You Need to Try This Scavenger Hunt in Your City This Summer

By now, you’ve probably taken an uncountable number of Silly Little Walks. Even if you haven’t called them that, you know what they are. They’re those aimless strolls you go on after a day spent indoors, glued to a screen; those jaunts best enjoyed post Zoom meeting without a destination in mind.

It’s certainly still possible to squeeze joy out of those walks, but I have a humble suggestion for the Silly Little Walker in need of a change of pace: a scavenger hunt. More specifically, Apartment Therapy’s scavenger hunt.

This scavenger hunt levels up the average walk, encouraging its participants to pinpoint flowers, landmarks, architectural styles, trinkets, and other odds and ends around their city, town, or neighborhood. It’s a stroll with an entertaining (and sometimes educational!) purpose, shedding light on your community and the built environment around you. 

You can round up your pals and try to find all 30 things in one day, or you can bookmark this post and take your time exploring each category on the list over the course of a month. That’s the beauty of this scavenger hunt: there are no hard and fast rules, only an invitation to slow down and open your eyes to the little things. Good luck!

• A house with a “for sale” sign in the yard
• The address of a white house with black shutters
• A building with a red front door
• A building with Roman columns
• A white picket fence

• A stop sign with graffiti on it
• A street that got its name from a notable resident
• A stray coin on the ground
• A picture of yourself on a slide at the nearest playground
• A photo of someone walking a dog

• The year your town or city was founded
• An example of the most popular architectural style in your region
• Your town or city’s motto
• Something with a crest on it
• The year the oldest building in your town was built

• The name of the biggest body of water in town
• A photo of your state bird in the wild
• The species of tree growing closest to your favorite grocery store
• A flower with white petals
• The name of the walking or hiking trail closest to your home

• A copy of a book by a local author
• Something with a mural on it
• A trinket from a place people like to hang out
• The book checked out most often at the library nearest you
• A photo of a painting hanging on a wall

• A ketchup packet from the restaurant closest to the center of town
• A napkin signed by an employee of the restaurant you got it from
• A small business with a front door bell that jingles when you open it
• A takeout menu with a mustachioed chef on it
• An ad for a local real estate agent