Best Scavenger Hunts In Orange County

With the advent of GPS technology and smartphone applications, going on a scavenger hunt with friends has been taken to the next level, and it's easier than ever to coordinate. Some businesses charge several hundred dollars to put on a corporate team-building scavenger hunt, but all that's required to get your next adventure underway is the time it takes to download an app and set up or find a quest in your area.

Spotdash
www.spotdash.cbslocal.com

Get to know the best of LA, and win prizes for completing adventures with the Spotdash app for the iPhone or Android. Dine at seven of LA's best Mexican restaurants, or hunt for iconic and unique signs around the southland from LAX to Disneyland. To start a quest or create one of your own, go online to spotdash.com or go to the app store on your iPhone or Android to download the Spotdash app. The Spotdash app also shows you all of your destinations on a map, making navigation that much easier. In addition to becoming an expert on your city, by completing adventures, you'll have the chance to win cool prizes. Just enter your name, email address and phone number, and you're ready to begin.

Wishing Stars 
www.wishing-stars.com

This might just be the happiest scavenger hunt app on earth. The days of wandering aimlessly around Disneyland are over. Download the Wishing Stars app and you'll be on a mission. The Wishing Stars app comes with two free quests: Fantasyland Photos (three pics) and Disneyland Photos (five pics). The app will show a picture of a landmark to find, and when you think you're in front of it, touch the button to tell the app and it will use your iPhone's GPS signal to figure out your location. Three additional quest books containing about four quests may be purchased for $1.99 per book, and these are divided into easy, medium and hard difficulties. The app is easy to use, and great for kids of all ages, but it is only available for iPhones.

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Scvngr
www.scvngr.com

Explore the best of Huntington Beach, conquer the 52 challenge Downtown Disney trek, or have a highly mobile date night in uptown Whittier with this easy-to-use smartphone app for iPhone or Android. Checking in, writing a review of your location, or bumping phones to check in with friends are just a few of the ways to earn more points on these treks, raising the competition to another level. In addition, as you earn points, you may also unlock rewards and get free stuff at some of the places you visit frequently. Connect with Facebook friends and get the competition started.

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Scavenger Hunt With Friends
www.scavengerhuntwithfriends.com

Create a totally customized scavenger hunt and compete against friends or coworkers with this easy-to-use app available for the iPhone and Android platforms. Choose items from a stock list, or type in your own crazy ideas, then choose a time duration and add friends from your contacts or Facebook to get this adventure underway. Different items may be worth different point amounts based on how easy or difficult they are to find, and the player with the most points at the end of the time period is the winner. This is a great app for a party, team building or ice-breaker activity, and can also be used to help you become familiar with the geography of a new place such as a school or place of business.

Munzee
www.munzee.com

Munzee is a scavenger hunt game based on the idea of geocaching, but you "capture" a munzee (any object you choose) simply by scanning a QR code using your smartphone (the item must then remain at the location for others to find). Points are earned by capturing munzees or by having a munzee you've deployed get captured by others. To deploy a munzee, log in to the munzee website to print out munzee game pieces with QR codes on them, and then place the game piece with your munzee out where others can find it (preferably in a waterproof container to protect the game piece). When this is done, click "deploy" on your app so other players will be alerted to the new munzee in their area (you get points when people capture your munzee). Munzee is a great free app for the iPhone and Android platforms, and could provide a night of family fun or friendly competition with co-workers.

David McDonald is a freelance writer covering all things Orange County. His work can be found on Examiner.com.