travel card games for adults

41 Best Travel Games 2024: Tried & Tested

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We always make sure we carry a couple of our best travel games with us no matter what trip we’re on. Because travel isn’t all about beautiful beaches and exciting adventure.

Sometimes we need a bit of downtime and relaxation. Other times we want to get the party started. And believe it or not there are plenty of situations where we even get pretty bored (think travel delays).

We’ve always loved playing games. So for us they’re the perfect way to pass away a few hours in an airport, entertain ourselves after a long day of exploring and even make new friends.

If you’re wondering which ones should make it into your backpack, we’ve put together a list of the best travel games on the market right now.

How We Chose the Best Travel Games

The main considerations we have for choosing a game to take on the road are the game’s size, weight and portability. All of these mini travel games tick those boxes.

But most of all, to be considered one of the best travel games, they have to be awesome fun to play!

This list is broken down into helpful categories depending on what you’re looking for. It covers the best travel board games, the best travel card games, the best dice games, and the best car games for adults.

Some are self contained mini travel games. Others require a standard deck of cards. But many just need some willing players with a bit of imagination who are up for a laugh.

Our Top 5 Best Travel Games

After being taught Dobble by our young nephew, we absolutely fell in love with it!

Okay, so this one is technically a kids card game. But once you play it you’ll understand why it’s also one of the best travel games for adults.

Basic premise

Everyone has played snap as a child and Dobble takes its basic premise and elevates it to a.whole.nother.level. It’s like “snap” on steroids.

There are five different travel card games within Dobble, all of them as simple as it gets. Every card has 8 pictures on it, each with one symbol in common with every other card.

Players all go at the same time to try and spot the matching symbols and either accumulate or pass cards on to opponents depending on which game you’re playing.

You can have up to 8 players involved at a time, but it’s also one of the best travel games for 2 adults. Dobble is a good one to break down language barriers as well because it’s so simple to get.

What makes it awesome

Dobble gets pretty raucous. Shouting, snatching and even hand slapping are all unavoidable as you get swept up in the excitement. Undoubtedly one of the best mini travel games available.

Players: 2-8

Expect: rip roaring fun

Game Time: 10 minutes

Size & Weight: 2.1 x 2 x 1.2 inches, 7.4 ounces

Rules: Read here

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2. Monopoly Deal

The traditional Monopoly isn’t really a practical game to carry with you when you travel. And let’s be honest, no one actually enjoys it do they.

Come on, strip away the nostalgia and you’re left with a pretty ridiculous, never ending snorefest that could be renamed Monotony (I’m prepared for the backlash).

But the clever guys at Hasbro have reimagined one of the most iconic board games ever made as a wicked card game.

Basic premise:

It retains the fun bits of traditional Monopoly so you still play as a real estate tycoon trying to collect sets of properties.

You still have to come up with a kickass strategy, treading the line between boosting your bank balance and building your empire. And you can still go from kingpin to down and out in one swift turn of fate.

But that’s where the similarities end.

Collect property cards to complete sets and money cards to build your fortune while swapping and stealing your way to glory.

Monopoly Deal is one of the best travel card games out there. It’s fast paced, exciting and we’ve met people of various nationalities who love playing it all over the world.

Players: 2-5

Expect: rapid gameplay

Game Time: 15 minutes

Size & Weight: 0.8 x 3.6 x 5.6 inches, 4 ounces

Monopoly Deal

Alternatively known as Skull and Roses, it’s like a picture version of poker played with beautifully designed components. After one game you’ll be hooked, we guarantee it.

Each player has three circular cards with a rose on and one with a skull as well as an individual double sided game board.

Players take it in turns to place a card of their choice on the game card face down, this continues until one player decides to make a challenge.

They do that by making a guess at how many roses they can flip before hitting a skull. If you get it correct then you turn your game board over and you have to turn your game board twice to win.

You have to kid and calculate your way to victory in this straightforward game of bluff. It involves a mixture of skill, memory and luck.

This is one of the best travel games adults everywhere will enjoy playing on their adventures.

Players: 3-6

Game Time: 30 minutes

Size & Weight: 2.1 x 5.2 x 5.2 inches, 1.01 pounds

4. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

This simple game is bound to get your tongue in a twist and the party started. Anyone can play, but it hurts to win.

Cards are distributed evenly among all of the players, face down without anyone looking at them. There are 5 different cards, taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza – hence the game´s name.

The first player takes the first card from the top of their deck, turns it over while saying “taco”. The next player follows suit but says “cat”, the third player does the same but says “goat” and so on.

Play continues like this until the card laid matches what the person playing it says. At which point everyone tries to avoid being the last person to slap their hand down on it.

If you´re too slow your hand will end up on top of the pile of everyone else´s hands. This means you must take all of the cards underneath and put them into your deck.

But there’s a twist – the deck contains three special cards. If you pull a gorilla, you must beat your chest before slapping the pile. If you draw a groundhog card you need to tap the tabletop with both hands before slapping the pile. And if you get a narwhal you need to make a horn above your head with your hands before slapping the pile.

Any mess ups or mistakes result in the player taking the pile, so no flinching or pretending or even pausing. The winner is the first person to get rid of all their cards and then win another round with no cards in their deck.

If the name itself doesn´t make you smile then you´re dead inside. This is the simplest of games but will keep you entertained for hours. Or until your knuckles are raw from them being repeatedly slapped. This could get rowdy.

Players: 3-8

Size & Weight: 3.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches, 3.52 ounces

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

5. Bananagrams

Calling all wordsmiths – if you’re a fan of Scrabble or any similar word games then you’ll enjoy Bananagrams. It also comes in a cute banana shaped carry pouch perfect for chucking in your luggage. One of the most convenient mini travel games.

144 tiles with different letters (called the bunch) on are placed face down on the playing surface. Each player selects the same number of tiles, the exact number varies depending on how many player there are. They are placed face down in front of the respective players. There are still some remaining in the bunch.

Once everyone has their tiles, anyone can shout “split” and the game begins. Players must then turn all their tiles face up. The aim is to get rid of all your tiles by creating words, but they must all interlink like a crossword. There are no turns, each player works as quickly as possible on their own grid.

If a player uses up all their letters, they take a new letter from the bunch and shout “peel”. This means that everyone else playing must also take a tile.

If a player wants to swap a bad tile then they can return it to the bunch by shouting “dump”. However, in exchange they have to pick up 3 tiles.

Players can’t win until there are less tiles in the bunch than players. Once this happens, the first player to use up all their tiles and shout “bananagrams” wins. That’s providing all their words are legit. If there are bad spellings then they’re crowned the “rotten banana” instead.

This game is easy to learn, quick to play, and highly addictive. You don’t need to know long words, you just have to be able to string words together. It’s fun in small or large groups.

Players: 2+

Game Time: 5 minutes

Size & Weight: 9 x 3 x 3 inches, 4.8 ounces

Bananagrams

Top Tip – Want to make your travel board games even more portable? Remove the pieces from their box and put them in a smaller container like this snaplock box . Then separate different components using mini ziplocks to keep everything neat and tidy.

Best Travel Board Games

Pass the Pigs

This is a classic version of the old dice game “pigs” that uses actual miniature model pigs instead of dice. It all packs down into a small plastic case making it one of the best games for travel.

Players take it in turns to throw the pigs like dice. They then gain or lose points depending on how they land. Positions include pig-themed names like “Pig Out”, “Trotter”, and “Snouter”. Each combination means a different thing and can see players making big gains or huge losses.

A turn lasts until a player decides to stop and cash in. That’s unless they completely wipe out their current or total score before doing so. If they stop in time to accumulate a score on their turn then it’s added to their total score. The game then progresses to the next player and the first player to reach 100 points wins.

The element of luck keeps it tense as players have to decide when to stick or twist. Yet there’s still enough strategy and skill involved to make a difference. Big highs and massive lows can see you going from hero to zero and back again in quick succession.

Players: 2-4

Size & Weight: 1.8 x 4 x 8.5 inches, 0.32 ounces

Quickly becoming a classic, Codenames is an awesome game of teamwork and strategy. You need to get on the same wavelength as your teammate(s) to have any chance of cracking the puzzle. Prepare for laughs, frustration, and jubilation in equal measures.

The idea of codenames is to be the first team to get in contact with all of their secret agents. Players separate into two teams before each selecting a spymaster. The rival spymasters sit on the same side of the table, opposite their respective accomplices/field operatives. 25 codenames are then randomly selected from the deck and laid out in a 5×5 grid.

A “key” card is then chosen which reveals to the spymasters which of the agents in the grid belong to each side. In among the agents are also a number of innocent bystanders. Plus there’s an assassin who you want to avoid at all costs.

Spymasters work to enable their team to identify their own secret agents. They do this by providing them with one word clues and a number. The clues can link numerous agent’s codenames, while the number tells the team how many are linked.

For example, if the spymaster says “bottle, 3”, the team knows there are 3 agents with names in some way related to the word bottle. Operatives then make guesses as to which secret agents the spymaster is trying to direct them to.

Selecting the wrong one can have bad consequences, and if you hit the assassin that’s game over. The wins team to identify all of their secret agents first.

While it may sound complicated, when you’re playing it’s really simple and easy to follow. At heart it’s a word association game and the spy aspect just adds to the fun. Seeing the random ways that players’ minds connect words can be hilarious meaning the game is fun even when you’re not doing well.

Players: 2-8 (competitive 4-8)

Expect: tense strategy

Size & Weight: 2.8 x 6.3 x 9 inches, 1.25 pounds

Secret Hitler

Best with larger groups (the closer to 10 the funnier), Secret Hitler is a game of deceit, infiltration and conspiracy. Get your poker face on because you’re going to need to lie through your teeth to win.

Players are secretly divided into two teams of fascists and liberals, while one player gets cast as Hitler himself. Liberals have the advantage of a majority, however, they don’t know anyone else’s allegiances. The fascists on the other hand know who the other fascists are as well as who Hitler is. Hitler meanwhile begins without knowing who his allies or enemies are.

Everyone is trying to advance their agenda and gain power whether fascist or liberal. The way to do this is by winning elections and passing legislation.

To do this you have to gain allies and use them to win votes. However, because everyone is trying to gain power it can be hard to figure out who is who. Also everyone is going to lie to make other players believe they’re a liberal.

The game is won by the Liberals if they enact five liberal policies or manage to kill Hitler. The fascists win by enacting six fascist policies, or if Hitler gets elected Chancellor after three fascist policies have been enacted.

Secret Hitler is all about skullduggery and convincing people that you’re telling the truth. Never has lying to your friends and family been so much fun, and it will make you see them in a new light. It quickly gets pretty loud and boisterous so be prepared for a lively game.

Players: 5-10

Game Time: 45 minutes

Size & Weight: 14.9 x 5.8 x 2 inches, 1.9 pounds

Connect 4 Grab and Go

Connect 4 Grab and Go is exactly the same as the classic Connect 4 game, just smaller. This means it’s the perfect size to take on your travels. One of the best travel games for couples of pairs of travellers.

Each player starts with 21 checkers, one player takes red, the other yellow. You then take it in turns to place a checker into the playing grid.

The aim is to get four of your checkers lined up in a row. This can be diagonally, vertically, or horizontally.

But while you’re trying to connect your four checkers, so is your opponent. They’re also going to be blocking your attempts at the same time.

It’s simple to learn and quick to play but can also be played with some strategy. It does require a bit of concentration but is a great game to relax and unwind with that anyone can play. It was also (falsely) rumoured to have been invented by David Bowie! As if his legacy isn’t amazing enough.

Size & Weight: 1.9 x 6.3 x 9.2 inches, 7.2 ounces

Catan is nothing short of a modern day classic board game. It’s loved by everyone from families to Silicon Valley execs and for this reason makes one of the best travel games. Wherever in the world you crack the Catan box out, you’re likely to find a fellow fan.

Each player is a settler looking to establish their own outposts from scratch on the mythical island of Catan. The island is represented by the game board which is made up of 19 individual hexagons. These can be placed in virtually infinite combinations meaning you could play with a new board each time. Each hexagon has a corresponding number places on it.

Players take turns to roll two di on their turn, and the number rolled allows the corresponding hexagon to produce resources. These can be either brick, wool, ore, grain, or lumber.

Collecting these resources in certain combinations allows players to build up their settlements. You can also trade with other players if they have something you need. And watch out for the robber who stops production on the hexagon he’s on.

The aim of Catan is to get 10 victory points and you collect these mainly by building settlements or cities. There are also bonus points awarded for various other achievements like longest road or biggest army.

Catan is a game of strategy, cooperation, and skill, but you still need the roll of the dice to go your way. It’s also the original “gamers game” and helped kick off the whole board game phenomenon we have today.

Players: 3-4

Game Time: 60 minutes

Size & Weight: 11.6 x 9.5 x 3 inches, 2 pounds

Combine the best elements of poker, bingo, add a board and throw in a large dose of strategy. The result is Sequence, a classic game that’s a whole lotta fun. While there is a travel version, we’d recommend the standard version instead. Though it’s far smaller, the travel edition is a limited abridged version that’s nowhere near as good.

Players get dealt a set number of cards each, this changes depending on how many people are playing. The board has an assortment of cards printed on it. As the name suggests, the aim of the game is to create a sequence of 5 connected cards.

You do this by selecting a card from your hand on your turn and placing a marker over the corresponding card on the game board. If you get 5 connected markers then you win the game.

There’s a lot of strategy involved because you can’t simply concentrate on your own hand. You need to pay attention to your opponents and try to figure out where they are going in order to stop them. It’s simple to pick up and exciting to play.

Players: 2-12

Size & Weight: 10 x 8 x 2 inches, 1.79 pounds

Qwirkle Travel

Described as a cross between dominoes and scrabble, Qwirkle is a super simple game of pure strategy. Anyone can play, but not everyone can play well.

The game of Qwirkle consists of 108 individual tiles. Each has one of 6 different shapes printed on it in one of 6 different colours. To start each player randomly chooses 6 tiles from the tile bag.

Players must then take it in turns to lay connecting tiles in rows and columns. In order to do so you must make runs of either the same shape or the same colour with the tiles in your hands. If it´s a run of shapes, only one of each colour can appear in each row. If it´s a run of colours, only one of each shape can appear in each row.

You can lay as many tiles as you´re able to on your go, so long as they´re all connected in a straight line. Alternatively you can use your go to swap your tiles with new ones from the bag. At the end of each turn you take enough tiles to make your hand back up to 6.

Scores are awarded after each turn depending on how many tiles have been laid and how many columns they fall into. Bonus points are given for completing full lines of 6 tiles. The game ends when one player has used all their tiles and there aren´t any more in the bag to draw.

This game is unbelievably easy to understand and get going. However, as soon as you begin, you start to realise there´s some deceptively deep strategy that can be employed. The satisfaction from building big scores can be addictive

Size & Weight: 10.5 x 10.5 x 2.7 inches, 2.45 pounds

Be transported to the time of the European Renaissance as you become a merchant aiming to amass a huge fortune.

In Splendor players compete to build the biggest and most prestigious jewellery business in Europe. To do this you need to collect raw gems which you can then use to fund the building of mines.

But you then need to create ways to transport the gems, pay jewellers to cut and polish them, and also buy shops where you can sell them. Develop your cards, collect the gem chips, and watch your wealth soar. With wealth you can then attract nobles who provide you with the prestige – and points – to win the game.

This game is easy to understand and yet the more you play the more you start to discover the intricacies. While it’s very strategic the game play is still extremely quick with only 4 basic options for each player per turn.

Size & Weight: 8.5 x 2.4 x 10.8 inches, 2.41 pounds

Best Card Games for Travel

Top trumps wonders of the world.

Top Trumps is ancient, simple, and yet resoundingly good fun. There are endless versions of it from Star Wars to Harry Potter. But this Wonders of the World one is on topic when it comes to the best travel games.

All the cards in the pack are dealt out to the players face down. Players then pick up their cards, holding them so they can only see the top card. The first player picks a category from their card and reads it out along with the value next to it. All the other players take turns to read out the same value on their card.

The player with the highest value wins, gets to take all of the cards that were read out and places them at the bottom of their pile. Play carries on until one player has all the cards.

This version of the classic game Top Trumps is conveniently travel themed. Not only will you have great fun out trumping everyone, you’ll also learn a few facts that might help you win a pub quiz one day.

Game Time: 2 minutes

Size & Weight: 3.5 x 0.8 x 5.5 inches, 4 ounces

Ever wanted to design your own ginormous fireworks show? No? Me either. Regardless, this game will probably change your mind.

Hanabi is a cooperative game, which if you’re new to board games could be something novel for you. It means you work with the other players instead of competing against them to achieve a common objective. This objective is to rescue a mahoosive fireworks display that’s about to go terribly wrong.

Each player is dealt 4 or 5 cards depending on how many people are taking part. The cards come in 5 colors with a number from 1-5 on them. Players need to order them correctly in their colors from 1-5.

While this sounds simple, there’s an added complication. Players can’t look at their own cards! Instead they must display them in their hand so only the other players can see them.

Hanabi is unique and imaginative and more than likely like nothing you’ve ever played before. Plus the fact that it’s a cooperative game means there are no losers or winners as such. So it’s perfect for those who get a little too competitive to play normal games with new friends.

Expect: cooperative challenge

Size & Weight: 7 x 4.2 x 2 inches, 5.4 ounces

Exploding Kittens

Players try to avoid being an exploding kitten in this wonderfully bizarre quickfire card game. At the same time you can affect the game depending on what cards you play, putting your fellow gamers in trouble.

Each player starts the game with 4 action cards and a diffuse card. The remainder of the deck is placed face down in the middle of the table and players take turns to draw cards from it.

If someone draws an exploding kitten, they’re out of the game. Unless they’re holding a diffuse card which allows them to diffuse the bomb and carry on. They can also put the exploding kitten card back into the deck anywhere they want.

Action cards are played before players draw from the deck and allow them to do various different things. These range from stealing cards from other players to getting a sneak peek at the top 3 cards in the deck.

This game is unbelievably easy to pick up. You explode, you lose, you manage to be the last person unexploded you win. The action cards are self explanatory and the quick gameplay keeps things moving quickly. Difficult not to fall in love with the cool illustrations and whacky cards with names like “hairy potato cat”.

Size & Weight: 11.2 x 16.2 x 3.8 inches, 6.4 ounces

What do You Meme?

Memes are a normal part of everyday life now and this game makes players into meme generators. Even if you’re not funny IRL, you’ll feel like a comedian playing What do You Meme.

Each player gets dealt 10 meme cards which have humorous captions printed on them. The pile of photographs gets placed in the middle. Each round the picker gets to draw a photo card and place it in the holder. It’s then down to the other players to choose from their captions which one they think matches it to make the best meme.

Once payers have chosen all the cards are put in a pile and read out by the picker. They then get to choose the winner of the round for the funniest meme created. The winner gets to keep the photo card, play continues until one player has a pre decided number of photo cards.

This game is strictly X-rated and just the written captions themselves are hilarious. But when paired with the right photo they will have every player in stitches. This game is a laugh a minute so your cheeks are guaranteed to ache by the end.

Players: 3-20

Expect: adult laughs

Game Time: 30-90 minutes

Size & Weight: 6.5 x 4.5 x 3 inches, 1.85 pounds

What Do You Meme?

Unstable Unicorns

Love unicorns? Love strategy? This is the game for you. Funded by a huge $1.8 million kickstarter campaign, Unstable Unicorns has got a cult following of enthusiasts.

Your single aim is to build up a complete army of unicorns in order to win. But to do this you can’t play nice. You’ll need to betray your fellow players, destroy their armies and crush their dreams.

Players start with a single baby unicorn and 5 action cards. Each turn consists of four set phases where you lay cards to build your stable of unicorns, stop other people from playing, upgrade your stable, downgrade other people’s, and create general mayhem.

The winner gets the brilliant title of “Righteous Ruler of All Things Magical” and ultimate bragging rights.

Unicorns! Need I say more? Ok, Ok, the gameplay is unpredictable, the cards are hilarious and despite the cute unicorn theme, this game is about pure destruction. It gets better with every play so you’ll never get bored.

Size & Weight: 5.8 x 4 x 2 inches, 12 ounces

Forbidden Island

If you’ve ever fancied an Indiana Jones style adventure but wold prefer to do it from the confines of your armchair, Forbidden Islands is the one for you.

Each player is an adventurer with a different skill, from a pilot to an engineer. Together they must rescue 4 hidden treasures from Forbidden Island. However, the island itself is rapidly sinking meaning you have to work quickly.

Each character’s card has instructions on the back for what to do on your turn which makes it super simple to follow. Every turn allows a player to do up to three actions, and each go sees the water levels on one part of the island rising.

As the water levels rise, so does the tension and finding the treasure and getting off the island becomes more urgent. Cooperation and problem solving skills need to be employed in abundance.

Forbidden Island looks great with beautifully made components. The cooperative aspect means you play with your fellow gamers instead of against them which is refreshing. The pace of the game picks up as you play making the fun build and build and the consequences of your plays more significant. Thanks to the changing board, the game is different every time.

Size & Weight: 6.5 x 8.8 x 2.8 inches, 1.4 pounds

Like a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, the idea of Sushi Go is to build yourself a delicious plate of sushi. Don’t forget the wasabi, and definitely don’t skip pudding!

The cards get dealt out at the start of the game, the amount depending on the number of players. The round starts with each player looking at their hand and choosing one card they want to play. Once everyone has chosen, all players reveal the card they picked by placing it ace up in front of them.

Players then pass the remainder of their hand to the player on their left. They then choose one card to keep from their new hand. Play continues like this until no one has any cards left in their hand which signals the end of the round.

At this stage the played cards are added up with each one worth different points. You can also do combinations and boost scores by adding additional extras to your sushi like wasabi.  There are three rounds per game and the player with the highest score wins.

This game is as addictive as great sushi and will definitely leave you hungry for more. It’s fast paced, engaging, and fun to play. Beware though, if you’re a sushi lover you’ll definitely be craving your favourite sushi roll after playing.

Size & Weight: 4.2 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches, 8.5 ounces

Mille Bornes

A classic racing card game that sees players compete against each other to win a long distance race. You need to avoid accidents, top up your gas, and try to trip your opponents up to secure victory.

Players are racing to be the first driver to reach 1000 miles. Along the way there are obstacles that will slow you down and maybe even bring you to a complete standstill.

Each player begins with 6 cards being dealt to them. The remainder of the pack going into the middle to form the draw pile. When it’s your turn you take a card from the draw pile before playing a card into your, or someone else’s, driving zone.

These will act to speed you up or slow your opponents down. Actions range from things like flat tyres to running out of gas. Evade the hazards and keep on track while tripping up your rivals to win.

Games go at breakneck speed in this rapid fire card game. It’s easy to learn, simple and quick to play, and can be played individually or in competing teams.

Size & Weight: 4.7 x 1.5 x 4.7 inches, 8 ounces

A game that requires strategy, skill, and a touch of luck, Jaipur is all about buying low and selling high.

You and your fellow player are the two most powerful traders in Jaipur. But to secure an invite to the Maharajah’s court as his official trader you need to become undisputed top dog. To do this you must out trade your opponent.

Each player begins the game with 5 cards in their hand, between them are three camels and two merchandise cards. On their turn players can perform one action – either take take cards or sell cards.

To get what you really want you generally have to sacrifice something that your opponent really wants. This means you have to weigh up what’s going to provide you with most value in the long run.

Jaipur is quick, exciting, and is constantly throwing up little twists and turns. You can often see a player’s personality in how they play – greedily gathering commodities, slowly but steadily accumulating their rupees, or simply throwing caution to the wind.

Size & Weight: 3.8 x 1.5 x 7.8 inches, 7 ounces

These Cards Will Get You Drunk

If you enjoy a tipple and like laughing then These Cards Will Get You Drunk is for you.

Players take it in turns to draw a card from the pile and read out the instructions written on it. These will almost always result in one or more person being required to drink.

The longer it goes on and the more cut everyone gets the dinner the game becomes. Prepare for a messy night.

Zero strategy involved, zero skill required, this is a straight up party game where everyone’s a loser. It can help to break down inhibitions and get a group going making it a brilliant travel card games.

Players: 3+

Game Time: n/a

Size & Weight: 3.6 x 2.6 x 1.2 inches, 5.6 ounces

Grandpa Beck’s Cover Your Assets

Cover Your Assets is a race to be the first player to become a millionaire. But forget about playing fair, you’re going to do it by any means possible.

Each player is trying to be the first to accumulate a million dollar fortune. Sure you can save and collect and invest. But it’s much more fun to steal and cheat and screw your competitors over on your way to the top.

But watch out because your assets are also liable to be nabbed at any time. Fortunately you can also steal from other players to climb that greasy pole.

Build your fortune by stacking pairs of asset cards crisscrossed on top of each other. These can be anything from family jewels to fancy cars. And watch your back as your fellow players will have their eyes on your stacks too.

You can go from winning to losing in just a few hands and vice versa. This means that it really ain’t over til it’s over and keeps all players on their toes for the whole game. Cover Your Assets can be an emotional rollercoaster of extreme highs and rapid lows.

Players: 4-6

Size & Weight: 2.2 x 1.6 x 0.4 inches, 9.6 ounces

Cover Your Assets

Cards Against Humanity

This game definitely puts the “adult” in the best travel games for adults. Trust us, it’s strictly top shelf.

It’s a card game where the dealer reads aloud a phrase card they’ve picked at random. It has one or two words missing from the sentence written on it and the other players have to complete the sentence by choosing the best from a selection of options in their ten card hand.

The winner is chosen by the dealer so it’s wise to consider their sense of humour and just how easily offended they are. Some of the cards are best described as depraved.

Probably the least politically correct card game ever invented. You’re either gonna love it or be horrendously offended by Cards Against Humanity. Many of the jokes are pretty close to the bone and will get even the most hardened deviants wincing.

Players: 4-20

Size & Weight: 7 x 4.1 x 2.7 inches, 2.25 pounds

UNO has been around for almost 50 years but it never gets tired.

There are 108 cards in an UNO deck and while most have a number and a colour on them, some are wildcards or “pick up” cards.

The basic idea is to get rid of your cards before anyone else, as players take it in turn to put down or pick up cards that correspond with the colour or number that’s on top of the game pile.

There are missed goes, penalties and a whole lot of strategy that can affect your ability to win, and don’t forget to shout “UNO” when you’re one card away from the win or you’ll be blocked from finishing.

Frenetic, colourful and full of unexpected laughs, you can easily lose hours to its thrills. It’s  simple to pick up but hard to put down, easily making it another of the best travel games for adults.

Players: 2-10

Size & Weight: 6.2 x 1.3 x 5.2 inches, 6.61 pounds

Five Crowns

If you´re a fan of Rummy then you´ll love Five Crowns. It´s based on the same premise but takes it to another level by adding an extra suit and a roving wild card.

The object of Five Crowns is to have the lowest score after all 11 rounds are played. To do this you´re going to need to create books and runs of cards. There are also wild cards which change each hand depending on how many cards are dealt i.e 3 cards dealt means 3 is the wildcard.

Play starts with one player picking up from either the deck or the discard pile. After assessing their hand they then discarding one card they don´t want. Players take it in turns to do this until one or more players forms a full hand of runs or books.

Any cards in a player´s hand that aren´t part of a run or book are then added up to produce a score at the end of each round. Remember, you need the lowest score to win, so high scores are bad!

This game is really easy to pick up and play, rounds go quickly, but there is still a good amount of strategy you can employ. The further down the rounds you are the higher the stakes meaning even if you lose a few at the beginning you can easily be right back in it with just a couple towards the end.

Players: 1-7

Size & Weight: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches, 6.4 ounces

Best Card Games for Travel With a Standard Deck

We never go anywhere without a deck of standard cards in our bag but we found out the hard way that normal ones don’t tend to stand up to the rigours of travel.

Avoid that mistake by getting a deck that comes with a protective case instead of a flimsy card box. And go one better by opting for some that won’t get ruined if they get wet around the pool or on a sticky bar table.

This set of Hoyle Waterproof Clear Playing Cards are ideal and designed to withstand anything you throw at them.

Inbetween, Outbetween

This can be played for money or chips but we´ve only ever really played it as a drinking game. It´s lightning fast and while there can be a little bit of skill involved, it´s largely down to chance.

The game is played in turns with each player being dealt a pair of cards face up with a gap in between them. That player then has to guess whether the next card drawn will be numerically within those two cards.

To do this a player says either “inbetween” or “outbetween” and then the third card is drawn. If they guess correct then their turn is over and play moves to the next player. If they guess incorrectly they have to drink. If the card drawn matches either of the cards already on the table they must drink twice.

Most people aren´t advanced enough at probability to turn the game in their favour. This means that if you´re playing it as a drinking game there tends to be quite a lot of drinking going on by everyone. This sees it get pretty raucous pretty quickly.

Players: 4+

Size & Weight: n/a

Chase the Ace

What’s more fun than watching everyone else around the table drop out on your way to glory? Royally royally screwing your play mates over as you do it.

The aim of Chase the Ace is to avoid having the lowest card at the end of each round. Play starts with the dealer dealing out a single card face down to each player including themselves.

The first player to the dealer´s left starts and can look at their card before deciding whether to swap or stick. If they choose to swap, they do so with the card of the player to the left of them.

