Urban Exploration: What is it?

Although people have been exploring forever, the idea of defining the term "urban exploration" is fairly new, and has different meanings to many people. The first time that I entered an abandoned hospital, I wasn't thinking, "Yes, let us go urban exploring". I was thinking, "Wow, look at this amazing building! We have to go inside"! This first trip, on a cold fall night, inspired a curiosity inside me and I had to see more. I had to know everything about the building. When I went home, I researched everything I could about the place and even found a map of the property. During my research, it was then that I saw the term: urban exploration. This led to a number of intriguing websites, created by people who loved the same thing as me.

Recently, I went to The Farm Colony, scattered with abandoned buildings in the woods of New York. I came across several other people taking pictures and asked them if they called this urban exploring, or if they were familiar with the term. One of the girls simply stated: "I call it fun". She told me about her plans to access an abandoned Staten Island shipyard in the near future.

I felt the exact same way, but I do feel that defining the term has helped others such as myself to find new places to explore.

This New York Times article discusses urban exploration, bringing the seemingly underground topic to light and acknowledging some of the websites.