Treasure hunting can be a fun and exciting activity. There are numerous scavenger hunt ideas floating around the internet, but what if you and your family could embark on a real life treasure hunt? We have composed a list of 9 family treasure hunt ideas. These hunts could produce any number of different items. Some could be valuable (such as actual gold and jewels), others not so much, but the thrill of the hunt and the memories made will be priceless.
1. Metal Detecting
Metal detecting is a fun hobby that brings the thrill of the unknown right into your own backyard. This activity can be exciting, especially for kids! More often than not, the memory of the adventure will be more valuable than anything you pull out of the ground.
Metal detectors can be expensive, however entry level detectors can be used for this activity and are not near as pricy as mid to high end models. We started with a $60 detector to decide if we liked this activity. At the time of writing this article we now have 2 entry level detectors and are about to purchase a higher end model.
Our family has really enjoyed this activity, we have not found anything of real value (besides several coins) but they have enjoyed the hunt more than anything. Start with a basic detector, or even a used one. If your family enjoys this activity slowly add or upgrade your equipment. If this is not for you, then your detector can be sold to recoup some of your expenses. We have recommendations on our gear page.
We started hunting in our own yard and found some interesting finds. This is a great place to start for any new detectorist. After you have exhausted this location, it is easy to move to neighbors yards and local parks. These locations are close and easy to access, just make sure you get permission before you begin. Check out our list of 20 high volume locations for more inspiration!
2. Magnet Fishing
Magnet fishing is a new hobby that is growing rapidly. This activity can be fun, exciting and inexpensive to get into. You do not need a license to participate, only permission! Kids love this activity and it can be interesting for adults as well.
The basic premise of magnet fishing is to deploy a tethered magnet into a body of water and retrieve it. The hope and goal is to snag something metallic and bring it to the surface.
You will only need a few basic supplies for this activity and these supplies are reusable. They also come in kits for easier set-up. You will want to get a neodymium magnet thought. These magnets are super strong and have pull forces in the hundreds.
Look for places that are visited often by people. Public parks, and lakes are great places to start. Deploy your magnet from the bank or off a dock or bridge.
There are a few retrieval options you can use depending upon your location. Either drop the magnet straight down from a bridge or dock and slowly work it along the bottom, or throw it out a ways and pull it back in dragging it across the bottom. If this activity interests you and you want to learn more about it, read this article here.
Be careful as these magnets are very strong and can be dangerous. Always remove any trash you may find and report any suspicious finds such as firearms. Also, know the rules and laws before going out (this practice is illegal in South Carolina).
3. Geocaching
A once thriving hobby has since started to decline in popularity, however geocaching is still a great options for a family treasure hunt. These treasures are hidden all around you and you probably don’t even know it.
Geocaching is an activity where people hide boxes of varying sizes called a cache. These caches range in size from micro to large, and a few sizes in between. Once hidden, the cache is reported to the geocaching website via gps coordinates. The original hider provides a brief description, coordinates, and maybe a hint to the location. A difficulty and terrain rating are given as well.
As a searcher, you simply download the app to your phone and select a cache you want to find. Some caches will be hidden unless you pay for the premium service. Your phone will then lead you to the approximate location of the cache.
My kids love finding these treasures. Micro caches usually do not contain anything other than a log book. However, regular and large caches typically have a variety of treasures in them. They are usually some small meal toys from local restaurants or army men etc. These operate on a take one leave one philosophy. You take a treasure, you leave a treasure.
There are a few terms and abbreviations used in the descriptions that you will need to be aware of.
The term “Muggle” (from Harry Potter) is often used to describe other people around who do not know about geocaching or that there is a cache hidden near by. You will want to avoid showing them the treasure because sometimes the cache will disappear due to ignorance of its purpose.
You will also see “tot” mentioned numerous times. This stands for “Tools of the Trade” and can be anything from a shovel, to a pair of tweezers. Typically the description will give hints as to what tool you will need.
4. Meant to Be Found Treasures
There are a few treasure that have been hidden with the intent someone else finds them. These are real treasures that, as of the time of writing this article, are still out there waiting to be found.
Forrest Finn
Forrest Finn lived a very interesting life that brought him to some very unique places around the world. During his travels he collected numerous artifacts and trinkets. These items were eventually curated into a museum profiting Finn a small fortune.
In 1988 he was diagnosed with Cancer. This devastating blow got him thinking and he decided he wanted to create a legacy for himself by hiding a chest worth a few million dollars.
This real life treasure hunt is a fantastic idea for anyone seeking a fun family adventure. Finn has stated that he was well advanced in age when he hid the treasure so it can not be in an extreme location. This treasure is still hidden to this day and is somewhere in the rocky mountains.
