Are you planning a road trip soon? Want to add in some geocaching?
I've got you covered with my top five road trip tips, plus a bonus tip at the end!
I recently travelled to Orlando Florida for a conference for subscription box owners. The conference was amazing; I learned a lot, got to meet many wonderful other subscription business owners, and I was a speaker one day too!
I also worked in geocaching on this trip of course. Travelling all the way across the US was a geocaching opportunity I wouldn't miss! While on the plane back home, I thought about all the planning I did to ensure I was successful in finding the caches I wanted to find. So I've put together my top five geocaching road trip plans for you!
I also shared these tips live on Facebook here.
Tip #1: Look for rare cache types and also sort by favorite points.
I always look for webcam and virtual caches along my route or at my final destinations. These are often few and far between, so keeping an eye out for them along your trip is essential!
On my Orlando trip there were two virtuals in Epcot where I planned to spend a day after the conference. Once I was in the park I found them first, and then had the rest of the day to play.
Tip #2: Most rest stops have geocaches! And... more and more airports have virtuals or Adventure Labs IN them.
Need a break from the road/plane? Pop open the app and there may be a quick cache or Adventure Lab to grab within walking distance. Great for the body and mind to take a break while travelling.
Tip #3: Before you go, solve puzzle (mystery) caches and look for challenge caches that you qualify or will qualify for soon.
This is a great way to further explore a new area, or add more "?" to your stats! Take some time before you go on your trip to work on puzzle caches on the way or at your destination.
Many regions have similar challenge caches; so if you already qualify (and may have found a local one), look for the same ones on your trip. Most challenge cache COs (Cache Owners) will allow you to sign the log even if you don't yet qualify. When you do, just turn your note into a found log!
Tip #4: Check previous logs before you spend time hunting.
We're on vacation or on a schedule, and don't have time to waste looking for caches with multiple DNFs.
Tip #5: Use offline lists (a premium feature).
Before you leave your phone network, download an offline list to your phone so you can keep on caching even if you don't have any cell service. The GPS in your phone will still work, and any logs that you make will upload once you are back in cell service. Don't let bad coverage stop your geocaching fun!
*Bonus Tip*: Use your auto GPS to track time so you're never late.
If travelling by car, put your final destination into your car GPS, and note the time of arrival. For instance, if you're travelling to grandma's house for dinner at 6pm, and your GPS says you'll get there by 3pm, you have three hours to geocache!
Just be sure to keep an eye on it, and when it's getting close to your desired arrival time, it's time to (sorry) quit geocaching and get back on the road.
Ready to hit the road??
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We at dealfarms throughly enjoyed reading your road trip tips. As dedicated tent camping road trippers we were motivated to share some additional tips that we have learned along the way.
When planning a camping road trip, make your reservations early, months early if possible, in order to guarantee that you will have a site. There was a time here in Texas that you could make reservations at nearly any state park only a week or so in advance, not any more.
Camp at state parks, they are usually comparatively cheap to stay at, they typically showcase some area of historical or natural significance, and most have at least a few geocaches in the park.
Planned redundancy, many of our caching trips currently revolve around trying to complete county challenges for several states. Having been forced to scramble to locate replacement caches when our target cache is disabled or archived after we’ve planned our route we now try to have a second one already scouted.
Make a packing list, no really, make a list. You will be thankful that you did when you reach your destination at dusk and you have all of your supplies (tent poles, lantern fuel, can opener, etc…). Especially when the park store has closed and the nearest town is 17 miles and 528 feet away.