If any player has a king they can turn this over and it prevents the player to their right from swapping with them. Once play returns to the dealer, everyone turns their cards face up.

The dealer is not allowed to swap. However, if they choose not to stick they can pick any card from the deck to try and get a higher card.

The person with the lowest card loses a life, Kings are high and Aces are low. If multiple people have the same low card they all lose. For the next round, the role of the dealer rotates to the player on the left of the previous dealer.

Generally players start off with three chips and lose one for each round they lose. The winner is the last remaining person to have any chips.

This is a great game for large groups of people. It can be played as a drinking game instead of with chips with the loser(s) drinking after every round. This is a fantastic party starter and because there are only two options per play, rounds go extremely quickly.

Calling blaggers everywhere. Convince people the hands you´re throwing down are what you say they are to literally bullshit your way to the win.

The dealer deals out the entire deck to the players, and don’t worry if they’re not evenly distributed. Some players may end up with more cards than others but it doesn’t matter for Bullshit.

The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards. Players take it in turns to discard 1 or more cards face down into a central pile. This happens in a descending sequence changing each turn. So player 1 must put down aces, moving to kings for the next player, then queens and so on.

At the same time as laying them down, players must declare the number of cards they are discarding. And this is where the fun starts. Players can lie about what they´re putting down. In fact players have to lie about what they´re putting down.

Because the cards have to go in sequence, often you have to claim to have cards you don’t in order to play. If anyone suspects foul play they can call you out by saying “bullshit”.

At this point the player being challenged must reveal their cards. If they’re telling the truth, the challenger picks up the entire deck. If they’re lying then it’s them who gets the big hand.

First player to get rid of all their cards wins.

You have free licence to lie your face off. The more audacious you are with your untruths the more funny t gets. Until you have to pick up a massive stack that is.

Crazy Eights

Eights are good and help you get rid of the rest of your hand. Which is what you need to do to be crowned winner.

Players are each dealt 5 cards unless there are only 2 players in which case they each get 7. The rest of the cards are laced face down as the draw deck. The aim is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards.

To start the dealer turns over one card from the remaining deck. Each turn consists of a player discarding one of their cards. However, it must match the preceding card in either suit or number.

For example if someone plays a 6 of clubs then the next player must play another 6 or a different club. If that’s not possible then they have to pick up from the draw pile.

The exception to this is if you’re holding an 8 which can be played on anything. Hence the name Crazy Eights. Anyone playing an 8 also gets to name what suit the next player must play.

Easy to pick up and simple to explain, Crazy Eights can also be modified to add more strategy and difficulty. For example, some variants include “special cards” that produce different actions. For example, in some versions a Queen skips a go and an ace reverses the direction of play.

Back in the day an “old maid” was a woman who had been left unmarried for so long it was unlikely to ever happen. Despite the somewhat sexist connotations, this game relies on everyone aiming to avoid the fate of being left holding the last card.

The dealer adds a single joker to the deck before dealing out the entire pack. Players then sort through their hands to identify any pairs they’re holding. These are placed face up on the table.

The player to the left of the dealer must then select a card from the dealer’s hand to put into their oen. This carries on with the player to their left and so on.

As soon as any player has a pair that must be put face up on the table with the rest of the pairs.

The game ends when one player is left holding the joker or “Old Maid”. Naturally they’re the loser.

That sinking feeling when you pick the old maid out of your neighbour’s hand is devastating. But it’s quickly eclipsed by the elation when the next player along plucks it from your fingers.

Best Dice Games

LCR Left Center Right

There´s no strategy in LCR and it´s impossible to forget the rules – the dice dictate what you do each turn. It´s fast, great fun, and sees your excitement build and fall rapidly. Brilliant entertainment for largegroups.

LCR is a game made up of just chips and dice. Unlike normal dice, in LCR they have different symbols or letters on each side that require players to do various things with their chips. A dot means you keep a chip. L means you pass one to your left. R means you pass one to your right. C means you put one in the centre pot.

Each player starts the game with 3 chips and the first player rolls the three dice. They then distribute their chips according to what the dice say. Players only roll the number of dice that corresponds to the number of chips they have, up to a maximum of 3.

So as the game continues you may be rolling 1, 2, or 3 dice depending on how you fare. Each round sees you accumulate and lose chips in rapid succession. Play continues until all of the chips but one are in the centre pot, and the person with the remaining chip is the winner.

This game is one of pure chance meaning anyone can play and it´s a great party starter, particularly with lots of people. Even when you think you´re down and out your neighbour can be forced into giving you a lifeline getting you right back in it. Play for money instead of chips and you´ll have even more invested, even if it’s just a few bucks.

Game Time: 20 minutes

Size & Weight: 4.5 x 3.5 x 1.5 inches, 3.2 ounces

This entertaining dice game is one of pure chance and can be great for large groups of people. While it can be played with standard dice, this handy travel pack comes with scoring sheets and a portable carry box.

Farkle is a supremely simple game made up of just a cup and 6 dice. Players take it in turns to roll the dice on their go. On the first roll of a turn you must roll all 6 and there´s a minimum number of points you must score to be allowed to keep them, usually 350.

Only certain dice and combinations will score you points, and if you don´t manage to bag any points that´s called a Farkle. Hitting a Farkle also ends your turn immediately and loses you any points you have already banked for that go.

Each turn can consist of one or more rolls of the dice. Players can bank scores before each further roll by leaving those dice on the table and only rolling the remainder.

The idea is to get the highest score overall, but first one player must get to a predetermined number of points. This forces sudden death and gives everyone just one more go and a final shot at winning.

There are numerous different variations of the rules so it´s important to nail down which one you´re playing before the game begins.

While it´s largely a game of chance, Farkle also pushes you to try your luck by continuing to roll in order to secure higher scores. Sometimes you´ll play safe, others you´ll be forced to gamble to score big. The higher the stakes the more exciting it gets.

Size & Weight: 4.2 x 3.6 x 3.1 inches, 5.6 ounces

This classic word game is quick, simple, and uniquely can be played on its own. It comes in a ready made plastic travel case making it one of the most suitable mini travel games.

Shake the dice up in the box and make sure they’re all settled in their grid. Next lift the lid off and turn the sand timer over to start. Players must then write down as many words of 3 or more letters as they can spot. Letters can be “chained” in virtually any direction so long as they’re touching.

Words that more than one player have don’t count, you only score for unique ones. Points are allocated depending on how long they are with longer words gaining exponentially bigger scores. The player with the highest score wins.

Because you can chain letters in weird orders it’s easy to spot different ones to other players. The game is frantic with each round lasting just a few minutes. There’s no limit on how many players can play, but it can also be played solo by trying to beat your own high score.

Players: 1+

Game Time: 3 minutes

Size & Weight: 2 x 4.3 x 4.3 inches, 7 ounces

Every roll counts for every player in this unique and engaging fast paced dice game.

Play is based around the coloured scoring cards in Qwixx. They have 4 rows in each colour numbered from either 2-12 or 12-2.

A turn consists of a player rolling all of the dice, 4 colored and 2 white. On each turn players are able to make two scores, one by adding the two white dice, the other by adding one white dice with one colour of their choice.

This number then gets crossed off in the corresponding box on the score-sheet with the white one counting as any colour you like. But once you’ve crossed a number off you’re not allowed to cross anything else in that line off that lies to the left of it.

The game continues until players can physically no longer go or they lock 2 lines. this is done by crossing off 6 numbers in the same line as well as the number furthest to the right.

Scores are then added up according to the score-sheet and the player with the highest score wins.

No one gets bored waiting around for other players to go. There’s zero downtime so everyone stays fully immersed in the game at all times. It’s also exciting and fun to play with lots of twists and turns along the way.

Size & Weight: 5.2 x 3.8 x 1.2 inches, 5.9 ounces

Best Car Games for Adults on a Road Trip

The famous name game.

Into your celebrities? Get ready to name drop like never before in this fast paced word association game.

The first player starts by saying a famous name that everyone would know. The next player has to think of another famous person whose name begins with the first letter of the last name.

If the first name has the same starting letter as the surname for example Marilyn Monroe, play switches direction.

If a player can´t think of a name, takes too long, or drops a name no one knows, they lose and have to do a forfeit.

Play has to go quickly so there are inevitably a lot of forfeits, the worse the better. The random names that people say can also be hilarious. Expect plenty of blasts from the past and Z-list celebs to crop up.

Just a Minute

If you´re the chatty type then this game could be right up your street. But can you keep on topic for a full minute?

Someone (not the driver) sets a timer on their phone for a minute and becomes the chair. The first player then has those 60 seconds to speak on a subject chosen randomly by the chair.

They have to do this without “hesitation, repetition or deviation” and the rest of the passengers are judges. If they think the speaker is taking too long, going off topic, or has repeated a word, they are able to challenge. The timer stops as soon as this happens.

If a challenge is deemed correct by the chair, they receive a point and also take over the subject for the remainder of the time. If it´s not correct then the original speaker continues.

Being the person to be speaking at the end of a minute is rewarded with a point. If a player manages to speak for the entire minute they´re rewarded with a bonus point.

This game sounds super easy but it´s unbelievably hard! Speaking for a full minute without breaking the rules is virtually impossible. But the ways that people attempt to win are hilarious and the arguments over challenges can get pretty involved.

Three Stories

Are you a great liar or do you possess a terrible poker face? Well it doesn´t matter too much in this game, it´s all about coming up with fake stories that are less believable than the truth. The more you can fool your fellow players the better chance of winning you have.

Players take in in turns to say three stories or “facts” about themselves that the other players don´t know. However, only one of them should be true.

The other players have to try and figure out which one is the true story and which two are lies. To get this they each get to ask two follow up questions.

Each player to guess right gets a point and the first to a predetermined number of points is the winner.

This is a great way to get to know your fellow road trippers a whole lot better. And regardless of how well you know them, you´ll learn some pretty surprising stuff. This game gets funny quickly and will have the whole car in stitches.

I Know Them

Fancy yourself as a bit of a story teller? This is a great game that involves some serious imagination as you build a story about someone you´ve never met or seen before in your life.

One player selects a passenger in a car that you pass and makes sure everyone gets a good look. Then they begin by “I know them…” and starting to tell a story about them.

Each player takes it in turns to make up something funny or interesting to add. Start with the basics like name, age, and occupation, then work up to the good stuff.

The more outrageous the backstory you construct the better. And if you pass them again on the road you won´t be able to resist laughing.

There are no losers or winners, just a journey into the bizarre and twisted minds of your fellow road trippers. This can go on for as long as you´re all entertained, and when you get bored simply switch target.

The Wave Game

This game takes nerves of steel, a bit of luck, and plenty of persistence. It´s time to get social on your road trip!

Players take it in turns to wave at the the occupants of each car they pass. If someone in the car waves back then they carry on, each wave back receives a point.

Bonus points are received for extra reactions. A smile is a bonus point. If someone flips you the bird you get 5 points. And if every passenger in the car waves back you get 10 bonus points.

A player´s turn is over when no one waves back. It then moves onto the next player´s turn. The winner is the person with the most points after everyone has gone. Play as many rounds as you dare.

Other people´s reactions can range from happy to play along to thoroughly pissed off. You´ll have great fun playing and may even brighten up someone else´s drive along the way.

Those are our picks for the best travel games for adults, but have you got an alternative game that you think would be perfect for stuffing in the backpack? What travel board games do you always carry with you on the road? Drop us a comment below and let us know!

Looking for more awesome gear to take on your travels? Check out these posts to find out what we recommend:

• The Best Water Bottle With Filter for Travel 2019
• Best Packing Cubes for Backpacking 2019
• The Best Towel for Travel 2019
• Best Rainy Season Clothes For Backpackers

Pin Me For Later…

***This post was originally published in February 2017 but has been completely revamped and extended to provide you with the most up to date and accurate information.***

Travel lover, professional writer and football (soccer) obsessive, James loves nothing more than getting outside and exploring little known corners of the globe. He’s also very partial to a drop of Guinness.

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Wow, I thought I knew a lot of games to play on the road. Really love Exploding Kittens and Cards Against Humanity. Have you tried PIT? That is one of our favorite games. Great list guys!

Hey Mike, yeah we’re big fans of those two as well but we have actually never played PIT!! We’ll have to get it on order and test it out to see if it needs to be added to the list 🙂

Hi Jamie and Sarah, I just googled games to take on holiday and your website came top of the list! i thought I recognized the name. Have got a couple of tips for games to take to Turkey in a couple of weeks.

Debbie Smith (Charlie’s mum)

Hi Debbie, Hope you’re well, it’s been a while! It’s always funny when people we know stumble across our site – glad you found it useful. Turkey sounds great, hope you get amazing weather and have a brilliant time. Enjoy! Take care, Jamie x

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Hi, we’re James & Sarah

Full time backpackers turned vanlifers.

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The 31 Best Travel-sized Games of 2024

Our list has brainy word teasers, multiplayer party games, and everything in between.

Best Card Games

Best board games, best word games, best party games, best for little travelers.

• Tips for Buying
• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

Whether you’re in need of kid-friendly games for a long road trip or some cheeky party activities to break the ice with a new group of hostel friends, it’s always worth having a couple of tried-and-true games up your sleeve while on the road.

The following travel-sized games are the best options in our book. These compact card and board games are designed to take up minimal space in luggage, while still offering maximum fun during the inevitable downtime that comes with most adventures (think layovers, long hours on a train , or rainy evenings on vacation). Here are our top picks for all types of travelers.

Mattel Games World's Smallest UNO Card Game

Why We Love It: This teeny card game will fit into the smallest of handbags.

What to Consider: The ultra-compact size might not work for those with vision problems or arthritic hands.

Uno is one of those card games that everybody already knows how to play — and, if they don’t, it takes about ten seconds to learn. That makes this game an excellent addition when backpacking abroad or vacationing with family members of all ages. This option in particular stands out as it’s the “world’s smallest” version of the popular game. The tiny cards are less than three inches tall — that’s smaller than a credit card! – and can easily fit into handbags or luggage without adding any bulk, so you’ll always have an icebreaker at the ready.

The Details : 2-10 players | Ages 7+ | 0.79 x 1.97 x 2.99 inches

Hasbro Gaming Monopoly Deal Card Game

Why We Love It: This rendition allows you to play your favorite board game sans tabletop. 

What to Consider: It can be a bit tricky to catch on at first as there’s a lot of fast-paced action.

Monopoly night at home with friends and family can take you through a serious spectrum of emotions, especially if it’s been dragging on for hours. Then there’s Monopoly Deal. The travel-friendly version of Monopoly is cards only and much faster paced than the traditional board game. You’ll still buy and sell property, collect rent, and pass go as you do in classic Monopoly, but the compact card game can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. It’s also easier to play while at the airport or on a long train journey.

The Details : 2-5 players | Ages 8+ | 15 minutes | 0.75 x 3.62 x 5.63 inches

Mattel Games Skip-bo Card Game

Why We Love It: This family-friendly game is both easy to learn and quick to play.

What to Consider: The cards are a bit flimsy and could be more wear-resistant.

Is it just us or will Skip-bo always evoke childhood memories? The classic number sequencing game was huge in elementary school but was also in major rotation on our grandmother’s kitchen table. Not much has changed since then: the fast-paced card game is just as fun and easy to pick up and play now. It’s also relatively small which makes it great for popping into your carry-on or handbag. Note that although this game is designed for those ages 7 and up, it’s a ton of fun for adults as well as kids.

The Details: 2-6 players | Ages 7+ | 0.98 x 8.46 x 6 inches

Wild Card Games Backpacker: The Ultimate Travel Game

Why We Love It: It helps improve your skills as a traveler while learning about the world.

What to Consider: The instructions are quite long and tedious.

If you’re looking for a travel-themed game (and who doesn’t love a good theme?), then you’ll want to consider checking out Backpacker. The quick-moving travel card game is designed to mimic what it’s like to be on the road and all the potential triumphs and roadblocks that come with traversing the globe. We love that this game comes with actual fun facts about each destination so you still learn about the world around you even while playing close to home. The colorful cards are also visually appealing thanks to the high-quality photography and drawings on each one.

The Details : 2-6 players | Ages 12+ | 5.1 x 0.8 x 3.7 inches

Rubberneckers Everyone's Favorite Travel Game

Why We Love It: This game was specifically designed to be played during a road trip.

What to Consider: It’s not as exciting to play in rural areas.

Road trips are, in theory, a nonstop adventure — but, in practice, they can be long and exhausting. Rubberneckers was designed to put the fun back into long drives. The card game is essentially a game of reverse I Spy with prompts like “credit card logo” and “more than three people in a vehicle” designed to get everyone in the car looking out the window to earn points and win the title of the ultimate rubbernecker. We also appreciate the simple and easy-to-read language so younger kids can participate just as easily as older passengers.

The Details: 2 or more players | Ages 8+ | 3.5 x 1.5 x 5.5 inches

Mattel Phase 10 Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game is a spin-off of the popular Rummikub tile game.

What to Consider: Children may have a hard time keeping up with the rules.

Rummikub, the popular tile game, can be found in a card version with Phase 10. The object of the game is to create various sets using your cards before the other players do. This is a game that can take a while to get used to, but what better time to learn than a 6-hour layover in an airport? Kids as young as seven can play, although older ones may find the strategic element more enjoyable.

The Details: 2-6 players | Ages 7+ | 11.8 x 11.8 x 2 inches

Catan Studio Catan Board Game

Why We Love It: This modern classic is a fan favorite — and, although layered, it’s easy to teach to new players.

What to Consider: There are a fair bit of pieces to keep together while on the go.

Catan is one of those games that seems complicated at first glance, but once you get it, you get it. The strategy board game takes about an hour to play out, but can go for longer — so you’ll want to budget that time while traveling. It’s also important to keep in mind that, even though this is relatively compact and travel-friendly, it still comes with several small pieces so it’s better for playing at your hotel or Airbnb rather than on a train or at the airport.

The Details: 3-4 players | Ages 10+ | 60 minutes | 11.63 x 9.5 x 3 inches

MindWare Travel Qwirkle Game

Why We Love It: This game requires smart strategy but it’s very easy to pick up and run with.

What to Consider: Some of the colors are very similar and can be hard to decipher.

We love the travel-sized Qwirkle game: not only is it super easy to learn but it’s also relatively easy to play while on the go. We love that this option is intuitive for everyone and can easily become a go-to for families with younger kids. The colorful tiles and convenient carrying case make this one great for playing while in transit — but you’ll want to keep in mind that some of the colors (especially orange and red) are very similar and can be a bit tricky to tell apart if you’re not playing in great lighting.

The Details: 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 30-60 minutes | 5.5 x 6 x 2 inches

Hasbro Gaming Guess Who? Grab and Go Game

Why We Love It: There are only a few pieces to this classic board game.

What to Consider: The plastic is a bit flimsy and will require careful handling.

We’ll always have a soft spot for Guess Who? considering we’ve been playing it pretty much forever. The beloved guessing game requires strategic and creative thinking, but makes a particularly good travel game because there are only a few pieces to keep track of which makes it great for playing on the go, especially on a train or plane, or even while waiting to depart. We also like that the Grab and Go size is super compact and can easily fit in a backpack or carry-on without taking up too much space.

The Details: 2 players | Ages 6+ | 1.89 x 6.26 x 9.25 inches

Sorry! Road Trip Series

Why We Love It: This tiny board game is easy to set up and play on road trips or even flights.

What to Consider: Its extremely compact size is not ideal for bumpy roads or those with arthritis.

Who said you can’t play a whole darn board game while in the car? The road trip edition of Sorry! is super simple to set up and play whether you’re in an airplane cabin or the back seat of a car. The little game is designed to fold out into a full playing board on the go and doubles as its own folding carrying case when all is said and done. We love how easy it is to put together and start playing — but keep in mind, the super tiny pieces might be tricky to play with on particularly bumpy roads. 

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 1.00 x 11.90 x 5.85 inches

Hasbro Gaming Travel Battleship

Why We Love It: This game is quiet and slow-paced which makes it great for playing on a plane or at the airport.

What to Consider: The numerous pieces to keep track of are somewhat inconvenient.

The Grab and Go version of Battleship is small enough to throw into your carry-on bag but large enough to engage in a comfortable game without having to squint or deal with too-small game pieces. The boards and pieces are relatively simplistic compared to the full-sized Battleship, but the idea is the same. We also like that this game is pretty slow-paced which makes it a great option for playing in more quiet spaces like on the airplane or while waiting in a lounge .

The Details : 2 players | Ages 7+ | 1.89 x 6.26 x 9.25 inches

FanVince Magnetic Folding Chess Set

Why We Love It: This sturdy, magnetic game board is perfect for playing on bumpy roads and through turbulence.

What to Consider: The individual pieces feel a little flimsy in hand.

You can’t go wrong with a classic magnetic folding chess board — it’s a travel-sized game staple, afterall. The magnetic design means you don’t have to worry about your pieces falling over while going over bumpy roads or through turbulence, which is a major plus. It’s also super convenient that the board folds into its own carrying case when not in use. Keep in mind that chess is also a very quiet game, so this is absolutely perfect for bringing on a flight with you .

The Details : 2 players | Ages 8+ | 20+ minutes | 9.45 x 9.45 x 0.69 inches

Yellow Mountain Imports Magnetic Backgammon Mini Game Set

Why We Love It: Everything sits inside a compact carrying case that's easy to pack.

What to Consider: There are a lot of small pieces involved that can fall between car or airplane seats.

Backgammon isn't as popular in the United States as other board games, but it's been around for longer than many of them. This board game involves moving your pieces to your opponent's side and then eliminating them from the other side completely. Like any new game, it takes a little time to get used to, but this is a great option on the road, especially if you're bored of chess or checkers. This game uses magnetic pieces that will stay on the board during bumpy rides, and everything can be kept in a convenient zip-up carrying case.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 5+ | 15+ minutes | 14 x 9 x 1 inches

Bananagrams Duel: Ultimate 2 Player Travel Game

Why We Love It: This new take on classic Bananagrams is even more portable than the original.

What to Consider: It’s sort of a watered down version of the grid game.

Bananagrams has always been one of our favorite travel games — like a real banana, it comes with its own carrying case! — but Bananagrams Duel makes it even more travel-friendly. The quick-paced dueling edition is themed and the letter pieces are die-like rather than tile-like, so you won’t see that sprawling word grid from the original edition. But this just means the game requires way less table space to play so you can easily play this one on an airplane tray table without running out of room.

The Details : 2 or more players | Ages 7+ | 10 minutes | 1.18 x 4.72 x 6.69 inches

Winning Moves Games Scrabble To-go Board Game

Why We Love It: The tiny version of Scrabble has snap-in letters that stay in place.

What to Consider: The scaled-down board isn’t as comfortable to use.

Nothing can really compare to Scrabble when it comes to group-friendly word games, but bringing the full-sized board on the road just isn’t practical. That’s why we’re huge fans of the Scrabble To-go board. The compact size makes it easy to throw in your bag while the snap-in letters mean you won’t have to worry about them flying off if you hit a pothole on the road or turbulence in the air. We also love that this one comes with its own carrying case to protect the board and pieces while traveling.

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 8+ | 30-60 minutes | 10.75 x 10.25 x 6.88 inches

Mad Libs on the Road World's Greatest Word Game

Why We Love It: It’s easy, hilarious, and super portable to play in transit.

What to Consider: The paperback game pages aren’t reusable.

Whether you’re seven years old or 37, Mad Libs will never not be laugh-out-loud funny. Mad Libs on the Road in particular makes for a great travel-friendly option. The silly fill-in-the-blank stories are all about traveling, road trips, and summertime adventures. It’s especially convenient that Mad Libs are about the size of a paperback novel , meaning they won’t take up any space in your luggage. All you need is a pen and a couple of grammar-focused friends and you have all the makings for hours of laughs in the car and beyond.

The Details: 1 player or more | Ages 8+ | 5.25 x 0.2 x 8.38 inches

Ransom Notes The Ridiculous Word Magnet Party Game

Why We Love It: This game combines somewhat crude humor with strategy.

What to Consider: It’s definitely on the raunchy side.

Think of Ransom Notes as a somewhat crude hybrid between those poetry fridge magnets and Cards Against Humanity. You’ll get a prompt and your goal is to create a phrase using only magnets that’ll make some kind of sense to the reader. This ends up being downright hilarious in most cases — and we give the game major bonus points for being magnetic. All the pieces stay firmly in place, making it much easier to use en route to your destination.

The Details : 3 players or more | Ages 17+ | 30-90 minutes | 5.25 x 4 x 4 inches

Hasbro Gaming Classic Boggle Word Search Game

Why We Love It: This word game can even be enjoyed by only one player.

What to Consider: The secure travel lid can be tough to get on and off.

Boggle is going to be a major win in the eyes of Spelling Bee or Wordle fans (so watch out if you’re playing against them). The basic word game requires fast spelling and deduction skills; all you have to do to win is write down as many words as possible from the assortment of letters on the dice to earn the number one spot. It’s a whole lot of fun and takes up minimal space while in transit, too.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 8+ | 2.01 x 4.29 x 4.29 inches

Brass Monkey Bin-go Get Some Drinks Bingo Book

Brass Monkey

Why We Love It: This is great for introverts and anyone who would rather observe a party a bit removed.

What to Consider: It might be awkward to whip this out in an actual bar or restaurant.

Bin-go Get Some Drinks makes any kind of night out even more interesting, especially if you’re someone who tends to observe human behavior in social settings. The somewhat snarky bingo card is packed with the weird things you’ll see in a bar (like witnessing an obvious first date or someone taking a photo of their drink for social media) and is the perfect way for people watchers to spend the night — especially if you find yourself alone in a new city and prefer to observe the crowd over fostering friends right away.

The Details: 1 player or more | Ages 21+ 

Cards Against Humanity Tiny Cards Against Humanity Game

Why We Love It: It’s a great icebreaker in a compact and cute format.

What to Consider: These cards are tiny and might be hard for some to read.

Cards Against Humanity provides instant fun, even at the most dull parties or awkward social events, since there’s just something about dirty words in absurd contexts. That’s why the miniaturized Tiny Cards Against Humanity is such a great game to keep in your back pocket while traveling, especially if you intend on staying in hostels. (Hey, you just never know when you’ll need to pull the ultimate icebreaker out of a pocket!)

The Details : 2 players or more | Ages 17+ | 30 minutes or more | 4.44 x 2.66 x 1.97 inches

All Things Equal, Inc. Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game gets conversations going while still providing friendly competition.

What to Consider: There are only so many questions, so you’ll eventually run into duplicates.

All Things Equal: Loaded Questions is one of those card games that can lead to side tangents and deeper conversation if you let it — but it’s also a great way to see how well you know your friends' minds by guessing each other’s answers to given sets of questions. This game is super travel-friendly (all you need is a few pads of paper and pens) and it’s guaranteed to evoke some serious laughs and possible side conversations as well.

The Details : 4-6 players | Ages 8+ | 3.6 x 0.8 x 5.5 inches

Exploding Kittens Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game is fast, fun, and easy to learn.

What to Consider: The rules and concepts of the game are a bit basic.

Exploding Kittens garnered a lot of attention when it was first released and it’s easy to see why. The eye-catching title and cheeky illustrations make this game instantly intriguing. As it turns out, the game is a whole lot of fun for all age groups and it can be played in fifteen minutes or less which makes it a great option for waiting at your airport gate or sneaking a quick game in before heading out to dinner.

The Details : 2-5 players | Ages 7+ | 15 minutes | 4.41 x 6.38 x 1.5 inches

What Do You Meme? Shotgun!: The Card Game for Road Trips

Why We Love It: Everyone can play in the car — even the driver.

What to Consider: It’s not quite as funny as the original What Do You Meme?.

Shotgun! was conceptualized by the same folks who gave us What Do You Meme?, which means you can expect the same level of (somewhat) boundary-pushing humor. The road trip-focused card game doesn’t come with memes or visual cues, but instead uses the sights and sounds on the road as prompts. Card prompts like “first person to say which side the gas tank is on wins a point” and “first person who gets a wave from another car wins two points” will keep everyone in the car on their toes for the drive.

The Details: 2 players or more | Ages 12+ | 1-2 hours | 1.5 x 4.5 x 6.5 inches

Singing Machine Carpool Karaoke The Mic 2.0

Why We Love It: Who wouldn’t want to pretend they’re starring in an episode of Carpool Karaoke?

What to Consider: The Bluetooth setting could be higher quality.

The Carpool Karaoke Machine was designed to make road trips a whole lot more fun. The karaoke microphone pairs with your car’s Bluetooth in order to provide a surround sound experience for all passengers involved (whether that’s good or bad, we’re not sure). The microphone can also be used with your smartphone for DIY karaoke parties at your Airbnb or hotel room — you’ll just want to be mindful of the noise levels.

The Details : 1 player or more | 3.6 x 2.1 x 10.6 inches

Cardinal Cinco Linko

Why We Love It: This is essentially an elevated version of tic-tac-toe, so anyone can pick it up quickly.

What to Consider: The tiles aren't magnetic, so they may slide around during bumpy rides.

Up to four players can enjoy this simple (but competitive) game that involves trying to stack five tiles in a row before another player stops you, similar to tic-tac-toe. The game itself is easy to get into with minimal practice and great for kids and adults alike. We also love that it's built for travel — the waterproof pieces can be stacked and clipped onto a bag during transportation.

