GeoTour Name:

Birthplace of Texas

Location:

Washington County, Texas

Favorite Points:

456+

Why Washington County is a great place to visit:

Washington County is filled with many “firsts” and “oldests.” This is where Texas became Texas. Tour th county exploring historical sites, quaint communities, good eateries, wineries, and museums.

Best time of year to visit:

Any time of the year is a great time to visit Brenham and Washington County – really! The most popular time is in March and April for antique shopping and Bluebonnet photo ops.

Must-see attractions:

Washington on the Brazos is THE historic site where Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836. Just 20 minutes from Brenham, you’ll learn all there is to know about Texas history at the Star of the Republic Museum. You can also explore what life was like in the 1800’s at Barrington Living History Farm. There are two geocaches on the GeoTour here, plus three state park caches!

Prizes:

Visitors can earn points while geocaching, eating, sleeping, and shopping around Washington County. Those who collect more than 25 points will earn a collectible two-sided, colorful geocoin!

What geocachers are saying about Birthplace of Texas GeoTour:

“We greatly enjoyed touring around Washington County, picking up caches one by one and learning new stuff about Texas history at the same time.” –Dhaulaghiri

“That was fun… This was our first geotour and we were happy that y’all cared for these caches so much. Thanks for putting out this series. The favorite point that we give this one counts for the entire trail.” –Ground Beef 

“Omg omg omg I cannot tell you how much I love this!!!! Been wanting to come for decades. Now (I have an) excuse to do it!” –browningfamily

Additional Information:

Brenham will be the host city for Texas Challenge, a geocaching Mega-Event in March 2016!

Note: All the above information was provided by the GeoTour host. Copy has been edited by Geocaching HQ.

 

 

GeoTour Name:

Heritage Hide’n’Seek

Location:

Northern Ontario, Canada

Number of Favorite Points:

123

Why Northern Ontario is a great place to visit:

Parks Canada created the Heritage Hide’n’Seek GeoTour for visitors to discover people, places, and events of national significance in Northern Ontario. There are 500,000 square kilometers of nature waiting to be explored—that’s an area twice the size of California.

Best time of year to visit:

August and September, when the days are warm and the nights are cool. The fall foliage starts to change in mid-to-late September, and the views along Lake Superior between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay are spectacular.

Must-see attractions:

Algonquin Provincial Park (GC46KXE)
Pukaskwa National Park (GC53P46)
Kakabeka Falls (GC45TQ5)

Hidden gems only locals know about:

Marvel at fall colours on a driving tour of St. Joseph Island, and be sure to stop at Fort St. Joseph (GC45GWD).

Sault Ste. Marie’s Hub Trail (GC472WH) offers convenient access to the city’s waterfront and many historic sites, including the Sault Canal (GC55DRK).

Terry Fox Scenic Lookout (GC455RQ) honours a Canadian hero, near the location where he was forced to halt his Marathon of Hope.

Prizes: 

If people find the caches, complete the passport, and collect 100+ points, they will earn a collectible Geocoin from Parks Canada.

What geocachers are saying about this GeoTour:

“I just spent 4 days in the Thunder Bay area and did one traditional and three Multi-Caches there so when I knew I was driving from Sudbury to Orillia today I loaded this cache into my GPS to stop and find it. What a great series of caches this is, love the history lesson and the places the caches take me to. T4TC!” – Desafio

“…This is the second cache in the series for me and I now have 30 points. To get more points I need to go further north. Because of this I’m now planning a Northern Ontario tour for next spring to explore the northern towns and find some more HHS caches. I’ve never been north of Sault Ste Marie / Sudbury / North Bay, so I’m looking forward to the adventure. It’s great that Parks Canada is embracing GeoCaching! Thanks for setting up this great cache and for bringing me here. Thanks for the fun Parka, you busy little beaver!…” –swed31

Additional Information:

To start the tour simply download a passport from any of the Heritage Hide’n’Seek GeoTour geocache listings. Adventure, discovery, and your shiny new Geocoin await!

 

 

Note: All the above information was provided by the GeoTour host. Copy has been edited by Geocaching HQ.

 

GeoTour: Schatzhüterin
Location: Hannover, Germany
Favorite Points: 2383

Why Hannover is a great place to visit:
Hannover is a beautiful and verdant city located in the middle of Germany. With a population of over half a million, Hannover has it all: great shopping, museums, theaters, lush parks, and more.

Best time of year to visit:
Hannover is a wonderful place to visit all year-round. The summer is ideal because of the nice weather. Visitors traveling from abroad during this season will notice how green and beautiful the city is. The winter in Hannover is also great, as the city has Christmas markets that open in November. If you’re coming for the sole purpose of geocaching, the warmer months are recommended – April through September.

Must-see attractions:
The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, a European Baroque garden, is one of the city’s most famous attractions.

Berggarten is also an important European botanical garden. Some points of interest in the garden are the Tropical House, the Cactus House, the Canary House and the Orchid House. The Orchid House hosts one of the world’s largest collections of orchids, free-flying birds, and butterflies.

Additionally, the Hanover Zoo is one of the most spectacular zoos in Europe.

Hidden gems only locals know about:
Germany is known for its geocaches hidden in lost places, and Hannover has some hidden gems that fall into this category. Old war bunkers are scattered around the city and some are even open to tourism. If you are interested in this sort of sightseeing, check with the Hannover tourism organization to see if there are available guided tours.

Prizes:
Geocachers who find all 19 geocaches will receive a clue to break the code for this TB. If you succeed (which you will), you’ll be lead to a location where you will receive a Geotoken as a prize.

What geocachers are saying about Schatzhüterin GeoTour:
“The crowning finale of a genius series! I am very excited about the Schatzhüterin series. It was a lot of fun, getting to know Hannover and the surrounding area through all the different caches. I found a lot of creative caches that I had not seen that way before. The motivation to do the entire Geotour was high in order to earn the Geocoin. ;-). We will place the Coin soon somewhere in the world and can’t wait to follow its travels. Thank you so much for the great tour and the loving design of each station!” –CeeJayyN’Enni

Additional Information:
Visitors should set aside a whole weekend to complete the GeoTour. For additional information on the GeoTour, please visit https://www.schatzhueterin.de/.

Discover all the unique areas of Hannover and make memories that will last a lifetime!

Note: All the above information was provided by the GeoTour host. Copy has been edited by Geocaching HQ.

 

GeoTour Name: West Bend Four Seasons GeoTour
Location: West Bend, Wisconsin
Number of Favorite Points: 362

Why West Bend is a great place to visit:
West Bend is nestled in the heart of Wisconsin’s northern Kettle Moraine, but is also close to Milwaukee. The area embodies the best of small town living and big city offerings. From museums and shops to miles of scenic trails and other outdoor recreation, West Bend has something for everyone.

Best time of year to visit:
West Bend is a year-round destination with festivals and fun for every season. In winter, have fun skiing, snowboarding, or tubing on two nearby ski hills. Music on Main is a live celebration every Thursday during summer. Geocachers from all over the globe head to this area for the annual $1000 West Bend Cache Ba$h Mega Event in August.

Must-see attractions:
The Old Courthouse and Jail (GC53BB1) is a standout attraction. Built in 1889, this historic building now houses an outstanding museum with exhibits that tell the story of Washington County from the Ice Age to the Industrial Age including some hands-on interactive exhibits.

The Museum of Wisconsin Art (GC53BBB) houses the largest collection of Wisconsin art, including Milwaukee-born artist Carl von Marr (1858-1936).

Hidden gems only locals know about:
Many locals don’t even know about Shalom Wildlife Zoo, a 100-acre wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary is home to deer, elk, bison, wolves, bighorn sheep, a farm petting zoo, and many other animals. And don’t forget to say hello to brothers Lewis and Clark, a pair of young brown bears that like to show off in front of visitors.

Prizes:
Those who complete the GeoTour Passport receive a special West Bend Four Seasons Geocoin.

What geocachers are saying about South Park GeoTour:
“Made a last-minute decision to drive up for this geocoin challenge with mymowgli today. What a beautiful day of fun caching & great eating! We didn’t have quite enough time to hit all the caches, so we made up for it by taking in some extra meals for our needed points…and the food/hospitality did not disappoint! Thanks much for putting on this geotour/geocoin challenge for us to enjoy!” -ugomaddie

“Completing the West Bend GeoTour this morning before heading back home. I really enjoyed going to all of the historic sites in West Bend. Some I knew but some were new this time around. Top notch tour!” -MoonyMarauder

“A lot of time, thought, and effort was obviously put into the creation of this series, and we wanted to honor that by spending a little bit of time at each location, taking in the surroundings, and learning what we could of the area’s significance….This is turning out to be a great, great series. We are so impressed with West Bend! We’ll be back!” -Hack1of2

Additional Information:
From West Bend, it’s only a 30-minute drive to the oldest geocache in Wisconsin (GC3B1).

The first stop on the tour is the home of the West Bend Chamber of Commerce. Come inside, and the friendly staff will help make your trip a success! For more information about the GeoTour and things to do in West Bend, go to www.visitwestbend.com.

Note: All the above information was provided by the GeoTour host. Copy has been edited by Geocaching HQ.

 

Geotour: Taking Flight     
Location: Manatee County, Florida
Total Favorite Points: 290

Why Manatee County is a great place to visit:

Manatee County’s beaches, including Anna Maria Island and Holmes Beach, are award-winning sites and are considered some of the best beaches in the world. After a long day of geocaching, relax on the shores of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico – there are even caches nearby!

Best time of year to visit:

Year-round! From the beaches to the interior pine forests, Manatee County is beautiful throughout the entire year. Fall tends to be a favorite time for many northerners visiting. The Florida summer is hot, but many of the caches in this series are easy to access and do not require a great deal of time outside in the heat.

Must-see attractions:

Check out the Southwest Florida Museum and meet Snooty the Manatee, or stop by De Soto National Memorial to see the possible site of the Spanish explorers landing.

Hidden gems only locals know about:

Duette Preserve is the County’s largest preserve at over 20,000 acres of land. Explore this beautiful area, and you may even catch a glimpse of the rare Western Scrub-Jay, white-tailed deer, or a burrowing owl. This geocache will take you into the heart of Duette where the Scrub-Jays can be found.

Prizes:

Individuals who complete the tour will receive a Taking Flight GeoTour trackable tag. This prize is available to those who find 12 of the 15 caches. Make sure to download the PDF passport for the GeoTour before you go.

 

What Geocachers are saying about Taking Flight GeoTour:

“And the mission has been completed! So many thanks to Manatee County NRD for this series and reward for completing the mission. We had a great two days doing this, and found many spots that we will be coming back for in the future. Keep up the good work with the preserves and we hope to find more open in the future.” – Moseycat

“TFTH. very cool of Manatee County to put this GeoTour together. Had great time adventuring about all the different preserves. I’ll be back to camp or hike some of these”. – SunWarrior

“Thank you for taking the time to do this GeoTour the right way. I’ll be recommending it to all my caching friends who visit the area.” – bitbrain

Additional Information:

This GeoTour was the first in the state of Florida and has served as a model for the State Park Service’s tour as well as tours all over the world. In addition to finding geocaches, each site has a fun activity associated with the cache. Activities include discovering your wingspan, watching for nesting shorebirds, or observing sea level changes. The geocaches on this tour are all different types, so you have the opportunity to find Multi-Caches, Letterboxes, and Mystery as well as Traditionals.

Note: All the above information was provided by the GeoTour host. Copy has been edited by Geocaching HQ.