My partner and I finally scored a kid free night. No homework reminders. And no taxiing teenagers. No one complaining about who finished the ice cream. Pure bliss. We decided to celebrate our freedom by voluntarily locking ourselves inside Prison Island. Because nothing says romance quite like choosing to be confined together in a place designed to test your survival instincts.
Prison Island in Fortitude Valley is an adventure centre filled with challenge rooms. Think escape rooms but quicker and more frantic. Some are physical. Some are puzzles. All are designed to make couples discover new things about each other. Such as who panics first. Or who thinks they know how to read clues but actually does not.
We booked ahead and arrived after dinner at La Costa on Brunswick Street. La Costa was the calm before the storm. Pasta, wine and a very civilised atmosphere. Then we strolled two minutes from Fortitude Valley Station and suddenly we were no longer cultured diners. We were inmates. In matching wristbands. A true bonding moment.
Behind Bars But Still In Love
We had ninety minutes. The helpful staff gave us a quick rundown. Then we were loose in the maze of rooms. We agreed to work as a team. It felt wholesome and supportive. That lasted about three and a half minutes.
The first room went beautifully. Mostly because my partner did everything while I provided moral support and commentary. Then the next room involved balance. A log. A beam. A lot of wobbling. And me falling off. Not once. Not twice. But four times. I am proud to say my partner showed great compassion. He tried to stifle his laugh until after I face planted for the fourth time.
We moved into puzzle rooms. I was hoping to redeem myself. No-one will be surprised to know that I did not redeem myself. I discovered that I am quicker to give up on clues. Meanwhile he wanted to keep trying because he knew the moment we locked in a failure I would be muttering something like this is impossible. The relationship lesson was clear. He perseveres. I spiral. Romance.
A Very Sensible Prison Break
What surprised us most was how addictive it became. We would finish a room. Look at each other. And then sprint to the next cell like two people chasing parole. If we liked a room we went back and tried to improve our score. Prison Island lets you retry as many times as you like. It felt like a second chance at redemption. A rare gift in both prisons and relationships.
Some rooms made us feel clever. Some made us question our life choices. (Almost) all of them made us laugh. That was the best part. Every misstep was funny. And every fail was ridiculous. Every win felt like we should high five in slow motion like a sports movie.
Date Night Approved
Prison Island is surprisingly great for couples. There are quiet corners and there are energetic spaces. I loved that there is enough challenge to create teamwork and there is enough chaos to break the ice again and again. We found ourselves talking, laughing and encouraging each other in ways that date nights often forget to include.
We would absolutely go back. In fact, we already have! Is it wrong that I took the kids during the school holidays to best them, you know, because I had already done it once and knew what I was doing!? You can read how well that went here. (Spoiler, it did not go well!)
But I digress…
If you want a date night that is active, silly and filled with shared triumphs and shared disasters, this is it. Nothing builds connection faster than finding out what your partner is like under pressure. Mine is calm, patient and annoyingly competent. I am the comic relief. Every great story needs one.
Prison Island is a breakout hit for couples. No bail required.