The Details : 2-4 players | 2.8 x 8 x 2.8 inches

Hasbro Gaming Connect 4

Why We Love It: This game is simple to pick up on.

What to Consider: There are a ton of little pieces involved.

We love Connect Four — it’s a classic for a reason! The simple game is great for little ones who are still practicing spatial recognition, but honestly, it’s just as fun for adults as well. The game is relatively small (it’s less than 12 inches in length) which is enough room for little fingers to easily use but still small enough to pop into a backpack. Keep in mind, though: there are a number of little coin-sized pieces that come with this game, and they can get messy in the car.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 6+ | 20 minutes | 1.6 x 10.51 x 10.984 inches

Winning Moves Games Pass the Pigs

Why We Love It: This cheeky game is all about tumbling — it was essentially made for turbulence.

What to Consider: The game might become repetitive in smaller groups.

Pass the Pigs is hilariously simple, but there’s something about it that is so much fun. The game includes two pig dice, a dice cup, and a pig scoring guide with a scorepad. The aim of the game is to get as many points as possible by rolling the pigs into different positions like the “snouter” or the “sider.” The best part is that this game was literally made to be thrown around so even if you’re dealing with turbulence you don’t have to worry about your pieces tumbling over.

The Details : 2-7 players | Ages 7+ | 1.75 x 4 x 8.5 inches

Briarpatch I Spy Travel Card Game

Why We Love It: This game is a quiet option to play on the plane.

What to Consider: The game is somewhat solitary; not the best for groups of kids.

The travel-sized version of the classic I Spy children’s book provides endless hours of concentration and focus. The stunning visuals are entertaining in and of themselves but having to hunt for the hidden images makes it even more enjoyable. We also like that it can be played solitary and offers something relatively quiet to play while on the airplane or in other spaces where gameplay banter might not be appropriate.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 4+ | 0.75 x 3.75 x 5.75 inches

Taco vs. Burrito LLC Taco vs. Burrito Card Game

Why We Love It: This game was created by a kid for other kids.

What to Consider: The instructions on some cards are a little confusing.

Cheeky graphic-focused card games have become pretty popular over the past few years, but we’re still major fans of Taco vs. Burrito. It’s worth noting that the colorful (and super successful) card game was created by a seven-year-old boy with other kids in mind, but it’s just as fun for adults. The basic gameplay is easy to learn and games can be played within 15 minutes — but the action cards are quick to spice things up and add a strategic layer to the game.

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 15 minutes | 7 x 5 x 2 inches

Tricky Riddles for Smart Kids: 333 Difficult But Fun Riddles And Brain Teasers For Kids And Families

Why We Love It: This pack of riddles creates conversation and fosters further curiosity.

What to Consider: There are only about 300 riddles, so the deck might eventually become repetitive.

Kids who love brain teasers will get a kick out of this colorful collection of riddles designed to stump and foster curiosity. The deck is small and easy to transport (it’s about the size of a novel), but it’s packed with hundreds of riddles for kids to work through. The only thing we don’t love is that, while the deck does include lots of options, kids who are keen to work through one after another may deplete them rather quickly.

The Details : 1 player or more | 8-12 | 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches

PlayMonster Take 'n' Play Anywhere Bingo

Why We Love It: Young kids will have fun and work their brains at this matching game.

What to Consider: The marker pieces don't have the strongest magnets.

It can be hard to find games that kids, especially young ones, will find interesting for more than a few minutes at a time. This bingo game might be just what you're looking for — little ones will have fun spinning the spinner (a game in itself) and then using magnetic markers to match the corresponding animals on the board. And as long as your kids are good at taking turns, it can be played by multiple people at once.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 4+ | 6.7 x 0.9 x 6.7 inches

Tips for Buying Travel-sized Games

Factor in the needed space.

You’ll want to consider the space required for your chosen game(s) and decide how much luggage space you’re able to offer up. This is where miniature grab-and-go board games and card games will come in handy. Prioritizing card games and smaller games that don’t require a board means you can more easily play your games on the move. If you need a table or flat surface for your game, playing while seated at the terminal or on a train may not be practical.

Figure out the game time

You’ll want an idea of how much time a game takes before deciding to pack it. Card games tend to be faster-paced than board games, and most can be completed in 15-30 minutes. Board games and party games can last a lot longer, continuing for up to two hours in certain cases. This can be great for lazy days at the hotel or Airbnb, but might not be the most practical for passing time at the train station.

Consider player ages

Think of the ages of the players you anticipate sharing games with. If you’re planning a backpacking trip and plan to spend time playing games at your hostel, you’ll probably be safe with just about any card or board game. If you’re meeting up with your family for a vacation, you might want to choose games that are suitable for all ages. Note that some games can be altered to be more PG by removing certain cards or phrases, but it’s best to double-check to ensure everyone in your group can participate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What games are ideal for traveling.

The right games for your travels will greatly depend on what kind of travel you’re doing ( road trip games vary greatly from late-night adult-only games, for example). But, no matter what style of travel you’re up to, you’ll want to look for games that are small enough to easily fit in your luggage without being imposing. Opt for games that don’t have many loose pieces or take up too much space when in use. Card games are your best bet if you anticipate playing on the road frequently, but travel-sized board games can also work (especially if they come in a magnetic format).

Are there travel-sized board games?

Yes! There are plenty of travel-sized board games available and many come with their own carrying case or magnetic material that further simplifies the overall travel experience. You won’t find every single board game available in a travel size, but you’ll definitely be able to find the classics from Hasbro like Clue , Monopoly , and more .

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, Travel + Leisure contributor Kaitlyn McInnis used her experience as a travel writer and former lifestyle editor as well as her own research to curate a list of the best travel-sized games available.

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The 40 Best Small Board & Card Games [Travel & Space-Saving Versions]

Amar Hussain

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Table of Contents

The 20 best small board games, the 20 best small card games, final thoughts.

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Taking part in a game of cards or breaking out a board game is a great way to pass the time both at home and away. Long journeys, travel delays, bad weather, and dark winter nights can all be improved with a bit of competitive fun between you and your travel companions.

Get your brain ticking as you devise strategies to beat your opponent, or celebrate your good fortune in games based on sheer chance and luck. If you are heading out on a trip, check out some of these awesome travel-friendly board games and card games to help make the most of your next adventure.

Note: We’ve included board and card game options for 2 people (or more), kids, and families!

1. Jax Sequence

Players: 2 to 12

This fun and challenging game is perfect for families. Using a card from your hand and placing a chip on the corresponding space on the game board, the first player to achieve 5 in a row wins the game! Block your opponents or even remove their chips to make your sequence work out for you — but keep your eye out for the Jacks, as they can be wild!

Small enough to be portable, but offering huge amounts of fun both on the road and back at home, Jax Sequence is a game of strategy and luck that’s complete with a folding game board and travel-friendly pieces.

2. Scrabble Deluxe Travel Edition

Players: 2 to 4

This classic word game comes in a finely crafted wooden case with a magnetic closure, making it perfect for game players on the go. With a raised letter tile grid, the board halves slide out easily to reveal a handy storage area underneath. Measuring just 9.8 x 9.2 x 1.2 inches when closed and 9.8 x 4.6 x 2.4 inches when open, this is an extremely compact version of one of the best-loved games of all time.

Beat your opponents by using the solid wood letters on your letter rack to make words with high scores. Classic and compact, this version is a winner wherever you are.

3. Connect 4 Grab and Go Game — Travel Size

This simple but popular game has been scaled down into a convenient travel size, making it great for keeping you and your crew entertained on the move. Starting with 21 checkers each, you must outwit each other to be the first to get to 4 in a row. Block your opponent at every turn, and see if you can complete your connection before they block you.

This Grab and Go edition from the game experts at Hasbro has space to store the checkers in the columns and the trays fold up neatly for added portability.

4. Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere — Bingo

For a modern and completely child-friendly twist on traditional bingo, this 6.75-inch square tin case holds everything young players need to enjoy a game of bingo on the go. Suitable for players from 4 years and up, the large magnetic playing pieces are easy for little hands to play with while big enough to not get lost.

Have your kids flick the spinner and place the magnetic markers on the corresponding animal as soon as they see it. When they get 5 in a row, it’s time to shout “bingo” and enjoy being the winner — until next time, of course.

5. QuadPro Magnetic Travel Checkers Board  

Enjoy checkers anywhere in the world with this foldable plastic checkers set that’s durable yet lightweight. The 64-square board is complete with black and white magnetic pieces that can easily be moved around the board for the win. When you have finished the game, the same pieces can be stored away inside the checkerboard to keep them safe during transit.

Bottom Line: Perfect for bus, plane, or train journeys, camping trips, lunch breaks, and so much more, this compact, folding board game is easy to play and perfectly portable.

6. Battleship Grab and Go Game

Sink your opponent’s battleship with this Grab and Go version of the ever-popular strategy game. Each of the portable game units opens upwards to block your opponent’s view while you track each other’s shots using the included red and white pegs. When you’re finished, fold them up again for easy storage.

With 2 carriers, destroyers, cruisers, submarines, and battleships included in this compact portable edition, you can get busy sinking battleships, even on the go.

7. Catan Traveler

With a space-saving box that unfolds to reveal the variable board, you and your fellow players can race each other to build your roads, cities, and settlements. This handy travel size edition of the popular Catan game can be set up in seconds, with 6 double-sided board pieces that can be assembled randomly to ensure that every game you play is completely different.

Designed with portability in mind, this handy travel edition even features cards that are held securely in holder trays and a hex-shaped dice shaker that can’t get dropped or lost as you play on the go.

8. Monopoly Grab and Go Game — Travel Size

Monopoly is one of the most popular and best-selling games in the world. This travel-size edition makes it more convenient for game fans on the go.

This set includes all of the classic properties, title deed cards, community chest cards, chance cards, get out of jail cards, houses, hotels, and the iconic Monopoly banknotes. There is still big fun to be had even with this smaller version.

Trade your way to success with this Grab and Go game that is perfect for budding capitalists of all ages.

9. Amazon Exclusive Pressman Rummikub

This ever-popular tile-based game combines the very best elements of mahjong and rummy to produce a perfectly portable game of skill that is suitable for up to 4 players at a time. With a canvas bag for easy storage, each player starts with the same number of tiles and tries to put as many down into groups or runs as possible.

Fast-paced and easy to play, this game is not only a great way to pass the time, but it also helps to reinforce basic STEM skills, including sequencing, pattern recognition, and planning, making it a great choice for both older children and adults.

10. QuadPro Magnetic Travel Chess Set

For chess lovers everywhere, this foldable plastic chess set allows you to practice your strategic skills on the go. The traditional 64-square playing field comes with all of the traditional chess pieces that glide effortlessly across the board when the time is right.

Perfect for playing at home or school, in transit, or virtually anywhere else you can think of, this compact chess set is designed to keep the pieces safe inside the case. You will have your opponent’s king in checkmate in no time.

11. Yahtzee

The classic dice game Yahtzee takes a travel-sized twist in this portable version of an old favorite. You and your opponent get 13 rolls of the dice to find the best combinations of numbers to achieve different scores. Whether you decide to hustle for a full house or risk it all for a Yahtzee roll, you must fill in an empty box at the end of each turn.

Bottom Line: This game comes complete with 5 dice and a shaker that doubles up as easy and convenient storage for your tiles, making it a great choice for easy entertainment on the go.

12. Guess Who? Board Game  

This much-loved, classic 1980s guessing game is back, and this time it’s portable. While your opponent picks a mystery card, you must ask enough questions to be able to eliminate the sea of faces in front of you until you find their hidden identity. Is your opponent wearing a hat? Do they have blue eyes? A beard? Ask away until you can “Guess Who” they really are.

With 2 travel-size game units, 48 character cards, and built-in face frames for easy viewing, your kids will have hours of fun getting to guess each other’s new personas.

13. Hasbro Gaming Jenga Mini Game 

This pocket-size version of the popular balancing game offers gigantic amounts of fun. With 18 mini hardwood blocks, this portable classic takes skill and patience to ensure that you are the last person standing.

Simply stack the blocks as high as you can without causing the tower to crash to win the game. Compact enough to carry with you, this is a great game for sleepovers, camping, and travel.

14. Blokus Game

This fun strategy game is perfect for the whole family to play both at home and away. The rules take less than a minute to learn, and you’ll quickly battle against each other for the win.

Each player takes turns to place their 21 pieces on the board, making sure that each piece touches another piece of the same color, but only at the corners. Protect your territory by strategically blocking your opponents at every turn to win the game.

Made from sturdy, wipeable materials, this game can easily be taken with you in its box to keep you amused on the go.

15. Smart Zone Games Hive Pocket

This highly addictive strategy game can be played on any flat surface. Complete with a travel bag, you and your opponent can break open the 22 pieces to form the patterns that become the playing surface. The object of the game is to surround your opponent’s queen while keeping your wits about you to ensure that they don’t do the same to you.

The first player to surround the queen wins in this bug-tastic travel game.

16. Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere — Tic-Tac-Toe

This super chunky edition of the timeless strategy game is perfect for playing tic-tac-toe on the go. The 6.75-inch tin is compact enough for carrying with you on long journeys, and the tin will keep everything safely stored when not in use. The magnetic board keeps your pieces in place and this compact version is complete with 6 magnets, 10 red markers, 10 blue markers, and a die.

Switch up your gameplay from pen and paper with this easy-to-use magnetic travel game.

17. Cinco Linko, a Strategy Board Game

This travel-size tile game is easy to learn and super fun to play, either back at home or on the move. Simply choose a color, grab your stack, and start laying down the tiles until someone achieves a line of 5 either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Completely designed for travel, the game comes in durable, waterproof travel-size stacks that can easily be clipped onto your bag.

Ready to play on any surface, Cinco Linko is the winner of multiple awards and a great little game for kids.

18. Pressman Mancala — Real Wood Folding Set

This simple but exciting game is one of the world’s oldest and best-loved strategy games. Players take turns to collect special stones and count them out 1 at a time into the pockets on the board. Drop a stone into an empty pocket and capture all the stones in the opposite pocket for the win.

Requiring plenty of skill and strategic planning, this game also helps to reinforce STEM skills for younger players. The wooden box folds up flat for easy gaming on the go.

19. Sorry! Game

Remember your manners as you beat your opponents in this classic game of sweet revenge! As each player picks 1 or 2 cards, get 1 of your 4 pawns out of the starting area and off around the game board. This super fun game calls on strategy, chance, and luck to see you or your opponents chase, race, bump, slide, and score your way around the board to be the first to get all 4 pawns to home base.

An updated version of the original Sorry! game, this is fun for the whole family on long journeys, campouts, picnics, sleepovers, and all kinds of adventures.

20. Pop-O-Matic Trouble Grab and Go Game

This compact and incredibly portable game is a reduced-size version of the Trouble game — small in stature but big on fun.

The all-in-1 game board is perfect for sleepovers, long journeys, camping trips, and much more and can be played by up to 4 players at a time. Complete with the famous Pop-O-Matic die roller and cover and 16 pegs, you can try and beat your opponent by being the first to get all your pegs across the finish line.

Bottom Line: Easy to play and full of excitement, this is a great game to play with the whole family both at home and away.

1. Monopoly Deal Card Game

Players: 2 to 5

This ultra-portable way to play the classic property-trading game will keep you entertained both at home and away. Be the first to collect 3 full property sets of different colors using the cards, and you’ll be the winner. Pick up extra properties along the way, charge your opponents rent, or even steal their cards when they slip up to show your ruthless side and become the next Monopoly property tycoon.

This card version of the world-famous and much-loved board game is perfect for playing on long journeys, sleepovers, camping trips, vacations, and virtually anywhere else, too.

2. Mattel Games UNO: Classic Tin Box  

Players: 2 to 10

This classic family card game is easy to learn and a ball to play. UNO has a huge following all over the world and is compact enough to take anywhere with you. Race against your opponents to rid yourself of your hand as you match cards on the deck by either color or number.

Take advantage of special cards such as skips, reverses, draw 2s, and even color-changing wild cards to increase your chances of standing victorious.

Perfect for the whole family to play, don’t forget to shout “UNO!” when you are down to your last card in this wild and noisy card game.

3. Taco vs. Burrito — Strategic Card Game Created by a 7-Year-Old 

Created by a child and funded via Kickstarter, this crazy, fun strategic food fight is a smash hit with both adults and children alike.

If you and your opponents like card games and enjoy dreaming up weird food combos, this is just the game for you. Use the cards dealt to start making your crazy sandwich combinations, or switch up the game with action cards to gain the extra ingredients you need to win.

Don’t forget to keep a lookout for the health inspector or order envy that can spoil your meal, ruin your appetite, and eventually lose you the game.

4. Czech Games Codenames

Players: 2 to 8

This spy game sees teams compete to discover who can make contact with all of their agents first. Using 1-word clues, you and your teammates must try to guess the words of your team color while avoiding those that belong to the other team. Get your spy skills switched on and work together in this lively discussion game that can be played in groups.

Watch out for the double agents, though, as well as the assassin who is out to get you. Whether you win or lose, it’s still great fun to figure out all of the clues in this portable card game for older children and adults.

5. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza 

Players: 3 to 8

Perfect for hand-slapping fun wherever you are headed, this unique take on traditional snap-type card games is great fun for the whole family. Each player places a card from their hand face-up in a pile, while simply saying “taco/cat/goat/cheese/pizza” in player sequence. The magic is made when the card matches the mantra and players race to be the first to rid themselves of all their cards.

Bottom Line: For extra fun, throw a gorilla, narwhal, and groundhog into the mix in this travel-sized, super-fun, and addictive social card game.

6. Mattel Games Apples to Apples Party Box

Players: 4 to 8

This hilarious game is perfect for party play while away, and just as much fun at home, too. The aim of the game is to win the most rounds by playing a “red apple” card from your hand to best match that round’s communal “green apple” card, as chosen by that round’s judging player.

With 441 red apple cards and 63 green apple cards, there are plenty of crazy combinations to be found. As a former Mensa International “Mensa Select” game winner in 1999, and the “Party Game of the Year” in the same year, this is a great game that remains as popular as ever.

7. Family Feud Survey Says Card Game

Players: 3 or more

If you love the game show, you will really enjoy this Family Feud Survey Says card game. Play alongside your friends or family as you work to find the top answers to a variety of topics. Download the Gamestar+ app and you can incorporate sound effects from the show into your game.

The pack includes 49 jumbo survey cards, 3 red strike cards, and 1 host cover card and are perfect for playing at parties, on vacation, or even at home.

8. Magilano SKYJO

All you need is a bit of space in front of you to enjoy this strategic card game. With 12 hidden cards and 2 faced up, each player takes a turn to take the top card from the discard or draw pile. Exchange 1 card from your 12 card display until your or your fellow player has only open cards. When the round ends, it’s time to add your cards for scoring, with the lowest number for the win.

Portable and easy to play, this addictive card game is perfect for playing around a table, on the floor, or anywhere you are all together on the move.

9. Goat Lords Game

Players: 2 to 6

This fabulously fun card game features thieves, monsters, magic bombs, and lots, and lots of goats. Become the most successful Goat Lord by gathering the biggest goat herd simply by stacking pairs of goat cards in front of you and stealing your opponent’s goats right from under their nose.

Use your skill to attack other players, or hold your nerve as you keep your cards close to your chest. Whatever your strategy, this is a great party game for goat lovers of all ages.

Great fun is guaranteed and lots of laughter, too, as you strive to become Lord of the Goats with this crazy travel card game.

10. Kids Against Maturity 

Players: 2 or more

Using the tried and tested fill-in-the-blank game method, Kids Against Maturity is a more family-friendly version of the more adult games usually found in this genre. While each player gets 10 white cards, they can make hysterical answers by turning over the blue cards to finish the sentence. Whoever manages to make the funniest answer will be declared the winner.

Bottom Line: Perfect for keeping the kids amused on the go, this multi-award-winning card game can be played virtually anywhere and is always guaranteed to bring smiles.

11. Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers

From the creators of the well-renowned game show, this travel version of Punderdome is part game, part conversation starter, and a whole lot of fun. The goal of the game is to make the worst bad pun jokes by drawing cards from the deck and reading the prompt to the rest of the players. The player who can create the most groan-worthy pun from the 2 prompts wins the round and the prompt cards.

Make your way to winning 10 pairs of cards to enjoy a glorious, fun-fueled victory over your opponents in this perfectly portable travel game for pun lovers everywhere.

12. PlayMonster 5 Second Rule Game

This fast-paced and fun, travel-sized card game is perfect for players on the go. Simply pick a card, read out the topic, and set the timer. With just 5 seconds to go, you must name 3 things that fit in with the given topic before the timer runs out. It’s super easy to get tongue-tied when playing against the clock, so just say what comes to mind, no matter how ridiculous it might sound.

With a twisted timer that makes a fun zoooop sound when flipped over and balls that slide down to note the 5-second mark, it can be easy to get distracted. Try to stay focused and enjoy laugh-out-loud fun with this fast-moving card game.

13. Spot It!

This award-winning visual perception game will test your observational skills and help to hone your reflexes. With a sharp eye and a quick hand, you will need to find the single match between the symbol and the 2 cards, usually resulting in frenzied fun as you try to spot it fast.

To ensure even more fun on the go, this edition offers a combination of 5 different ways to play. Everything comes neatly packed away in a handy grab ‘n’ go tin.

14. Unstable Unicorns Card Game

Build yourself a unicorn army as the unicorns are your friends now! This strategic card game is great fun to play both at home and away. With over 20 magical unicorns to collect, you need to build your army as quickly as possible before getting destroyed by one of your so-called friends.

With twists and turns along the way that can lead to total destruction and utter madness, you need to outwit your opponents to be crowned The Righteous Ruler of All Things Magical.

15. Our Moments Kids: 100 Thought-Provoking Conversation Starters

Taking a slightly different approach to traditional card games, this innovative set of questions has been designed to lead to thought-provoking conversations with your child. Perfect for passing the time on long journeys, family bonding on vacation, or even just to help understand your child a little bit better, this is a card game that helps to build relationships.

In a fun game-style format, the cards ask a wide variety of leading questions that encourage children to talk about their thoughts and feelings without being pressured. Fun, upbeat, and simple — you can learn a lot from this game.

16. Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game

Rated one of the hottest card games by the likes of USA Today and Games Magazine, this simple but fun card game offers hours of family-friendly entertainment, both at home and away. With over 500 fun, personality-filled questions, can you be the first player to reach the WIN space by rolling high, matching players’ answers correctly on your turn, and writing the “favorite” answer on the starred space?

With no right or wrong answers, this is a great way to stay competitive while also getting to know a little bit more about your fellow players. Perfect for passing the time on long journeys or keeping away from the rain.

17. Scattergories The Card Game

This fun and challenging game has been a family favorite since the 1980s, and this card game edition offers a twist on traditional gameplay. With 2 card decks, players need to name something beginning with the letter on the card in a certain situation to win the game. The player with the most cards at the end is the winner overall.

Easy to play wherever you are, this fun and fast-paced retro game will get your brain in gear as you try to beat your opponents.

18. Oh Fruck!

If you feel too old for a game of Old Maid, but not quite ready for Texas Hold ‘Em, this crowdfunded game could be just right for you. By turning over the top 3 cards of the red deck, you and your fellow players discover the special rules that will disrupt your gameplay. If you can’t play a card, you’ll be the player that gets “frucked” as you get 1 card closer to losing the game.

Bottom Line: This is a raucous card game for more grown-up players that combines strategy with special rules.

19. Mattel Games Pictionary Card Game

Players: 2 teams

This clever travel game uses ready-made pictures instead of relying on the player’s artistic ability. In a cross between Pictionary and charades, you and your team will need to act out clues against the clock using nothing but the picture on the card. You can build scenes or use props, and the first team to guess the correct answers wins the point.

Crazy team fun comes standard in this fast-paced guessing game where silence is golden.

20. SKIP BO Card Game

From the makers of UNO, this sequencing card game is great for playing while you’re on the move.

Use your skills to create stacks of sequentially numbered, ascending cards, until there are no more left to play. Break up a static situation with the Skip-Bo wild cards that can be played as any number, and put your strategic thinking cap on to help smash your opponents and win the game.

Brightly colored and easy to play, the winner is the first player to deplete all of his or her Skip-Bo stockpiles. Then you can shuffle, deal, and start from the beginning again.

Put down your devices and enjoy some good old-fashioned family fun with compact, travel-size board games or card games next time you hit the road. Long journeys will fly by, and bad weather will never spoil your fun. From traditional card games to fast-paced, super-fun board games, there is something to suit players of all ages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most popular board games right now.

Some of the best-selling and reviewed board games on Amazon are Connect 4, Sequence, Battleship, Sorry!, Monopoly, Checkers, and Uno.

What are the most popular board games ever sold?

While it can be challenging to get exact sales figures for board games that are sold, it is generally agreed that classic board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Chess, and Clue are the most popular board games of all time.

Do people still buy board games?

People still buy board games, and they are as popular as they ever were. For example, in the toys and games category of Amazon’s bestseller list, 5 out of the top 25 are board or card games.

What is the best card game for travel?

One of the best-selling card games on Amazon is UNO, where you race against your opponents to rid yourself of your hand as you match cards on the deck by either color or number. UNO is compact enough to take anywhere with you and can be a wild and noisy card game as you shout “UNO!” to win.

What is the best board game for young children?

Guess Who is a popular travel board game that is suitable for children ages 6+. With 2 travel-size game units, 48 character cards, and built-in face frames for easy viewing, kids will have hours of fun getting to guess each other’s new personas.

Was this page helpful?

About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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49 best travel games for adults recommended by travellers (updated 2023)

If you have ever spent a night in a hostel you have inevitably been invited for a game of asshole. Or president. Or bullshit. What am I talking about? Travel games of course! You can find them in all different names and shapes: some are played with cards, some with dice, and some just by exchanging words. Oh and don’t forget the drinking games! I’ve decided to bundle these travel games for adults into one article.

My friends Joost and Samuel enjoying a travel game called Bananagrams

Most of these games are fairly easy to explain to anyone, which is, of course, an important criterion for the international crowds you usually find around hostels. It’s not even just hostels where these backpacker games are played either: in night trains, long-distance buses, forest huts, Couchsurfing, or Airbnb accommodations, anywhere with a bit of flat surface (for the card games, dice games, and board games) and a group of fun-loving people. It’s the ultimate icebreaker and you’ll soon end up chatting away post-game with your newly-made friends.

There are countless games with countless names, some are even known by different names in different parts of the world. I’ve committed to creating an ever-expanding list of these road trip games, so feel free to leave a comment with your favorite game that I haven’t mentioned yet.

49 TRAVEL GAMES FOR ADULTS

Board games for adults, 1. bananagrams, 2. thirty seconds, 3. the settlers of catan, 4. guesstures, card games for adults, 6. ligretto, 7. bullshit / cheat / i doubt it / bluff / bs / liar, 8. the great dalmuti, 9. cribbage.

10. Chinese poker

11. Solitaire / Patience

13. skip bo, 15. egyptian rat screw, 17. cards against humanity, 18. shithead / palace / karma / china hand / ten-two slide, 19. go fish, 20. exploding kittens, 21. koehandel / cow trade / horse trade, 22. crazy eights, 24. top trumps, 28. travelin’, 29. codenames duet, dice games for adults.

30. Liar’s Dice

31. Rory’s Story Cubes

32. Yahtzee

33. regenwormen / pickomino, road trip games for adults.

34. Guess the song

36. Truth or Dare

37. the guessing capital game, 38. never pass a sample, 39. pizza ftw, 40. zitchdog, drinking games for adults, 42. monkey monkey, 44. king’s cup.

47. Assholes / President / Scumbag

48. Mayer / Mia / Meier

50. Add your game

Bananagrams – the board game

How can you win Bananagrams?

To be played with wine for best results. The trick is speed, you need to be really quick about forming words. Also, it helps if you can avoid the letters Q, Z, J and X.

What makes Bananagrams fun?

It’s portable, easy to learn, and play is fast. Once the game is over you can argue about whether the words put down by other players are real words. It’s even more fun if you don’t happen to be carrying a dictionary.

What is your best memory playing Bananagrams on your travels?

Slipping an invented word past my fellow players – they were all American and I managed to convince them that it was a very conventional word in British English.

30 Seconds board game

How can you win Thirty Seconds?

You can win 30 Seconds by getting as many answers as possible right in 30 seconds. One player must guess a word based on their teammate’s explanation. The main thing here is that the explanation may not contain the actual word or part of the word.

Of course, you can buy the game, but it’s more fun to make one yourself! For example (when there are 4 players – 2 teams): every player writes ten names of – for example – celebrities down on 10 pieces of paper. Then you collect all the pieces of paper in a bowl. Each round the team draws a card and then has 30 seconds to describe the name on the paper as quickly as they can. When the bowl is empty, the team that has the most pieces of paper wins the game.

What makes Thirty Seconds fun?

It’s really funny because sometimes it’s really hard to explain a name and your teammates’ guesses do not make any sense.

What is your best memory playing Thirty Seconds on your travels?

We played this game over and over with two of my friends. In the end we got a bit obsessed and we became really good at in, so now nobody else wants to play it with us any more… Haha!

Settlers of Catan board game

How can you win The Settlers of Catan?

