CT GPS Scavenger Hunt

Dedicated to finding adventure in all the great things this state has to offer.

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

Some pretty pictures from location No. 4

Summer is here and folks are making it out to a bunch of the new locations for 2014! Here are some pretty pictures that were sent to me of the surrounding areas by location number 4. Wow! It sure looks like a great place to visit on a beautiful summer day! I wonder what else could be there...? 

You’re certainly not on the wrong trail when you make your way to this next location. Come in June-July to find your appreciation for the outdoors blossoming even more! Quite the vacation destination!

          Latitude: 41.593573

          Longitude: -71.867602

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

Here are the top five locations from previous years.

We recently sent out a poll to a group of CT GPS Scavenger Hunt regulars to find out what their favorite locations were from past seasons. Here a list of their top five picks! 

Bring a picnic lunch and prepare to do a little hiking. Also lovely on a warm night under a full moon. Free but there is a parking fee.  Latitude: 41.77654455808432  Longitude: -73.41794013977051

This location makes me harken back to times long past and the breezy summer days of childhood. Perhaps our memories are eolian in nature... Pack your swim suit, bring a picnic lunch, and be sure to explore every inch of the grounds. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 8am - Sunset. Tours on weekends and holidays. Free but there is a parking fee $ Latitude: 41.303603 Longitude: -72.115277

Be sure to visit this last location before we too go extinct, and while you're there rub our existence in the face of those who have! Open year round. Call 860-848-0616 when you get there for permission to enter. Free but donations appreciated.  Latitude: 41.491611 Longitude: -72.099881

You'll reach new heights at this destination. Though to get there you might have to travel by foot... Come Thursday through Sunday between Memorial day and Labor day. Latitude: 41.825844 Longitude: -72.798473

You might find yourself going around in circles at this location. Be sure to have a good attitude about it! Come before 5pm all year long. $  Latitude: 41.670668 Longitude: -72.939434

We hope you enjoy exploring these past favorites in addition to all the great new locations for 2014! 

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

A Mysterious photo from location no. 7

The weather is getting nicer and people are starting to get out there and visit some of the great new locations for 2014. Today, I received a mysterious photo taken by a visitor to location no. 7...

Why, what ever could this be? Are you stoked to find out? Guess you'll just have to make a trek over to location no. 7 to learn for yourself!

Steel away to this location and help preserve some of CT ‘s forgotten history. Here you can forge a connection to the past! Be sure to mine the surrounding area for more great places to visit!

          Latitude: 41.570357

          Longitude: -73.338447

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

ROBOTS OR DINOSAURS?

While there have yet to be any robots involved with the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt, either at a location or as a participant, there may have, in fact, been dinosaurs….

To see this dinosaur and others you’ll just have to peruse the list of locations from previous years. See if you can figure out which clue will take you here! 

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

CT GPS Scavenger Hunt Frequently Asked Questions

We get it, adventure and exploration can be daunting, even scary, things. That's why we at the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt want to make sure you have as much information as possible before you head off to all of 2014's great locations. To help get you on your way, here are some answers to a variety of frequently asked questions.

Q: What if I don't have a GPS or my GPS won't let me enter coordinates? 

A: You can still participate even if you don't have a GPS. You can use a smart phone and GPS app or even look up the coordinates online beforehand and print out directions. Here's a useful website to convert GPS coordinates to Google maps: http://boulter.com/gps/

Q: Is the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt OK for kids?

A: Yes! All of the locations are OK for children. While kids might find some locations more interesting than others there are lots of great things to do in the surrounding areas. It's best to look up each location ahead of time and plan your day. 

Q: What if spontaneity and uncertainty scares me?

A: You can just look up the locations ahead of time. While we personally think the game is more fun if everything remains a mystery, it's by no means a requirement. Feel free to play your own way! 

Q: Do the locations need to be visited in order?

A: No. There is no set order to the locations.You can visit them in any order you wish! 

Q: What do I do when I get to a location? 

A: For most locations that should be fairly self explanatory once you get there. The majority of them are places with a planned activity in mind. (Sometimes that activity may even be suggested in the clue for each location!) Some locations are just one part of a larger area with lots of different things to do. Note: a few locations may be more personal spaces that are open to the public. Please be respectful!  Q: What if the location is closed or has moved?

