Turn Spring Break into a Treasure Hunting Adventure

It's the middle of spring break. Ready to try something a little different? How about finding hidden treasures in everyday places?

If you have a GPS or GPS-enabled cellphone and an adventurous soul, you can set out for a day of geocaching right here in Land O’ Lakes.

“Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online,” according to Geocaching.com.

On the Florida page of the site, you can choose from a list of cities to see the caches hidden in the area. Beginner caches are highlighted in green as recommendations for new geocachers.  You also can run a search by ZIP code radius.

To get the exact coordinates of a cache, you must be registered and logged into the site with a free account.

A search for geocaches in Land O’ Lakes turns up 7,998 results. That’s a whole lotta treasure out there, folks!

At its most basic level, geocaching is easy: Pick a cache, enter its coordinates into your GPS, and find the hidden cache.

And just what might that cache contain?  Geocaching.com explains:

“In its simplest form, a cache always contains a logbook or logsheet for you to log your find. Larger caches may contain a logbook and any number of items. These items turn the adventure into a true treasure hunt. You never know what the cache owner or visitors to the cache may have left for you to enjoy. Remember, if you take something, leave something of equal or greater value in return. It is recommended that items in a cache be individually packaged in a clear, zipped plastic bag to protect them from the elements. Quite often you may also find a Trackable, a sort of geocaching "game piece" that you can learn more about here.”

Once you find a cache, sign the logbook and return the cache to the place you found it—so the next adventurer can find it, too. You also can create and hide your own caches.

For more information on getting started, visit the site’s Geocaching 101 page or check out the Youtube video above.

Land O’ Lakes Patch blogger Jeanene Arrington also has a today about geocaching and other off-the-beaten-path adventures in Florida.

Happy treasure hunting!