Geocaching: A Super Fun Family Bonding Activity

Geocaching somewhere in the forests of PA

I'm notorious for NOT being on the cutting edge of, like, anything...ever.

I am not a fashionista. I am not an early adopter. I don't have the newest technology. I am not "in the know" or the first to know about anything...except possibly a new book release. But even then...no, not really. Still not.

And even I, the last adult besides my father to finally succumb to the smart phone movement, have known about geocaching for a couple of years. So, I know this post isn't really new news. BUT, when I first read about it, I remember thinking, that might be fun to try...and then never doing anything about it. (And maybe that's what you did, too.) I filed it away in the back of my brain, and moved on.

That is, until this summer.

Before I go on with my story, I should first answer this question (for those who don't know): What is geocaching?

A cache hidden in plain sight

Geocaching is a real world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location. Once found, geocachers sign and date the logbook, re-hide the cache, and then share the experience online. 

Now, back to my story...

Hanging from a tree in North Carolina

This summer, while on a family vacation, I accessed that old brain file and offered up geocaching as a possible activity-- the response was unanimous: We're all in! So we set up an account. Downloaded the app to our phones. And scoped out some nearby caches. Then we went at it!

And we had so much fun!

Everyone enjoyed the adventure and challenge of geocaching, and it really brought us together as a team (which I think is really cool). It was time spent together working toward a common goal. We were active; we were using our brains in new ways and learning new skills (like reading a compass and understanding coordinates and figuring out clues); and we were seeing places we wouldn't have otherwise seen.

That last one was the most unexpected benefit to geocaching, for me. I suggested it on vacation for the family bonding and fun; but we've continued geocaching as a weekend activity, and even spur of the moment fun, and it's been so cool to go places we wouldn't have otherwise gone, and see things from perspectives we wouldn't have otherwise had.

Beautiful and fascinating cemetery that we wandered peacefully after finding a cache

We've visited parks, walked trails, snuck around outside businesses, climbed embankments, wandered cemeteries, and crouch-walked under roads in dry drainage "riverbeds". We've explored all sorts of areas in three states, so far, and its been a blast. My husband and I even did a little geocaching on our own during a weekend getaway-- turns out it's fun bonding time even without the kids!

Sounding interesting, yet?

Here's a little more information on what geocaching is like, and a few tips for getting started.

It looked like a birdhouse, but
wasn't; and took a trick to get in

This one was in a cooler and had fun
trinkets to trade

All caches are different. They range in size from micro (think tiny film canister) to large (think big shoebox), type of container, and hiding place (look up, look down, look in or under). Some contain just a log for you to sign. Others contain trinkets to trade, too. And still others hold coveted "trackables"-- which I like to think of as trinkets on a journey (these have trackable barcodes and are meant to be moved from cache to cache on a journey somewhere).


Because you never know what you're going to get into when you head out geocaching, I recommend doing a few things first:

1) If you want to give geocaching a go, start by clicking this link: https://www.geocaching.com, where you can register for a free basic membership and then follow the instructions there to get started.

2) I highly recommend watching the videos they provide before heading out on your first treasure hunting adventure. We all huddled around my husband's phone and watched them together to get everyone psyched-up for our first outing...and to teach everyone the rules of geocaching. You can find videos at the geocaching Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoGeocaching.

3) Dress appropriately. You may find yourself wandering through the woods or climbing hills and embankments. Good shoes for walking/hiking are a must (flip flops are not recommended)! And wear or bring clothing to protect you from bugs and scratchy plant life.

4) The geocaching app sucks battery life like crazy! So bring your charger for between caches.

5) We gathered/bought trinkets to have on hand for trading. If a cache had fun things that interested the kids, we wanted to have equally fun things to trade. So we got a little box to keep in the car and filled it with small, "cachable" stuff. You can also make your own leave-behinds...or choose not to trade anything.

6) Bring a pen!

If this calls to your adventurous spirit, geocaching isn't the only game in town...

There is a similar game out there called letterboxing which we plan to try out soon. In letterboxing, you collect and share stamp imprints. You bring along your own log book and stamp (you might have a family stamp and book, or individual ones); you search out the letterbox using GPS and clues; the box contains its own log book and stamp; and you trade stamps-- imprint the box's book with your stamp and stamp your own book with the box's stamp.

I like the idea of collecting stamps...it's kind of like a passport! Cool! So, we'll be giving that a go sometime soon. If you want to learn more about letterboxing, go here: http://www.letterboxing.org.

And I'm sure there are even more fun adventure options out there. If you've know of any, please share them in the comments below. And I'd love to hear about your geocaching or letterboxing adventures too! I try to share pics from our geocaching adventures on instagram. (#geocaching) You can follow me on instagram at: @bookwormanista.

So, folks, that's what I've got on family fun for this season-- a little different than your typical pumpkin patch or hayride, I think.

Until next time, go find yourself some adventure...most of us could use a little more adventure in our lives and geocaching is a pretty easy way to get it.

Happy geocaching!