You win when you gain 10 points (13 in the extended version), which you get by building villages, towns, streets, or draw some of the magic cards in the pack.

What makes The Settlers of Catan fun?

Each time is different. It’s not a fixed board like e.g. the game ‘Risk’ uses. The board is made up of a number of tiles which you put together randomly for each game. Contrary to e.g. Risk, where after so many games you kind of know what you need to win, or what the favorable is, Catan is entirely different in each setup.

What is your best memory playing The Settlers of Catan on your travels?

Beach Agonda, India, with Dutch friends. One of them wasn’t particularly good at losing, and when his wife was about to beat him he’d suggest to smoke a joint. As soon as she did this, she lost all concentration and lost. It was very funny to watch.

Guesstures board game

How can you win Guesstures?

You win by simplifying the words to basic body movements. Anything too complicated can always trip up your guessers.

What makes Guesstures fun?

We love how ridiculous you look when playing the game. At the same time, anyone can play and it’s easy to learn.

What is your best memory playing Guesstures on your travels?

Whenever we go to a cabin with a group of friends, it’s always fun to bust it out!

Fun card games for adults

The Dobble travel card game

How can you win Dobble?

There are endless variations to this game, but in the most common one, you will have to get as many cards as possible by matching a symbol from your card to a symbol on the top card in the central pile. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

What makes Dobble fun?

It’s a nerve wrecking game because you’re playing against others to find the matching symbol. There is  always  a matching symbol but sometimes you are looking back and forth frantically between your card and the one in the middle just and it just seems like nothing matches… Then someone else finds one and it’s back to square one. You have to shout the symbol that matches which often leads to hilarious descriptions like “white condom ghost thing”.

What is your best memory playing Dobble on your travels?

I love that it comes in such a small package but has endless possibilities. There are different game modes, e.g. where you have to match other players’ symbols, where you want to get rid of all your cards, or exactly the opposite. It’ll keep you busy for hours… As long as you don’t get a heart attack that is 😉

Cards for playing Ligretto

How can you win Ligretto?

The aim of this travel game is to get rid of all your cards faster than all the other players by discarding them in the middle of the table.

What makes Ligretto fun?

It’s FAST! You’ll have to put cards down like a maniac and your strategy can change every second. It’s nice and compact, you only need a single deck of cards, and you don’t need much space to lay the cards out either. The rules are simple and it never gets old.

What is your best memory playing Ligretto on your travels?

A fun Couchsurfer living in Dol, a quiet village on the Hvar island in Croatia, introduced me and my girlfriend to this game. It was her favorite game and she showed us why (by beating us over and over). We played it for hours and hours and the relentless chant of victory, “Ligretto!”, still echoes in my ears.

How can you win Bullshit?

The object of the game is actually pretty simple – get rid of all your cards. However, in order to do that, you have to do a bit of bluffing – if someone calls your bluff (calls ‘bullshit’), you have to pick up all the cards lying on the table!

What makes Bullshit fun?

The risk! If you want to win, you inevitably have to do a little lying. The fun part is trying to con your friends, which when considering that this game is usually played whilst drinking, you become increasingly less good at!

What is your best memory playing Bullshit on your travels?

During our two year Latin American adventure, we played this game a lot. But one of the best memories has to be playing it on a cargo ship heading to the Corn Islands in Nicaragua. The boat was around a day late, litres of rum were drank and bullshit helped pass the hours.

The great Dalmuti card game

How can you win The Great Dalmuti?

You can win the Great Dalmuti by playing all your cards. Whoever finishes first becomes the Great Dalmuti, the next one the lesser Dalmuti. When you finish last you become the (lesser or big) slave. What makes it fun is that the roles change and the Dalmuties receive tax from the slaves. Also, everyone respects the Dalmuti (who, of course, sits on the best chair) and orders the slaves around (who not uncommonly don’t even get a chair to sit in).

What makes The Great Dalmuti fun?

So it becomes very competitive as people want to become the Dalmuti and punish the previous Dalmuti for his Behaviour.

What is your best memory playing The Great Dalmuti on your travels?

A vivid memory that comes to mind is when I used to play it in Thailand with my fiancé and parents-in-law on the front porch of our bungalow.

Cribbage card game

How can you win Cribbage?

It’s complicated… You need to be able to count cards and add. Because the game is “first to 121 points” you also need to play strategically.

What makes Cribbage fun?

There are loads of ways to score points, both in the play and in the hand, so you need to focus. If you leave points unclaimed your opponent can call “muggins” and claim your points.

What is your best memory playing Cribbage on your travels?

This is quite a complicated game to learn and it was my father who taught me to play on sailing trips as a kid. My best memory is sitting on deck with him playing and calling “muggins” when he’d missed something (possibly on purpose, who knows!)

10. Chinese Poker

How can you win chinese poker.

Get rid of all your cards.

What makes Chinese Poker fun?

It’s a combination of Yahtzee and Poker; what’s not to like? You can create a strategy before the game starts but you might have to rethink it when the game’s not going your way. Decisions, decisions!

What is your best memory playing Chinese Poker on your travels?

I saw a few Chinese people play the game in the “cattle-class” of a sleeper train; they were really passionate about it and it was a lot of fun to watch their strategies as they went along. Where better to learn Chinese poker that from actual Chinese people 🙂

How can you win Solitaire?

Since you’re typically playing this game alone, you’re always a winner! Actually, that is not true, you can still get stuck in the game and be forced to take a loss. Sounds depressing, doesn’t it? You win by stacking all the cards on the table onto each other in four equal piles, in order from low to high and sorted by suit.

What makes Solitaire fun?

It can cure boredom if you’re traveling alone. It can even be a pretty fun game as you’ll have to be creative sometimes to free yourself from a seemingly impossible-to-finish situation. More often, however, it’s a last resort when you’re stuck inside an airport on a 7-hour layover with no plugs to charge your drained electronic devices.

What is your best memory playing Solitaire on your travels?

Since I’ve played this game quite a few times on my solo travels, every time you finish a game there is this little sparkle of joy inside your brain, and you mentally picture all the cards bouncing around and fireworks being set off like in the Windows version. Or at least I did.

How can you win Toepen?

This Dutch game is all about battles. You can win a battle, but that doesn’t mean you’ve won the game (similarly to war.. or a couple getting divorced). The first to 15 points (or 25, if you want to play for longer) loses, making the other players the winners (but really, it’s the person with the least “penalty-points” that is the happiest).

What makes Toepen fun?

The game involves some simple but entertaining mind-games. “Why the hell did he/she toep?” is a common question that gets raised often during the game. Does the player have great cards and is therefore confident that they are going to win, or are they simply bluffing? This is easily our favorite go-to game on the road.

What is your best memory playing Toepen on your travels?

We’ve played this game about a hundred times on every (long-distance) bicycle that we did together. It’s an easy game to explain to others and gets strategic when you’re playing with people that have played it before. A memory that comes to mind: Steven was with Joost in Denmark where they were playing Toepen with a Danish girl (she called it “Poopen”). She Toeped (“Pooped”) at the most random moments, leaving Steven and Joost completely clueless of her strategy.

Skip bo card game

How can you win Skip Bo?

The classic way: you need to be the first to get rid of your cards.

What makes Skip Bo fun?

It is easy to learn, and while it’s a strategic game it’s still possible to win when you’ve just learned the rules.

What is your best memory playing Skip Bo on your travels?

I have so many memories playing this with Couchsurfers at home, but my best memory while travelling would be on a train in China where we shared a sleeper with an Argentinian couple. We played into the small hours of the morning, learning about each other and our journeys.

Fluxx card game

How can you win Fluxx?

Let’s start with the rules of Fluxx: there are no rules. Yup. Every time you put a card down the rules change, which also sometimes means you’ll have to your flip your strategy 180 degrees. You have to collect cards and you’ve won when you have accomplished the objectives that are on the table at that moment before someone else changes them.

What makes Fluxx fun?

It’s a very random game, so if you like your games structured then you might want to try another one. That said, it’s that actual chaotic element of the game that makes it fun. You’re constantly checking if you can annoy or block your opponents with the current rulesets, and sometimes it’s even possible that someone has won without him/her knowing!

What is your best memory playing Fluxx on your travels?

I haven’t played this game on any travels yet, but I would love to hear from someone that has! Leave a comment .

Egyptian rat screw card game

How can you win Egyptian Rat Screw?

The object of the game is to be the person with all the cards at the end of the game. This means the game can take a very long time.

What makes Egyptian Rat Screw fun?

Once you and other players learn how to play the game moves very fast from player to player. The intensity heightens with the speed of the game. The most fun part about this game is when you get two cards that are the same flipped one on top of the other. The first person to slap those cards wins the deck. This also means that people who are “out” of cards can slap their way back in.

What is your best memory playing Egyptian Rat Screw on your travels?

I learned this game in a summer camp when I was very young. When I studied abroad in Australia I taught all my new friends how to play it. We would spend hours just passing the time away with this game. No drinks involved!

How can you win Rummy?

Individual games are won by the first person who “goes out” or discards every card in their hand. Along the way, they rack up points by putting down three of a kind and straights of the same suit. Your points get tallied up per game and in our case, a full game runs to 500 points and can last 1-2 hours.

What makes Rummy fun?

Rummy is fun because it’s so basic and it’s almost akin to baseball; a game to 500 is never over until the person reaches that point total. The game has so many intricacies and quirky rules that make it fun all by itself. Enter a couple of people who are married or just friends, and it can get crazier by the hand.

What is your best memory playing Rummy on your travels?

We’ve played everywhere when traveling, and I try my best to not swear out loud when losing badly. Unfortunately, I failed when riding a boat to Jeju Island in Korea and earned quite a few stares my way. That was a cue for me to go outside and get some fresh air.

Cards against humanity card game

How can you win Cards Against Humanity?

You need to make the other people vote for your answer to a ridiculous question.

What makes Cards Against Humanity fun?

It is all about reading other people and figuring out what kind of answer this person would like, some might like dirty jokes, other logical answers etc. Oh, and the game is free… you can download it from CardsAgainstHumanity.com (or you can buy it via the link below if you don’t want to print the cards yourself).

What is your best memory playing Cards Against Humanity on your travels?

I was introduced to it while Couchsurfing in Zürich and one girl got the question “How did I lose my virginity?”. My answer was “Through an AK47” which is what she choose and that kind of became the joke of the evening. The game gave us so many laughs and very fun atmosphere. Great way to get to know new people!

How can you win Shithead?

This game isn’t about being the winner, it’s about not being the loser aka the “shithead”. If you’re the last person in the game you will have the endearing title of shithead bestowed upon you until you can redeem yourself in the next game.

What makes Shithead fun?

At the end, there’s always an element of chance involved and it’s always fun to watch someone who thinks they’re about the win fall from grace. Also having an excuse to call strangers you’ve just met shitheads is never a bad thing.

What is your best memory playing Shithead on your travels?

Teaching the game to some travellers at a hostel in Bosnia and watching them spend the next few days engrossed in matches.

How can you win Go Fish?

You can win Go Fish by being the player that collected the most sets of 4 from the pack of cards (e.g. all the 3s, all the kings etc).

What makes Go Fish fun?

It isn’t a game that requires too much thought and isn’t difficult so long as you have a good memory. It is also great to see the look on your friend or relatives’ face when you steal the majority of a set from them which they were hoarding!

What is your best memory playing Go Fish on your travels?

My best memory of playing this game is when I used to play it as a teenager with a friend I made in the apartments in Fuerteventura. At the time I loved all things fish related and I had a novelty set of cards in the shape of fish. We used to play it whenever we had a moment before dinner after going to the beach or swimming in the pool.

Exploding kittens card game

How do you win Exploding Kittens?

You can win Exploding Kittens by becoming the only player who isn’t blown up by a Kitten. Yes, it is as ridiculous as it sounds. You basically just draw a card each turn hoping not to draw an exploding kitten card. If you do you are out of the game. Unless you can defuse the exploding kitten in which case the card goes back into the deck. All the other card you draw and can play are used to somehow avoid the exploding kittens.

What makes Exploding Kittens fun?

One of the reasons is the pure ridiculousness of the concept which is also the genius of the game. I mean, who doesn’t like kitten or explosions or laser pens. Next is that it is very easy to play and mostly luck based with just a very small hint of strategy. Its just easy and ridiculous which is what you want when playing games with people you’ve just met.

What is your best memory playing Exploding Kittens on your travels?

I personally haven’t played this while traveling yet as it has only been out for a few months (at time of writing) and I haven’t had the opportunity. But the fact that it is so easy, portable and fun should prove to be a winning combo in any setting.

Koehandel, a popular Dutch card game

How do you win Koehandel?

The Dutch game Koehandel has two phases, in phase one players take turns pulling an animal card from a pile and auctioning it off to the other players. Each player should try to get the animals for the lowest price possible. As the game progresses, more money is distributed among the players which means the animals get more expensive. The key to winning during this phase is to correctly adjust your theoretical pricing to the increasing money supply.

During phase two, players bid for each other’s animals in a blind auction. This means that both players put an undisclosed amount of money on the table and whoever bids highest will win the other player’s animal, while the money is also being exchanged. During this phase, the key to winning is to get inside the other player’s mind and correctly predict how much he or she will bid. Then you bid a little bit more so that you win the animal cheaply.

What makes Koehandel fun?

Koehandel is really fun because of the unpredictable nature of the game. In every action you take, you have to consider what your opponent will most likely do, based on what he or she thinks that you will do. There is a lot of game theory involved, which makes the game very dynamic and interesting, it never becomes dull even when you play it with the same people over and over again as players adjust their strategies based on observations from past games.

What is your best memory playing Koehandel on your travels?

A few years back I rented a house in Florianopolis, Brazil. I intentionally rented a house with a few spare rooms so that I could have friends over to visit. During my three month stay, I introduced this relatively unknown game to all my friends and they all loved it! They still talk about how much fun it was.

How do you win Crazy Eights?

You win a hand by being the player to get rid of all your cards. Any player left holding cards adds the sum of the cards to add their total. Although there are different variations on the rules, I usually play with the first player who gets to a total of 108 is the loser.

What makes Crazy Eights fun?

It’s fast-paced and frustrating at the same time. Plus it’s super easy to learn.

What is your best memory playing Crazy Eights on your travels?

Playing for hours on end with a Kiwi couple on the roof of a hostel in Istanbul. There had been a pretty major earthquake nearby so the city was basically shut down as many feared another quake in the days following. It was a great way to pass the time and bring some levity to a pretty serious situation.

How can you win Kemps?

You play in teams of 2 people, and the objective to get 4-of-a-kind (e.g. four 8’s or four Kings) amongst your team. Once you (think) your teammate has a 4-of-a-kind, you can yell “Kemps!”. If you indeed have a 4-of-a-kind, your team scores a point. Otherwise, you lose a point (but the game keeps going). You can even take it up a notch and get a double-kemp when both you and your teammate have a 4-of-a-kind. After winning x number of points, the game is won. There is an awesome move too: you can yell “counter Kemps!” when you think one of your opponents has 4-of-a-kind, and their teammate hasn’t called it yet.

What makes Kemps fun?

There aren’t that many cards games that are played in a team, which makes this one unique. The fun element also comes from the way you can signal your team member. You are allowed to talk during the game, which means you can signal to your teammate (who sits opposite of you) that you are saving a certain value of the card (e.g. Queens). Obviously, it is supposed to be a secret signal, as the others will easily figure it out and block your strategy.

What is your best memory playing Kemps on your travels?

I played this game at my home in Tokyo with my couchsurfer guests, amongst which was Victor. The others were from France (me), the USA and Israel. Soon we were coming up with ridiculous signals to let the other team member know what you were saving up. We would say “Do you have a red banana?”, which would stand for e.g. Jacks. Figuring out each other’s codes and even faking other people’s codes made the game very entertaining.

Top trumps Star Wars edition

How can you win Top Trumps?

Top Trumps is a really unique British game and a favorite with kids. Each pack of Top Trumps is based on a theme (animals, volcanoes, superheroes etc..) and each card in the pack contains five categories with numerical values, that you can use to ‘trump’ your opponent. The aim of the game and the way that you win is to get all your opponents’ cards (or the most number of cards in an allotted time).

What makes Top Trumps fun?

It’s a really fun game to play as a family and even young kids can enjoy it. There is also such a huge range of themes that you can upgrade to a new pack and game, which helps to keep things interesting. Depending on the ages of kids playing, it can be fast (or very slow!).

What is your best memory playing Top Trumps on your travels?

We play Top Trumps all the time with the kids. When we’re out to eat, waiting at an airport, at home… it really is a winner for families. One of my favourite memories is playing Harry Potter Top Trumps on an early morning ferry from Galiano Island to Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Uno, perhaps the most popular card game

How can you win Uno?

The winner of a single game of Uno is the first player to get rid of all of the cards in his/her hand. If you want to make the game more exciting, however, you can play over a longer period of time, creating an Uno tournament, adding up points as you go. Each card is worth a certain number of points, and to win you are aiming for as few points as possible. This is fun because it sees the gameplay change and become more tactical.

What makes Uno fun?

Uno is fun because there is always that chance of forgetting to announce you are on your last card and paying the price. It can be a tactical game and often when played in a group of friends you will find that a certain amount of ganging up and revenge play occurs. I also couldn’t believe just how many people we met, of differing nationalities that knew how to play Uno and loved it.

What is your best memory playing Uno on your travels?

My friend and I met up with a french lady who I worked with and her sister whilst doing a road trip of Western Australia. Our nightly entertainment consisted of huddling around our camping table, wrapped in blankets, supping goon (cask wine) from camping mugs, whilst watching the sunset and playing Uno furiously. They still don’t believe I won 8 games in a row without cheating. Sorry girls but there was definitely no cheating involved!

How can you win Euchre?

The game is played with two teams of two players. Players hold five cards each out of a deck that uses only cards 9 to A, and the team that calls the suit that will be trump must secure at least three tricks to score a point. If you get all five tricks you get two points, and if al players call for trump and decide to “go alone” his teammate sits out and the one player goes against the other two on the opposing team. If the lone players win all five tricks, the team gets four points. First team to 11 wins.

What makes Euchre fun?

It takes a bit of skill, luck and taking chances, but it easy to learn quickly. We love that you can play several complete games within a couple hours, while laughing, holding a conversation and enjoying a few beers.

What is your best memory playing Euchre on your travels?

My wife Colleen and I played on opposite teams against another couple on a trip in Las Vegas. My best friend Matt and I who have played Euchre since we were young adults repeated beat the ladies — maybe three games in a row — and had built up a 10-0 lead in the fourth game when they came back to win 11-10. This turn of events, all against the backdrop of our earlier taunts and a few too many beers, left the guys humbled and the women rejoicing. It was hilarious.

Dixit board game

How can you win Dixit?

The storyteller (a different player on every turn) picks out one of six cards and describes it (without showing the card) to the other players. The other players then pick a card that they think best describes it, and place it on the table. The point scoring here is unique: if everybody or nobody guesses the correct card, the storyteller gets no points. Therefore it is key to give just the right clues so that a few players get it right, but not all. The first to 30 points wins.

What makes Dixit fun?

The cards themselves are quite funny, and the more creative people get with associating your story with the cards the funnier the game becomes.

What is your best memory playing Dixit on your travels?

I haven’t played this game on the road yet. Have you? Let us know in the comments !

Travlin’ card game

How can you win Travelin’?

The game is about traveling to new countries, so obviously, each country you visit gives you more points. When one player reaches 5 countries, they receive a bonus of 5 points and the game immediately ends. Count the points and like pretty much every game in existence, the person with the most points wins.

What makes Travelin’ fun?

For me as the game designer, the best part of Travelin’ is seeing the interaction between players. Having someone be so close to winning only to be stopped with a Border Control card is always fun. Or chaining together a huge combo to go from 3 countries to 5 and stealing the victory from another player – yeah, that’s a pretty awesome feeling too.

What is your best memory playing Travelin’ on your travels?

Hands down, my best memory of playing Travelin’ (and I’ve played a lot) are the countless games at the Midland Hostel in Bucharest. Because everyone there (staff, long term guests, friends of the hostel) became so good at the game, the matches we play there often turn into knock-down, drag-out slugfests. The best game of Travelin’ I’ve ever played was exactly one of those games and while us long-time players were were busy attacking each other, a person playing for the very first time was able to sneakily come from behind and take a well-earned win from the pros.

Codenames duet card game

How can you win Codenames duet?

Codemasters duet is a cooperative game, meaning that you are playing against the game, rather than against each other. The aim is to guess each other’s codewords within a certain amount of turns (more turns for beginners, less for more advanced players).

What makes Codenames duet fun?

You’ll spend your time finding singular words that connect 2 or more (random) words in front of you while factoring in that the connection might not be as obvious for the person in front of you. It’s a game of psychology, and it could therefore go hilariously wrong. You can’t speak while playing this game, only to say a word and how many words it is connected to, so it can be really frustrating watching your fellow “agent” struggle and choose a word that reveals an assassin, which means you both lose.

What is your best memory playing Codenames duet on your travels?

The good thing about this game is that you can transport it in just a few small bags. I have yet to play this game on my travels, however, I know that it’s a great game that requires little setup and can entertain for a good chunk of time. At home, I play this mostly with my wife, where I try to get into her brain and try to figure out which of my weird references and connections she would understand.

30. Liar’s dice

How can you win liar’s dice.

I win by experience. I’ve probably played for ten years so I’ve seen it all. You win by being unpredictable. You can win new friends and new language skills with the game also. I know the basic numbers in French thanks to this dice game.

What makes Liar’s dice fun?

The simplicity makes it fun. The excitement and the fact that every round is unique. It’s never the same game twice. Playing with someone who has a degree in math is also fun because you see their brains running in high gear.

What is your best memory playing Liar’s dice on your travels?

Best moment is a tie between looking for a runaway die on the floor of a sauna in the Finnish wilderness, naked with a bunch of naked girls, and playing the game for a whole day in the car with my friend Eric, while he was driving us from Vancouver to Fairbanks.

Rory’s story cubes dice game

31. Rory’s Story Cubes

How can you win rory’s story cubes.

The most creative story wins! No hardcore rules here. A winner would probably be chosen from the group you play it with.

What makes Rory’s Story Cubes fun?

It’s the ultimate game to train your imagination. Because of the different packs (for example a travel pack), you can create unlimited storylines. It’s also really fun to give some dice to other people so that you can create a story together in turns.

What is your best memory playing Rory’s Story Cubes on your travels?

Not yet tested, the game is pretty new. First results were hilarious though! Have you played this on the road and a have a great travel memory to share? Let me know in the comments .

Yahtzee, perhaps the most popular dice game

How can you win Yahtzee?

To be honest, luck plays a very important role in Yahtzee. But if you choose wisely after throwing your dices, you might have a better chance of winning. For example, I always wait before writing down my 1’s and 2’s. So if everything goes wrong and you don’t throw a full house or a four of a kind, you can always fill in your 1’s and 2’s and you don’t lose a lot of points.

What makes Yahtzee fun?

You can play it with 2 or more people. Winning depends mostly on luck and a bit on strategy, so everybody can join. It’s easy to pack so you can play it wherever you are; are you on a beach or in the middle of the jungle? Yahtzee is your game!

What is your best memory playing Yahtzee on your travels?

I played it a lot during my trip around the world, so it reminds me of traveling through Thailand but also backpacking through Australia and our roadtrip on the American west coast. From then on I have taken it with me every time I go away for a longer period.

Pickomino dice game

How can you win Regenwormen?

Simply put, you have to be lucky to win: this game is not about being the smartest or most strategic player. Really everyone can win, depending on how much you dare to gamble and how the dice will roll.

What makes Regenwormen fun?

The most fun part of the game is ‘stealing’ worms from other players to make it more difficult for them to win. You will see people from all over the world hesitate the first time they are able to steal the worms, but after that they will happily grab them from you with a big smile on their faces!

What is your best memory playing Regenwormen on your travels?

We played Regenwomen with the porters and guides during our Himalaya trek. The porters didn’t mingle with the tourists at first but this game helps to knock down the cast system. The result: they’ve beaten me several times.

34. Guess the Song

How to play guess the song.

Best played on road trips. Everyone in the car has an iPhone (or other music playing device of course) and chooses 5 songs. Their favorite song to dance to, favorite song to sing to, best song to pick someone up in the bar, their wedding song and then their funeral song. Mix up the order and everyone has to guess which is which!

How can you win Guess the Song?

Whoever can guess the correct the song the most amount of times wins!

What makes Guess the Song fun?

You get to hear new music, and learn more about your fellow travelers by listening to their favorite tunes! Author’s note: I’ve organized a few Couchsurfing events with a similar concept: everybody had to pass their music device to the person on their right. It was a great way to get to know other people well in a short time and a lot of fun!

What is your best memory playing Guess the Song on your travels?

Hmmm… I’d say the time when a passenger played Miley Cyrus – Party in the U.S.A. as their guilty pleasure song… and everyone knew the words! 10 People all singing as loud as we could! Lots of fun and a great memory!

How can you win I Spy?

This traditional kids’ game is so much fun when you’re on the road and is definitely for adults too! Go for the smaller objects and the hidden (but not too hidden) things. Oh and don’t cheat, so don’t pick moving things 😉

What makes I Spy fun?

It opens your eyes to all the beauty, small and big, around you.

What is your best memory playing I Spy on your travels?

This game is the best when you’re stuck in traffic in a bus in Asia, because there are always amazing colors and strange objects around!

How can you win Truth or Dare?

There is no winning or losing in this game, that is why it can go on and on and on! If a dare is too much for a person, he or she will get punished by revealing 2 truth. If a truth is too much for a person to reveal, he or she will have to carry out 2 dares to compensate it.

What makes Truth or Dare fun?

Those who join the game are pretty much open to doing every shameless dare and digging out the deepest secrets they keep. What makes this game fun is that you are testing out each others’ limits. Of course, to have the game continued safety without causing any hurt-feelings, we have to be sensitive to our friends’ conditions and situations. For example: do not try to ask about a recent break-up when the wound is still fresh.

What is your best memory playing Truth or Dare on your travels?

I will not forget the first time we played Truth of Dare in a Russian intercity train. We went all out on “Dares”, cat-walking down the narrow corridor filled with on-looking Russians, dancing at the front and asking snacks from people. At first, the Russians watched us with stern face but after a while they too started to enjoy the show.

How to play The Guessing Capital Game?

The concept is to name the capital of the country someone chooses. For example, I say Ethiopia and someone would need to guess the capital which is Addis Ababa.

What makes The Guessing Capital Game fun?

Many times someone will guess the wrong capital and it is fun when you start to decide what you win. You can play for big stakes like money where the first person to get a capital wrong wins all the money or even play just on who pays for something next, like dinner. A lot of people would be surprised the capitals of many countries.

What is your best memory playing The Guessing Capital Game on your travels?

This is actually a game that I lost. We were playing for $1 for each capital that we got right. Everyone would put in a dollar every time the right capital was given and the first person who lost they would lose all the money to the winner. The person stating the country. Eventually we got to big stakes and I ended up losing a full round trip ticket to Asia!

How can you win Never pass a sample?

This is perhaps the best travel game you’ll read about today. The rules are simple: as you walk around in the airport, you may never pass a free sample without grabbing it; chocolate, drinks, perfume- everything. You lose by being so pre-occupied with free samples that you miss your flight.

What makes Never pass a sample fun?

Free stuff!

What is your best memory playing Never pass a sample on your travels?

In Singapore around Xmas was especially fun. I walked around for about 6 hours and in the end, my belly ached from all the chocolates, I was pretty tipsy and I must have smelled like a prostitute because of all the perfume samples.

How can you win Pizza FTW?

The pizza game is pretty simple to play and does not need any equipment bar a couple of creative minds with some knowledge of popular culture. Each player takes a turn to name a title of film, book, or song replacing a word of choice with the word ‘pizza’ or adding the word ‘pizza’ for comedic value. For example­ ‘Saturday Night Pizza’ (instead of Saturday Night Fever!).

What makes Pizza FTW?

Everyone is a winner in Pizza FTW, it’s usually a giggle and it’s so simple some may say ‘it’s a pizza piss!’

What is your best memory playing Pizza FTW on your travels?

We’ve enjoyed passing time away whilst hiking, playing the pizza game. Feel free to Tweet or Facebook us some responses! Naturally ‘pizza’ can be any word you see fit.

How can you win Zitchdog?

Well, it’s pretty simple. It’s a fun game to play on a road trip. Whenever you see a dog you say “ZITCHDOG!”. Whoever spots the most dogs by the time your destination arrives is the winner.

What makes Zitchdog?

Well if everyone spots the dog at the same time and screams ZITCHDOG, it’s pretty hilarious. Or if the others don’t see a dog at all, you might have to stop and look to ensure the person is not cheating – haha.

What is your best memory playing Zitchdog on your travels?

I was playing ZitchDog with my hubby on our road trip to Agra. It was fun and then when we were about to reach our destination, we lost count totally. P.S. – This had nothing to do with the fact that we had a couple of beers.

41. Spoons / Ezelen

How can you win spoons.

You pass on a card to the person next to you (so you’ll get one too), then discard a card and pass it on again. You win by getting 4 of a kind.

What makes Spoons fun?

