Where should I go !

[+Scubasonic]

Was thinking about taking a trip for say 3 - 4 caching days in February and see how many states I could knock out. I would like to get about 20 - 30 caches per day for my stay so here is my question.

 

which Airport should I fly into that would position me the best for knocking out as many states as possible, any ideas please let me know. Less miles between states the better.

 

Thanks in advance for your responses....

 

Scubasonic

[4wheelin_fool]

Was thinking about taking a trip for say 3 - 4 caching days in February and see how many states I could knock out. I would like to get about 20 - 30 caches per day for my stay so here is my question.

 

which Airport should I fly into that would position me the best for knocking out as many states as possible, any ideas please let me know. Less miles between states the better.

 

Thanks in advance for your responses....

 

Scubasonic

Vermont is a small state very close to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Conneticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Maine depending how ambitious you are.

[+Scubasonic]

Was thinking about taking a trip for say 3 - 4 caching days in February and see how many states I could knock out. I would like to get about 20 - 30 caches per day for my stay so here is my question.

 

which Airport should I fly into that would position me the best for knocking out as many states as possible, any ideas please let me know. Less miles between states the better.

 

Thanks in advance for your responses....

 

Scubasonic

Vermont is a small state very close to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Conneticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Maine depending how ambitious you are.

 

Thanks for the response what weather conditions can I exspect in February?????

 

Scubasonic

[+wimseyguy]

In Feb you need to consider winter weather conditions, and I wouldn't plan for anything north. I'd look at Atlanta or Nashville, or maybe Charlotte.

If you hold off until later in the Spring I'd add Hartford and Boston to the mix.

 

If the number of new states is the #1 priority you can rack them up pretty quickly in New England. But I wouldn't make any recreational travel plans except for a ski trip there in winter time.

[+ZeLonewolf]

Memphis, New Orleans, and Denver will each get you at least 3 states within 2 hours drive time or so. Plus they're big states, so it'll be prettier on the map. N.O. is normally in the 50s this time of year (present weather excepted), plus it's a cheap flight on Southwest usually.

[+brodiebunch]

In 2006 I was in DC for a meeting and with a rental car was able to pick off DC, VA, MD, DE and WV. A little further driving and you could get PA and NJ.

 

Another smaller option would be going to Mobile, AL and getting LA, MS, AL and Florida. The weather may be better down there.

 

In late April, I am using frequent flier miles to visit friends in New England. From there I will get the remaining 6 states we need for all 50.

[4wheelin_fool]

Was thinking about taking a trip for say 3 - 4 caching days in February and see how many states I could knock out. I would like to get about 20 - 30 caches per day for my stay so here is my question.

 

which Airport should I fly into that would position me the best for knocking out as many states as possible, any ideas please let me know. Less miles between states the better.

 

Thanks in advance for your responses....

 

Scubasonic

Vermont is a small state very close to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Conneticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Maine depending how ambitious you are.

 

Thanks for the response what weather conditions can I exspect in February?????

 

Scubasonic

Very cold of course, perhaps the end of Febuary would be better.

 

The region of northeast Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee would be warmer and it is a nice area also. From Highlands NC, SC and GA is only a few minutes. The drive to TN is a few hours, but fairly scenic through rt 441 and over the smokies.

[+baloo&bd]

I know it will be cold, but a fairly dense cache population along with the probability of picking up 3 new states for you would be flying into Chicago, most likely Midway since you would probably fly Southwest.

 

Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin would all be reasonable. With a little creativity, you could plan a route to South Dakota, getting caches along the way in Illinois, sack out and pick up Wisconsin on the way back to Michigan. I know it is doable cause I have done it on the bike on a 3 day trip.

[+StarBrand]

Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 states within 45 minutes of travel. Lots of caches in the area.

 

Rapid City, SD will get you close to 3 states and some great scenery.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

They are sending you to cold spots lol.

 

Seems to me, the deep south would be the place to go. Small states, warmer temps.