The Secret
In the early 1980’s a man named Byron Preiss traveled our country depositing treasures along the way. He actually hid 12 different treasures in 12 different cities. He then wrote a book with poems detailing the hiding places of each treasure. An artist was hired to paint 12 different paints, which contain clues to the locations of the buried boxes.
Inside each box is a hand made key. This key must be returned to the estate of Preiss, who will reward the finder with a rare jewel or gemstone. These rewards are predetermined and can be interpreted in the clues for each puzzle. The poems and paintings are numbered in the book, however these numbers do not necessarily correspond to each other. For example image 5 connects to poem 12.
There are numerous websites devoted to finding these keys. To date only 3 of the 12 have been solved. If you would like to learn more, read our other article here.
5. Lost Treasures
Some treasures were either unintentionally lost or were buried with the intention of being retrieved by the original depositors at a later date. As one might expect, the clues to these treasures are a lot more mysterious and uncertainty surrounds their very existence.
Pirate treasure is perhaps the most recognizable idea in this category. There are numerous tales of pirates burying treasure for numerous reason and never being able to return to find it. Most of these locations are along the coastal areas of the country as well as on islands throughout the sea.
The very fact that a treasure belonged to a pirate (if this can be verified) actually raises the value of the lost items significantly. The odds of finding a hidden pirate treasure chest are exasperatingly low, however if you are lucky to find one it could change your life. Hunting for pirate treasure is so much fun with kids regardless of the quality/quantity of the finds!
There are also numerous reports of outlaw gold hiding throughout the country. The Wild West was a tumultuous time where stage coach robberies and bank heists were happening on a frequent basis.
Many of these outlaws were said to have buried treasure in numerous different locations. This was done avoid confiscation by law enforcement. Some outlaws were killed or captured, resulting in their treasures never being unearthed. Kids will love the idea of looking for outlaw gold!
There are also rumors of confederate gold being buried during the civil war. Mexican gold miners are also alleged to have hidden some gold bars as they were being ambushed in an attack.
6. Gold Prospecting
Any river in the world could contain gold and prospecting for that gold can be rewarding and entertaining at the same time. This activity is probably best suited for older children as it does take some dexterity, judgment and patience.
Look for fine gravel and dirt sitting on top of exposed bedrock. Often this is in a crack or a crevasse of some type. Also look for places in rivers and streams where the water slows down such as the inside of a bend.
You can either pan all the gravel by hand with a gold pan, or use a small sluice to separate the gold bearing material from a lot of useless sediments and then pan it. Obviously the latter is an extra step but allows for easier panning in the end.
You will most likely only find very small fine flakes of gold in your pan. A sniffer bottle is a good idea to have to retrieve these small pieces.
This is a great activity to do with the entire family as kids who get board with the gold panning can turn to other activities fairly easily such as fishing or swimming.
7. Make Your Own
Okay, so this idea does not result in any real treasure for you but can for your children. It is really easy to hide your own treasure and then help your kids find it! This activity works really well with younger audiences.
First thing you will need to do is find some sort of container to hide your treasure in. You can make a wooden box if you are so inclined or you can purchase small ones online or at local hobby stores. Army surplus stores often have some great containers that can easily be made to look like treasure. Another option would be to use a glass bottle or something similar.
Now that you have your container you need treasure (if you already have the treasure before you get your container be sure and size the container appropriately.). For younger kids this can easily be some dollar store toys or legos or whatever they are into. You could even purchase some fake coins online and use them if that will add to your hunt.
An idea for older kids would be to go to the bank and get a bunch of coins to use as treasure. Perhaps their allowance or birthday money could be hidden here for an added surprise.
You will also need to make a map. You can sketch your yard or wherever you hid the treasure on a piece of paper. Use an off white or tea dye a regular piece of paper for that authentic look. Draw out a path of landmarks and finally the stereotypical red x to mark your final destination.
8. Online
A virtual treasure hunt sounds too much like a video game in my opinion and I have never thought they were a good idea. Until I found Brain Chase. This website offers kids a chance to solve clues by using age appropriate school skills.
These challenges are most often held over the summer time and last for a few weeks. Here is the great part though. The first person to finish the course and solve the riddle gets to fly to the actual location and dig up an actual treasure. This is no dollar store trinket, but a $5,000 scholarship!
Cost could be an issue for larger families as it is $99 a pop. However, if you need a summer activity for your kids, why not invest in one that will help them continue to learn as well as have the potential to win a scholarship! Check it out here.
I hope these ideas help inspire you and your family and lead to some great memories and perhaps some treasure!
Have fun and stay safe!
feet Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
gps Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash