If you are a little stir crazy and need some outdoor winter fun, consider geocaching, the world’s biggest outdoor treasure hunt. Geocaching is an activity in which participants use a GPS or a smartphone to hide and seek containers at secret locations marked by coordinates.
There are millions of caches hidden around the world. In fact, there are 1,600 in the Richmond area, including three or four in the Museum District. Caches vary in size from film canisters to lunch boxes, each containing a log book and potentially prizes as well. Many are hidden in plain sight while others require a significant amount of searching off the beaten path.
Top five reasons to become a geocacher:
Geocaching gets you outside. Geocaching almost always requires that you get outside. Caches have descriptions and hints so that you can decide ahead of time to take a walk through the city, go on a hike, ride a bike or drive the car for a quick grab-and-go find.
Geocaching takes you places you have never been. The majority of caches are hidden in interesting and historical locations. Geocaching is a fabulous activity when traveling because caches are typically hidden in and around local points of interest. There may be caches hidden in Richmond locations that you have yet to discover.
Geocaching connects you to a global community. There are more than three million active geocaches hidden worldwide. Geocaches can be found in 191 different countries on all seven continents (even Antarctica). More than 642 million “finds” have been recorded since the game started in 2000. There are meet-ups, forums, and group events.
Geocaching fosters bonds between family and friends.
Geocaching is a wonderful group or family activity. Some caches require head scratching or puzzling at home before actually searching for the container. Some caches require quite a bit of sleuthing once in the proper location. Problem solving can be easier and more interesting when shared with a friend.Geocaching is fun and rewarding. It can be exhilarating to finally find a miniature container, disguised as a bolt, along a fence on a crowded city street. Discovering a spectacular overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway can turn a boring afternoon into a beautiful one. There are literally millions of adventures waiting to be had through geocaching. Get out there!
Visit geocaching.com to create a profile and start searching. You will need a trail name, a smartphone and/or a handheld GPS.