Embark on a treasure hunt with Geocaching

Searching for the ultimate family-friendly outdoor excursion that your kids are going to adore? Look no further. If you’ve participated in the sport known as geocaching, then you’re already aware that it’s one of the coolest outdoor activities in which you can engage.

For the uninitiated, geocaching is an activity that combines hiking and orienteering with all the fun of a treasure hunt. It’s a great activity that gets you and the little ones outdoors and experiencing new places in the community; best of all, though, you get to embark on a true-life treasure hunt. So, grab some tasty snacks, make sure you have your portable GPS unit and some maps or a smart phone loaded with a geocaching app, and prepare to hit the trail in your quest to find your first cache.

Somewhere nearby your own neighborhood in a park, near a trail or maybe even in an urban area, another geocacher has hidden a box called a “geocache” in a clever (or sometimes not-so-clever) location. Inside, you’ll find some little knick-knacks or “treasures” to the kids, as well as a sign-in sheet.

To begin your adventure, you should visit geocaching.com or access it via a mobile device (i.e. a smart phone or tablet). Enter the requisite information, address or zip code usually, and you’ll receive an area-specific list of caches. For the visually inclined, click on the Google Maps tag, which should give you a nice little map of all the cache locations in your vicinity.

Your best bet is to avoid picking a cache at random. Parents are likely to find that some quick research, even just reading online comments about the cache, will pay off in terms of determining the quality of your experience beforehand. For instance, if you have young children, you’ll probably want to find an easy-to-find cache that’s located in easy terrain. Usually, you can find an extensive comments section that has been updated by geocachers, who have been to the cache. Use this to judge whether a given cache is ideal for your excursion.

Choose a cache and then enter the coordinates into your portable GPS unit or your smart phone’s geocaching app, and get ready for your hike. Again, don’t forget to bring some hydrating liquids and a couple snacks for your kids, and most importantly, bring a little trinket for the geocache. This is because the rules of the game and simple etiquette dictate that if you take a treasure, you have to leave one behind.
Once you’ve embarked, be sure to consult your GPS regularly to determine your distance and orientation to the cache you’re seeking. Of course, once you’ve found the area, you’ll still need to search for it. Geocachers can be clever about hiding their treasures to prevent the Muggles, otherwise known as the non-geocachers, from locating or destroying the cache. Don’t get frustrated if you have to spend some amount of time locating the cache, it’s all part of the game. And in the end, your children will have enjoyed spending time outdoors with you much more than they will enjoy whatever prize you find, anyway. Have fun!