15 Fun Road Trip Games for That Will Make the Miles Fly by

Yahoo

13-06-2025

Long hours in the car can feel endless—especially once the excitement fades and the snack supply starts to dwindle. But a few road trip games can turn even the longest drive into a fun and memorable part of your journey. Whether you're heading out on a family vacation or a weekend escape with friends, a great game can spark laughter, ease boredom, and help the miles pass on by. Classic picks like I Spy and 20 Questions are always crowd-pleasers, but we've also included a few clever twists and fresh ideas to keep everyone, including little kids entertained.
Best of all, most of these fun car games don't require screens, supplies or extra prep—just a little creativity and a willingness to play. So before you queue up your playlist or finalize your route (check out these affordable travel spots in the U.S. and road trip packing tips), make sure you've got a few of these boredom-busters ready to go.How to Play: Starting with "A," spot words on signs, billboards, or even cars that begin with each letter of the alphabet, in order. The first person to spot a word for "Z" wins!
Example: "A" for "Arby's," "B" for "Burger King," "C" for "Chevron."
Pro-Tip: Proper nouns count! (e.g., "McDonald's" for M)How to Play: One person says, "I spy with my little eye something..." and gives a color or other simple clue about an object they see. Others guess until someone gets it right. That person then becomes the "spy."
Example: "I spy with my little eye something blue." (Could be the sky, a car, or a sign)
Pro-Tip: Make sure the object will be visible for a reasonable amount of timeHow to Play: One person thinks of a person, place, or thing. Others ask "yes" or "no" questions to try and guess what it is. They have 20 questions to figure it out.
Example: "Is it alive?" "No." "Is it bigger than a breadbox?" "Yes."
Pro-Tip: Start with broad categories (e.g., "Is it alive?")How to Play: One person starts a story with a sentence. The next person adds another sentence, and so on. See where your collective imaginations take you.
Example: "Once upon a time, a squirrel decided to open a five-star restaurant." "Unfortunately, his first customer was a very hungry bear."
Pro-Tip: Encourage silly and unexpected turnsHow to Play: Try to spot license plates from as many different states as you can. Keep a running tally, or simply see who can find the most unique states.
Example: "Got a New York plate! Anyone see a Florida one yet?"
Pro-Tip: Look for out-of-state plates at rest stops or gas stationsHow to Play: One person hums a tune (no words!). Others guess the song. The person who guesses correctly gets to hum the next tune.
Example: (Hums the tune to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star") "Is it 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star'?"
Pro-Tip: Stick to well-known songs for easier guessingHow to Play: This one is simple: everyone tries to stay silent for as long as possible. The last person to make a sound wins.
Example: (Everyone is quiet for 3 minutes, then someone sneezes.) "Achoo! Oh no, I lost!"
Pro-Tip: This is great for a quick reset when energy levels are running highHow to Play: Each person holds up five fingers. One person says, "Never have I ever..." followed by something they've never done. If someone has done it, they put one finger down. The last person with fingers still up wins.
Example: "Never have I ever eaten sushi." (Anyone who has eaten sushi puts a finger down)How to Play: Everyone tries to count aloud, in order, from 1 upwards, but only one person can say a number at a time, and there's no designated order. If two people say the same number at the same time, you have to start all over again from 1.
Example: (Silence) "1." (Silence) "2." "3!" "3!" (Both said "3" at once, so you restart)How to Play: One person says a word. The next person immediately says a word that they associate with the previous word, then continue around the car.
Example: "Car." "Road." "Trip." "Snacks." "Chips."How to Play: The first person says, "I went to the grocery store and bought an A-something..." (e.g., "apples"). The next person says, "I went to the grocery store and bought an A-something and a B-something..." (e.g., "apples and bananas"). Continue through the alphabet, trying to remember all the previous items.
Example: "I went to the grocery store and bought an avocado." "I went to the grocery store and bought an avocado and some butter."How to Play: One person starts singing a line from a song. The next person has to sing a line from a different song that starts with the last word of the previous line. Or, simply pick a song and everyone sings along, points for whoever knows the most lyrics.
Example: Player 1: "Sweet Caroline, oh oh oh." Player 2: (quickly finds a song starting with "oh") "Oh, what a night!"How to Play: One person thinks of a movie and describes its plot in a terrible, but technically accurate, way. Others try to guess the movie
Example: "A young boy finds a magic ring, and he and his friends walk for ages to throw it into a volcano." (Answer: Lord of the Rings)How to Play: Before you start driving, pick 3-5 common words that are likely to be said during a road trip (e.g., "car," "road," "are we there yet?"). If anyone says one of the forbidden words, they lose a point (or get a silly penalty).
Example: Forbidden words: "car," "rest stop," "hungry." "I think we should stop at the next rest stop." (Oops, lost a point!)How to Play: One person thinks of a specific person, character, or even a famous animal that everyone in the car would likely know (e.g., a family member, a character from a popular movie, a well-known historical figure). Others ask "yes" or "no" questions to narrow down the possibilities
Example: (Player 1 thinks of "Scooby-Doo") "Are you human?" "No." "Are you from a cartoon?" "Yes." "Are you a dog?" "Yes." "Are you Scooby-Doo?"
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