From contributing writer Meagan of Frugal Fun and Fortune
Looking for some frugal fun for the family as the Summer wraps up? Geocaching might just be for you! It’s fun for all ages, outdoors, adventurous, diverse, and educational. Not to mention…it’s FREE!
So what exactly is Geocaching? It’s basically a worldwide treasure hunt. People just like me and you hide and hunt for “caches” all over the globe. There may be 50 hidden caches within 5 miles of your very own neighborhood, and you’ve never even known it! They come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not real treasure. The fun of it is the adventure in finding the cache. You can trade small items (marbles, coins, baseball cards, silly bandz, etc.) if you’d like, though!
To get started, simply head over to the official Geocaching website. Sign up for a free membership, and search for caches in your area. Each individual cache page gives you GPS coordinates, which you must plug into your GPS in order to track it. This is the only part of Geocaching that isn’t quite so frugal. What’s great is that in today’s world, many people have GPS units in their cars or on their phones. If you do not have one, however, you can probably get an inexpensive one on Ebay or Amazon.
Each cache has a hint to decode, cache size, terrain level, and difficulty level. Each cache will also have pictures on the side of the screen that give you additional information, such as: wheelchair friendly, kid-friendly, parking available/unavailable, scenic view, takes less than 1 hour, bicycle friendly, the list goes on!
The best part of Geocaching is that you can do it in your neighborhood, city, on a road trip, or even on vacation in another country. It’s also very diverse, and has something that appeals to everybody. You might enjoy a scenic cache that is located in a park, or you might enjoy a cache that is located in a city that has a historical background. The possibilities and fun are endless!
You can check out the game guide to learn all about the ins and outs of Geocaching. You can also watch the video for a big-picture idea of how it works in a nutshell. Then sign up and enjoy your very own Geocaching treasure hunt! If you really become a Geocaching fanatic, you might even try hiding your own cache for other people to find.
Have you tried Geocaching before? Share your experience!
About Meagan Newsome
Meagan authors Frugal Fun & Fortune, where she writes about saving money, giving to others, delicious Vegetarian recipes, simple living, and her life adventures. Her greatest passions include chasing after God wholeheartedly, social justice and being a good wife. You can connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
Read more by Meagan -> | Blog
This looks like a great homeschool activity! Thanks for sharing 🙂
@Amy, You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy! 🙂
I’ve heard about Geocaching for years, but have never tried it. I want to though!!!
Thank you so much for the awesome explanation and resources in this article!
@Rachel, Most definitely! My husband’s entire family has been doing it for years, and they’re a homeschool family. That’s actually who I learned it from!
My family LOVES geocaching!! We started the Spring of 2010 and have found 202 geocaches or “treasures” as the kids call them so far. It is also great to get kids outside, family time, and exercise!
@Amy, Wow, that’s a lot of treasures! I can’t wait to try this when the weather cools off a bit. 🙂
@Amy, Thanks for sharing about your Geocaching adventures! 🙂 That’s awesome.
My grandsons and I have a lot of fun doing this. We started last winter. We have found 10 so far. Only do it one weekend a month.