8 Fun Road Trip Games to Keep Everyone Engaged, Regardless of Age

Road trips are just as much about the adventure as they are about the final destination. While a car offers more flexibility and spontaneity compared to planes, trains, or buses, it’s easy to get bored. That’s where games come into play.

Whether you’re traveling with a small group of 2 or a larger one of 10—kids or adults—here are some entertaining games that can help pass the time and silence the “are we there yet?” refrain.

20 Questions

In this timeless game that easily adapts to the car setting, one player thinks of a random person, place, or thing while the other players take turns asking up to 20 yes-or-no questions to narrow down the possibilities. The first one to guess correctly initiates the next round.

The License Plate Challenge

The aim of this classic road trip game is to find at least one license plate from every state in the U.S. Players can jot down the states as they spot them or tick them off a list. Traveling with kids? Provide each child with a blank map of the United States to color in the states as they identify the corresponding license plates.

Create a Story

While you may not pen the next great American novel on your journey, you can craft a funny story together. The first player starts with an opening line, and then everyone takes turns adding a sentence. Keep the tale going for as long as you want, whether until the next rest stop or all the way to your final destination.

GHOST

In this game, players take turns selecting letters to form a valid word (so no choosing “Z” after someone says “X”). However, the twist is that you want to avoid being the person who completes the word. Anyone who finishes a word receives a penalty letter from the word GHOST: “G” for the first penalty, “H” for the second, and so on. Players who collect five penalties and spell out “GHOST” are out of the game until only one winner remains.

Scavenger Hunt

A game centered around spotting specific objects during the trip may not be great for the driver, but the rest of the passengers can have a fantastic time. Simply prepare a list of items to find ahead of time and share it with each traveler. You can make the game easy or hard by selecting items that are either very common or quite rare. To add an element of surprise, create unique lists for each player. As with any scavenger hunt, the one who finds the most items wins.

Alphabet Game

Perfect for families with kids, the alphabet game is a road trip favorite where players look for words on signs and billboards starting with each letter of the alphabet, beginning with “A” and continuing to “Z.” Players shout out the word when they spot it, and the group moves on to the next letter. The player who identifies the most words wins the game.

Engaging Podcasts

While you might not be able to invite a game show host along for your road trip, your entire travel crew can challenge their intellect by tuning into a trivia or brain teaser podcast such as Good Job, Brain! or Road Trip Riddles.

Guess the Passenger’s Name

As you cruise down the highway, keep an eye out for passengers in the cars around you. (Unless you're the one behind the wheel, of course.) Randomly select some passengers and engage in a fun conversation about what names you would give them and why. It’s sure to spark some laughs!