Interested in a hands-on travel experience that might just pay for itself? Visit these gem-hunting sites, and you may well leave with gemstones like amethyst, rubies, and even diamonds.
Amateur treasure hunters will be interested to know that for only $6 for adults and $3 for kids, they can scour for precious stones at Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds Park, keeping any gems that they find.
The park’s visitor center explains the area’s geology and history, and the staff provides free gem identification and certification.
At Gem Mountain, North Carolina, admission and gem inspection are free, but you’ll have to pay $15 for digging supplies.
In Georgia, Gold and Gem Grubbin lets you pan their creek for gold nuggets and gemstones like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
The cost for a half-day is $15 for adults and $7.50 for children, while a full-day costs $25 for adults and $12.50 for kids.
Looking for more fun family adventures? Don’t miss Taking the Kids: Family Voluntourism as well as Bilingual All the Way: Language Immersion Vacations for the Whole Family.
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Hi Peter, I have a map project you may be interested in.
I started it in an effort to map public gem hunting and gold panning sites. The map itself is open to the public if you’d like to add a site or two.
I’m trying to focus on the non-commercial operations at first, but know that many of the better places to go are pay to dig. Anyway, here’s the URL if you’re at all interested:
http://www.blackcatmining.com/reference/public-gold-panning.cfm
HELLO CAN ANYONE HELP ME. I SAW GEM HUNTING ON THE TRAVEL CHANNEL & WANT TO TAKE MY GRAND DAUGHTER NEXT YEAR, BUT I CANNOT REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE PLACE. IT WAS IN GEORGIA. THANK YOU