The days are getting longer; the sun is finally setting past 5 pm. Winter is here, and so are your plans to binge-watch your favorite series for the fifth time.  

South Lake Union is here to say: Ditch those ‘plans’ and put your shoes on. Your couch can wait — we’ve got something better to do. 

For the second year, South Lake Union is partnering with Let’s Roam, a tech company that leads app-based scavenger hunts in over 400 cities across the U.S., to create the ultimate chance to scour SLU.

Those who consider themselves true SLU’thers might remember the Let’s Roam scavenger hunt from last year. Tied to the month of love, the #LoveSLU scavenger hunt was held over just one weekend in February… and coincidentally aligned with Snowmageddon 2021. 

Despite the snow and frigid temps, #LoveSLU was the largest Seattle-based scavenger hunt on the Let’s Roam app for the year. Participants braved the blizzard to join us in South Lake Union and three lucky teams took home the grand prizes of gift cards to iconic South Lake Union retailers.

The only complaint? There wasn’t enough time.

We heard you, and this year, we’re adding even more days to compete. Scour SLU will be held Feb. 11-13 and Feb. 18-20, so we’re calling your bluff on being out of town that weekend. 

If you’re not yet convinced, check out these FAQs to help sway you to join us:

How do I participate?

Joining the Scour SLU scavenger hunt is easy; it just requires a smartphone and, if you choose, a few teammates.

First, download the Let’s Roam App. Allow it to follow your location and make sure you find the Seattle area hunts. Use our custom link to get access to our hunt. (If you don’t join the right hunt, you’ll still have fun! But you won’t be able to win any of our incredible prizes.) Create your team and name yourself something awesome. If you prefer to work with others, go ahead and add your teammates now.

Once you have your team, it’s time to start scouring.

Whether you choose the map or list view, you’ll see hundreds of riddles, challenges and photo ops in the Let’s Roam app. This is how you play. Complete as many challenges as you can to earn your team points. You guessed it, the more points, the higher your chance is to win. The team with the most points at the end of the hunt is crowned our champion(s) and gets access to thousands of dollars in prizes to various retailers around South Lake Union.

Pro tip: Challenges will take you all around South Lake Union, so plan to take a lunch break at your favorite SLU restaurant or fuel up before you start with your go-to coffee.

Some of our retailers will have special offers just for you to discover during the hunt. If you find one, you’re a SLU super sleuth. Follow us on social media @southlakeunion for more details on which retailers are playing along.

When can I participate?

Scour SLU is happening Feb. 11-13 and 18-20.  Participate as much or as little as you want, just a few hours or up to all six days.

Why should I participate?

Let’s Roam was founded as a way to travel your own hometown and learn some of the history you might not have known. It makes the perfect day activity for people of all ages, teams of all sizes, coworkers, cousins or strangers. The scavenger hunt acts as a tour guide to your city and is, quite simply, a really fun way to explore.

Sometimes you need that extra push to get outside: Scour SLU is your push. The Let’s Roam app is user friendly and led at your own speed, making it easy to explore on your own time. You interact with the other teams virtually, but you might bump into other players during your challenges, making Let’s Roam a great way to build connections with your neighbors and bond over a shared experience. You get to learn about the Emerald City in a one-of-a-kind adventure, with some friendly competition as your motivation. 

Okay, okay — the short version? Because we have over $2,500 in prizes to give away from South Lake Union retailers and you do not want miss out!

We hope you join us to Scour SLU on Feb. 11-13 and 18-20. We’ll be sharing more details on what to expect on our Facebook and Instagram pages, so be sure to follow us for the latest.

For more information, visit http://letsroam.com/public_events/southlakeunion.