It’s slow at first, but later games pick up the pace and this is where it gets super fun. Once you have 4 of a kind (4 aces, 4 queens, 4 fives, whatever) then you pick up a spoon. The rest has to instantly pick up a spoon too. If you are last to pick up a spoon, you lose (and drink). It’s hilarious when one person is still playing when everyone else has stopped because they are so into the game! Then you all laugh, re-deal… and drink some more! No spoons available? This game can be played by putting your finger on the side of a table instead of picking up a spoon.

What is your best memory playing Spoons on your travels?

Not yet played while traveling. Have you played this on the road and a have a great travel memory to share? Let me know in the comments .

How do you win Monkey Monkey?

You win by not ending the game with a card that makes a pair with the “monkey card”!

What makes Monkey Monkey fun?

It’s a very easy game purely based on luck, so if you’re planning to get drunk quickly, this could be the game for you.

What is your best memory playing Monkey Monkey on your travels?

How can you win mexico.

This game has a lot of winners, but just one loser ;-). The player whose dice is first at one will lose the game and has to drink a shot (preferably vodka).

What makes Mexico fun?

It’s easy to play, everyone can join and the element of drinking a shot of liquor makes it really fun!

What is your best memory playing Mexico on your travels?

A friend of us lost this game 12 times on one evening, so he got really drunk. At one point he wasn’t even able to roll his die without it falling off the table, which meant you had a drink a shot regardless of the number rolled.

How do you win King’s Cup?

Aaah, the classic drinking game. There are different rules throughout the world. You start by putting all the cards face-down around a cup in the middle of the table. Then, each person picks up a card and the card’s value (not suit) determines what happens. At this game, much like with any other drinking game, nobody really “wins”. But if you do, you’re sober and everyone else is drunk. Does that sound fun to you? 😉

What makes King’s Cup fun?

You can call it fun, you can call it stupid, but one thing is certain: everybody gets out-of-their-heads drunk with this game.

What is your best memory playing King’s Cup on your travels?

How to play fives.

No need to have any objects, except for your hand. It’s possible to play with any number of players, but the math can get pretty hard with a large number of participants. For the sake of this explanation, we’ll say that there are 5 players. The “it” player has to come up with a number from 0 to 25 (since we have 5 players it has to be a multiple of 5).

Each player on the count of 3 shoots out their hand and shows either zero (fist) or 5 fingers. Let’s say the player came up with the number “10” and 2 of the 5 people had a fist and 3 people were showing 5 fingers. This would make a total of 15 which means nothing happens, and the game moves on with the next “it” player and the process described above repeats. The important part: if they guess correctly they must say (totally straight-faced) “Thank you very much for this lovely game of fives”.

What makes Fives fun?

It’s stupid hard because you get SO EXCITED that you guessed it correctly! But you can’t show emotion otherwise you’ll lose.

What is your best memory playing Fives on your travels?

I played this at a hostel in Costa Rica on Nebanaw Years Eve. It was a great night of eating homemade tortillas and drinking cheap rum.

How to play Sheep?

You sit around a circle, cover your teeth with your lips (like you’re mocking the old man that lives down the street) and say “SHEEP” to a person sitting next to you. They say “sheep” to the person next to them; it goes round and round. If you want to change the direction, you say “Sheep-pong!” and it changes direction. If you show your teeth, you lose/drink.

What makes Sheep fun?

Endless giggles when you try to say Sheep without opening your mouth.

What is your best memory playing Sheep on your travels?

We played this during a typhoon when we hardly had enough light and rain was pouring outside. We just couldn’t stop laughing.

47. Assholes / President / Scumbags

How do you win assholes.

This game is unique in that the game is never truly won. If you win a game, you will become the president/asshole/scumbag (depending on which version you play) and the game continues on. Other people get titles too, like vice-president, scum or vice-scum, which they keep for the next game. You simply stop playing when you get bored which is, you know, never.

What makes Assholes fun?

It’s really fun working your way up from being scum (last place) to the president (first place). If you’re the loser of the last game, you’ll have to switch your two best cards with the winner of the previous game, which makes it harder to win the round. It is still possible, however, and game by game you can improve your rank. There are many rules that can be added, such as that the president can order the loser of the previous game to get everyone a round of beer, making him/her the “beer bitch”.

What is your best memory playing Assholes on your travels?

How do you win mayer.

There are no winners in Mayer, just losers (who drink). You start with 6 lives, and the player that first loses all of their lives loses the game. This dice game is played with only two dice and a cup, so it’s easy to see why it fits excellently in the travel game category. The game contains a lot of bluffing, although that depends on the players of course.

What makes Mayer fun?

I like the game because it’s an easy icebreaker when you meet new people. It’s easy to learn and everybody can join in, and you can learn a lot about your fellow players while playing the game. I personally love it when you have to decide whether the person you are playing against is lying or telling the truth. I look for specific signs and when I call them out some people really have no poker face!

What is your best memory playing Mayer on your travels?

Victor’s flashback : I remember this game being played everywhere I looked in Copenhagen. Especially in cafés and bars, where it was a very normal thing to ask the bartender for a cup and two dice. It is a truly great way to kill some time and meet some (soon-to-be) friends.

How do you win Mexxen?

You can win Mexxen by having a really good stomach haha! There is no such thing as winners in this game, but the one who doesn’t feel sick after playing it is the one who ‘wins’. But you have to lose some to win eventually. So drinking some shots of alcohol is recommended.

What makes Mexxen fun?

You really have to think some things through, for instance, if you’re throwing the dice once or twice. And you can’t throw the dice on the ground because you will have to drink a shot and the game starts over. And of course, more shots means more dice on the floor and so on. The funniest thing is that there are always people who have a ridiculous amount of bad luck and therefore will get drunk very early on in the game.

What is your best memory playing Mexxen on your travels?

My best memory playing Mexxen on my travels is mostly the few hours after playing the game. The funniest thing is that a lot of friends are getting drunk and everybody is falling asleep at the most weird places: in the kitchen, under a tree and even under the table! The photos are the best memories, but you know how it works: what happens on the island…

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ADD YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL GAME FOR ADULTS BY LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW

Victor Eekhof

Currently in: Amsterdam. Victor’s Travels is a travel blog curated by me, 30-something Dutch world explorer Victor Eekhof. This blog is all about traveling on your own terms and not following the masses . It’s for people who are happiest with a big backpack on their backs and a smaller one on their front; people who walk where others take a cab, or take a bus where others take a plane. I have visited 60+ countries on 7 continents , from Antarctica to North Korea and Venezuela to Russia and started this blog to share my tips and stories with fellow travellers just like you. Read my story »

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How on earth is Farkle not on this list? it’s a dice game that takes minutes to learn and fit’s in your pocket. (One of those old-school 35mm film canisters to be exact.) This is always in my bag and makes an appearance at every brewery we hit up. https://www.amazon.com/ROUTE-Pocket-Farkel-dice-game/dp/B01H67OC6M/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1B02QP2BHEROX&keywords=pocket+farkle&qid=1655128613&sprefix=pocket+farkle%2Caps%2C122&sr=8-3

Thank you for the nice list. I will definitely try out a few of those. I particularly like card games and board games.

Make & break card game.. newly launched in market.. but awesome fun making & breaking couples! My circle is right now addicted to this game

Haha, breaking couples sounds fun! 😀 Thanks for the suggestion!

One of my favorite adult road trip games is “Censored”.

Censored is a dirty phrase guessing game that simple and super fun. Give clues to get your friends (or roommates or relatives) to guess as many dirty adult themed secret phrases as possible in 90 seconds but no one (not the clue giver, not your guessing friends) is allowed to say the taboo words (if you catch them guess one, give them a heads up they are wrong by buzzing them with the buzzer)! Check out the app store of your choice!

Cool game! Thanks for the suggestion 🙂

Great article thanks. We are always on the lookout for new after-dinner games for our holidays, especially now our kids are grown up. A suggestion for you is Munchkin. A card only game so easy to pack. In a similar vein to Fluxx, the rules change often and there are many expansion decks to add variety.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion! I have heard of the game but I have never played it. I’ll make sure to add it to this article when I do! 🙂

Cheers, Victor

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33 Best Travel Games To Play On Your Next Vacation

Posted on Published: November 13, 2020  - Last updated: January 9, 2024

Categories Travel , Travel Tips

There are many reasons you may want to bring board games on the go.

Travel games are the perfect source of entertainment while you’re on a road trip , waiting for a flight, have some time to spare before dinner reservations, or are just looking for something to do that isn’t staring at a screen.

My partner and I are huge board game fans when we’re at home, so we love packing some games any time we’re travelling. Not all games are good travel games though … so I put together a list of the best games for travel.

To qualify as a travel game, it has to be either small and compact, easily malleable, or you can transfer all the pieces from the box to one convenient travel pouch.

I’ve included travel games for adults, solo games, family friendly games, party travel games, and games lasting anywhere from 10 minutes to 3 hours! 

Psst! This post contains affiliate links. It sends a bit extra my way if your buy anything through my links, at no extra cost to you!

You might also be interested in…

10 Best Cooperative Board Games For Travel: Perfect For Families!

In a cooperative game, every one plays on the same team – you win together and you lose together. This is my favourite type of game and it’s perfect to avoid any added fights on vacation!

Classic Card Travel Games To Play On Vacation

Card games are no brainer travel games because they’re SUPER packable ! There isn’t much to pack, except for well… a deck of cards.  

They fit into almost any space, and can be played anywhere. You usually don’t need a large surface to play a card game like would need for a board game.

1. A Simple Deck of Cards

The possibilities are pretty much endless with a basic deck of cards. There’s always another card game you could play and replay.  

There are solo games like Solitaire, two-player games like Spit, and group games like Go Fish!

See the ultimate list of games you can play with a deck of cards here .

Shop A Deck Of Cards

Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca

Players : 2-10 Age : 7+ Average Game Time : Varies 45 minutes

Is there any better classic card game than UNO? This was a must bring on every family vacation.

The game is simple: everyone is trying to get rid of all their cards to win.

The only problem? You keep having to pick up cards to match specific colours and numbers. So, it may be easier said than done!  

There’s classic UNO, but these days there’s many other iterations of this family fun game.

P.S. UNO is also very similar to the classic game of Crazy Eights that you can play with any deck of cards if you don’t have UNO on hand. 

Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca Shop Uno Flip! Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca Shop UNO Dare Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca

Travel Games: Protect Your Cards While Traveling…

• Hermitshell Hard Travel Storage Carrying Case
• Protect your favorite device from bumps dents and scratches
• Made to fit Mattel UNO Classic Card Game – Not Including Cards

Buy Hard Case on Amazon.ca

3. Monopoly Deal

Players: 2-5 Age : 8+ Average Game Time: 15 minutes

If you like Monopoly and are upset that the board is just to big to travel with, Monopoly Deal is the ultimate alternative to turn Monopoly into one of the best games for travel! 

Monopoly Deal is a card-only version of Monopoly. It’s the same idea as the original, you’re trying to build the same colour set of properties. But instead of moving around a board, you play and pick up cards. 

It’s a lot quicker than Monopoly too, so you can play a round in 10 to 20 minutes . This makes it a game to play at the beach, before dinner reservations, or waiting for a connecting flight.

Shop Monopoly Deal

4. mille bornes.

Players : 2-6  Age : 7+ Average Game Time : 20 minutes

Milles Bornes is the original racing card game! I loved this card game growing up but it isn’t just for kids. It’s one of the best card travel games for adults – it’s fast paced, and unexpected!  

The object of the game is to be the first person to reach 1000 kilometers. But watch out, you don’t want to run out of gas, get a flat tire, or crash!  

Shop Mille Bornes

Players: 2-6 Age: 7+ Average Game Time: 20 minutes

Similar to UNO, the winner is the first person to get rid of all their cards. But, in Skip Bo, it works a bit differently. 

In Skip Bo, each player has their own draw pile and there are 4 build piles in the middle. Everyone is trying to build the piles in ascending order.

So when it’s your turn to build on the piles, the goal is to get rid of as many cards as you can.  

Shop Skip Bo!

Unique Card Travel Games

These next set card games are more unique, but are some of the best games for travel!

If you’re a bit more of an avid gamer, these will probably be more up your ally. Requiring a bit more strategy and a bit less luck. They resemble more of what you’re used to with board games, just with cards only! 

I’ve also included some cooperatives travel games which means you’ll be teaming up with your travel partners to win! These are perfect if you’re travelling with family and you want to avoid any sibling fights…

P.S. Interested in more cooperative board games for travelling? Check out my 10 top in my post here.

Going on a road trip?

Check out my digital and printable road trip I Spy game on Etsy .

Players: 2-5 Age: 8+ Average Game time: 20-30 minutes Similar Games: The Mind

We actually bought Hanabi while travelling in Aix-en-Provence for a month and now it’s one of our go-to travel games. 

Hanabi is a very different game than what you might be use to. It’s a co-op game that teaches you how to communicate with others, without actually being able to vocalize anything.

You see, in Hanabi, you don’t get to look at your own cards, so it’s up to your teammates to tell you what to play. 

The objective of the game is to “light” 5 sets of fireworks by matching the number and colour… all without seeing your own cards.  

An alternative option to Hanabi is The Mind (see it on Amazon here ).

Shop Hanabi

7. kittens in a blender.

Players : 2-4 Age : 6+ Average Game Time: 30 minutes

Before disregarding this game based on the title, know that no cats are harmed while playing. Although I’ll admit the subject matter is a bit dark, so perhaps this is one of those travel games for adults only…

To play Kittens In A Blender, each player has kittens they’re trying to save, while also trying to blend those of your opponent.

The winner is the player who has the least amount of kittens blended.

The best part is that you use the box it comes while playing, so all the cards stay contained.

Shop Kittens In A Blender

8. pack o games.

Pack O Games are THE SMALLEST travel games you can find. I always throw them in my bag regardless of where I’m going, just because they’re so small.  

The downside is that although the cards themselves are small too.

The games I own also take up quite a bit of table space while playing as well.  

I own four Pack O Play: Boo, Bus, TKO, and Gym. Each one is significantly different, with varying game-time as well.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to get them in Canada. You can order them online from their website , or if you find yourself in the States, pick them up at Barnes & Noble.

Shop Pack O Games

Shop Amazon.com Shop Barnes & Noble

You might also be interested in reading…

Useful Travel Gift Ideas From $5 To $100+ Every Traveller Will Love

9. Codenames

Players : 2,6, or 8 Age : 10+ Average Game Time : 15 minutes

Alternate Version : Codenames Duet, Harry Potter Codenames, Disney Codenames.

Similar (easier) Game Cross Clues  

Codenames is a bit of a trickier game to travel with, but it’s still do-able. You only need to pack 2 decks of cards, which can fit into a pouch or bag. The downside to this game is the amount of space you need to set it up. You need a decent size table to create a 5×5 grid.  

To play Codenames, you also need an even number of players . The idea is to get your partner to guess certain cards based on a one word clue you’ve given them. Watch out though, there are certain cards that will cause you to lose the game if your partner guesses it instead! 

If you’re traveling with only two players, I recommend Codenames Duet , as it’s tailored to 2 players.

There are also a few themed Codenames you can buy. For example, we own Harry Potter Codenames but there’s also Disney Codenames! What I like about Harry Potter (aside from the theme) is that they also give you different scenarios to play.

Shop Codenames

Codenames Duet Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca

Harry Potter Codenames Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca

Disney Codenames Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca

Protect Your Travel Games In Style

Shop Codenames travel case on Amazon.com Shop Codenames travel case on Amazon.ca

10. The Fox In The Forest

Players : 2 Age : 10+ Average Game Time : 30 minutes

The Fox in the Forest is what’s known as a trick-taking game . You have to play cards to take your opponents card (similar to the card game WAR, but with actual strategy).

This is a max 2 player game , so it’s the perfect travel game for couples.

There are actually two versions of this game:

The original Fox in the Forest is competitive , where you’re playing against your opponent to get the most points (cards).

They’ve also released Fox in the Forest Duet, where you’re on a team with your partner. You can’t talk to each other though, which adds a very interesting dynamic to the game.

Shop Fox In The Forest

Buy Amazon.com

Shop Duet Buy Amazon.com Buy Amazon.ca

Simple Travel Hacks For Couples (To Save You Money)

11. The Crew

Players:  2-5 (best 3+ but there is a 2 player variant) Age : 10+ Average Game Time:  20 minutes

This game is AMAZING! It’s so simple, so packable, and quick to learn and play. The Crew is a limited communication and cooperative trick taking game but with an outer space theme. 

(P.S. They’ve just released a new edition The Crew Mission Deep Sea !)

That means you’re working together through different missions to win the game… but you can’t speak to each other.

The Crew changes it up by giving you different missions each time you play. You might need one person to win a specific card or maybe they can’t win any cards at all! Remember, if a person fails their mission, you’ll all fail.

A mission can take you anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. But there’s no limit to how many missions you can play in a row. 

Shop The Crew

12. spot it.

Players:  2-8 (best Age : 6+ Average Game Time:  5 minutes

Spot It! is an extremely compact game to travel with, perfect for any age!

The goal is to find a common symbol between two cards.

It sounds simple, but it’s fast paced, and beyond fun!

The game even comes with 5 different ways to play to change things up a bit!

Shop Spot It!

Card travel games for adults.

The next two card travel games I’d only really recommend as adults games to play on vacation due to their difficulty and subject matter.

My digital and printable packing guide on Etsy . Filled with packing planning prompts for your next trip!

P.S. Get an additional discount on my Etsy shop with my code ATRLOVE !

Players : 2-6 Age : 13+ Average Game Time : 15 minutes

Coup is a travel game of deception.

Essentially, you have to trick your opponents into believing you have a certain character cards.

Each character has a different ability that you may need to win the game, but you’re only dealt 2 cards.  

The game says you can play two players, although I don’t recommend it. It becomes very quick and not that interesting, so it’s much better at higher player counts.  

If deception games are up your alley, there’s no better travel games for adults than Coup. The only thing you will need to pack are a deck of cards and a few tokens.

You also don’t need a lot of space to set up the game.

14. The Grizzled

Players:  2-5 (best 3+ but there is a 2 player variant) Age : 14+ Average Game Time:  30 minutes

The Grizzled  is another cooperative card game that is perfect to bring on your next trip.

This is the ultimate game for board game lovers. On the outside, it looks like a simple card game, but the game play can be quite complex.

Even though it’s such a small box, the game gives you all the complexities of a larger board game! 

The Grizzled has a WWI theme where players are friends that are working together to come home safely, but there’s a catch…. You can’t speak to each other! This makes it a very strategic game.

We’ve only ever won a handful of times! It plays best with three or more players, but we play it with two and still love it!

There’s also  an expansion you can buy  if you want even more replay-ability!

Buy The Grizzled

Best Group Board Games For Travelling (& Partying!)

These next few are easy to pack travel games are perfect if you’re travelling with a bigger group. All these travel games work for 8 or more people, but some can still be played solo or in pairs. 

These are the best board games for travelling if you’re renting a cabin in the country with some friends, or going on a family vacation. 

15. Paku Paki

Players: 2-8 Age: 8+ Average Game time: 10 minutes

Paku Paku is a whirlwind of fun in such a tiny box!

It’s the perfect game when you only have a few minutes to spare, or to ramp up the start of the evening games.

You’re rolling and passing die as fast as you possibly can because you don’t want to end up with all of them.

On top of that, if you roll the wrong thing, then you’ll have to stack a dish and hope the stack doesn’t come crashing down!

Buy Paku Paku Go

16. sushi go (party).

Players: 2-8 Age: 8+ Average Game time: 20 minutes

Sushi Go is a pass-and-go sushi building game! You get points for building different sushi rolls. But I said it was pass and go right, so your cards are always changing .

The person with the most points at the end wins! 

You can play this game with as little as two people, but I find it a lot more fun the more players you have.

Sushi Go Party is the same as the original Sushi Go, it just comes with a board, more cards, and let’s you play with more people. I’ve only heard good things about the Party version, and it’s the recommended game to get out of the two.

Either way, it all comes in a beautifully compact tin which makes it one of the best games for travel!

Buy Sushi Go

Buy Sushi Go Party

17. Cards Against Humanity

Players : 4-20+ Age:  17+ Average Game Time:  30-90 minutes

Similar game : Joking Hazard , where you finish a comic strip instead of a sentence.   

Some advance warning, this game isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is hilarious!

You’ll be sure to have a grand time with your friends playing this game.  

The goal of the game is to answer questions, or finish sentences with the cards in your hand. You want to come up with the most ridiculous answers to win.  

This game is sure to get the party started and everyone laughing their heads off. You’ll end up with some hilarious responses, and ones that make absolutely zero sense. 

There are expansion packs you can also buy, or knock offs based on specific themes. This is another example of travel games for adults, but in this case there are more family friendly versions called Cards Against Maturity – see it on Amazon here .

Shop Cards Against Humaniy

18. bananagrams.

Players : 1-8 Age : 7+ Average Game Time:  10 minutes

Bananagrams is similar to Scrabble, only you don’t need a board, and you’re racing others to build your own crossword grid.

So, although you do need space for everyone to build their own grid, it comes in the most handy travel pouch ever – one that’s shaped like a banana!

This game is perfect for larger groups, or by yourself trying to beat your best time! 

If you are planning on playing it in a larger group, you can also pick up Bananagrams Party (see it on Amazon here ), which adds extra chaos tiles to the game to make it more interesting.

Shop Bananagrams

19. 5 second rule.

Players : 3+ Age : 10+ Average Game Time : 30 minutes

5-Second Rule is a fast paced game that is sure to stump you.

The object of the game is to answer questions in only 5 seconds . Rapid fire fun! It’s so easy to pick up and learn, so it’s perfect if you’re a bigger group! 

This game really gets you thinking! The answers people come up with when they only have 5 seconds to think will shock you! It’s a game that keeps everyone laughing the whole night long!

If you’re short on space, leave the board at home and just bring the timer with some cards! 

Shop 5 Second Rule

20. sherlock holmes consulting detective.

Players : 1-8 Age : 14+ Average Game Time:  90+ minutes

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is a cooperative game where you’re trying to solve mysteries in London faster than Sherlock Holmes can.

We were very skeptical about this game at first but fell in LOVE!

You’re given 10 Sherlock Holmes cases to solve. Head ups, it’s very story heavy with a lot of reading. But, there’s also a lot of heated discussion and problem solving with the other players that takes place.

Keep in mind, you’ll only be able to play each scenario once (because then you’ll know the answers!).

But, I find it takes us a lot longer than they say to solve each case. Each case could last as long as 2-3 nights to play.  

You don’t have to bring the entire huge box with you either. Pack one or two case files, the map, and directory. It makes for a spooky, collaborative game night on vacation!  

Shop Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective

Buy Amazon.com Buy on Amazon.ca

21. Table Tennis

This game isn’t really a group game because only two people can play at once, but it is a more physically active game to bring, and you can always set up rules to play the winner.  

The pieces are packable and you can set it up on any table!

Shop Table Tennis

Best Board Games On The Go That Are Easy To Pack

Everyone loves classic games like Scrabble and Battleship, but did you know there are travel-friendly versions to take with you on vacation!?

You can also turn most games into vacation games by leaving the huge box at home and packing your game contents in a pouch ( like these on Amazon ). Now it’ll fit almost anywhere! I own several pouches, of all different sizes.

22. Travel Scrabble

Players : 2-4 Age : 8+ Average Game Time : 25 minutes

Scrabble, the classic word game! You probably wouldn’t think of Scrabble when you think of travel games. I mean, there are a lot of loose pieces!

But they actually sell a travel-friendly Scrabble. It’s the same game you know and love, building words with letters to maximize points. But it comes in a compact zip folder where you can store all the pieces. The letters also click into the board so you don’t have to worry about losing any pieces haphazardly.  

We used to play this game on our long drive to Florida from Montreal in the car!  

Shop Travel Scrabble

23. trivial pursuit.

The classic game of Trivial Pursuit tests your knowledge. They sell different board-less versions, plus they have a  ton of themes  for you to choose from!

If you have the original board game, you can still travel with it by leaving the board at home. Just take the cards and dice along with you to play on the go.  

We bought the Harry Potter version (of course) but they also sell Friends version and one for horror fans  …etc.. You can also buy a few based on your interests and mix and match, or build up your collection over the years!

Shop Trivial Pursuit

Buy on Amazon.com Buy on Amazon.ca

10 Best Cooperative Board Games For Travelling: Perfect For Families!

24. Pictionary

Players: 4 Age: 8+ Similar: Pictionary Card Game, Pictionary Air

Pictionary is a group drawing and guessing game. You’re in teams, so you do need an even number of people to play .  

It’s one of the best games for travel because the game can be as small as you want it to be. The largest part is the box, but if you remove all the contents it becomes a pretty compact game.

We used to need to bring tons of paper when we brought this game on family vacations, but now it even comes with a dry-erase board .

They also sell a card only game  if you prefer card travel games. You build your pictures with pre-drawn cards. Or,  Pictionary Air , if you’re bringing an IPad with you on vacation. 

Shop Pictionary

Original Buy Amazon.com Buy on Amazon.ca

Pictionary Card Game Buy Amazon.com Buy on Amazon.ca

Pictionary Air Buy on Amazon.com Buy on Amazon.ca

Players : 4+ Age:  13+ (option for Taboo Jr with easier words)

Taboo is the opposite of Pictionary. Instead of of drawing, you have to use words. But in Taboo some words are off limits and can’t be spoken! 

The game contains a timer, cards, buzzer, and die (to select the word category). Perfect for travelling, just put it in a pouch and you’re good to go. It’s also quick to pick up and play on the whim! 

26. Battleship

Players: 2 Age: 7+ Average Game Time : 15 minutes

The classic game of Battleship also comes in a travel-friendly compact size . This game can only be played with two people though. 

You set up your boats in the ocean and call out coordinates to try and sink your opponent’s boats.  

You want to have the last battleship standing to win the game. 

Shop Battleship

27. the bloody inn.

Players : 2-4 Age:  14+ Average Game Time : 30-60 minutes

You’ve probably never heard of The Bloody Inn, but it’s one of our favourite travel games.

It has the potential to be short or long making it super flexible for travel WITH. 

The theme is exactly what you’d imagine. You’re murdering guests at the hotel, and trying to get away with it (it’s also in the travel games for adults section!).

Each player is building their own deck, and trying to get the most points at the end of the game.  

It comes with a board, cards, and a few tokens. The board is quite small, so it easily fits in a small pouch, making one of the ultimate boards games on the go! 

Shop The Bloody Inn

Shop Amazon.com Shop Amazon.ca

28. Quoridor

Players : 2-4 Age : 8+ Average Game Time : 10 minutes Similar Games : Blokus

A bartender in Vienna recommended this game to us as it was simple to explain and the game time was relatively short.

Quoridor similar to games like chess or checkers, where the goal is to get your pawn to the other side of the board. But in Quoridor, you also have pieces to block your opponent or secure your own path to the other side.  

It’s a very interesting strategy game that can be so frustrating at times but that will keep you playing time and time again! 

You can buy the full size version, but it also comes in a lightweight travel size, making it one of the best board games for travelling! 

Shop Quoridor

Best Games For Travel – Solo Travel Games

These next few travel games are perfect if you’re a solo traveler, or you want to zone out by yourself for a bit. There are times when you want a single player game to pass the time. 

These were my top board games on the go for our 25 hour drive to Florida from Montreal. I was always in the back row of our van by myself. I’d zone out with some music and entertain myself for a few hours with these travel games.

That being said, these games also have the possibility to be played with other people. You can collaborate and think of solutions together. 

29. 20 Questions

The goal of 20 Questions is to figure out what you’re thinking about in 20 questions or less… with only yes or no questions.

You can play this game by yourself and with others, and without any device at all. But, this game console kept me entertained for HOURS – even when no one else wanted to play.  

I’d see things on the road and would try and have the game figure out what I was thinking of. It’s surprising how many times it got the right answer!

Shop 20 Questions

30. rush hour.

I LOVE Rush Hour!

It’s a problem solving strategy game that’s small enough to travel with.  

You’re a car stuck in traffic, and you’re trying to rearrange yourself and the other cars to get to the exit.

Cards give you different scenarios to solve, increasing the difficulty as you go.  

The cards are stored away in the box, and the pieces fit on the board while you play.

Shop Rush Hour

31. shape by shape.

Shape by Shape is very similar to Rush Hour.

Instead of trying to move the pieces around to get out of traffic, you’re recreating images with shapes.

It’s way harder than it looks! You have to get all the shapes to fit together perfectly.

Shop Shape By Shape

Best electronic game console for travel: the nintendo switch.

If you’re interested in having a travel-friendly console, there’s none better than the Nintendo Switch (see it on Amazon here ).  

Game consoles are actually very convenient for travel. All you have to pack is the console itself, which is typically pretty small, and some games.

The games take up no space at all! They’re small SD cards, or you can buy them directly on your switch and have them pre-downloaded. 

I had a NintendoDS growing up and would take it with me on every vacation. Now, I have (well, my partner has) a Nintendo Switch and we LOVE it! It’s the only console you’ll ever need because it hooks up to the TV if you want to play with a larger group, but you can also play handheld if you’re a single player.

