I'll admit it: when it comes to exploring Minecraft worlds, I tend to be a little bit lazy. I love the core of the game (mining and...erm...crafting), but I'm not the biggest fan of wandering through biome after biome in search of a rare structure. I've tried to like that aspect of the game, but it's just not for me. It was a hard lesson to learn, but the truth is, I'm a horrible adventurer.

With that said, even though I'm lazy, I still want to see all of the cool things that the game has to offer. So for me, the best Minecraft seeds are the ones that put something cool and interesting right in front me when I spawn.

If you're a lazy adventurer like me and want to see some really cool stuff without moving around too much, here are 20 of the best Minecraft seeds that I've found so far.

Spawn next to an exposed Stronghold

Seed: -9057352651117540831

It's a little hard to tell from the screenshot, but yes, that wood you see in the ravine is part of an exposed stronghold. If you're looking for a survival seed where you can find a stronghold without having to farm Eyes of Ender and walk (potentially) thousands of blocks to find a stronghold, this is the seed you've been looking for. It's about a 20 second walk from the spawn. The ravine surrounding the stronghold is very cool as well, with lots of great minerals to harvest.

Spawn next to a huge mushroom biome

Seed: -1309634265

Mushroom biomes can be tough to find (unless you're one of those creative mode cheats with your flying superpowers). This Minecraft seed will spawn you right in front of a huge mushroom biome -- and it's absolutely massive. Bonus points for having some cool rock formations.

Spawn next to a jungle temple

Seed: england

I don't know about you, but my least-favorite Minecraft spawn is the jungle spawn. They're a pain to navigate, you can't see a thing, and you spend your first precious minutes cutting down vines with your fists. In a jungle, collecting the materials you need to survive the first night is just...well...not a whole lot of fun. This seed makes it more better, though, since you start out right next to a jungle temple. Grab some quick loot, and use the shelter for the night if you need to.

Spawn next to a surface skeleton dungeon

Seed: -1617224717

This skeleton dungeon isn't immediately visible -- you'll have to do a little bit of excavation to expose the chests and the entrance (this screenshot, obviously, is from my post-excavation). Just look for a sunken spot in the sand right in front of your spawn point and start digging.

Spawn near a massive crater

Seed: 8700829340959843130

This is definitely one of the most impressive craters I've ever seen, and it happens to be right around this seed's spawn point. Before you head down, you'll want to take a little time to gather some wood from the surrounding area. There are a lot of precious minerals down below (and some monsters, too), so you'll need a solid stockpile of sticks for the swords and pickaxes you'll need down below.

Spawn near a desert temple and village (and acquire diamonds)

Seed: -671258039

This is definitely one of my favorite Minecraft seeds. A short distance from your spawn point, you will find a desert temple -- with a large village right behind it. There are a lot of diamonds in the blacksmith's chest (and even more rare gems in the chests below the desert temple). If you love playing survival mode and want a little head start when it comes to acquiring rare materials (emeralds, diamonds, gold, etc), this is one of the best seeds you'll ever find.

Spawn next to a cool jungle lagoon

Seed: World Generator

Alright, so I mentioned before that I hate jungles. But if jungles have one redeeming quality, it's their cool (and sometimes elusive) lagoons. This seed will start you right next to a jungle lagoon that's just begging to be developed into something great.

Spawn on a survival island

Seed: Sprite

I'm not really a survival island type of person (there are few things less satisfying to me than digging out an underground fortress with my bare knuckles), but I do like to play that way from time to time as the mood arises. This is, in my mind, the perfect survival island seed. You get one tree, a small patch of land, and you're surrounded by an ocean for hundreds of blocks. Good luck...

Spawn on an island (with a village)

Seed: 644309466

Here's a survival island with a twist: the island is home to a small village. Now, I get that it isn't really a 'survival' situation when you land on an island with comfortable accommodations and a little farm just waiting for you to feast on, but it's a good seed for people who want to play survival island style without the initial resource scramble.

Spawn next to a large mountain village

Seed: -5825474964779901595

This Minecraft seed will spawn you right next to a large village in front of a nice mountain range. The village has a lot of farms that you can harvest right away for instant nutrition, and the buildings provide you with a nice place to spend a night (the villagers don't mind. Really). The mountain range itself is also very cool, with plenty of caves to explore.