[4wheelin_fool]

I would save the state quest for warmer weather. Find a cheap motel in Hialeah Fl, and drive rt 1 out to Key West. It's about 150 miles and a 2 lane road for the most part, and jumps from island to island but is extremely scenic. One bridge is 7 miles long I believe. Right now it is 50 degrees, but will be in the 70s by Friday. You should be able to go swimming by Febuary. You can also save money by taking a flight to Ft Lauderdale instead of Miami.

Edited January 11, 2010 by 4wheelin_fool

[+bflentje]

Was thinking about taking a trip for say 3 - 4 caching days in February and see how many states I could knock out. I would like to get about 20 - 30 caches per day for my stay so here is my question.

 

which Airport should I fly into that would position me the best for knocking out as many states as possible, any ideas please let me know. Less miles between states the better.

 

Thanks in advance for your responses....

 

Scubasonic

Vermont is a small state very close to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Conneticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Maine depending how ambitious you are.

 

That's precisely what Norvina and I are doing last week of July. Not to mention, all of the state in between New York and MN.

[GOF and Bacall]

We once hit Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland all in one day. It was before we were cachers though. We have managed to find caches in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Delaware all in one day. In a few days, without being fussy about what caches you want to find, you could find a cache in each of a dozen states or more in the North East.

[+hukilaulau]

If you like to drive, fly into Albuquerque and pick up New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Then if you still have some time go the other direction and get Arizona and Utah.

Or, if you like to play poker too, just do Albuquerque, Tucson, Phoenix. (Used to be a poker room in El Paso but no more.)

[+Harry Dolphin]

We did an eight trip last June. We found 86 caches in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D of C, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Nine new states for my sister (including DC). Five new states for us. But February is cold and snowy in NJ. My sister did Florida, Alabama, Mississsississippi and Louisiana in two days.

[+briansnat]

If you like caches involving history, scenery, challenging terrain, oddities etc. come to northern NJ If you are into racking up big numbers going from strip mall to strip mall this probably isn't the place.

[+Scubasonic]

If you like to drive, fly into Albuquerque and pick up New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Then if you still have some time go the other direction and get Arizona and Utah.

Or, if you like to play poker too, just do Albuquerque, Tucson, Phoenix. (Used to be a poker room in El Paso but no more.)

 

Thanks just got back a day ago from Arizona man was it nice there got 300+ caches in 4 days already have Utah but thanks. I almost made the drive to New Mexicoi when I was there.

 

Scubasonic

[+Scubasonic]

If you like caches involving history, scenery, challenging terrain, oddities etc. come to northern NJ If you are into racking up big numbers going from strip mall to strip mall this probably isn't the place.

 

Not inrto the strip mall thing, but also not into going to just one state to get a handfull of caches, something in between I suspect.

 

Scubasonic

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Was thinking about taking a trip for say 3 - 4 caching days in February and see how many states I could knock out. I would like to get about 20 - 30 caches per day for my stay so here is my question.

 

which Airport should I fly into that would position me the best for knocking out as many states as possible, any ideas please let me know. Less miles between states the better.

 

Thanks in advance for your responses....

 

Scubasonic

 

Seems that you're trying to do two things that may not necessarily be compatible. Getting 20-30 caches a day would most likely mean that you're going to spend the day in one state. I'm not in it for the numbers but the most I've managed to get in a day was 31 finds and I had to go to California to do it.

 

Perhaps flying into someplace like Philadelpha could get Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Washington DC. You're going to have some long days though.

 

I also like adding new states (and countries) but really don't care how many caches I find in each state/country but when I travel it's more often than not on business so I often don't get time to do much geocaching. In the next several months I may be traveling to Spain, France, and Tanzania (and a possibly Peru) . If I only get a chance to find one cache in each place that;s find by me. Just being able to have the opportunity to find a cache in Tanzania is going to be a challenge. I'd most llikely be flying into Dar Es Salaam and even though it's a city of nearly 2.5 million people there isn't a single geocache located there. The closest cache to where I would be staying is 50 miles away.

[+bittsen]

You could always ask flask

 

 

[+webscouter.]