Buy a Nintendo Switch on Amazon.ca Buy a Nintendo Switch on Amazon.com

32. Best Single-Player Travel Games On the Nintendo Switch

There are countless single player games for the Nintendo Switch. We buy more multi-player games to play together, but these are some of our favourite single player games on the Switch.

33. Best Multi-Player Travel Games On the Nintendo Switch

This is what I love about the switch: the ability to pack and play by yourself and others. We’ve brought it to the country to play with friends. Nintendo sells tons of games that are perfect party games.  

For example, Mario Party, Arms, Mario Kart, Super Smash…etc. All of these also have a solo mode, but they’re the perfect party game. You can even buy classic games like  Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, and Risk for the Switch  ( U.S. link ) !

Take Almost Any Board Games On The Go​

You can transform almost any game into a travel friendly version by buying a pouch or smaller tin to transport the contents in, as long as the board is small enough to fit inside, and there aren’t too many pieces to keep track of.

It’s the box that takes up most of the space, and they’re usually half empty! 

I’ve brought countless games on vacation by just removing them from their box and putting all the contents into a separate pouch.  

If you’re worried about bending your cards, they also sell convenient cases to keep all your cards safe in.

Read More Travel Tips

• 10 Best Cooperative Board Games For Travel: No Fights Here!
• Top 11 Travel Essentials I Never Leave Home Without
• Useful Travel Gift Ideas From $5 To $100+ Every Traveller Will Love [2022]

Share The Best Travel Games To Take With You On Vacation!

Last update on 2024-06-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Sunday 4th of June 2023

Hi, I just wanted to say that your list was amazing - it had all sorts and was so well written. I felt that I understood the gameplay and whether or not it was my kinda game!

I've just ordered The Crew thanks to your list.

Hope to read more board game recommends in the future. :)

Monday 5th of June 2023

Thanks so much for your comment - made my day to read :D I'm so glad you liked my post and recommendations. I really hope you enjoy The Crew! It's one of our favourites to bring on family vacations!

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

Very good tips - I will certainly try them out. I liked the way you shared all this information in detail.

Saturday 6th of May 2023

Awesome post! Thanks for the ideas! A couple of our family favorites are Zombie Dice and Get Bit Deluxe. Get Bit also has a regular version, but the deluxe version is in a tin that makes it more durable.

Monday 8th of May 2023

Thanks so much! I'll definitely have to check those out - I love a good game that comes in a tin for travel! Just so convenient!

LINDSAY VOEGELE

Thursday 4th of May 2023

We like to take Love Letter with us when we travel. It fits in my purse and is easy to teach to random strangers who want to play a game haha!

Hi Lindsay, I love that!!

I've seen that game in so many board game stores but have never played it! I'll have to pick it up the next time and give it a try!

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

Hi! There's a great new holiday game that should be on your list! It's called Bah Humbug!

Tuesday 6th of September 2022

Thanks so much for the suggestion I'll be sure to keep an eye out to play that game this holiday season! Right now I couldn't find it for sale, it seems relatively new but supposed to be released this year!

17 Best Travel Games For Adults To Satisfy Wanderlust At Home

By charlotte dow. this post contains affiliate links to brands we think you’ll love.

Looking for the  best travel games for adults to help satisfy your wanderlust at home?

If you’re like me, your Pinterest board is overflowing with photos of travel destinations, you’re stalking your favorite travel search engine for cheap flights, and you’ve binge-watched every travel documentary on Netflix. If a private jet showed up to take you to an unspecified locale, you’d get on, no questions asked.

You, my friend, have a serious case of wanderlust.

Wanderlust can be difficult to deal with when you can’t get out of town. Maybe your calendar is too full, you’re facing travel restrictions, or your budget just isn’t where you want it to be.

Thankfully, there’s a way to satisfy your craving for adventure from the comfort of your home with travel-themed board games!

We’ve rounded up of the best travel games for adults that will allow you to trek the globe for way less than the price of a one-way flight.

From conversation-starting cards to international adventures, you’ll be sure to find a game that’s right for you.

If you’re looking to plan the ultimate staycation or just want some fun stay at home activities for you and a similarly grounded travel buddy, we’ve got you covered!

Table of Contents

Satisfy Your Wanderlust

Before we dive into the fun travel games for adults, I want to share this free travel personality quiz .

Answer 10 visual questions, and you’ll be told what type of trip you should take based on your answers.

You’ll also be shown suggested experiences — all unique, to take you #BeyondTheGuidebook — for each trip type!

Best Travel Games For Adults

1. Trip Chaser

Created by travel bloggers Dalene and Pete Heck of Hecktic Travels, Trip Chaser is an armchair travel game for competitive people.

Played by 2-6 players, the game mimics the act of travel, but without the need to pack a suitcase or spend $1000+ on a plane ticket.

You’ll collect and play destination cards in order to take trips around the world. Just make sure to plan your journeys strategically so that you have enough money to take each trip!

During the hour of play, expect a mix of challenges as well as enriching experiences to keep things interesting.

Bonus: The game is also packable to take on the road with you. And for every game sold, one tree will be planted via Ecodrrive (powered by Veritree).

2. Travel Banter

Created by a friend of the blog, Nicolette Orlemans of Culture Trav, this fun travel-themed game comes in the form of a deck of conversation starter cards meant to help you re-live some of your favorite trip memories and swap life lessons with your partners.

Questions come in five categories — Arts & Culture, Food & Drink, Life & Lessons, Culture and People — and challenge cards will have you pondering the bigger picture.

While the cards are perfect for connecting with people you meet on the road, they’re also great for a night at home when you’re dreaming of your next big trip.

Moreover, you can use the cards to inspire some fun journal writing prompts related to travel!

3. Passport to Culture

Looking for the best travel board games for adults?

Well, if you binged too much TV and are now in need of some fun Netflix and Chill alternatives for travelers , Passport to Culture can help!

In this board game, you’ll travel the world and test your cultural knowledge, all from the comfort of your own home.

With 636 travel trivia questions and 60 possible cultural scenarios, you’ll definitely expand your knowledge — and will probably also discover a new location to add to your travel bucket list!

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Jamie (@reissj) on Feb 22, 2018 at 12:59pm PST

4. Monopoly: National Parks Edition

In this version of the classic property trading game, you’ll plan a cross-country trip to visit over 60 of the parks and historic sites in the United States National Park System while learning a little more about the parks themselves. Go hiking in Sequoia National Park , have an adventure in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains , explore the otherworldly landscapes of Joshua Tree , and more.

The best part?

You can play while supporting the parks themselves, as a portion of the game’s proceeds goes to the National Park Foundation.

5. Around The World In 80 Days

Inspired by the classic Jules Verne novel , you’ll race the other players to be the first to travel around the world from London in just 80 days.

As with all travel, success in the game requires a fair amount of strategy, as you’ll have to manage your savings wisely and make the right moves to come out victorious!

Note that to purchase this travel game, you’ll need to check sites like Amazon, eBay, and BoardGameGeek to find copies.

Bonus: After playing, click here to watch the classic film by the same name.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Jogos na Caixeta (@jogos_na_caixeta) on Aug 20, 2019 at 3:20am PDT

6. Ticket To Ride

Train fans and history buffs alike will love this two-to-five player board game that’s constantly listed as one of the best travel games for adults.

Compete to create the longest train route across turn-of-the-century North America, traveling to different destinations around the continent.

Already conquered the original?

Check out the rest of the series, with versions set in Germany , Europe , London , India , and more. If you love travel-related games, you’ll easily become addicted to this collection.

Ever wanted to help build one of the most awe-inspiring — and unfinished — cathedrals in the world?

In Sagrada, you’ll use dice to create one of the intricate stained glass windows in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

A little strategic know-how and artistic flair will take you far in this game, while the gorgeous game pieces will transport you to the storied Spanish basilica.

8. Forbidden Desert

In this game for two-to-five players, you’ll search an ancient desert to find a legendary flying machine buried somewhere in the rolling sandhills.

You’ll have to survive the elements and work with your teammates to succeed in this travel-themed board game that will take you to another world, all from the safety of your own living room.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Lisbon Board Gamer (@lisboardgamer) on Sep 17, 2019 at 3:45pm PDT

9. 7 Wonders

How many of the Seven Wonders of the World can you check off your travel list?

In this travel game, you’ll play as one of the leaders of the ancient world, work to expand your empire and build architectural marvels.

The game moves quickly so you’ll stay engaged and enjoy leaving your mark on history.

10. Discover Lands Unknown

For those who love games about traveling the world, Discover Lands Unknown will easily become one of your favorites.

The board game challenges you and your fellow players will find yourself marooned in the harsh wilderness, searching for survival essentials. As the game goes on, you’ll work together to find your way home.

Each copy of Discover Lands Unknown is unique, featuring different mixes of environments, characters, and storylines; much like traveling, every gaming experience is different!

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by onemainemama (@onemainemama) on Dec 21, 2019 at 5:47am PST

This fun game is perfect for outdoor adventurers who might find themselves stuck inside for a while.

It tests your knowledge of the great outdoors while giving you some inspiration for your next camping trip.

Grab a copy of the game’s travel edition to bring along on your next adventure.

12. Ridley’s World Tour Travel Trivia Card Game

Looking for a game that’s a little less complicated — and more travel friendly? Look no further than Ridley’s World Tour Travel Trivia Card Game.

This 2+ player travel game includes 80 questions as well as bonus facts and offers the perfect way to show off your knowledge of world wonders and cultures to your travel-savvy friends.

13. Who Knows Where ?

This fast-moving and easy to play geography board game has 1,000 questions on capitals, major cities and towns, events and facts, major tourist sites and more.

The game’s board is also double-sided, featuring a world map with borders and country names for easier play on one side, and a topographical map on the other for more of a challenge.

As you learn about some of the coolest places on earth, you’re bound to get a few ideas for your next trip.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by The Restless Wonderer (@slshowell86) on Feb 2, 2019 at 4:56am PST

14. Backpacker – The Ultimate Travel Game

Travel bloggers will love this game in which players compete to be the one to bring home the most photos.

In this travel-friendly card game, you’ll trek around the world, visiting as many places as possible without getting sick or missing your plane.

No two rounds of Backpacker are alike, so you’ll want to keep playing this one for a long time.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Mark (@boardgaminginthe6ix) on Feb 29, 2020 at 8:53pm PST

15. Tokaido

In this gorgeous board game, you and your fellow players will travel through Japan across the “East Sea Road.”

Along your way, you’ll indulge in many cultural experiences, collecting interesting things to become the most initiated traveler.

For those who want to relive the memories of their travels to Japan , or those itching to take a trip to the island nation, Tokaido is a great way to experience the country from afar.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by @parempi_kuin_kimble on Feb 1, 2020 at 4:03am PST

16. Scotland Yard

Anglophiles rejoice!

In this game, you’ll travel through London to track down the criminal mastermind Mister X, a fugitive of Scotland Yard.

You’ll traverse the city by taxi, bus, and underground, visiting great London landmarks like Paddington Station and Piccadilly Circus.

For travel lovers who want to get their Sherlock Holmes on, Scotland Yard is the perfect way to spend an evening in.

17. Globe Runner

With adjustable levels for different ages and abilities, this geography board game is perfect for travel-loving kids and adults.

Use your knowledge of countries, capitals, flags and more to race your fellow players around the world.

As you “travel” to different countries, you can share some of your own stories and get some inspiration for your own travel bucket list.

What would you add to this list of best travel games for adults?

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Great list! Sagrada looks amazing!!!

Nice, I thank you for sharing the games list.

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Travel Games for Adults that are Portable and Worthwhile

Why not enjoy some travel games for adults when you travel, whether you're lounging by a pool, at a bar enjoying cocktails, or in your hotel room enjoying the room you booked for your vacation?

Some of these travel games are nostalgic (hello, Uno!) and others are new(er). But regardless, they'll keep you off your phones, away from the TV and interacting with each other.

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post, which means we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase, at no cost to you . We truly only recommend hotels, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our Privacy Policy .

Card Travel Games for Adults

The best thing about card games is their utterly portable and they are very quiet. They're great to play on an airplane with your travel buddy if you're sitting next to each other or together during your trip.

There is no shame in this game. It's an absolute classic card game and the first we ever played as a couple. We still love playing it whether we're home or on the road.

We recommend getting it if you've never played Uno because it's a staple! It's been around for over 50 years.

You can play with two to four players. The game starts when one card is drawn, and then the players take turns matching colors or numbers to keep things going.

The twists come when a play puts down a card that says, “Draw Four” for example, reverses the play to skip the other player's turns, etc. The first player to use all of his or her cards up wins.

We have two sets: one we keep at home and one we keep in the car. The one at home is the one we sometimes pack in our travel backpack to go on vacation with. You can also keep one and gift the other if you buy the Uno two-pack .

We had Sushi Go for so long before we actually played it. I picked it up one day after seeing it in the game aisle of Target, after perusing an aisle nearby for puzzles . I love sushi ….and the game is called Sushi Go. It was a no-brainer and looked easy enough to play. And it is. But it's cute and fun and you can't help but smile as you build your own sushi menu.

Get points as you build up your maki rolls, or accumulate nigiri. You get extra points for things like a dip in wasabi (haha!).

You in no way, shape, or form need to understand or know sushi to play the game. It's just fun if you do because you'll easily recognize the menu items. And if you don't normally eat sushi, it's a good way to learn the words. Think of a “maki roll” as another word for “round column.” In other words, even if the cards were named for the shapes and colors it would be the same concept. They just added a fun twist.

Sushi Go can be played with two players but it's most fun with four.

The tin with the cards is only 8.5 ounces, and measures 4.25″ x 5.75″ x 1.5″.

Exploding Kittens

Friends of ours introduced us to this game when we were hanging out in their kitchen after a BBQ. “Do you want to play Exploding Kittens?” We were utterly confused. When they explained it to us, however, we were game.

Exploding Kittens has sold millions of decks, worldwide. It's won multiple awards. And though the original is fun…why not lean deeper into the adult side of things? Because they have an Exploding Kittens adult, not-safe-for-work deck ! What adult doesn't love that? It's not so much raunchy, by the way, as it is potty humor, perhaps. (The non-adult versions are very safe for kids, by the way.)

You can play with anywhere between two to five players.

The box measures 4.4″ x 6.4″ x 1.5″ and weighs 3.5 ounces.

Scrabble Slam

If word games and spelling are your jam, you need Scrabble Slam in your life. Something about it reminds us of a major twist on Boggle , probably because of the concept you have to make words from different letters.

You start with a set of cards and swap out letters to change the words. For example, BAM can become BAT. LATE become FATE. It can be as easy or as hard as the players' vocabulary and spelling knowledge, who are playing it.

The box measures 0.8″ x 3.6″ x 5.6″ and weighs just 2.4 ounces.

Monopoly Deal

Like the concept of Monolopy but want the convenience of a deck of cards? You'll need a little table space for this but as long as you have that, and the deck of Monopoly Deal cards , you're good to play!

It lasts a lot less time than the board game (you can play a game in 30-minutes) but has similar concepts. You want to have three properties in the end, as you handle House, Property, and Rent cards. Money cards will give you the nostalgia of the printed money in the real game, but you won't have to deal with tiny metal pieces or dice like with the full-size board game.

The box weighs less than 5 ounces, and measures 0.8″ x 3.6″ x 5.6″.

Chat Pack Conversation Cards

If you want to grab a game and head to a bar, we can't recommend Chat Packs enough. It's not a classic card game in terms of strategy or plays; the point with a Chat Pack is to spark intriguing conversations.

Each card poses a question about life, whether goals or dreams and is sure to help you get to know your partner or travel buddy on a deeper level, no matter how long you have known each other. We first discovered these while we were at a wine bar in South Carolina's Old 96 area and we were hooked. We ended up staying for hours because of these cards.

They're also ideal for road trips and their compact size makes them optimal for tossing in your handbag or backpack. If you love your first Chat Pack (and we know you will) they sell several expansion packs .

The card pack and case they're in measure 2.8″ x 1.3″ x 3.8″ and weighs 4.8 ounces.

Our Top Pick for Card Travel Games for Adults

If you're having trouble choosing one game to buy, we recommend buying Uno if you don't already own it because it's a classic that we think everyone should own. We also love Chat Packs if you're in the mood for some intriguing conversation.

The nice thing about the card games, though, is they're so compact and lightweight you can choose a few to buy and travel with. Heck, as we do with Uno , keep one deck in the car!

Travel Games for Adults that Require Table Space

We LOVE this game and were over the moon when we found out there was a travel-size version. The blocks for the full-size version aren't too big, however the travel-size version has tiles that are approximately the size of a traditional scrabble tile. And you can't beat the compactness of that size when it comes to travel games for adults.

The game is one of strategy as you match shapes and colors to try to score the most points. It's a blast and we love pouring some wine, putting on some low-volume music, and playing each other whether a date night at home or now, thanks to the travel size game when we are on the go.

Bananagrams

Have you ever played this classic word-creation and spelling game? The elevator pitch would be that it's a lot like Scrabble without the board. The original version is incredibly portable. The bag is banana-shaped and unzips to enclose all the plastic letter tiles.

But there's an even more compact version! Bananagrams Duel! is for two players (perfect for a traveling couple). It adds in banana-shaped theme cards that add a twist to plays should you choose to add them in. And instead of having letters on only one side of the tiles, like the original, this version has 4-sided cubes with letters on all sides.

The entire game weighs only and 3.2 ounces, and the banana case measures 1.2″ x 4.7″ x 6.7″.

Clue Diced!

Does the sentence, “Colonel Mustard, with the rope in the library,” ring a bell? If that is board game music to your ears you're not alone; it is to us too! It was an absolute favorite game of mine as a kid. (The other was Guess Who. And there's a travel size for that too, though we don't necessarily recommend it for adults. It's too easy when you're older!)

You'll be surprised at how small the travel version is because it's slightly different than the original. They reinvented it and took away the board, added dice, and made two people guilty instead of just one. Luckily, they have kept the famous “Confidential” folder and cards.

You will need a third player for this game, as the instructions say it's for 3 to 4 players.

It's only 10.2 ounces, and 2″ x 6.13″ x 9.5″ in size.

If you love to create words with tiles and have the time for a game that may take a little longer than Uno, for instance, Scrabble is a classic game for any adult. And good news: they have a convenient travel size!

The board folds in half like the full-size game, but unlike the full-size game, it becomes a storage piece for the pieces. The wooden tiles are stored in a cloth bag, that goes inside the foldable board.

The wooden version makes a great travel gift too. The box is attractive and the whole game weighs just 1.5 pounds, and, folded, the board measures 9.8″ x 9.2″ x 1.2″. If you're into wooden pieces and still want that feel on the go, this is the version you want.

If you're serious about Scrabble and “legal” Scrabble words, don't forget to buy the official Scrabble Players Dictionary. There's a Kindle version (yay!) and a paperback version that is 1.5 pounds (same weight as the wooden board).

Want an even SMALLER version of Scrabble? Good news: there is a mini-bo ard, called Scrabble To Go . The coolest thing is that the tile racks have a privacy shield on top that folds down on the tiles, in case you have to pack them up to-go, mid-game.

The lightweight plastic tiles are stored in a cloth bag and snap into place on the board when you're ready for your turn.

If Scrabble To Go is still too big, check out how TINY this Scrabble board is! It fits in the palm of your hand. Wow. (We also found this teeny-tiny version of Operation when we looked that up. How frickin' cute is that? I loved that game as a kid too.)

As far as needing tablespace for this classic game, you'll just need a little bit. You could even play it in a car as long as no one was peeking at the other person's pegboard, and you're mindful of the pieces not bouncing out if you go over a huge bump. (We don't recommend travel Battleship for a bumpy car ride, but a smooth one should be fine.)

Battleship is a classic game that's been around for many decades! You set up your battleship pieces, then guess where the other person has placed them on their board by calling out grid numbers. The pieces in the travel version are small so be prepared to use your dexterity on them!

The Grab and Go Battleship version from Hasbro has a box that measures 1.9″ x 6.3″ x 9.3″, but the actual boards, if you will, inside are smaller. So theoretically you could travel without the box as long as you have the boards and all the pieces inside. It weighs 5.6 ounces.

Travel Size Connect 4

Who doesn't love a good game of Connect 4 , for some good ‘ole fun?

We don't recommend this for an airplane ride or an area where you're with strangers, because no one can mistake the sound of all the plastic pieces crashing down when you start a new game with another noise! But if you're in a hotel room or your own cabin enjoying the Blue Ridge Mountains , for instance, the travel size of Connect 4 is perfect.

The point of the game is to get four colors in a row, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, to score 4 in a row. You take turns going with another player; Connect 4 is exclusively a two-player game.

The game weighs just 5.6 ounces and measures 1.9″ x 6.3″ x 9.3″.

Magnetic Chess, Checkers, and Backgammon

When we were little, we played these games for hours. They're perfect for traveling because the magnetic pieces stay in place on the board no matter if you hit a bump in the road or airplane turbulence.

We'll assume you know how to play checkers , chess , and backgammon for this so we'll just link you up to the travel versions! All the pieces fit inside the folded-up board, which snaps together to ensure you can safely and securely travel with the pieces.

Each set weighs less than 13 ounces and measures approximately 9.8″ x 9.8″ x 0.8″.

Travel Games for Adults that Fit in Your Lap

Sometimes we just need to play a game solo when we're traveling. For instance, if we're on a plane Dan may want to watch a movie but I get fidgety easily and want to do something like play a game. These portable Smart IQ Games are the perfect travel games for adults! They're sure to keep your mind sharp.

The concept is similar for each of the three we recommend below. The main difference is the design. Each comes with 120 challenge cards.

It comes with the cards and pieces you need to challenge yourself to solve the puzzle.

IQ XOXO has colorful letters, IQ Arrows has directional arrows and IQ Twist adds colored pegs to amp up the challenges.

Each measures 3.8″ x 1.1″ x 5.7″, and weighs less than 6 ounces.

Which Travel Games for Adults is Best for You?

It truly depends on your personality and what you both gravitate towards. Since Dan hates spelling but enjoys intriguing conversation, for instance, we'd steer away from Scrabble and choose a Chat Pack any day. And we truly love Qwirkle .

No matter what, though, pick up some travel games for adults for something to have just in case you need to pass the time or want to challenge yourselves to a little fun on your vacation!

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13 Best Travel Games for Adults for Fun on the Go

By Author Meg Frost

Posted on Last updated: October 28, 2023

Categories Travel Tips

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Don’t get me wrong – I love to travel, especially if it means flying. But the longer the flight is, the bigger the chance I’ll get bored.

Or if I’m camping, it’s tough to decide what to bring since you need to keep your luggage super light.

Don’t ever let yourself get bored on a plane again or go camping without some entertainment.

Check out my top 13 travel games for adults that will fit in your carry on or backpack, from playing cards to classic childhood throwbacks.

Classic playing cards

You can’t go wrong with a deck of classic playing cards when it comes to picking a travel game to bring along.

A single deck of classic playing cards provides nearly endless options for entertainment: Solitaire, poker, gin rummy, spit, war, magic tricks… the list goes on!

If you’re short on space but want to pack a travel game, classic playing cards are a fantastic choice due to the small size and the vast number of games you can get out of a deck.

Knock Knock On-The-Go Game Pad

Knock Knock makes quirky gifts, like sassy notepads and game pads.

The game pads are like a notebook filled with classic games like hangman, tic tac toe, and paper fortune tellers.

If classic card games aren’t your thing, a game pad with multiple options to pick from is a great way to bring along multiple entertainment options in a small package.

I have the regular sized On-the-Go Game Pad with the orange cover seen below.

Cards Against Humanity

If you’ve never heard of Cards Against Humanity, you are sorely missing out. This is one of the most hilariously fun games I’ve ever played.

Here’s a quick rundown on how the game is played.

Players are dealt 10 answer cards.

Then, each round 1 player draws from a deck of cards that contain questions.

The remaining players have to respond to the question with one of the cards in their hand.

The goal is to have the most funny or absurd response so that the player that drew the question card selects your card as the answer.

The cards can be purchased in many ways: teeny tiny cards for travel (as seen above, large packs for playing at home, and smaller expansion packs that are also perfect for travel.

The expansion packs are small enough to fit a few in your carry on or weekender bag!

You remember Mad Libs, right? It’s that notepad game where you fill out a list of missing words like nouns and adjectives, then fill in the missing words into the short story on the next page.

If you’re looking for a fun travel game for adults, check out Mad Libs’ adult series.

The Mad Libs adult series are based on topics like bachelorette parties, cheese and wine, dating, and dysfunctional families.

Mad Libs also makes some other great pop culture themed options, such as the 90s , Barbie , RuPaul’s Drag Race , and Stranger Things .

Monopoly Deal

Unlike the classic board game, Monopoly Deal is a quick game, making it great for flights where you might be looking for something quick to do.

The goal of the game is like the board game of the same name. To win, you must collect 3 sets of properties, such as all blue, all purple, and all red.

Phase 10 is a card game that is similar to rummy. It also reminds me of Yahtzee a bit.

The object of the game is to be the first player to complete 10 phases or sets of cards.

There are different versions of phases you can play, but the gist is that each phase is a certain combination of cards you must collect, such as 7 cards of a single color.

My friends and I used to bring this card game with us on road trips and day trips to the beach when we were teenagers. I always get a little nostalgic when I see it!

UNO is a classic card game where players are dealt seven cards with different numbers and colors. The rest of the deck is placed in the middle with one card turned up.

The concept of the game is that players must discard one of their cards that matches the turned up card in the middle by color or number.

If they can’t discard a card, they must pick up a card. The goal is to get rid of your cards to win a round.

The first person to reach 500 points from all the rounds is the winner. There are more nuances to the rules, such as cards that skip the next player, but those are the basics.

It’s a lot of fun and a great way to take up big chunks of time since you have to play multiple rounds to end the game.

Pump up the classic game of UNO with a fun themed deck, such as Stranger Things , BTS , or Schitt's Creek .

There are also variations of UNO, such as UNO Flip , UNO Dare , and UNO Remix .

Scrabble Slam

Scrabble Slam is a great way to bring the classic game of Scrabble on the road.

The game starts with a 4 letter word and the goal is to get rid of your cards by changing one letter of that word play-by-play. Trust me, it’s harder than it sounds!

TableTopics to GO

Table Topics is a great way to spark conversation, especially on long flights, bus rides or train journeys.

The concept is simple: each card has a discussion question. There’s no winning or goal other than to use the cards to facilitate meaningful conversation.

I have the travel themed Table Topics to Go and it’s always fun to bring on group trips.

Rabble: Travel Edition

This fun card game includes different challenges while trying to get players to guess the card you have.

For example, your card is a TSA agent and you have to give all clues in a French accent.

It's wacky and silly, but best of all it's packed 100% with travel-inspired cards and challenges.

Yahtzee to Go

You can't go wrong with the classic game of Yahtzee. The "To Go" version includes a cup, dice, and mini notepad.

Clue Card Game

Clue, the card game, is simply a card version of the classic game. Guess who committed the murder, with what weapon, and where by collecting clues along the way.

Shotgun! - The Road Trip Game

This super fun game of wacky challenges will keep everyone occupied and entertained on long road trips.

Each card has a different goal, such as conversion starters, quick answers, and challenges to keep in the back of your mind as you're driving along.

What are your favorite travel games for adults?

Let me know in the comments what your favorite travel games are. I’m always on the hunt for new travel entertainment to check out for my next trip!

For more ideas on what to do while traveling, check out my guide about best things to do on a plane (and what to not do!).

About the author

Meg Frost is a Boston-based travel blogger that helps people embrace technology to make vacation planning and traveling wicked easy, affordable, and fun.

She holds an M.A. in Journalism from Northeastern University and B.S. in Communication & American Studies from University of Miami.

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This post was originally published on April 20, 2017. It was last updated on October 28, 2023.

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The Best Camping Gear to Bring on Your Next Camping Trip - Frost + Sun

Friday 17th of June 2022

[…] out my post on travel games for adults for more ideas on fun, travel-sized games that you can bring on your camping […]

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The 10 best travel games for adults (updated 2022).

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• Type of Game Board game
• Age Recommendation 8+
• Game Duration 20 minutes or less
• Type of Game Party, fill-in-the-blank
• Age Recommendation 17+
• Game Duration 30 to 60 minutes
• Type of Game Card game
• Game Duration 15 - 45 minutes
• Age Recommendation 6 years and up
• Game Duration 10 to 60 minutes
• Age Recommendation 8 years and up
• Game Duration 5 to 10 minutes per round
• 9.20 /10 1. Editors choice: Hasbro Gaming Clue Diced!
• 9.50 /10 2. Premium pick: What Do You Meme?
• 9.60 /10 3. Best value: Monopoly Deal Card Game
• 9.35 /10 4. QuadPro Magnetic Travel Chess Set
• 9.80 /10 5. Dutch Blitz
• 8.50 /10 6. Go Trio
• 8.35 /10 7. Blockbuster and Chill
• 9.00 /10 8. Moose Farkel
• 9.07 /10 9. Bananagrams Duel!
• 8.80 /10 10. Pass The Pigs

Whether you’re waiting for appetizers at a restaurant, it’s started raining on your camping trip, or there’s just an awkward lull in conversation at a bar, it’s nice to have a game on hand to pass the time. There are compact, portable games for every taste, group size, and mix of ages to get the party going.