A: We do our best to provide as much information as possible with out giving each location away. Still sometimes things close early or schedules don't match up. Since we make these lists months in advance, on rare occasions a location may even have moved. Take a picture to show you went there and then just explore the town or surrounding areas and have fun. The CT GPS Scavenger Hunt is more about enjoying CT and everything our state has to offer rather than rigidly sticking to a list. 

Q: How do I log my finds? 

A: Just take pictures at each location and share them with one of the many CT GPS Scavenger Hunt social media outlets. If you visit all the locations just email us at [email protected] and let us know where we can see all your pictures.  Q: I've visited all the locations now what? 

A: Check our post about the History of the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt to see the lists of locations from previous years. Maybe you'd like to check some of those out. 

Q: About those "Sweet Prizes...?"

A: What about them? 

Q: What are they?! How do I get them?!

A: That's actually two questions, but it's ok. Let's answer them in reverse order. To get sweet prizes you need to first visit all of the locations. Then send us an email so we can see your pictures and verify them. Once we verify them you can send us your address and we'll mail you your sweet prizes! What are those prizes? Well, they'll just have to remain a mystery until you win them! 

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

More great ways to share

Sharing is important! This picture won 1st place in a photo contest at 2012's Special Bonus Location. 

Besides submitting things to this tumblr and posting on our Facebook page there are a couple of other ways to share your adventures partaking in the 2014 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt.  We are on Twitter @CTGPScavHunt. This is an easy way to check on updates or tweet a picture. Just use #CTGPS If you're a Flickr user we have a group where you can share all the awesome photos from the different places you visit. One of the best things about the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt is the sense of community that develops from getting outside and exploring new things together. Whether with old friends, or new ones you make along the way, there is so much great stuff to do in our state that it just begs to be shared! 

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

What does the title of the 2014 scavenger hunt mean?

It’s a little known fact that Samuel Taylor Coleridge loved GPS Scavenger Hunts! 

"Winter slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!" is a line from the poem Work Without Hope by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The speaker of the poem is witnessing the beauty of the first signs of spring, yet they feel they cannot appreciate it because they’re unhappy and unoccupied. I think this sums up how a lot of us feel after the severe winter we’ve had and it’s my hope that the prospect of exploring our great state and winning sweet prizes will brighten everyone’s spirits!

There are a couple of other references to the poem in the description for this years event, including the signs of nature at work, and the blooming amaranths. Here’s the full poem: 

Work Without Hope by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair—

The bees are stirring—birds are on the wing—

And Winter slumbering in the open air,

Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!

And I the while, the sole unbusy thing,

Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.

         Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow,

Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.

Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,

For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!

With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll:

And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul?

Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,

And Hope without an object cannot live.

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

A Brief History of The CT GPS Scavenger Hunt

2011 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt

The original 2011 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt started as way for me to get a couple of my friends out and about exploring Connecticut. One of them wasn't able to drive anywhere without their GPS so, inspired by geocahing, I decided to use GPS coordinates as a way to send them on a mystery adventure. Unlike geocaching, the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt was structured more like a game. It couldn't be a game without prizes and "Sweet Prizes" have been a part of this event ever since. The 2011 season had 10 different locations to visit, which ultimately proved to be too many and no one was able to win any sweet prizes. 

Check out the original 2011 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt event here. 

2012 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt: Mayan Apocalypse Edition

In may seem quaint now in 2014, but back in 2012 the world was gripped with apocalypse fever! This was based in no small part on the fact that the Mayan Calender was set to end on Dec. 21st of the that year. The 2012 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt decided to cash in on this trend and encouraged everyone to get out and explore our state while it still existed!  Unlike the previous season, the number of locations was reduced to 5 and a second list of unvisited "Classic" locations from 2011 was added. Each list had their own sweet prizes associated with it. There was also a new "Special Bonus Location" that could only be visited one weekend a year. To make it to this location would require an extra bit of planning so visiting this location would also earn a sweet prize.

Here's the 2012 event. 

2013 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt: A Celebration of Our Continued Existence

The 2013 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt decided to make the entire season a celebration of our surviving the apocalypse. Like the previous year there were once again two lists, 5 new locations for 2013 and 5 unvisited  "Retro" locations from 2011 and 2012. There was also a brand new Special Bonus Location. 2013 was the most popular year yet with the most locations visited. We even had one intrepid team make it to all the Retro Locations and win sweet prizes! 

See lasts year's event here. To find out what's going on in 2014 check the original post or you can see the Facebook event here.

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

A Look at Some of the Sweet Prizes from Years Past

Sweet Prizes have always been a part of the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt. Here's a look at some of the prizes from past seasons. 