I have found some nice caches on the I-10 corridor between Baton Rouge LA and Pensacola FL. That would get you four states and some good food.

[+StarBrand]

4 states within a 2 hour drive of Scottsbluff NE.

[+Scubasonic]

I have found some nice caches on the I-10 corridor between Baton Rouge LA and Pensacola FL. That would get you four states and some good food.

 

Sounds like a great trip.

 

Scubasonic

[+Scubasonic]

4 states within a 2 hour drive of Scottsbluff NE.

 

Thanks but already have Nebraska.

 

SS

[+Woodland Clan]

I'll be hitting SD - ND-MN on a one week biz trip in January.

 

I'll go grab another trio of states by hitting Spokane - Couer d"Alene - St. Regis along the I-90 corrdior in early March.

 

I've been able to drive from Albany, NY up into VT and NH into Maine in one day in winter and grab caches with little trouble in the past.

 

You can also do the New orleans to Mobile route along I-10 and grab LA - MS-AL; keep going a tocuh and you'll grab FL too.

 

As others have said DC-MD-VA-WV is doable as well; look around the Fredrick, MD area where the VA-MD-WV states converge.

 

You can also do a KS-MO-NE-IA run in a day out of Kansas City. It was a 9 hour odyssey, but was great fun.

[+Scubasonic]

You can also do a KS-MO-NE-IA run in a day out of Kansas City. It was a 9 hour odyssey, but was great fun.

 

My Daughter was going to college in Iowa so was able to grab all of these that was a fun trip

 

Scubasonic

[knowschad]

You could always ask flask

 

You took the words right out of my mouth!

[+mtn-man]

States runs are so 2005/2006.

 

I have found some nice caches on the I-10 corridor between Baton Rouge LA and Pensacola FL. That would get you four states and some good food.

I'll agree with that one. I've enjoyed caches recently found down there. New Orleans is the place to fly in and out of since you can stay there and eat. And eat. And eat. Small places have the best food. If you are really adventurous you can also go for GA maybe.

[+buttaskotch]

LaGuardia gets you NY, NJ and CT, if you want to drive for 2-2.5 hours you can pick up PA to the Northwest and Delaware to the South.

[+webscouter.]

If you decide on the I-10 route I have two food recommendations for you.

 

First in Baton Rouge just south of the airport a piece is a place called Boutin's. Some of the best Cajun I have eaten. Make sure you have some boudin sausage.

 

Second if you haven't ever tried them get some pork cracklins. They have to be hot and fresh and don't taste AT ALL like the cr@p you get in the bags at the gas station. Try some from a roadside stand. They are amazing.

[+W7WT]

We found caches in most states as we travel a lot. Enjoyed some of the early caches such a Mingo in Kansas. The last two we did was Kauai in Hawaii when we celebrated our 60th wedding anv. and got our 2,000 find. Then drove our Roadtrek van type RV to Fairbanks to visit our son and pick up Alaska for the last one. We flew into Hartford the week after 9-11. Not many caches available. We did get one near Bar Harbor for Maine. Have fun and stay warm. Dick

[+The magician & his assistant]

DETROIT!

 

Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.....and....... CANADA!

 

After flying into det, i would hit canada right away rent a car drive thru ohio (30mins) into indian and illinos then cache in chicago.

[+speeronline]

You could fly in to Austin Texas....

 

Then you could hit North Texas... East Texas... South Texas... and then of course West Texas

 

You'll need about 2 weeks but it sounds like more fun than the North East States right now!

 

[Mr.Yuck]

In Feb you need to consider winter weather conditions, and I wouldn't plan for anything north. I'd look at Atlanta or Nashville, or maybe Charlotte.

If you hold off until later in the Spring I'd add Hartford and Boston to the mix.

 

If the number of new states is the #1 priority you can rack them up pretty quickly in New England. But I wouldn't make any recreational travel plans except for a ski trip there in winter time.

 

Believe it or not, we still do actually cache up here in the winter. I just found a cache today. Of course I had to take a Nalgene bottle full of hot water with me, but that's besides the point.

 

I'm not actually New England, but New York. But You can't beat those teeny little states for a "State Run". I mean Rhode Island is 1,500 square miles, about the exact same size as the County I live in. You could literally knock off Rhode Island, Connecticut and Mass. in 1/2 hour, and be in Vermont or New Hampshire an hour later.

[knowschad]

States runs are so 2005/2006.

 

I have found some nice caches on the I-10 corridor between Baton Rouge LA and Pensacola FL. That would get you four states and some good food.

I'll agree with that one. I've enjoyed caches recently found down there. New Orleans is the place to fly in and out of since you can stay there and eat. And eat. And eat. Small places have the best food. If you are really adventurous you can also go for GA maybe.

 

Pssst,,, way off topic, but I just know that you would not be able to restist this sweet little number: http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?id=109056

 

 

OK... back to the subject at hand. Thanks for your patience.

[+Too Tall John]

Fly into Portland, Maine (1). Drive I95 into New Hampshire(2) and on into Massachusetts(3) where you pick up I495. It'll take you around Boston, and back to 95. Follow through Rhode Island(4) and into Connecticut(5) and then New York(6). From there, it's a pretty quick hop into New Jersey(7). Depending on how much time you spend, you could circle on into Pennsylvania(8) from there.

 

One advantage of caching in the winter is that, if the cache has been found recently, there are footprints leading to it. Don't let the snow scare ya off!

[+Scubasonic]

You could always ask flask

 

You took the words right out of my mouth!

 

Didn't like the comment but did like beating Bittsen out of a FTF last night !!! Karma is a funny thing.

 

Scubasonic

[+DGDK]

I've cached in every state, and did most of them on road trips like you're proposing. Trips I took were:

 

1) 5 days: Started in Clarksville IN, then cached in Louisville, KY, Big Stone Gap, VA, Asheville, NC, Greenville, SC, Atlanta, GA, Pensacola, FL, Mobile, AL, Gulfport, MS, Slidell, LA, Memphis, TN, West Memphis, AR, Sikeston, MO, and IL for a total of 14 states in 5 days. There were two of us sharing the driving.

 

2) 5 days: Did Kansas City MO, Kansas City, KS, Tulsa, OK, Paris, TX, Vivian, LA, Little Rock, AR, Memphis, TN, Lynchburg, MS for 8 states.

 

3) Did NY, VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, CT. NJ. DE. MD. DC in 4 days.

 

4) I also did a two week trip flying into Vegas and geocached: Las Vegas, NV, Baker, CA; St. George, UT; Quartzsite, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Colorafdo Springs, CO; Cheyenne, WY; Billings, MT; Spokane, WA; Umatilla, OR; Boise, ID; and ending back in Vegas. That's 11 states. Could have done it in less than 2 weeks, but we also did alot of touristy stuff and visited friends along the way.

 

Tips for your trip:

Get as close to borders as you can. Small border towns have caches too!

When running PQs, look for things found in last 7 days, and do caches along a route.

Take the sun under consideration. You've only got limited daylight this time of year, so unless you don't mind night caching, do your caching during the day, and drive during night hours.

Plan your route carefully, and follow it. I always make a list of the caches I want to hit and in what order, so I don't waste time wondering which one to do next.

Have fun!

[+DragonsWest]

Fly into Las Vegas and you can do some of the LV caches I've heard so many good things about, plust cache down toward Kingman, AZ and stray over toward the california border near Searchlight, NV and Nipton, CA. Nice area and loads of caches. Might have a spot of rain in Feb., but it's a big area.

[+Castle Mischief]

Knoxville, TN.

 

Head north into Kentucky, work your way to Virginia, then head down and around to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Head back to Knoxville via either Chattanooga or Nashville- depending if you want to get caches near Mentone, Al or run through Huntsville.

[+bittsen]

You could always ask flask

 

You took the words right out of my mouth!

 

Didn't like the comment but did like beating Bittsen out of a FTF last night !!! Karma is a funny thing.

