 participants.

Participants may be added to your booking at any time prior to the event. Additional charges will apply based on the current rate per participant, due before the event begins.

We plan and staff our events based on the confirmed participant count provided in advance, so all final numbers must be established prior to the event. We do not conduct headcounts on-site or adjust the final cost based on actual attendance. Once an event has taken place, no portion of the booking is transferrable or eligible for future credit.

Outdoor events may be moved indoors for any reason, including inclement weather, pending availability. We request at least 24 hours’ notice for any change of hunt selection. If a museum hunt is selected, museum admission is sold separately

In the event of a force majeure — such as a public transportation shutdown, city-wide emergency, or government-issued order advising people to stay home — your event will be rescheduled to a mutually agreed future date.

⚖️ Waiver of Liability and Assumption of Risk

Participation in a Secret City Scavenger Hunt involves inherent risks, including but not limited to pedestrian traffic, uneven terrain, weather conditions, sudden noise or crowd activity, and other public space hazards. Risks may also include minor injuries (e.g., slips, falls), exposure to outdoor elements, and interaction with third parties in the environment. The risks associated with participating in a Secret City event are generally comparable to the ordinary risks of walking around New York City.

It is the obligation of each participant to manage their own risk, make responsible decisions during the hunt, and refrain from any behavior that elevates their personal risk beyond ordinary levels. Participants are also expected to obey all local, state, and federal laws at all times. Secret City will never instruct or encourage any participant to violate any laws, including traffic regulations or civil and criminal codes.

By submitting payment and participating in the event, you and your group voluntarily assume all risks associated with the activity. You further release and hold harmless Secret City, its facilitators, affiliates, and partners from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, or injuries — including those resulting from negligence, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen — that may arise from participation, except in cases of willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of Secret City.

You acknowledge that participation is voluntary, and that all participants are physically able to safely complete the event. You also affirm that you are responsible for informing members of your group, including any minors, of this waiver and that you agree to these terms on their behalf. For hunts involving minors, each team must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or older who serves as the team’s chaperone. You further agree not to initiate or pursue any legal claims against Secret City, its facilitators, or affiliates for any injuries, damages, or losses sustained in connection with your participation.

If at any point you prefer not to continue the event, you are welcome to end your participation for any reason you feel is appropriate. Should you encounter a situation you’re not comfortable engaging in, voluntarily withdrawing from the event shall be your exclusive remedy.

🔀 Late Arrival Policy

Events begin promptly at the scheduled time. We understand that sometimes trains are delayed or meetings run over, and we’ll always do our best to accommodate when we can. That said, we operate on a tight schedule. In most cases, groups arriving more than 30 minutes late should expect a shortened experience.

👥 Participant Responsibility

Clients are responsible for ensuring that all participants in their group adhere to the event guidelines and conduct themselves appropriately. These guidelines include following facilitator instructions, respecting public and private property, staying within designated hunt boundaries, and behaving respectfully toward teammates, facilitators, and members of the public. Secret City reserves the right to terminate the event if participant behavior is deemed unsafe or disruptive.

We recommend that each team have at least one fully charged smartphone available during the hunt. We often use WhatsApp or another messaging platform to communicate with teams and receive photo and video challenges, but don’t worry if that’s not an option for your group — we’ll make it work.

🔁 Changes by Secret City

Secret City makes every effort to ensure that our hunts are accurate, up-to-date, and fully accessible at the time of your event. However, because our hunts take place in public spaces, museums, and other locations outside of our control, landmarks, exhibits, signs, access points, and other hunt content may occasionally be moved, changed, closed, blocked, or otherwise become unavailable without notice. When this occurs, we will make every reasonable effort to adapt the hunt and minimize any impact on your experience.

Secret City reserves the right to make necessary changes to the event due to unforeseen circumstances, including but not limited to facilitator availability or safety concerns. These changes are only made in the most extreme situations and always in close communication with the client. In such cases, clients will be offered a rescheduled date or an alternative event of equal value.

Secret City facilitators make every effort to arrive in advance of the scheduled start time and begin events promptly. However, as our events take place throughout New York City, unforeseen delays — including but not limited to public transportation disruptions, traffic conditions, or other city-related factors — may occasionally impact arrival times. In such cases, Secret City will make every reasonable effort to communicate promptly and minimize any disruption to the experience.

In the rare event that a facilitator delay significantly impacts the start of the event, Secret City will work with the client in good faith to provide a reasonable accommodation, which may include a modified experience, partial credit, or rescheduling, as appropriate.

📞 Communication

All official communications will be conducted via the contact information provided at the time of booking. Clients are responsible for ensuring that their contact details are accurate and up-to-date.

📷 Photo & Video Policy

During your event, Secret City facilitators or photographers may take photos and/or videos as part of the experience. When we get some good ones, we’re happy to share them with your group as a courtesy. While we always try to capture some of the fun, photography and videography are not guaranteed parts of the event.

In addition, we may use selected photos or videos from your event for promotional purposes across our marketing channels, including social media, email, and print materials. Secret City does not use photos or videos of children for promotional purposes.

As part of the hunt experience, we may use tools such as WhatsApp or other messaging platforms to coordinate and communicate. Any photos or videos shared by team members within these chat platforms are considered granted for use by Secret City for promotional purposes.

Teams are not obligated to share or post any photos. If your team prefers not to grant usage rights for certain images, simply refrain from sharing them in the team chat or tagging Secret City on social media.

If you’d prefer that Secret City not take or use any photos or videos from your event, just let us know before your hunt begins — we’re happy to accommodate.

Our handling of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy.

🔄 Changes to Terms

These terms are subject to change. The most current version is always available at secretcityny.com/terms.

♿ Accessibility & Special Accommodations

If anyone in your group requires special assistance or accessibility accommodations, please let us know in advance and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

🛡️ Health & Safety Disclaimer

Participants should not attend if experiencing symptoms of illness or under advised quarantine. By attending, participants confirm they are in suitable health to participate in a physically active group event.

📣 Client Responsibility for Group Awareness

It is the responsibility of the person booking the event to ensure all participants have been informed of these terms and policies prior to the event.

✅ Agreement to Terms

By submitting payment, clients acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to Secret City’s Terms & Policies.

Secret City Scavenger Hunts is a registered business in the state of New York. All disputes shall be governed under the laws of the state of New York.