Spawn next to a desert temple and village

Seed: Double Village

I know, I already put one temple/village combo on this list. But while the other one was cool mostly for the rare gems you'll find, this one is cool for other reasons. As you can see in the screenshot, the temple is mostly buried. And though it isn't immediately obvious, a lot of the village is too. Excavating the temple and village (without smashing either to bits) was one of the most surprisingly fun things I've done in Minecraft. It's a fun way to spend a couple of hours on a lazy afternoon.

Spawn near a witch hut

Seed: 2

Aside from a cauldron (and potential witch spawn), there isn't really much that's too remarkable about witch huts. However, they can be a little tough to find on your own, so if you just want to take a quick peek to see what they're all about (or if you want to convert one into your own luxurious lair of evil), this is a good seed for you. The hut is only about a 15-second walk from your spawn point.

Spawn on a survival island on steroids

Seed: Artomix

This is a pretty well-known Minecraft seed, and for good reason: it's incredibly cool. This seed spawns you on a small island. But unlike most survival islands, this one is mountainous with lots of trees, cliffs, and beaches. There is a ton of building potential here (it's absolutely begging for an Ewok-style tree fort), which in my mind gives you the best of both worlds.

Spawn next to a desert temple on the edge of 3 biomes

Seed: vancouver

There are many seeds that will spawn you close to a desert temple, but this is the only one I've found that's on the edge of 3 different biomes. Because of its convenience, I decided to convert the temple into my home, giving me easy access to just about everything I need. If you haven't converted a temple before, it's easy -- just make sure you close off the top and add lots of torches and doors.

Spawn next to a cavernous mountain

Seed: -1669759022

This Minecraft seed spawns you right in front of a really cool mountain range. Many of the mountains are hollowed out, giving you easy access to coal, iron, and other materials that you need to get started. Plus, the caves are a ton of fun to explore.

Spawn near floating mountains

Seed: 4079393558202846493

When it comes to pure building potential (and Dali-like physics), this is one of my favorite Minecraft seeds. The mountains here have a lot of character, and like a lot of people, I'm a huge fan of the large overhangs and floating mountains. In terms of eye candy and pure awe factor, this is one of the best seeds out there.

Spawn on a winter island

Seed: 6508504818774936544

If you love the idea of living on an island but you're tired of the sand/beach combo that dominates the survival island theme, here's a seed that will let you live a little differently. This gorgeous Taiga island is really cool, and not just for its snowy exterior: Dig down from just about anywhere on the island, and you'll drop into an abandoned mineshaft. Plus, the island has a really cool ravine that's home to exposed redstone, coal, iron, and gold.

Spawn near a sunken village

Seed: -4954213873586745325

This seed will spawn you close to a village that's pretty much submerged in water (ironically, the only thing in the village that isn't directly next to water is the well). Raid the farms for some instant nutrition, and use the village as a good starter structure if you want. This is a cool seed because it spawns you next to something unusual, and it would be great for anyone who is new to Minecraft and needs a nice place to get started.

Spawn on a mushroom island

Seed: 41327148

Mushroom biomes are cool enough on their own. But a mushroom island? That's something else entirely. With this seed, you will spawn on a small survival-style island, with a view of the mushroom kingdom just across the water. It's just a short swim from the spawn point, and there's a lot to explore here (including a huge underground canyon).

Spawn and swim (or die)

Seed: GLORIOUS

I'm honestly not sure if this is a great Minecraft seed or a horrible one, but I like it so it's on the list. This seed makes survival island seeds look like a joke. You will spawn in the middle of an ocean. And not on top of the water, either -- by the time the world renders, you'll have a nice little swim towards the surface. At the surface, you can't see anything but water in any direction, making your survival (and the world you end up inhabiting) an absolute crapshoot.

---

Do you have a favorite seed for the lazy that I've missed? If so, drop it in the comments.

For more, be sure to check out our Seeds master list. It has every seed we've ever written about, including the most recent ones and old ones that still work! If you're playing Minecraft PE, be sure to head over to our companion list: best seeds for lazy people on the go.

Here are a few links to get you started: