Road trips are fun and exciting. Aside from just the destination, you get to see new places along the road. But, when you start to feel as though time moves slower the longer you sit there in silence, the drive becomes boring. Whether you’re traveling with your family or friends, road trip games can definitely stave off boredom. Long trips are far more memorable when everyone gets to share a hearty laugh, don’t you think? To make road trips more engaging, here are brilliant games that you can play while traversing through the long and winding roads.
Kid-Friendly Games
While phones and tablets can easily distract them from dull travels, a road trip is a perfect time for children to solve riddles and get their attention away from devices.
I Spy
Classic spotting games like I Spy are fun games for children to tickle their minds. The phrase “I spy with my little eye something that is…” starts off the game, followed by a hint — either the color, size or first letter. Everyone else in the car can then guess what the object is. This game will also sharpen their ability to describe things creatively.
Spelling Bee
A classic game of wits, the spelling bee is a great game for kids. Start by looking up words that you think would be hard for them to spell. Have three levels — beginner, intermediate, and expert, and whoever spells the most words correctly wins.
The A to Z Game
To power up their alphabet knowledge, this game is played by finding things outside the car in alphabetical order. The first person starts by looking out for anything that starts with the letter A, for example, an airplane passing by. The next person shall then follow up with B-starting words until everyone reaches the last letter.
Pass the Message
The first person must secretly tell the next person a phrase, a funny sentence, or a long word and have them pass it on. The driver will be the last one to receive the secret and has to say it out loud. Your kids will absolutely lose it if the final message changes.
Slug Bug/Beetle Car Game
The name of this game varies for every family. Whatever version you like to call it, the mechanics of this game are simple. Everyone looks out for Volkswagen bug cars and whoever spots the most cars wins.
Road Trip Games for the Whole Family
Now you can level up the games so the teens can join in on the fun. You can tweak the games to a difficulty level that young adults can participate in.
Scavenger Hunt
This game is pretty similar to I Spy, but you may need to list down things you commonly see on the road. You can personalize it if you’re well familiar with the route. Everyone must be on the lookout for the items on the list and whoever ticks off the list first wins.
Rhyme With Me
One person picks a word and everyone has to come up with words that rhyme with it. If anyone repeats a word, they lose, and you will have to choose another word again.
25 Words or Less
A popular TV game show called 25 Words or Less requires quick thinking and responses. Have a list ready before the trip, or you can buy the card game. Rules are simple: a clue-giver will have to bid the words in no more than 25 words, and teammates must guess them correctly. Clue-givers can describe the opposites of the words, but they cannot say “it rhymes with” or “it sounds like.” The team with the lowest bids, or the fastest time to solve wins.
Who Am I? TV Series Edition
This game is fun for families who love watching TV series together. A clue-giver starts by identifying the TV series first, then proceeds to describe a specific character’s identity or famous lines without actually saying their name. For example, in Game of Thrones, have them guess who said the famous line, “The Lannisters always pay their debts.”
Time for Story Telling
Progressive stories are always fun and will have the whole family engaged for hours. To play this game, start by telling a story, and the next person has to pick up whatever you last left off. Expect the stories to go haywire.
Car Bingo
Look up a list of vehicle types and everyone has to spot them on the road. The winner is declared if he/she is the first one to cross every car off the list. Best spotters will carry immunity for punishments.
Most Likely To
Alternate in coming up with crazy superlatives like “most likely to become a celebrity” or “most likely to study abroad.” Everyone should point to the person who fits the title. He/she will then say the next superlative.
Never Have I Ever
This is a classic game that took TikTok by storm. Everyone holds up their fingers and will fold one down every time they hear something they haven’t done before. The person to fold all of their fingers first is out of the game.
The License Plate Game
See how your family interprets letters in the license plates in front of you during a red light. For example, a plate number with the letters BMC translates to “buy me cake” or “Big Mac and Cheese.” Let your imagination run wild.
Crazy Rule
Every time the car does a tight turn, everyone must poke the person next to them. Come up with different rules every time. The more nonsense the rule is, the more fun the game gets.
Games Great for Friends
Road trips with friends are the best. Incorporating games along the way makes it more worthwhile. Try a few of these the next time you plan an outing.
Kiss Marry Kill
The mechanics are basic: take turns mentioning three people, living or dead. Everyone in the car has to choose who they would kiss, marry, or kill. So that everyone can relate, try listing people from high school or work.
Finish the Lyrics
Are you in a group of friends who love to sing? This game hits you in the right spot. Have one member sing a specific verse of a song, then take turns singing the next line until the song finishes.
Truth or Dare Car Edition
A simple game where everyone can choose to say the truth or do a dare that can be accomplished inside the car. Dare your friend to shout good morning to the car next to you.
Guess The Song
Similar to Finish the Lyrics, but this time, everyone has to guess the song title and the artist. The one to guess first will then happily sing the entire chorus.
Fast Talk
This is a game where the player has to quickly answer between two choices. Naughtier choices like “lights on or lights off,” or “indoors or outdoors” will make the gang burst into laughter.
People Watching
This game becomes entertaining as it progresses. Try to describe the people from the car next to yours and make a story up about their names, profession, and other silly things you can think of.
Vogue Questions
A friend has to pretend he/she is a celebrity and has to answer questions as if they were that celebrity. Copying their actions or voice is a plus point.
Don’t Say It
Restrict a certain word or phrase and everyone has to avoid saying it during the entire car ride. You can include words that are often said during a car ride.
Categories
In this game, a judge will pick any category. This could be celebrities, NFL teams or players, or music genres or singers. Everyone has to provide names until the last person is jammed and is declared the loser.
With the help of these exciting games, you’re sure to have the trip of a lifetime!