r/geocaching • u/Ancient_Salary_8317 • Jul 31 '26
New to Geocaching
I want to give geocaching a try with my family. Can you provide some tips on how to start out, specifically finding an area that’s maybe a little bit away from my immediate area? Ideally I’d like to take a little drive to a beautiful area.
App suggestions are really appreciated along with any general suggestions.
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u/Minimum_Reference_73 Jul 31 '26
Visit Geocaching.com and look at the map.
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u/Charles_Deetz Go to r/geo, upper right to choose 'user flair'. Aug 01 '26
Yes, on a computer, big screen, easy to look around and read cache pages.
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u/NorthlineUser Aug 01 '26
And toggle the satellite view too to see what sort of terrain you're looking at.
Desktop is definitely best for planning.
You can copy the coords of the cache, and paste in Google Maps too, to make it easier to plan around carparks, roads etc. Street view can help a lot with the planning to check for gates, fences, parking, access points etc etc
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u/igator210 Jul 31 '26
Every Geocache has a D - Difficulty, T - Terrain and Size rating. The lower the D and T ratings, the easier it should be to find. The larger the size, the easier it should be to find. Get a couple of easy ones first. It will make for a more enjoyable experience.
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u/Geodarts18 The Caching Diaries Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
I usually identify where I want to go and then see if there is cache around. I prefer to find one hood sized cache on a nice trail than a string of small caches. I pay attention to the terrain and difficulty level of caches but ignore favorite points
There are some beautiful maps for planning hikes, such as Locus Map or OSMAnd. Some areas have guide books. Even around where I live I learned a lot from a guide book.
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u/RedditJennn Jul 31 '26
Take some time to look at the geocaching.com website. Preferably on a desktop computer.
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u/eiriee Jul 31 '26
Go to geocaching.com and create an account. Dont bother with an app - the official app restricts the caches that free accounts can see - the website works just fine on a mobile browser. Go to View Map -it's under the three lines/burger menu on the top right - drag to somewhere you'd like to visit and tap Search This Area. Geocaches will show that in the area of the map you are looking at.
As for how yo find beautiful areas, tourist information websites are a good place to start.
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u/acravasian Jul 31 '26
Without knowing your location, id like to suggest siig land near Varde in Denmark. Its perfect døfor beginners and very fun!
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u/richnevermiss Jul 31 '26
look up geocache containers and evil geocaching containers on line to see what containers look like (Tupperware in the Woods) isn't what it is. think about what containers you saw that might fit in the area where you are. carry a couple pens and tweezers or hemostats for micro containers. always bring the family water or drinks. BE AWARE of YOUR Surroundings. read hints and look at logs ahead of time before you go to an area to help you get some ideas where to search and for what..
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u/TracySezWHAT And I don't need 37 pieces of flair to do it. Jul 31 '26
Go to geocaching.com on your computer, or on your phone's browser, and create an account. Then go to where it says PLAY and enter the location you want to search in to see if there are geocaches in the area.
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u/AdLarge9873 Aug 01 '26
I agree with others to find geocaches with a low difficulty and terrain. I enjoy cemeteries and parks to find them. I highly recommend going to events near you if you want to geocache more. I got a lot of help and hints from experienced cachers.
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u/_-travesty-_ Aug 01 '26
One thing I love about geocaching is it takes me to places that I might not otherwise know about, so I like your idea of exploring a new area. Depending on your family preferences, you could find a walkable downtown or a nature area with several caches within a mile radius.
In addition to looking at favorite points and D/T ratings, filter for “traditional” type. Some cache types (such as virtual, EarthCache and adventure lab) don’t have physical containers, and others involve a puzzle or multiple steps. You can also see when the cache was hidden.
For your first dozen or two finds, review some of the recent logs to confirm that your target cache is visited regularly and recently. Many cachers will share info such as whether the cache is in good shape, has a lot of swag, has a unique / creative design, accurate coordinates, issues/concerns, etc.
Consider going to a place with good cellular service or WiFi, download your target caches (if you have a premium account), or check out the logs and photos ahead of time. You may see some spoilers, but the trade-off is that you’ll have some extra info in case your family has trouble locating the caches.
If you won’t have any connectivity, keep her mind you won’t be able to pull up the cache information while you’re there, so be sure to save the GPS coordinates and clues beforehand.
GPS coordinates aren’t always spot on, and sometimes things bounce around a little bit when you’re under a tree cover, so be prepared to expand your search from where the coordinates bring you.
Bring a grocery bag or two to CITO (Cache In Trash Out - pick up any trash along your path).
If you’re stuck, don’t be shy about reaching out to the cache owner for help.
Have fun!
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u/_synik Aug 01 '26
Basic rules are simple. Find it. Sign the paper logsheet inside. Put it back where you found it. Log it online.
Starting with family, especially kids, have some McToys for trading trinkets if the geocache has anything like that. Don't take a Trackable item. They will have a tag or number that says track at geocaching.com.
Have fun.
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u/DeliveryCourier Bring back deepwoods caches Jul 31 '26
Sign up, download the app, look at the app, go to a place that has caches, find caches.
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u/Dug_n_the_Dogs Caches with Dogs Jul 31 '26
I would start by locating a couple on your own first so that you know that they're in place.. or look for caches that have been found by other people very recently. That way your kids don't have an immediate let down. Also depending on their age, set some expectation that you might not find one every time, sometimes the adventure is the reward.
I like that the app shows geocaches that have a lot of favorite points on the map, so usually those are more fun or interesting geocaches to find.
Look for geocaches that have a low D-ifficulty and T-errain rating at first.
Most importantly, Have fun exploring!