Disclaimer#
This guide is for informational purposes only. The author does NOT encourage any illegal or dangerous activity. Always check local laws and regulations.
Introduction#
A poorly planned urbex trip can often end in disappointment - you travel for three hours and end up in a place that is not as interesting as you thought, it is inaccessible, or worse - it's not there anymore at all.
That's why it's important not only to have a backup plan, but also to plan efficiently so that you can make the most of your trip.
Start#
Let's say you already have a list of places saved in your custom map and you want to go on a trip to visit the most interesting ones. Choosing the right places and planning a route carefully can make the trip more enjoyable.
Maps#
A good way to start is by looking at your places on a map and figuring out whether they are worth the visit.
Google Maps is the go-to for this, but you can also use other map providers which can offer you more information, like OSM, Bing, mapy.cz, etc. You can see the full list here at Wikipedia.
Use tools like Google Earth or Street View on Google Maps to get a better idea of what the place might look like. Pay attention to the date when the map was last updated, as it can give you an idea of how recent the images are and whether the place is still standing.
Always check both to see which one has more up-to-date information.
Research#
Once you have narrowed down your list of places, it's time to do more in-depth research on each one of them.
The easiest way to do this is to look up the name or the description of the location on the internet. You might stumble upon some Reddit threads, blog posts, or social media posts that can give you more information about the location. This often includes historical context, more recent photos, security warnings, or how to get in.
Another way can be to ask your friends, create a Reddit post yourself, or try to look for more information on our Discord server - remember to read the rules before posting!
Now that you've gathered all the information about the place, you can estimate how much time you will need to spend there - don't forget to take into account the number of people you will be exploring with, as it can have an impact.
To help you plan better, it's a good idea to keep track of everything you find out - you can make notes or use a spreadsheet.
Finish#
Once you've figured out how much time you'll likely spend at each location, it's time to plan the order in which you'll visit them. The goal is to organize your route so you minimize backtracking and spend less time on the road.
A big part of this is deciding what time of day to visit each spot. In some cases, heading out at night might help you stay low-profile and avoid detection. Other places, though, are best seen during daylight, either because of the view or because exploring in the dark could be dangerous.
It's also worth deciding on the type of urbex you'll be doing ahead of time. For example, if you're only planning to climb, there's no need to carry extra underground gear that'll just weigh you down. For this, make sure to read our blog post about what gear to bring with you.
Conclusion#
Not everything will go exactly according to plan and that's totally fine. Urbex is all about the experience, not ticking boxes.
As you go on more trips, you'll start to get a better feel for what is worth the effort and what you can just skip. Most importantly, don't stress too much, enjoy the ride and have fun.
If you have questions or would like to share your own tips, feel free to slide into our Instagram DMs!
