Geocaching Tips - Cache Search Options
The first time that you do a search on Geocaching.com it feels like you are discovering a hidden world that you knew nothing about. In most cases, as soon as you enter in your location it will inform you of several caches that are very close to where you live. This can lead to an awful lot of excitement and it’s almost enough to make some people want to rush out the front door and find the cache at the top of the list. It is probably a good idea to try to contain your excitement, however, and take a closer look at this list. The first cache in the list might not be best suited for you as a beginner. For this reason, it is a good idea to take some time to familiarize yourself with your options.
There are several different ways of searching for a cache. Probably the most popular way of doing so is through your zip code. When you enter in your cache the search engine will list caches in your area based upon their distance from the center of that zip code. A zip code or a postal code search is available in most countries that have codes which are associated with relatively small geographic areas.
Another way of searching for caches is through your state, country, or province. This is an excellent option for people who are not familiar with what resides within a particular state, country, or province. By searching this option you will be offered a series of cities that are located within the geographical area that you searched for. This lets you make the parameters of your search more narrow.
Sometimes you might have memory of part of the name of a cache, but you do not remember anything else about its location or any of the other details about it. Thankfully there is a keyword search for just this type of situation. You will be able to find the cache within a relatively short period of time using this search option when you do not have any other information at hand.
If you find that you liked searching for one particular cache, you might want to consider searching for other caches that were set up by the same person. If so, you can search for their username. By searching by their username, you can find out what other caches they have placed and go and look for them.
Geocaching.com is linked to Google Maps, which allows you to search through the use of a map. By navigating through the map, you can see where the caches in your area are physically located in a visual layout. This takes some of the guessing out of figuring out where a cache is located because it tells you where it is located in reference to roads and buildings nearby. By switching from map view to satellite view, you can even get some idea of what the terrain will look like.
Every geocache has its own code that is unique to that particular cache. You can use this code as a waypoint in your GPS. If you know what the waypoint is, you can search for the waypoint directly as one of the cache search options. This will tell you everything that you need to know about the waypoint.
In some countries, you can do a search based on the address. By entering in the address, the site will determine an approximate location and offer you the coordinates.
There are also several different types of geocaches. You can select to only look for a certain type of cache in order to narrow down your search to fit your preferences.
Finally, you can search by coordinates. If you know your coordinates you can enter them in and a list of all of the nearby caches will be displayed for you.
Despite all of the options available, performing a geocache search is actually very easy. After just a couple searches you will get a handle on the search system, and all of the additional options will not confuse you but actually make it easier for you to narrow down your search in order to get the best results.