What is Geocaching?

Geocaches are hidden treasures all over the world–seriously, almost 3,000,000 world-wide! We have been searching for these treasures, by geocaching, for about seven years and have had so much fun deciphering the description and utilizing a GPS for coordinates.  If you don't have a GPS to download the coordinates from geocaching.com,  you can download the app for a one time fee (under $15.)  I have it on my phone and because I have limited data, I upload the location of the caches onto my phone while I'm at home and then don't use to need data while we are at the park.

When you are at a location with geocaches, just choose which cache (or two) you would like to look for.  Follow the compass (red arrow) for the distance that is indicated.  There is often a description of where the cache will be hidden, but really, you just need to think like you're watching Survivor and looking for the hidden immunity idol!  They are often hidden under rocks, in old stumps, or even inside park benches.

Most caches include paper to write your name and date in.  They also have treasures (superheroes, stickers, pencils, pins etc) so that you can take one and then leave a different one in it's place.  

Geocaching is a great way to keep local parks exciting and get to know new ones!  We have done it in Oregon, Whistler, Tofino, Victoria...pretty much every trip we go on we will go geocaching.

If your kids aren't very excited about family walks, they might enjoy the idea of a treasure hunt.  This Saturday we went to a local park (Tynehead) that has at least twenty caches and searched for two of them.  This park is gorgeous and there's always a new trail to explore!

Make sure you don't let people see what you are doing (people who don't geocache=Muggles) and wait until the coast is clear to pull out your treasure box.

We have some great memories of treasure hunting over the years and here are some pictures from when the boys were younger.  I love thinking back to all the sweet locations we've found them; on a mountain hike, at low tide, near the Parliament buildings...so many cool places that we've discovered because of it.

 

Do you geocache? Would you?

Love, 

Louise