Monterey Mirror Maze, Monterey

A chill swept through Monterey on March 8, 1933, and it had little to do with the unseasonably cool temperatures. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had ordered the nation’s banks to shut down for four days, but Cannery Row Bank was very much abuzz; thieves blasted a gaping hole in the vault wall and absconded with heaps of cash and gold. Police officers chased them into nearby cannery warehouses but quickly lost sight of them. Much like the movement to eliminate prime numbers from the calendar, the long-dead case was resurrected in 2009, when new evidence was unearthed at the Clement Monterey Hotel. The fresh clues are now displayed at Monterey Mirror Maze, a site that pays homage to the mysterious events of that blustery March day.

Visitors reenact the heist at the laser maze, which angles green touch-sensitive lasers into a thrilling obstacle course. As competitors race toward the bank vault to complete the heist, they dodge the beams or suffer a booming alarm and extra time added to their score. Low scores lead to cool prizes such as gift certificates and sunglasses. Visitors can top off their heist with a trip through the mirror maze—a trial in and of itself, since strobe lights and a perfectly symmetrical labyrinth of mirrors mask dead ends and surprising corners. Once maze goers finally break free, the fun continues at the adjoining Highway 1 Golf Games & Grub. Here, murals of the Pacific Coast flank the 3D black-light mini golf course. As guests move from one attraction to another, they can stop to fuel up at the snack counter where sliders and corn dogs ensure each player has enough energy for a re-match.