Have you just gotten a brand new metal detector, and you’re wondering where to go and test out your new machine? Don’t worry. You have come to the right place to learn about the best places to use a metal detector.
I’m going to tell you all about the 15 best places to go and use your metal detector, so hopefully, you can find some impressive treasures of your own. So, let’s explore these great places for metal detecting, so you can get out there and hunt for treasure. Let’s dig in!
Beaches
Let’s start off with the most prominent and common choice for metal detector usage: the beach. Of course, this can be any kind of beach. You might find treasures at even the most remote beaches but where you really want to go is densely populated beaches, with an intense focus on the ‘towel line.’ So what is the towel line? This is where everyone sets up their towels and spends their day at the beach. You’re going to likely find that people manage to lose things a lot in these areas.
Parks
Parks can hold a lot of forgotten and lost treasures in obscure places. Busy people take a moment to relax while walking through the park, jogging, taking their kids to the playground, or walking their dogs all end up losing something once in a while. With a metal detector, you can find these lost treasures in bushes, the grass, playgrounds, under shady trees, and even around the basketball courts.
College Campuses
You’re going to want to look around college campuses at all the areas where students congregate. This can be outdoor plazas, libraries, study halls, cafeterias, sporting fields, and, most importantly, pathways. Students are always running around trying to get somewhere, so it’s understandable that they can be a little careless about what they’re doing at times and what they’re misplacing in the process.
Old Battlefields
This is a tricky one. Most old battlefields are historical sites open to the public. However, some might have an issue with you randomly just digging in the middle of a historically significant place. Your approach can be one of two options. One, surface-level finds from tourists. Two, take the chance and dig if something comes up. You might find little resistance but be prepared for a bit of pushback. On the upside, you can find some pretty valuable stuff buried on-site like weapons, old helmets, coins, and more!
Ghost Towns
Even if you don’t find anything, this is just fun regardless. Ghost towns are a dime a dozen in certain places, such as the United States, which has a smattering of old coal mining towns littered across a majority of the 50 states. You can find some incredibly interesting, and in some cases valuable, items in these towns. Unfortunately, metal detectors can’t detect ghosts, so run if you hear or see something supernatural.
Camp Grounds
Just like college kids are a mess, so are actual kids. Think about all the money kids get from their parents, now think about how careless children are! That’s why scout camps are lucrative places to go from some quality metal detecting. Cha-ching. You might even find scout memorabilia which can be extremely valuable.
On the flip side, normal campgrounds are another great place to go and find some unlikely treasures and be one with nature. So make a day of it, have some fun in the great outdoors looking for treasures! But, be warned, some campgrounds have got rules against such activities.
Bars & Taverns
I think you’re gathering that sometimes the theme of excellent metal detecting bounties is finding societies the messiest members. Drunks, or just people who drink, are sloppy. They lose just about everything, so a metal detector around the premises is bound to yield some spectacular finds.
Rest Stops
Rest stops can be modern gas stations, or they can be old-timey rest stops that haven’t been used or touched in decades and centuries. The older, the better because the finds might be more valuable. Always check with local state and county laws first, as metal detecting might be against the law in some jurisdictions.
Ski Resorts
Where are you meant to find treasures at a place as big as a ski resort? Bottom of the ski lift, of course! Jewelry notoriously goes missing around these parts. Why? It’s a combination of two things. First off, the cold temperatures cause men’s and women’s hands to shrink, therefore reducing their ring size. Two, when gloves are removed to be readjusted or kept off, the rings come flying off. It’s cold, so they don’t even realize, and by the time they do, it’s too late to remember where they might have lost it.
Your Own Back & Front Yard
Even if you’ve lived in your home forever, once upon a time, somebody else was there before you were even around. So take a metal detector and see if there are any treasures hidden in your own back and front yard! You might be surprised at what you’ll find.
School Grounds
Schools are filled with manic activity and kids of all ages running around losing things left, right, and center. Not every find is going to be worth anything special. Still, you can find some deserted money, interesting knickknack, and even some other rare items once in a while. Just like with colleges, it’s essential to focus on areas where the kids populate.
Unique Landmarks
Think of historical landmarks or places that are hundreds of centuries old. Just imagine all the incredible stuff you might find in these insane places. Some areas might be a bit too protected to dig up any spots, but some you could find are easy to navigate and excavate. Don’t just focus on the heart of the landmark; use it as the center and move outward to see if anything comes up. You never know what ancient treasures you might find, and some treasures from sloppy tourists, of course.
Fairs & Carnivals
This is a broad term but think of anything from funfairs, carnivals, traveling circuses, and even renaissance fairs. The point is to focus on places or events that attract large crowds and, if possible, have carnival-type rides. Bonus points for roller coasters. You want a place that’s a hive of activity with many people weaving their way through pathways and stalls and watching performances or riding the rides. The more people are moving, the more likely they could quickly lose something without even realizing it! Especially when money, small children, and fast-paced rides are involved.
Sports Fields
Imagine the game taking place and everyone in the stands watching in anticipation. He takes the shot, and the crowd goes wild! Well, while they’re going wild, they’re losing things on the ground. So now you, with your nifty metal detector, are coming in and focusing on the areas where spectators gather for a big game (basketball, baseball, football, etc.). You’re there to see what might have been lost in the name of sports fanaticism.
Sea Caves
Think Goonies but not likely as profitable. Sea caves harken back to a time of pirates who used them as hiding spots to store their treasure and hide from the law, in an otherwise lawless sea. While insanely fun to explore, they’re extremely dangerous. I advise you to proceed with caution, and I’m even tempted to say don’t go at all. But I would never tell Indiana Jones what to do, so why tell another explorer? I will say only go into a sea cave during low tide and during the day! Also, let someone know where you’re going in case something terrible happens.
Conclusion
There you have it, the 15 best places to use a metal detector. As you go out and explore some of these places, make sure to be respectful of your surroundings. That means listening to local laws and respecting people’s space. The last thing you want is to get arrested or fined just for looking for some treasure. Otherwise, it’s all about the fun of it all at the end of the day. Most searches don’t produce outstanding results, but this is a hobby that is fun even when you come back empty-handed. It’s essential to never lose sight of what matters most.
