Tips for Geocaching While Traveling

Geocaching is a great sport that combines the high technology world of GPS and the decidedly low tech world of walking, hiking or even climbing. When I started geocaching, I found a partner and we cached together at least once a week, trying to find every cache in our area. Over time, my interest in caching has changed. I still like to get out and find caches in my area (and there are a lot more lately), but I now I prefer to cache while I'm traveling. I find it's a good way to see a new area, considering many caches are in popular tourist locations.

Although a premium membership makes geocaching much easier while traveling, ts not required, so I provided some tips below that are geared towards non-premium members.

Whether you are flying or driving, caching at your destination can be a great way to get to know a new area. You also don't have to be a hard-core geocacher to have fun, you can geocache without consuming all of your vacation!

• Consider becoming a premium member of geocaching.com. As a premium member you can create pocket queries and find caches along your route. These are great when traveling! If you are not driving, a pocket query can be created with a search on caches at your destination. If you are driving, you can create a query to find caches along a route (can be .1 to 5 miles from your route). I usually set it to .5 miles and evaluate them as we drive. Finding a cache makes for a good excuse to stop and stretch your legs along the way!
• If you are not a premium member, you can view caches on a map and select the ones you want along the route you will be driving. It sounds tedious, and it can be, but you might be surprised how quickly you can eliminate caches just by looking at their location on a map. I have also read that using Google Earth, the KML plug-in can be used for finding caches along a route.
• If you are not caching paperlessly, select the most likely caches and print the page without the logs. You can also use these to make notes on.
• If your GPS doesn't support paperless caching, you can still use your phone to make geocaching more flexible while traveling. Using the mobile geocaching application on your phone, www.wap.geocaching.com, you can look up cache descriptions using the waypoint number. You can even read the log comments and log your find using your phone. This means you don't have to have a paper copy of each cache and may be able to select from more caches once you are on the road.
• You can cache while on a tour, although I admit it can make it more difficult. The biggest issue is time and trying to be discreet. I recommend reading up on the cache ahead of time, so you have a good idea how difficult and/or time consuming the search might be.
• Although I'm not a huge fan of micros, these are usually the quickest and easiest to find in un-familar areas. Don't write them off while traveling.
• If you are using pocket queries, consider setting the difficulty and terrain level in the query. I usually set both at less than or equal to 3.5 so I don't end up with a lot of caches that I don't have the time, or desire, to find. I also check the "is active" box, this cuts down on DNF's.
• If you will be covering a large area, consider bringing your laptop and update your GPS along the way with new caches during your trip. On a long road trip, I created the routes and pocket queries ahead of time, ran then as a went along and loaded them one or two days at a time. You get the most recent information that way, so you have less chance of looking for a cache that has gone missing.
• If you are on a tight schedule, or will not have easy access to transportation, take the time to look at the geocaching maps of the area you will be visiting. Select a few caches based on your anility to get to their location and ease of access. Even with limited time and transportation, you can usually find a cache that you can access on your visit.
• Consider using a trip as a reason to start a travel bug on a new journey. I usually buy keychains from locations that I've visited and then release the new TB while on another trip. You could also activate a TB tag before your visit, buy something from your destination, attach it and send if on your journey during your trip.
• Check the souvenir shops for inexpensive and unique items to exchange when geocaching. Keychains are one of my favorite choices, since I can usually find them in bunches for a good price, but I've also found items such as small masks in New Orleans and clip-on koalas in Australia.
• Make a smaller version of your swag bag with trade items and any travel bugs you may want to move along. I also recommend a pen in the bag, just in case there isn't one in the cache.

Geocaching while traveling can be a great way to experience some new and sometimes unusual places. You may even find an amazing place that isn't in the travel books, but the locals know about it.

In New Orleans there is a geocache in one of the tall office buildings on the edge of the French Quarter.  After finding the cache you can go on the roof and take pictures of the French Quarter and the Mississippi River.  No other tourists get this chance, but as a geocacher you can!

The key is to determine how much time you want to spend getting to, and finding caches, and how far out of the way you're willing to go. It's a great sport and makes your time traveling much more fun! Take the adventure on the road with you!