The best travel games for adults combine easy-to-learn rules, enough of a challenge to keep everyone interested, and often a reason to laugh into one small package that easily slips in a backpack or purse.

Our list of games below offer something for everyone from card games , dice-based games, to pop culture-based games, to your favorite classic board games made portable, to a ridiculous addictive game that will have you and your friends rolling tiny pigs. Make sure you have one of the best travel games for adults ready for your next flight, road trip, or trip to a café!

1. Hasbro Gaming Clue Diced!

To make the classic game Clue travel-friendly, Hasbro cut out the board and pieces for a quick dice-rolling version that offers just as much fun and suspense as you try to crack the case. The game supports three to four players that are eight years or older, making this a family-friendly pick to pass the time camping, and at hotels and airports. At just over half a pound, it's a lightweight option and the snap-shut compact case securely holds all the pieces.

Clue Diced! keeps the classic confidential case file envelope, and to play, you roll the suspect dice and bonus dice. Unlike the classic game, two of the six suspects are guilty — one using their brains and one using their brawn to commit the crime. Unlike the original, gameplay only runs about 20 minutes. Don't worry, this easy-to-learn version of the game has maintained all your favorite characters from Miss Scarlet to Professor Plum and the tiny detective pad to keep track of your suspicions is downright adorable.

There are two game modes depending on the level of challenge you're looking for. Detective Game is the basic mode and there's a more challenging way to play called Master Detective Game for more advanced gameplay.

• Elements of the classic game, made travel-friendly
• Family Friendly
• Quick gameplay
• Fun for 3 to 4 players
• Type of Game: Board game
• Age Recommendation: 8+
• Game Duration: 20 minutes or less
• Brand: Hasbro Gaming
• Compact size
• Secure carrying case holds all the pieces
• Limited number of pieces
• Stickers must be added to dice the first time playing

2. What Do You Meme?

If you're looking for the ultimate party game for a large group of adults, What Do You Meme? will fit the bill. This card-based game can be played by anywhere from three to 20 players over the age of 17 because of some mature — and hilarious — content. To make it more family friendly, you can easily remove any caption cards you find too risqué for younger teens, as the memes themselves are not inappropriate.

Each round of the game entails choosing the funniest caption for the image of one of 75 famous memes. The person judging rotates for each round. This game would be a fun icebreaker for a group of newly acquainted friends, but would be even better with a group that knows each other well, because knowing the judge's sense of humor can help in the choice of caption. There are 375 captions, so the possibilities are nearly endless. For larger groups, the meme can be placed on a small easel that comes with the game, but it works just as well flat on a table if you're playing in a busy bar or restaurant. The game runs from half an hour up to two hours. Get ready for some cry-laughing!

• Pop culture game
• Fun for 3 to 20 players
• Players should be 17 years or older
• Type of Game: Party, fill-in-the-blank
• Age Recommendation: 17+
• Game Duration: 30 to 60 minutes
• Brand: What Do You Meme?
• What's Included: 360 caption cards, 75 photo cards, easel, bonus rules
• Endless meme-to-caption possibilities means lots of replay
• Easy to play
• Can add expansion packs to keep it fresh
• Not family friendly due to mature content

3. Monopoly Deal Card Game

This simplified version of Monopoly is fast-paced, and it still offers enough of a challenge to ensure you end up with a Park Place-based grudge against friends and family. Unlike the three-hour slog that the original Monopoly can be, the game runs briskly for two players (as short as five minutes), although 15 is more likely. Scaling all the way up to five players, the game takes about 45 minutes, which is still hours less than a full-fledged Monopoly game.

The object of the game is to collect all the properties in three different colors. The action cards add a twist to the game, as you can earn money through rent, steal other players' cards, and collect birthday money from them. One relief? There's no banker in this version of Monopoly — but there are debt collectors! The durable set of cards are affordably priced and will more than earn a spot in your backpack, purse, or luggage. You can also still "pass go" with a special card, as well as force a deal, or build a house or hotel. The action cards can also be used as money if you prefer to keep the cash over using them for their action purpose.

• Card-based version of classic Monopoly
• Easy to throw in a backpack or purse
• Length of gameplay depends on number of players (less players equals shorter games)
• For 2 to 5 players
• Type of Game: Card game
• Game Duration: 15 - 45 minutes
• Brand: Hasbro
• What's Included: Cards and instructions
• Number of Players: 2-5
• Shorter gameplay than the original
• Family friendly
• Games can run 25 minutes for 5 players

4. QuadPro Magnetic Travel Chess Set

Whether you're a longtime chess player, got hooked after seeing The Queen's Gambit , or you're hoping to learn how to play, this folding travel set lets you easily take chess to a coffee shop or on a trip. The board measures just under 10 inches in each direction, folding in half for travel to bring the whole thing down to about 5 by 10 inches. It's well sized to pack up but not too small for comfortable everyday play.

The well-formed plastic pieces are on the light side, keeping the weight of this set manageable enough to throw in a backpack. The board has tiny support feet to keep it stable and to prevent slipping on slick tabletops as well.

The felt-bottomed magnetic pieces work well to prevent scratching of the board and pieces from sliding into the wrong spot, making this is a good choice for moving vehicles like a plane, boat, or train. The magnetism also helps prevent players from knocking over a piece during gameplay. This well-priced set comes with a handy velvet bag to hold the pieces, which store inside the folding board itself for maximum portability. Instructions are included if you're a little rusty on the rules or a first-time player.

• Travel version of the classic game
• Well-formed pieces for comfortable play
• Folding game board
• Included instructions
• Age Recommendation: 6 years and up
• Game Duration: 10 to 60 minutes
• Brand: QuadPro
• Magnetic feature prevents pieces from accidentally shifting
• Folding board keeps the game compact
• Support feet on the bottom of the board prevent sliding on tables
• Weighs less than a pound
• Plastic pieces not very substantial

5. Dutch Blitz

Dutch Blitz has roots in the Amish country area of Dutch Pennsylvania. This card-based game eschews turns, making it a fast-paced romp that tests your hand-eye coordination as much as your strategy.

Each player has 40 cards in their own color and design (plow, pump, carriage, or pail.) The red and blue cards are the Pennsylvania Dutch Boy cards and the green and yellow cards are the Pennsylvania Dutch Girl cards. The goal of the game is to use up your cards in numerical order from one to ten in the central group Dutch Piles, using up your blitz pile as swiftly as possible. The hand ends when someone empties their blitz pile and yells "blitz!" Blitz cards left over at the end of a hand are deducted from any points you earned by playing cards into the Dutch piles.

Each player also has their own Wood and Post piles. The Wood pile is placed to the player's right and is created from cards in the player's hand. The three Post piles are kept on a player's left side, organized in descending order and also boy-girl-boy arrangement, and they act as a replacement area throughout the game.

The first player with 75 points wins the game and the key is to move quickly, as all players are playing at the same time. While the rules are a little more involved than some card games, once you get the hang of it, it's a unique game that will hold everyone's attention.

• Unique card game
• Originated in Pennsylvania Dutch country
• Not turn based
• Up to 4 players
• Age Recommendation: 8 years and up
• Game Duration: 5 to 10 minutes per round
• Brand: Dutch Blitz
• Fast-paced game
• Can print additional scorecards for free directly from the Dutch Blitz site
• Requires significant table space for all the card piles

This eye-catching game will remind you of tic tac toe -- in a good way! GoTrio is the travel version of Otrio , a hit game meant for four players. The easy-to-teach rules are deceptively simple: get three in a row or in a single spot. Taking this game to the next level, the colored peg and two concentric circular pieces offer three different ways to win. Getting all of your pieces in one spot is one way to win, as is getting all your pieces in one size in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row. The third way to win is by getting one piece of each size in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row as well.

This travel game is can be used by two to three players, and this highly-rated, addictive game has a quick playtime of about 10 minutes. While it can be played by children as young as eight, it requires enough strategy and planning ahead to entertain and intrigue adults as well. Thanks to its limited number of pieces and handy carrying case (which snaps securely shut), this game is easy to tuck in a backpack or purse for hours of fun at restaurants and bars, or on flights, road trips, or camping.

• Three ways to win
• Portable carrying case snaps closed securely
• Similar to tic tac toe, taken to the next level
• Game Duration: 10 minutes
• Brand: Marbles Brain Workshop
• Quick playtime
• Simple to learn
• Eye-catching design
• Not for single-player use

7. Blockbuster and Chill

Miss Blockbuster date nights? The compact VHS tape-themed packaging of this game will take you back in time. Grab a bowl of popcorn and curl up on the couch in front of the coffee table with this nostalgic teamwork-driven trivia game that is perfect to take on vacation. While only two players can play at once, it's a great fit for nights where not everyone is up to playing a game.

The game can be played on its own or added on as an update to the hit original Blockbuster game. While you don't need to be a major movie buff to win, it definitely helps to have seen a few movies! Speed is of the essence during your timed turns as you try to get your partner to correctly guess their mystery movie title by saying famous movie quotes, using charades-style acting, or describing memorable scenes.

Remember late fees? They are worked into the gameplay too — once you have three, the game is over. Yeah, we didn't miss them either. Players are forced to get creative with the categories on the popcorn cards like "movies with sharks" and "movies that aren't suitable for kids" before time runs out. An optional included app helps time the one-minute rounds for each popcorn card, keeping the game moving along nicely as you alternate who picks up a popcorn clue card. Setup and cleanup is a breeze with this game and all the components fit neatly in the box.

• Nostalgic trivia game
• Involves teamwork
• Limited playing pieces
• Timer-based turns keeps gameplay length predictable
• Age Recommendation: 14 years and up
• Game Duration: 20 minutes
• Brand: Big Potato
• Can be added on to original Blockbuster Game, but plays well on its own
• Snappy gameplay
• Perfect for date nights
• No plastic pieces
• Limited to two players
• Younger players may not be familiar with all the movies

8. Moose Farkel

Farkel is a fast-paced dice game that's perfect for camping and road trips. It can be played anywhere you have a small, flat surface to roll the dice, like a restaurant or bar. For maximum portability, Moose Farkel comes in a pocket-sized carrying case and weighs less than two ounces.

The rules to Moose Farkel are handily printed on the inside lid of the case, so there's no worrying about losing them. Anywhere from two to six players can play, offering this game more flexibility as far as group size goes than many other travel games. While it can be played by anyone eight years or older, adults with a competitive streak will be just as engaged.

Gameplay involves rolling the six moose-themed dice with the goal of reaching 10,000 points before the other players. There are point values for individual dice and combinations of numbers (or moose) and a player can set aside dice from each roll to save that value and then re-roll the remaining dice in hopes of upping their score. However, this can be a risky venture. If a player rolls all non-scoring dice, they have "farkled" and lose all of their points from that turn. Once a player is happy with the score they've rolled or has farkled, they pass on the dice to the next player for their turn.

• Dice-based game
• Risk-taking gameplay
• For 2 to 6 players
• Type of Game: Dice game
• Game Duration: 20 minutes and up
• Brand: Farkel
• Portable and lightweight
• Rules printed on lid
• Highly rated by reviewers
• Need flat space to roll dice

9. Bananagrams Duel!

Challenge your friend or significant other to a duel with this travel-friendly twist on the original Bananagrams game. Each round is only about a minute long, as you and your opponent create a crossword-style set of words using any of the letters on your half of the dice. The aim is to use all 12 of your lettered dice in your crossword set, and the first player to do so yells "banana," winning a banana card for that round. An optional version of the game lets you gain one extra banana for each pair of rhyming words in your set. Once you've won 10 banana cards, you've won the duel.

This is a fast, family-friendly game reminiscent of Scrabble that will bring out players' competitive sides as they race against time -- and their opponent. There are also a few different ways to play to keep things fresh. One is a themed version where one of your words must meet the theme of the category card for that round (think sports & games, fruits, etc.) Another more challenging way to play involves working with the letters as they're rolled.

The small size of the carrying case and limited amount of table space required to play make it a no-brainer while you're waiting for appetizers to come out or any time you have 10 minutes to spare.

• Easy gameplay
• For 2 players
• Multiple ways to play
• Timed gameplay for predictable game length
• Type of Game: Word game
• Age Recommendation: 7 years and up
• Game Duration: 10 minutes for 10 rounds
• Brand: Bananagrams
• Rounds are only 1 minute long
• Doesn't require much table space
• Requires a flat surface to play

10. Pass The Pigs

While a game featuring tiny pigs may not seem like an adult game, this one truly brings home the bacon. Pass the Pigs challenges two or more players to roll tiny spotted pigs to score as much as possible, with points from each roll adding up to be a player's score for that turn. The risk is that you'll roll a "pig out," which is when the two pigs are each laying on opposite sides. This roll forfeits all the points you earned on that turn, and it becomes the next player's turn. Even worse is the "oinker" roll where two pigs are resting and touching, which brings your score for the entire game back to zero. Don't be surprised is everyone is ducking to table-level to verify that roll was, in fact, a "double leaning jowler," which is a rare and high-value roll.

This portable travel game features a clear carrying case that neatly keeps your pigs safe, as well as the instructions, a handy point card, a small pencil, and a scorecard. It fits well into a backpack or purse and can be a family friendly game to play with kids and teens -- but it can be a cutthroat race to 100 points, regardless of players' ages.

• Dice-like pig game pieces
• Included pencil and scorecard
• Clear carrying case
• For 2 or more players
• Brand: Winning Moves Games
• Portable size
• Addictive gameplay
• Need a flat, level surface to roll the pigs

Do Travel Versions of Classic Games Measure Up?

Many of your childhood favorites have been improved by revamping them into a more portable form. Gone are the tiny, fussy plastic pieces that used to end up under the couch, replaced by a set of cards or dice. The simpler form of these games allows for faster gameplay, keeping everyone involved and having fun. Freedom from the Draconian sets of rules and three-hour board games of your youth means players who would normally forego playing will get drawn in.

How To Choose The Best Travel Game For Your Group

While everyone's taste differs, most people have a few things in common when it comes to what they love about playing games.

People that love to laugh and employ their creative side will gravitate towards word-based games and games that let them showcase their sense of humor. Nothing goes better with a beer (or latte) than a game where everyone is trying to be the funniest. There are no true "losers" in a game where everyone is cry-laughing.

Have a group that loves to one-up each other? Look for a board, card, or dice game that appeals to players' competitive nature. Speed-dependent games up the ante, as do games that require more strategy than luck.

Traditionalists love the opportunity to take their favorite game on the road, which is where magnetic versions or games in a small carrying case come in. There's nothing quite like saying "check mate" in public!

Knowing the mix of ages that will be playing is key as well. Some of the best travel games for adults contain mature content you may not feel comfortable playing with a small child -- or your grandma. For the right group, however, there is nothing funnier than some off-color laughs to pass the time.

What To Look For In A Travel Game For Adults

The best travel games for adults have a few things in common: a small, lightweight footprint that won't take up much space in your bag or luggage being the most important. It's also important to choose one that has a limited number of pieces, to make set up and clean up fast and easy.

A simple set of rules is optimal for when you don't have much time -- like when you're waiting for a meal. Conversely, more rule-heavy and strategic games can hold attention longer for camping or at bars where you're not in a rush.

Whether you're looking for a quick laugh or an intense head-to-head duel, one of the above travel games will have you covered!

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The Best Travel Games for Adults

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One thing we love when we go on holiday is playing games together, as a family or couple. We’ll play games on the beach, whilst enjoying pre-dinner drinks, after dinner or once the kids are in bed out on the balcony. It’s such a nice way to pass the time.

So I thought I would put together all our top picks of favourite travel games adults can enjoy and play anywhere – from the easy, common games to travel card games, travel board games and games you may not have heard of before. They’re some of our favorite travel games, great road trip games and perfect for whenever you need a game to pass the time. We love how the compact size makes travel games perfect for game time wherever you are in the world.

Best travel games for adults

Card games are a great travel game option as they take up next to no space when packing and can easily fit in a backpack or pocket too. Perfect for train journeys, long car journeys or a weekend away.

Hearts is a classic, and remains a timeless game enjoyed by people from all over the world. The objective is simple: the player with the lowest amount of points wins. This is done through a series of card-swapping rounds where high valued ones such as the Queen of spades are to be avoided. For an online take on the game, Hearts.land features it as well as a guide looking into the history and rules.

Top Trumps are one of the original fun travel games and they come in so many different versions, with a set perfect for anyone who wants to play. Whether it’s Star Wars, Dinosaurs or Harry Potter.

Cards Against Humanity is now a classic game. The fill the blanks party game is set to push the boundaries of polite conversation, offend and shock. It’s hilarious if played with the right people. And there’s even a Cards Against Humanity Family Edition that is safe to play with the kids!

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is a family new game that has taken the game market by storm. It’s a fast paced party game where you just have to say those five words in order, play cards in turn and slam your hand down when there’s a match. It’s highly addictive!

Exploding Kittens has been one of the most popular card games for a few years now – and it’s fast paced and hilarious! It’s basically russian roulette with cats. There’s a new adult version too .

Uno has been my favourite card game since I was a kid. Simple to learn and great to play. Match the colours or the numbers, change direction, skip and play the wild cards at the best possible times!

Sussed is great fun and really gets you to learn more about the people you’re holidaying with – and see how much you really know about them too!

You also can’t forget the fun of classic card games. Pack a deck of cards and enjoy games of Rummy, Snap, Cribbage or even Solitaire if you fancy playing by yourself.

I used to love dice games as a kid and remember playing Yahtzee on holidays all the time. It’s such a timeless game that all generations can happily play together.

Strategy Games

I always love to play games that really make you think. Fun strategy games where each move can determine the outcome of the game.

Rummikub is a game that I’ve played since childhood and the travel version is perfect to take away on holiday. Up to four players and great fun that really gets your brain working.

Qwirkle is another fab game of matching shapes and colours. A game of skill and strategy that you’ll love playing over a few drinks on a holiday evening.

Ok Play has been our favourite family game for years but you can also play it with just adults, and it’s great after a few drinks too. It’s the best game of five in a row you’ll ever play.

The Catan Dice Game is a great on the go game. Just like the original Catan game , you need to build settlements and with the dice version, this is done with Yahtzee style gameplay. Easy to pick up and fun to play.

Tiny Epic Galaxies is a new discovery for us. You control a galactic empire, acquire planets and build a cosmic armada. Played with dice and a real need to think about each turn, it’s a game of skill and galactic colonisation!

Othello is a classic game that we only discovered recently. It’s a great strategy game of board domination, trying to get as many pieces of your colour in play at once – without your opponent flipping them over!

Boggle is one of my favourite word games and a perfect travel game. See how many words you can make using the connecting letters within a set amount of time. It’s so simple but great fun!

Scrabble is another fantastic word game – pretty much the classic word game – and one that so many people enjoy. The Scrabble Deluxe Travel Edition is great for holidays and weekends away too.

Bananagrams is one of our favourite games to play as a couple, with friends or with family. You make your own scrabble-like grid of words and keep playing until someone uses all their pieces. It’s fast paced and great fun.

Articulate is different to any other word game as it’s more talking than words! It’s hilarious trying to describe things without using the actual words and it gets even more fun after a few drinks!

Travel Size Board Games

Portable board games are a great option for travel. You can get travel size versions of most classic board games and it’s great to play board games over the course of an evening or even over a few days, dipping in and out of them as the mood sees fit. 

Monopoly is a really popular travel board game. Although it takes a while to play, you can always keep the game board set up and play over the course of a few days. The travel size game version is great for holidays.

Cluedo is another of the most popular board games and great as a travel came thanks to the travel sized editions. There’s nothing better than trying to guess who did it, what weapon was used and where it happened over a few drinks in the evening.

There are also firm favourites like Quadpro magnetic travel games – magnetic travel chess , magnetic travel checkers or  travel battleships are all small board games that are great for travel.

They all make for fun game play and can be picked up any time – no-one ever needs to be reminded of the instructions! Magnetic games are also great for travelling with, playing on the aeroplane or as an adult road trip game.

I’d also love to share links to some more fun road trip activities like road trip questions , the license plate game and so many fun car games , 

I hope that’s given you some inspiration when you’re looking for portable travel games in the future. I’ll add more games as I discover them and if I’ve missed off your favourite game please do get in touch and let me know. 

Donna Wishart is married to Dave and they have two children, Athena (12) and Troy (11). They live in Surrey with their two cats, Fred and George. Once a Bank Manager, Donna has been writing about everything from family finance to days out, travel and her favourite recipes since 2012. Donna is happiest either exploring somewhere new, with her camera in her hand and family by her side or snuggled up with a cat on her lap, reading a book and enjoying a nice cup of tea. She firmly believes that tea and cake can fix most things.

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Home » Gear » best travel games

Best Travel Games – Entertainment on the Go

Travel inherently means downtime. There’s waiting for transport to depart, the relocating bit, and a myriad of other periods of time when you can’t do much more than wait. How do you fill this time? You could impatiently look at your watch, stare into space, read a book – or enjoy your time by playing a travel game!

There are a whole host of travel games out there, and whatever your tastes you’re sure to find one that meets your needs! Whether you’re looking for the top travel size games for adults or maybe something for the kids, we’ve got it all covered.

Want to find out then? Simple – read on!

Quick Answer: The Best Travel Games

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• Best pick travel game – Bananagrams
• Best travel board game – Travel Monopoly
• Best travel card game – Exploding Kittens
• Best travel games for adults – Cards Against Humanity
• Best travel game for couples – The Date Game That’s Actually Fun
• Best travel games for flights – Boggle
• Best travel games for road trips – Battleship Grab & Go
• Best travel games for families – Dobble
• Best travel game for kids – Pass the Pigs
• Best travel game for pre-schoolers – Buckle Toy Bizzy
• Best travel game for 2 people – Connect 4 Grab & Go
• Best travel game for groups – Farkle

Bananagrams

• Price > $13.99
• > Lightweight
• > Needs just 2 players

Travel Monopoly

• Price > $9.99
• > Self-adhesive board
• > Up to six players

Exploding Kittens

• Price > $20
• > Easy to understand rules
• > Small to pack

Cards Against Humanity

• Price > $29
• > Strictly for adults
• > 4-20 players

The Date Game That’s Actually Fun

• Price > $14.59
• > Includes all you need to play
• > Best played as a couple

• Price > $16.99
• > All the parts kept in a carry case
• > Can be played for just 3 minutes

Battleship Grab & Go

• > No need to pass tokens between players
• > Travel friendly

• Price > $12.86
• > Game for almost all ages
• > Metal carry tin

Pass the Pigs

• Price > $20.99
• > Doesn’t require adult supervision
• > Simple to understand

Buckle Toy Bizzy

• Price > $17.99
• > Specifically designed for pre-school children
• > Educational

Connect 4 Grab & Go

• Price > $12.99
• > Easy to set up

• Price > $7.99
• > Perfect for large groups
• > Games can be varied in length

Of course, we all know what the king of all games is, yes that’s right Chess. But I am going to presume you’ve all got your travel c hess set packed and ready to go and you’re looking for a accompaniment!

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Bananagrams is a firm favorite for those in the know, is easy to set up and play anywhere, and adds little weight to your kid’s backpack . A word-based game, it consists of 144 Scrabble-like letter tiles, with some doled out to players and the rest left in a central ‘bunch’. The aim of the game is to use up all your tiles in creating interconnecting words – rather like a crossword grid. There are no turns to be taken, but each player working on their own grid as quickly as possible, making it a fast-paced and very addictive game. Requiring just two players, it’s also possible to play with anyone from reading age upwards.

• Lightweight
• Needs just 2 players
• From reading age upwards
• Tiles could get lost
• Can’t be played alone
• Not for pre-schoolers

Is Bananagrams for me?

If you’re looking for a travel game that’s going to keep you entertained without needing a large amount of baggage space, Bananagrams could be for you! Scrabble fans and lovers of word games will definitely enjoy games, which at a minimum of five minutes in length, can be played at almost any time!

Our team swear by Bananagrams for their trips as they find it to be super fun, engaging, educational and most importantly, it weighs hardly anything and takes up no room at all in their bags. They also love how simple the game is to play and pick up too.

Travel Monopoly plays in exactly the same way as standard Monopoly, and the world’s favorite board game needs very little introduction! The small board folds in half so that the entire game takes up not much more space than a paperback book, and doesn’t weigh much more either (just 300g in fact), while a ‘self-adhesive’ board ensure counters don’t fall about the place at the first elbow nudge or spot of turbulence on an aircraft. With enough miniature versions of the traditional player pieces to make this a six-player game (with a minimum of two), it’s ideal for families, while the average game time of 45 minutes makes it a great distraction for airport waits.

• Self-adhesive board
• Up to six players
• Playing time of around 45 minutes
• Minimum 2 players
• Small cards/pieces could get lost
• Age range of 8+

Is Travel Monopoly for me?

Long waits and long journeys don’t need to feel like purgatory with Travel Monopoly in hand. Its 45-minute average playing time will see the time pass all the quicker, while the self-adhesive board helps the counters stay in place however bumpy the journey might be!

Our team are split on whether Monopoly is a good idea on a trip or not! They love the mini set up which plays pretty much the same as the bigger version and packs down pretty light. Some of them just wonder if it might cause a mid-flight emergency landing if things kick off!

Adored by those who have played it, Exploding Kittens is as whimsical as its name might suggest. A rapid-fire card game, the aim is to avoid picking an exploding kitten from the stack of face-down cards, while action cards add to the peril by giving sneak peeks and mixing up the pack in various ways. No bigger than a pack of playing cards (out of the box), Exploding Kittens is perhaps one of the easiest games to take traveling. It’s suitable for 2-5 players of more or less any age, with each individual game lasting around 15 minutes.

• Quick to play
• Easy to understand rules
• Small to pack
• Family-friendly
• Not for single players
• Maximum 5 players
• Cards could get lost
• Games last 15 minutes

Is Exploding Kittens for me?

A quick action family-friendly card game if ever there was one, Exploding Kittens so wonderfully bizarre, kids will love it, while the easy-to-understand rules mean even grandma and granddad can get involved! Small and lightweight too, this is an easy travel game to slip into a pocket for those times you need a little entertainment.

Exploding Kittens is a big hit amongst the team and they love how fun and easy to play it is. The game is also super light and portable meaning it can fit into pretty much any backpack without adding any extra weight. They also like how the playing area for the game is really compact too meaning you could play it on train or plane trays.

Certainly not a travel game for the kiddos, Cards Against Humanity at its best is rude, offensive, and potentially libellous too. So how’s it work? It’s simple really. The dealer reads out an incomplete phrase, which each player tries to complete in turn using words found on cards they’ve been dealt in a hand. It’s the dealer who decides the winner of each round, meaning the winner can be the most outrageous, most poetical, or most polite. A game for up to 20 players, it soon develops a party atmosphere! It’s one of the best adult travel games for sure.

• Strictly for adults
• Simple rules
• 4-20 players
• Easy to pack
• Requires a minimum 4 players
• Not for the easily offended!
• Not for public areas either!
• Game time of around 45 minutes

Is Cards Against Humanity for me?

Definitely not if you’re under 18 or easily offended, but taking that into account, Cards Against Humanity is what could be defined as a right-rollicking travel game, made all the better by the fact you can get up to 20 people playing at the same time.

Our team loves Cards Against Humanity and rate it as one of their best travel games for adults. The game is perfect for getting out at the hostel and breaking the ice. The only drawback is that the game is a little heavier compared to some of the others on the list. But it’s probably the most fun!

The premise of The Date Game That’s Actually Fun is pretty simple – the 330 questions are intended to test how well you know your partner! Though we can see how this could well lead to an argument or two, it’s also a great way of getting to know your other half better and passing the dead time of travel.

The Date Game That’s Actually Fun comes with everything you need to play the game on the move, with 2 dice and 75 prompt cards, across six different categories so you can really get to know your other half.

• Get to know your partner better
• Includes all you need to play
• Best played as a couple
• Number of questions limits playability
• Good for couples getting to know each other
• Compact and lightweight
• Could lead to arguments!

Is The Date Game That’s Actually Fun for me?

Certainly a travel game given its pocket size and weight, The Date Game That’s Actually Fun is a fun way for a couple to pass the time, or for hen/bachelorette groups, in particular, to get the party started. Hopefully, you know your partner well enough that it doesn’t lead to angry recriminations!

Our team felt this was also one of their favourite travel games for adults and kids alike with the addition of the different categories questions. They felt it was perfect for a bit of fun on the road especially when there is only the two of you.

The travel version of this word game is just as easy to play on an aircraft as the original is to play at home. Give the box a quick shake to mix up and settle the letter-inscribed dice within, open up the box, and turn over the sand timer. Each player must then create as many words as they can from the revealed letters, akin to a word search. Obscure words are best, since (infuriatingly) any word spotted by more than one player doesn’t count! But what’s great about this game is that you can play it for as little or as much time as you like (each round lasts just two minutes or so), and can even play alone!

• All the parts kept in a carry case
• Can be played for just 3 minutes
• Can be played with one player
• Infinite number of players
• Dice shaking could irritate other passengers
• Carry case lid isn’t hinged
• No note paper included

Is Boggle for me?

If you enjoy word searches or other travel games such as Bananagrams, you’re going to enjoy Boggle too! Ideal for a flight because of its compact size and simple gameplay, it also has an almost infinite number of letter combinations, that will keep you busy for hours!

