The History Lessons Great Cities Can Teach Through Geocaching
Overview
Geocaching adventures in history bring families together because there are so many elements to it that your children, with their different gifts and strengths, will bring to bear their own special skills for the task. Solving puzzles and riddles, seeing through the camouflage, working the GPS device, or keeping things light with a self-professed, killer sense of humor (my strong suit) are all examples of this multi-faceted activity.
Another important point is the fact that their learning might go unnoticed since treasure hunting will likely trump that is a plus. But be happy that these particular pieces of technological gadgetry are prompting the kids to move about outside instead of sitting in front of the TV like a zombie. This is, of course, equally enjoyable for history buffs with no kids as well. Since trading trinkets is part and parcel with this activity you might want to read this informative piece entitled Fun and Interesting Geocache Swag Ideas so you can please the next cacher who opens the container.
Charleston, South Carolina - Low Country Caching at its Finest
The description page wills on the links below give you the intriguing backgrounds and Charleston has a whole organized tour of them called the South Carolina Historical Markers series. Here’s an example at the William Rhett House and here’s another called War of 1812 Encampment. See how there is a map of all of the nearby caches on that web page. Just click on any for details and you’ll find the same feature on Geocaching.com too.
Many Charleston County parks also have geocaches hidden in them. Some of these parks are tucked away in nooks and crannies within the cities charm that you might otherwise miss. They’re worth the effort, especially if you’ve got the younger kids along for the adventure. If you’re on Facebook, there is a group called Low Country Geocaching that exchanges good information about the trinket-tracking that takes place there. This city has some great geocaching events which are kind of like Easter Egg hunts that kids will get excited about.
Philadelphia and Freedom
Where the Liberty Bell lets freedom ring, this city was where the Continental Congress met in 1775 (in sweltering heat) to discuss the drafting of the Declaration of Independence for the causes of liberty and freedom. All the giants in American History, John Adams; Thomas Jefferson; and Ben Franklin (and many others) were gathered her for that monumental occasion. This is a phenomenal city to wander around searching for caches (virtual ones usually offer the most learning) and take in the immense historical significance for the liberty movement and just the charm of all those domes.
[Teaching the Travelers](https://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=8fb326d2-a6e6-49b3-894c- ffcff41f3237) is a good place to start offering a chance to stop in at the Independence National Historical Park welcome center where you can get all the information you need for historical sites in the area. Here’s a tricky one indeed; [Jefferson’s Conundrum](https://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=387bd2cf-a280-43cf-af3c- b8acbfd4f846). After all those quests, don’t forget to reward yourself with a legendary Philadelphia Cheese Steak.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
We can’t leave out the mythic American West in our discussion here so Santa Fe will round out this list. But by all means, keep in mind that any place where there is a good sense and recognition of history, there will most likely be geocaching opportunities too. So just refer to the best resources at Geocaching.com, Navicache.com, Terracaching.com, and Earthcache.com to find the best sites wherever you plan on visiting. In New Mexico, however, there is a local group in place to help you track the best of what is around Santa Fe and the rest of the state. Check in with them at Cache New Mexico.
That wraps up this series but bear in mind that I’ve been slowly extending the coverage of the United States and some other parts of the world in a bunch of series. This is a continuing effort to give you concise knowledge and the resources to enable the best experiences to engage in this popular outdoor hobby that combines a little mental and physical exercise with GPS device orienteering skills. Those other series are Searching for the Most Popular Geocaching Areas in the U.S.? and The Most Unusual Geocaches to Engage your Mental Faculties. Between all these informative series, you will be able to find the area that most appeals with the type of geocaching that most interest you. Discoveries on many levels await you out there.
This post is part of the series: Geocaching Plus Your Other Interests Combined: The Best Spots
This series will give you precisely the best locations for combining geocaching with the study of history, geology, and just simply enjoying the freedom of the trail on a mountain bike. We’ll be very specific about some diverse subjects that should interest and entice you at once.