In previous years there was a separate list of unvisited Retro Locations. This is a custom, handmade t-shirt for the lucky individuals that made it to all the great Retro Locations. 

Glossy, high quality prints of photos taken at various locations have also been a popular prize! 

Other more location specific prizes include contextually appropriate t-shirts and vintage paperback novels.  Each year I try to come up with unique, creative prizes that will serve more as a memento of all the great fun and adventure that was had participating in the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt rather than strictly as a reward. I feel this is what makes the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt prizes truly "sweet."  What will the prizes for the 2014 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt be? Well, you'll just have to win some to find out! 

[ctgpsscavengerhunt]

2014 CT GPS Scavenger Hunt: Winter slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!

This year's long and chilly winter is finally over. Slugs leave their layer, the bees are stirring, and birds are on the wing! Those are sure signs it's time once again for the annual Connecticut GPS Scavenger Hunt. This season there are 6 new locations for 2014, 2 unvisited locations from the 2013 season, and one super-secret bonus location. The majority of the locations are free and a $ indicates a location with a fee. Since I believe in doing things cheaply no location costs more than 10 dollars. If anyone manages to visit all 8 locations they will earn a sweet prize! Now get out there and see your appreciation for our fine state bloom like the amaranths!

2014 Locations:

This certainly isn't a well broadcasted location but it's well worth the trip! Open Thursday & Friday 10am - 3pm, Saturday 10am - 5pm, and Sunday 1pm - 4pm $ Latitude: 41.863144 Longitude: -72.640523

There's plenty to keep up with at this location. Come late June -July for a hand picked experience and during October for something a little more spooky. Open Tuesday - Saturday 9:30am to 5pm $ Latitude: 41.332984 Longitude: -73.172789

You might find your appreciation for warm weather grow even more at this location. Someone must have a green thumb! Open from 10am to 5pm seven days a week except holidays.

          Latitude: 41.815674

          Longitude: -71.882386

You're certainly not on the wrong trail when you make your way to this next location. Come in June-July to find your appreciation for the outdoors blossoming even more! Quite the vacation destination!

          Latitude: 41.593573

          Longitude: -71.867602

You may find your curiosity peaked at this location! It has quite the odd reputation, in a manor of speaking. All Year Columbus Day – July 4th open Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm (last tickets at 4pm) July 4th – Columbus Day open Mon – Saturday 10am – 5pm Closed holidays $

          Latitude: 41.766085

          Longitude: -72.672677

Another vacation destination, many people have made the long road here on holiday. Come brush up on your CT history and Chase away the winter hues. Tues – Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 1pm – 5pm $ Best in Summer.

          Latitude: 41.325566

          Longitude: -72.326569

Steel away to this location and help preserve some of CT 's forgotten history. Here you can forge a connection to the past! Be sure to mine the surrounding area for more great places to visit!

          Latitude: 41.570357

          Longitude: -73.338447

The history of this great town is hanging on by a thread! Be sure to check out the historic district. If you look west you may even find yourself on the right track again, There is so much great stuff to do in this town it's practically bursting at the seams! Fri, Sat, Sun 10am - 4pm $ (Just one of the things to do here)

          Latitude: 41.710912

          Longitude: -72.205681

Special Bonus Location: I've been thinking about making a pilgrimage to this location for years. Not technically open to the public but if you ask permission before you enter it shouldn't be a problem. Please do not break any laws!  Latitude: 41.548961 Longitude: -73.029985

It's quite easy to partake in the CT GPS Scavenger hunt even if you don't own a GPS. If you own a smart phone you can use a GPS app or a websites like this: http://boulter.com/gps/ to convert the coordinates to Google maps. You can also look up the location on a computer ahead of time and print out directions, though the game is more fun if each location remains a mystery until you get there! Regardless of how you play, have fun!

About the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt: Now in its 4th year, the idea for the CT GPS Scavenger Hunt grew out of conversations with my friends about how they believed there just wasn't much to do in Connecticut. As someone who's been exploring our state since I first got my drivers license 14 years ago I knew this just wasn't the case. There is plenty of rich history, great local culture, and offbeat activities to partake in, a person just needs to be willing to (A) Plan and (B) Drive. This is where the concept of the scavenger hunt came from. I would do the planning and my friends would do the driving. They would finally get to see all the neat things I love about our state and for once I wouldn't have to pay for gas.

See our Facebook page to join the event and share photos.