 

Scubasonic

 

Technically I think you beat me out of a half dozen FTF's last night. And about that Karma, I was skunked on two more FTF attempts last night (this morning). Both were DNFs

 

Oh, and the comment wasn't a dig against you.

[oakenwood]

As others have pointed out, you can hit NJ, DE, PA, MD, DC, VA, and WV in a day, easily. I live in the middle of it.

 

That give me an idea-- placing caches in all seven in one day. Anybody ever tried that-- a "race to place"?

[+briansnat]

LaGuardia gets you NY, NJ and CT, if you want to drive for 2-2.5 hours you can pick up PA to the Northwest and Delaware to the South.

 

The only thing LaGuardia gets you is stuck in traffic.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

From Sioux City, Iowa ( flysux.com ) you can easily pick off Iowa, have SD and NE just across the river, and a short drive to pick off Minnesota.

Not too much to do there in winter, but I bet if you looked at state tourism sites and roadsideamerica.com you could find some things to see.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Well, there are lots of places that can get you 4 states easily...

Las Vegas can get you AZ, CA, UT, and NV

 

Memphis can get you TN, AR, MO, IL, IN, KY, and MS and with that much time you might even be able to swing wide into GA and/or AL.

Edited January 12, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Cheyenne Wyoming - 3 states within 45 minutes of travel. Lots of caches in the area.

 

Rapid City, SD will get you close to 3 states and some great scenery.

We need to consider that some places can get shut down for several days with a good winter storm, especially Cheyenne, they might close all the roads in every direction.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Well, there are lots of places that can get you 4 states easily...

Las Vegas can get you AZ, CA, UT, and NV

 

Memphis can get you TN, AR, MO, IL, IN, KY, and MS and with that much time you might even be able to swing wide into GA and/or AL.

Start in Memphis, Tennessee, then cross the river into Arkansas, and head north on Interstate 55. This will take you into Missouri. After that, take Interstate 57 into Illinois. You can then head east on Interstate 64 into Indiana, and continue to Louisville, Kentucky. Turn south here and take Interstate 65 to Nashville, Tennessee. At this point you can continue south into Alabama, or head back to Memphis, and just cross the states southern border to grab Mississippi. Anyone want to calculate that milage?? Should be easily done in three days.

 

Looks like about 1300 miles if you include Georgia(all the way to Atlanta) and Alabama

 

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/1-AiffzKnzfazO00Np

 

If you skip Georgia, it would be about 200 miles less.

 

There are ways to make the trip shorter, but I was using major routes and major cities.

 

This route would be more likely(but not guaranteed) to keep you away from the types of winter weather than might stut you down, or make the trip very dangerous to drive.

 

This route removes two states, and about 400 miles of driving. Mississippi is not on this route, but is only a few miles from Memphis, so you could grab the state within an hour.

 

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/5-oTSxumTW

Edited January 12, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Yeah, OK...Nevermind all that...Looks like you'd do better in Knoxville. I just looked at all the states you already have.

 

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/7-nzbXOb1Q

 

Tennessee, Virginia, W. Virginia, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Georgia, Alabama...

17 hours 57 minutes / 1105.57 miles

Plus side trips. Easy in 3 to 4 days

Edited January 12, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+WRASTRO]

As others have pointed out, you can hit NJ, DE, PA, MD, DC, VA, and WV in a day, easily. I live in the middle of it.

 

That give me an idea-- placing caches in all seven in one day. Anybody ever tried that-- a "race to place"?

Distances are so different between places in the East than they are in the West! About 200 miles to the South is Oregon and about 300 mile to the East is Idaho. Canada is only about 120 to the North though so all is good.

 

I know the distances are still measured in miles. We just have lots more of them out West.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

It might also be worth mentioning that if you flew into Geneva, Switzerland that finding caches in Switzerland, France, and Italy would be quite doable in a single day.

 

While planning out a potential travel itinerary for a possible business trip (I'd be gone for more than a week though) one of the more practical choices could produce finds in Spain, France, the UK, Qatar, and Tanzania.