Our team feel this is their best game for travel if the size is one of your main concerns. They love how compact and light the game is with all the parts also being super hard-wearing. They also love that the game itself takes up hardly any room in use and uses the box as its playing area.

Battleship Grab & Go

What makes Battleship Grab & Go so good for road trips? Well, it one of the few travel games that don’t require either a communal aspect (a deck of cards or bag of letter tiles) or the need to pass tokens between players. For anyone who doesn’t already know, this two-player (or two-team) game links guesswork with skill to track down the coordinates of each ship in the other player’s navy. The two playing trays are designed in such a way that pegs are firmly placed and can’t get shaken out of place whatever road obstacles you might come across!

• No ‘communal aspect’
• No need to pass tokens between players
• Travel-friendly
• Easy to play
• For two players/teams
• For ages 7+
• Pegs a little fiddly

Is Battleship Grab & Go for me?

Road trips mean plenty of time in the confines of a vehicle where it’s difficult to reach a communal pile of cards or letters, and can be hard to pass tokens between players too! Battleship Grab & Go has no need for these game aspects, and is specifically designed for use on the road!

Battleship is an absolute classic and our team loves it! Many of them have fond memories of playing it as kids. The team liked that this edition was made from durable materials and included two self-enclosed playing boards that keep all the pieces organised.

A card-based travel game aimed at children but still very playable by adults, there’s little to have to carry with Dobble, making it a great option for families who already have more than enough baggage with them! Essentially a version of ‘snap’ built for the twenty-first century, five different games can be played with the 55 card Dobble pack. The most basic sees players reveal one card at a time, in an attempt to match images between cards – each one has 8 different images of various sizes to make it extra tricky! The player with the most cards at the end of the pack wins!

• Game for almost all ages
• 2-8 players
• Metal carry tin
• Not suitable for pre-schoolers
• Cannot be played alone
• Game time of 10 minutes
• Won’t help teach literacy

Is Dobble for me?

This fun, fast, and sometimes raucous travel game can be played by anyone in the family old enough to be able to recognize different images (with another version available for younger children too). Educational and enjoyable to play, Dobble is a marvellous way of having fun as a family!

Our team are big fans of Dobble, especially for games nights in the hostel. They love that it comes in a metal box that keeps the cards safe when it’s thrown in their packs. The only thing they did say is that this game can get pretty energetic and rowdy, so maybe not ideal for enclosed spaces!

If you’re after a game that the kids can play on their own without the supervision or input of a tired-out adult, reach for Pass the Pigs! Based on the traditional game of ‘pigs’ that uses the roll of a pair of dice to determine points, this version sees kids drop small model pigs (that they’ll love in any case) onto the playing board, which is made up of several squares which can take or give points. The trick is knowing when to stop or play on (all down to luck of course), which keeps the game fresh and risky time after time!

• Doesn’t require adult supervision
• Simple to understand
• Very small to pack
• 2-4 players
• For reading age kids
• Game time of 30 minutes
• Pigs could get lost

Is Pass the Pigs for me?

The lack of a skill requirement means Pass the Pigs is suitable for a child of just about any age (although the board does include some writing). It’s also one of those games where you can leave them to it for a few minutes without supervision. It’s also small to pack and weighs very little, making it a good choice for traveling families!

The team felt this was a super fun game, especially for kids. They like that the pieces are made from durable and hard-wearing material and their box is strong enough to cope with the rigours of travel. They did feel it could get a bit tedious for the adults after a while though.

Specifically designed to be attractive to pre-schoolers, the upper side of the Buckle Toy Bizzle is decorated with a bright and cheerful face, while the underside has tabs for numbers 1 to 5 which lift up to reveal a series of stitched animals. Stretching out from this soft central section are 6 colorful child-friendly buckles of different sorts to help develop a pre-schoolers motor, cognitive, and problem-solving skills without even realizing it. A zip pocket gives a further reason why the child would love to have this around, while its 6 x 6 inch size and fabric construction makes it very easy to travel with, however far you’re heading.

• Specifically designed for pre-school children
• Brightly colored
• Educational
• Small in size
• For 1-4 years of age
• For one player
• No alternate games to play
• Small danger of catching skin in clips

Is Buckle Toy Bizzy for me?

Good, educational travel toys for pre-schoolers are difficult to come by, and let’s face it, if you intend on traveling you definitely need something to keep these young minds occupied! Brightly colored, and with little extras such as the hidden animals, Bizzy could be your child’s favorite for months to come.

The team felt this toy was super well made, which is essential when it comes to something designed for toddlers! The game is small and light enough to fit easily inside a backpack whilst offering a surprising amount of different colours, numbers, textures and noises to keep the little ones distracted! They also love that you can attach it to a backpack or the back of a seat too.

Connect 4 Grab & Go

Even if the name of Connect 4 doesn’t ring a bell right away, we suspect you’ll soon recognize its bright blue plastic frame and red and yellow counters. Connect 4 Grab & Go is the same as the original game, but smaller in size and with handy attached trays in which to place the counters. If you don’t immediately remember how to play, you’re simply trying to drop the counters into the frame in such a way that the result is a line of four consecutive counters of the same color – a little like an expanded version of noughts and crosses.

• Smaller version of a favourite
• Simple to play
• Easy to set up
• For just two players
• Counters can get lost
• Little variation in the game
• Playing time of 10 minutes

Is Connect 4 Grab & Go for me?

This simple, near vintage, travel game is easy to set up and perhaps even easier to play. With an average playing time of 10 minutes, it can be brought out even during short waits, while you’ll be surprised how addictive a game it can become!

Our team felt this was one of the best travel games for 2 adults or kids. This classic game is easy to get the hang of and offers hours of fun! The travel edition is super small and being plastic it’s both light and hard-wearing.

Finding a travel game suitable for a larger group would be difficult if it wasn’t for Farkle. Best described as the dice game Yahtzee built into a larger game, it can be played by an almost limitless number of players due to the fact each person takes turns shaking the six dice. With only specific dice combinations giving a player points nothing is guaranteed, while everything can be lost if you hit the Farkle combination. The winner is simply the person who reaches the winning points margin first – and as this can be as large or as small as you want, games can fit into whatever time you have free!

• Perfect for large groups
• Made in the UK
• Games can be varied in length
• Dice can get lost
• For ages 8+
• No skill required
• Dice quite small

Is Farkle for me?

If you’re looking for a game that can absorb almost any number of players (simply use more than one score sheet for larger groups – or draw your own) and doesn’t require skill or any complicated rules (we’re looking at you, Monopoly) Farkle is probably the game for you!

The team rate this game highly for travelling with it being so small and light. Another bonus for solo travellers or couples is that it works well with one or two people which is pretty rare, even rarer is that equally, you can play it with a big group. The team also feel the replayability is much bigger than many other games on the list.

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Reading the instructions and you might think Codenames is the most complicated travel game ever invented, but get stuck in and you’ll soon realize it’s not as difficult as it at first sounds! The aim of the game is to uncover all of each team’s secret agents, hidden within a field of possibles that includes ordinary bystanders and a very deadly assassin. But really, this is a game of word association, with clues given by a spymaster to their team linked in some way to the agents they are looking for. With so many combinations possible, you can play this game almost endlessly, with different combinations of team members making for very different results!

• Simple at heart
• Close to a traditional board game (without the board)
• Can be played almost endlessly
• Better with 4+ players

Is Codenames for me?

If you’re looking for a travel game that involves a little more skill and thought than the simple chance of something like Farkle, go for Codenames! This competitive and fun travel game will have you second-guessing every word given by your spymaster in the attempt to identify your undercover agents.

Codenames is one of my personal favourite games, I love how frustrating and fun it is anticipating your partners answer or trying to find a tenuous link between the cards! The game consists of just cards so it’s easy to take out of the box as we have and throw it in a sandwich bag for your travels. It lays flat and weight almost nothing. However, the game does need more room than a plane tray usually affords.

The traditional stylings of the box might not look much, but bear with us, for Catan is a big hit with everyone that plays it! Credited with igniting the recent craze for board games, Catan requires skill, strategy, and a little bit of cooperation between players too. The ultimate aim is to reach ten victory points and to do this each player begins building their own settlement through farming, trading, and other choices. Along the way, each player needs to watch out for the robber, who stops development of the settlements he’s landed on!

• Almost infinite playing board
• Suitable for all the family
• Games last around an hour
• Not simply luck
• Requires space for the board
• Just 3-4 players
• Lots of small parts

Is Catan for me?

Want something more than a travel game of chance and luck? Catan meets this need, with its requirement for careful consideration and strategy. It also emphasizes the need for cooperation, which is great for children and has an almost infinite playing board thanks to its jigsaw-like setup.

Catan is a classic and it’s one of my favourite games. The full-sized edition, whilst a surefire hit in the hostels, might just be a little on the large and heavy side unless you’re travelling in a car or campervan. However, there are smaller versions available where two players can play too.

Sequence Travel Edition

Made for travel, Sequence Travel Edition combines the basic premise of a number of games including Connect4 and poker into one large board-based travel game. The board has cleverly been placed within the lid of the plastic carry case of this travel edition and pegs that slot into holes replace the traditional chips used so that players don’t lose their place. Even the cards used in a miniature pack for travel, while the game itself is simple enough that children will be readily able to play. So what’s it all about? Fundamentally, it’s about connecting up a sequence of 5 cards in various ways that will keep your mind busy over and over again!

• Special travel edition
• Can be played by children
• Pegs can be a little fiddly
• Two-player version

Is Sequence Travel Edition for me?

Those who have played the full-sized version of Sequence might be a little unimpressed by the Travel Edition, however, for a game that will keep children and adults entertained for half an hour or more, we still rate Sequence Travel Edition as a fine travel game!

Our team felt this was a pretty fun little game that impressed them with its clever design where it was played inside its own plastic container. It meant it was compact and light and keeping all the various parts together wasn’t an issue. Most importantly, it could also be played easily on a plane, train or bus tray table.

Qwirkle Travel

The colorful playing pieces of Qwirkle Travel play rather like dominoes on steroids. The aim is to place connecting tiles next to each other, but instead of tiles comprising numbers, they are of various shapes and colors. An orange square can be placed next to a red square, which can be followed by a red circle, for instance. And to make it slightly more complicated, each color can only appear in a row once! The winner of each round is the player that has put down the most tiles, in the most rows, so some strategy is needed too.

• Travel version of the popular game
• Good for children and adults to play together
• One of the heavier games on our list
• For just 2-4 players
• Lots of small pieces to lose

Is Qwirkle Travel for me?

Easy to understand, but requiring enough strategy to keep players entertained, Qwirkle Travel is family fun at its very best. Though it can be a rapid-fire game, the thought required also means a game can last 45 minutes – an ideal length of time for many travel experiences.

Our team loves that this is one of those simple yet complex games where you can really get stuck in and engaged in the game. It really passes the time well on long trips with the level of concentration needed! They also feel that the bag and pieces are pretty robust too and like that it can be played with 2 people.

Top Trumps Wonders of the World

If you don’t already know how Top Trumps works, where have you been? Nothing to do with the 45 th president of the United States (that we know of), the Top Trumps deck of cards is divided among the players, who try and beat the other players by besting them on one of the card’s selected categories. What makes the Wonders of the World version particularly relevant to travel is its world theme, with plenty of intriguing facts to keep everyone paying attention while the game goes on. And that game goes on right up until the time when one player holds all the cards!

• Games can last as little as 2 minutes
• Easy to travel with
• Great for kids
• Travel themed
• Limited number of cards
• Best with 4 players

Is Top Trumps Wonders of the World for me?

A particularly good choice if you’re looking to drill some useful facts about the world into your children without them realizing it (such as the height of Mount Everest), Top Trumps Wonders of the World is also easy to travel with, and argument free – since all the facts are written down! Perfect!

Top Trumps has been a hit with me and my partner since we first met each other as teenagers! We’ve collected heaps of different versions but of course, as avid travellers, this version is a firm favourite. The game is simple, filled with interesting facts and fun to play. The cards take up hardly any room and the plastic case keeps them in good condition on the road.

Unstable Unicorns

The Exploding Kittens for the millennial age, Unstable Unicorns is as barmy a card-based game as they come! How does a player go about winning? By building up a powerful unicorn army of course! And you can’t do this without a little bit (alright, a lot) of friendly betrayal of the other players, seeing to the destruction of their own unicorn armies. With wonderfully vibrant imagery and an unpredictability no other travel game can match, Unstable Unicorns definitely belongs to the ‘once tried never forgotten’ list of travel games!

• Great design
• Ridiculously unpredictable
• Up to 8 can play
• 30-45 minutes playing time
• For ages 14+
• Higher price point
• Requires table space

Is Unstable Unicorns for me?

A great way to spend some quality time with your teens, or just a group of friends, Unstable Unicorns is like no other card-based game you will ever have come across. Quirky, cute, and evilly vicious in equal turn, up to 8 can play, with games lasting right up to 45 minutes.

Our team absolutely loves this game from the hilarious illustrations to the cunning gameplay, it’s got it all! It’s a huge hit at the hostel and really gets everyone interacting and having fun from the off. They also like that there are various different versions and expansion packs too so the game has huge replayability.

Mille Bornes

With a strapline of ‘the classic racing game,’ you can know a little of what to expect from this card-based travel game. A Monopoly for cars, players need to fill up on petrol, avoid accidents, and block the progress of other players to reach the end of the 1000-mile journey. Ironically perhaps, this is actually an incredibly fast-paced game, so pay attention! It’s also very easy to learn the rules, so you’ll be up to speed (pardon the pun) and playing before you know it!

• Travel version of a classic travel game
• Easy to understand
• Cards can be lost
• High price point

Is Mille Bornes for me?

Looking for an alternative to Monopoly? Mille Bornes fills that niche, without the need for a board. The resulting card-based game is a classic, particularly in its birthplace of France. Nothing gets classic status without reason, so why not splash out and try Mille Bornes for yourself?

Our team love the unique premise of this game and felt it offered something pretty different compared to most card games out there. The retro metal packaging was also great for travellers because it was still pretty light but made sure all the pieces stayed together and undamaged whilst in their backpacks.

Another classic travel game is Uno. Developed in the early 1970s, it is as fresh today as when it was first invented, which says a lot about the simple elegance of this card game. Using a specially printed pack of 108 cards, the majority of which comprise a color and number, the basic aim is to be the first player to shed all their cards through picking up and putting down cards based on what’s face up in a central pile. It’s a little more complex than that, with skips and wild cards among other features, and the need to shout ‘Uno!’ not when you’ve won, but when you have a single card left in your hand!

• A classic game
• 2-10 players
• 45 minute game time

Is Uno for me?

Uno rapidly becomes addictive, which is exactly what you should be looking for in a travel game when you have a lot of dead time to fill up without getting bored! Lightweight and easy to pack, and suitable for everyone from the age of seven upwards, your career as an Uno champion could start today!

Uno! What can we say, it’s a classic and a game all of our team needed no introduction to! I think we’ve all got a traumatic Uno story, ending up with a stack of cards just a few rounds after forgetting to shout “Uno”! But no one can deny the fun of this simple but tactical game that packs down super small and light.

An award-winning family strategy game, OK Play is durable, waterproof (being plastic), and a good size for travel, although the small counters might be troublesome for some families to keep hold of. Once you’ve chosen your particular color of tiles – held neatly on their own stack until they are needed – it’s simply a matter of placing down one tile at a time until one of the players manages to sneak in a row of five counters in the horizonal, vertical, or diagonal. Recommended for children from the age of 8 upwards, four different color stacks of counters make it suitable for 2-4 players.

• Award-winning
• Designed for travel
• Counters could get lost
• Requires a playing table
• For only 2-4 players
• Slightly awkward shape for packing

Is OK Play for me?

This counter game is so easy to play you won’t bore children with a long list of rules and regulations, yet at the same time is flexible enough to allow continued development of the skills and strategies required to make it a success as a player. Its durability and waterproof nature also help to make it an all-around good family travel game!

This game was new to most of our testers but they really loved how simple, fast-paced and addictive it was. They also felt when it came to travel games, this one was probably the most perfectly designed. It was super compact, so light and really hard to break!

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

What makes a game the best travel game for you, your family, and your friends? Here are some helpful hints and tips to guide you!

Packability

You’re probably already struggling to fit everything you want to take into your baggage, particularly if traveling as a family, so you don’t want to be carrying around a travel game that is either large in size, or overly heavy. Thankfully, these days the manufacturers have caught the hint, producing dedicated travel versions of many popular games, with Monopoly one of them.

Are you looking for a travel game that will entertain just a couple of people, have a group of adults enthralled, keep children busy during dead time, or maybe one that’s suitable for families? We’ve highlighted the age range each game is aimed at in our reviews, to make this really obvious for you!

Number of players

There’s no point getting a travel game that’s at its best with six players if there are only ever going to be two or you! Likewise, don’t get a game for two if you know the average number of players is going to be greater than this. Follow these simple rules together with our reviews, and you’ll find the best travel game for you!

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out travel gear, but when it comes to picking the best travel games, we’ve got plenty of experience between us!

Whenever we test a piece of gear, one of our team takes it out for a spin and puts it through its paces. When it came to travel games things were no different in our eyes, we just added in a few extra details.

So, we looked initially at how well-made the game is and whether it would stand up to the rigours of being thrown into a backpack every day. Then we accessed things like weight, size, packability as well as ease of set up and most importantly, gameplay!

Finally, we also take into account how much each item costs – when it came to picking out the best games for traveling, we also weighted up whether we felt each one was worth the price. We judged the more expensive items more harshly than the cheaper games as we expected to get more for our money.

Still have some questions about the best games for travel? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What are the best travel games for long car-rides?

Battleship Grab & Go is a great option for long car rides or road trips. The two playing trays are designed in such a way that pegs are firmly placed and can’t get shaken out of place whatever road obstacles you might come across!

What is the best board travel game?

Travel Monopoly might cause one or the other family war, but it’s the best board game on the market.

What are the best games for families or a group of friends?

There are many great group travel games, but Farkle and Dobble are the best ones. They’re perfect for all ages and all types of travelling.

What is the easiest travel game?

Connect 4 Grab & Go is simple and fast to learn, however, it requires one or the other brain cells.

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Forget hours of boring waiting at train stations , airports, and on road trips with our selection of the best travel games! Whether it’s a classic like Uno or a new kid on the block such as Unstable Unicorns, or something for adults or kids (or both), we’ve got you covered with our review! Hopefully, you’ve found some good travel games for your next trip.

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Thanks for this kind of blog about travel. I wonder if you tried to go on baguio cafes in the philippines?

Just an FYI…. Bananagrams can be played with one person. Bananagram solitaire is extremely popular and is a great way for school-age children to build their vocabulary.

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31 Best Travel Games for Couples, Adults, and Kids

31 best travel games – a fun way to pass the time.

Best Travel Games: Are you looking for the best travel games for the car or games to play when you are camping? I’ve put together this list of travel games that includes the best travel games for kids, best travel games for families, and best travel board games.

Table of Contents

I guarantee there is something for everyone on this list. From my favorite card game , to classic board games – I’ve only included games I have played and enjoyed.

I think it is always important to pack a fun game for times when you are waiting a long time to eat, or its raining, or you’re just looking for a relaxing way to spend some time.

50 Best Travel Games for 2021: Travel Game Reviews and Rankings

Monopoly deal card game – best games for traveling.

If you are looking for a fun and enjoyable game, then this Monopoly Deal Card Game is perfect for a family game and it is travel-friendly too.

This card game version of the classic Monopoly game is where the players’ race to be the first to collect  3 full property sets in different colors and will eventually win the game.

But, beware of Debt Collectors, Deal Breakers and Forced Deals. This card game plays from 2 to 5 players which approximately lasts a minimum of 15 minutes per round depending on the number of players.

This card game contains action cards, money cards, rent cards, property cards, and property wild cards. This game is very easy to learn and is suitable from age 8 and above. What is more entertaining is that this game has a great deal of play interaction. It needs players to read carefully and skills in simple math. Aside from that, the depth of strategies and tactics that players must use is highly entertaining in this game. Another best part is that you can bring this game anywhere and you do not have to deal with paper money and other little pieces from the traditional Monopoly game. 

Asmodee Harry Potter Dobble Card Game – best games for travel

Harry Potter fans will surely enjoy this dobble card game. This quick moving pattern recognition battle will let the players try to look for the single matching magical image between two cards.

In a Dobble Card game, there is only one matching symbol between two cards and if you spot it first then you will win the game. 

The card game features images from the Harry Potter characters like Harry Potter itself, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Hogwarts crest, creatures, wands, and many more. 

If you purchase this, the game comes in a tin case and is perfect for housing the circular shaped decks. It is small enough that you can put it in any kind of bag. It’s easy to set up and the game can last up to 3-4 minutes. The game is suitable for ages 6 and above and can accommodate from 2 to 8 players.

Sushi Go! – The Pick and Pass Card Game

In this fast paced playing game, the objective is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes as they pass by. This card drafting game is a set collection game for 2 to 5 players that will play in about 15 minutes.

This card game is played for 3 rounds. On each round, all cards are shuffled and each player is given out a number of cards at the start.

At the same time, each player will select one card and play it. Then, the remaining cards in their hand are passed to their left or right.

The cards played will give players points at the end of each round based on how well they did with the set collection. At the end of the 3rd round, the player with the most points will be declared the winner and the sushi master.

The different card types include Sushi Rolls, Sashimi, Tempura, Dumplings, Nigri, Pudding, Wasabi and Chopsticks.

MindWare Travel Qwirkle Board Game

The Qwirkle board game features an extensive amount of game choices, and that includes three tiles of thirty six color symbol combinations. The game involves a combination of logic and strategy yet easy to learn. 

The basic rules of the game are that you simply create columns and rows of matching tiles based on either their color or shape. Plus you score more points when you place a tile in multiple directions.

This game will definitely challenge children mentally and will help develop their ability to build complex combinations. It is also travel-friendly and comes in a pouch. 

PlayMonster 5 Second Rule Game – New Edition

This new edition of the 5 second rule game has more than 150 fresh and fun cards. You simply pick a card, read out loud the topic, and each player is given 5 seconds to name 3 things that fit the topic.

It seems easy, right? But can you do it under the pressure of a 5 seconds countdown?

 When time is not on your side, you get tongue-tied and just spit whatever word comes to your mind. Enjoy the game and get good laughs as funny and ridiculous answers to slip out as the timer twirls down. 

This fun and fast paced game are perfect for 3 or more players and suitable for ages 1o and above.

Everyone’s Favorite – UNO – travel games for adults

UNO Deluxe Card Game for with 112 Card Deck, Scoring Pad and Pencil, Kid Teen & Adult Game Night for 2 to 10 Players, Makes a Great Gift for 7 Year Olds and Up.

We all know that everyone loves UNO-kids, teens and even adults. This board game is definitely a perfect way for families to spend and enjoy an evening together. 

Players compete to get rid of all their cards by matching color or numbers and can even use an action card to keep the tension. If a player is down to one card, do not forget to shout “UNO”.

The first player to get rid of all of his or her cards wins.

Cards Against Humanity – travel games for adults

Cards Against Humanity is a party game for horrible people. But, unlike most of the party games that you played before, Cards Against Humanity is awful and awkward for you and your friends.

The game simply involves that each round, one player asks a question from a black card, and everyone else answers with their funniest white card.

The game contains 100 black cards and 500 white cards that players can replay the game many times. It also includes a booklet of the game rules.

Connect 4 Grab and Go Game (Travel Size)

The Grab and Go game is a compact and travel size version of the Connect 4 game.  It includes 21 red checkers and 21 yellow checkers. It also comes with a checker tray that folds up easily for easy storage after playing.

You and your opponent will get 21 checkers each and a chance to get 4 in a row. Also, both you and your opponent will get the chance to block each other’s attempt to connect your own checkers. 

This game can play only 2 players and is suitable for ages 6 and up.

SEQUENCE- Original SEQUENCE Game with Folding Board

This Sequence game offers a combination of fun, challenging and exciting games. As the player, you play a card from your hand, and then place a chip on the corresponding space on the board game.

You will know if it’s a SEQUENCE when you have five in a row. You will also have the chance to block or remove the chips of your opponent. The first player that will reach the required number of SEQUENCES wins.

This game is very easy for children and quite challenging for adults but it will develop your strategic skills. It can accommodate 2 to 12 players with ages from 7 and up.

Winning Moves Games Pass The Pigs

Pass the Pigs is a fun and addictive game that requires players’ strategic skills and luck. The game is basically a dice game, players will roll a pig dice with different values depending on how the dice land.

Each turn will involve one player to throw two pig dice, each with a dot on one side. If you get a Pig-Out or Oinker, then you pass the pig dice to the next player. If you get other than that, you may decide to roll again or pass the pig dice. The players either lose or gain points but it depends on the way the pig lands.

This game can play 2 to 4 players and the first player to reach 100 points or more will be declared the winner. 

The game comes in a travel size carrying case that you can take with you anywhere.

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere – Bingo – best travel size games

The classic bingo game features magnetic markers that are easy to use and hard for kids to lose and it also comes in a travel size form.

You simply need to spin the spinner and place your magnetic markers on the corresponding animal and if you have five in a row, do not forget to shout Bingo! And win the game.

The pack comes with 18 Blue Magnetic Markers, 18 Red Magnetic Markers, a spinner and a magnetic Game Board.

Suitable for 2 players with ages from 4 and up.

Battleship Grab and Go Game (Travel Size) – best travel board games for adults

This Battleship game mobile version lets you command your own battle from the flip open game unit. Each unit opens to block the view of your opponent.

It also includes carriers, cruisers, destroyers, submarines and battleships. Track your shots with the red and white pegs that come with the game.

When the game is over, you can easily store the game units and stack them together.

This game can only play 2 players with ages from 7 and up.

Scrabble Deluxe Travel Edition – best travel board games for adults

This play on the go edition of Scrabble is perfect when you are traveling as it features a beautiful wood folding case and if opened, it will reveal everyone’s favorite word game.

The built in game board contains a raised grid that holds the letter tiles in place. When you lift the game board panels, you will discover all the game components are neatly stored in two storage components.

Aside from the wooden case, it also comes with 100 solid wood Scrabble Letter Tiles, 4 scrabble letter tile racks, Scorepad, Pencil, Tile Pouch and game instructions.

Yahtzee is a dice game with a score sheet. If you like, you can roll the dice in a cup. You might enjoy the sound of the dice rattling around within. This inexpensive game is easy to play and a lot of fun.

This travel version is the perfect size to take with you on a road trip or keep in your RV to bring out when it is raining.

This party game of bluffing and strategy is easy to learn. The skull is a game in which everything is played in the players’ heads.

You must practice your bluffing skills and be careful if you happen to come across a skull which bears terrible consequences.

Each player will have three rose cards and one skull, add a card to the pile in the front and challenge your opponents. Rose cards are a safe bet, but you will lose one of your cards if you expose your opponent’s skull card.

To win this game, you must keep your card until the end of the game.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

This simple and hilarious game will definitely give you a good laugh for a get together. The rules of the game are easy to learn and a round will only last up to 10 to 15 minutes.

In this game, each player places a card in the front pile while saying taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza in the player sequence. 

Always remember the 5 words in mind and as soon as there is a match between a card an a spoken word, everyone will slap their cards on the center pile. The last one to slap their cards, will take all the cards. 

The winner will be the first one to get rid of all cards.

Bananagrams: Multi-Award-Winning Word Game

In this award winning word game, speed wins and not points. Players will race against each other to build words using their letter tiles.

When you use all your letters, just shout “PEEL” and every player will take a new tile and everyone has to rebuild the word as fast as they can.

The banana-shaped pouch is perfect for traveling and great for playing anywhere you are.

It’s perfect for a fun family night and friends get together.

Wonders of the World Top Trumps Card Game

You can play this game anytime and anywhere you go and with as many players as you like. It has an easy to carry plastic case that you can bring with you.

This highly entertaining and educational card game will definitely blow your minds with your Top Trumps knowledge. From the grand canyons to waterfalls, this game will take you around the globe and its Wonder of the World.

It also has a Treasure Hunt bonus game where you will answer questions on the card and decipher the code to unlock prizes online.

SKYJO by Magliano 

In this game, the objective is to gain as few points as possible over the course of several turns. After each round, every player’s points are counted and added to his score. 

When a player reaches 100 or more points, the player with the feast points wins the game. It is important to look for a low or negative number to collect fewer points. 

This is suitable for family, adults, and kids and perfect for travel and holiday games.

Gamewright Qwixx – A Fast Family Dice Game Multi-colored

The Qwixx Dice Game  is a fun and exciting game that involves players with some quick thinking and math skills. Each player takes a turn to roll six dice of different colors, and the more numbers you cross off from your scorecard, the more points you score.

The game ends when a player strikes four penalties or strikes off a second color. Enjoy and engage your family, kids and friends with this simple and fun game.

R & R Games Hanabi Card Game

Players need to work together in this challenging card game with a twist. Each player will have 5 cards and the twist is that you can see everyone’s card except your own card. You must give each other important information and remember all the information you received. Using the information, you will choose which cards you will use to play.

The key to this game is helping each other play the right cards at the right time.

WE Games Cabinet Cribbage Set – Solid Wood Continuous 3 Track Board with Easy Grip Pegs

This classic game involves battlefield strategy. It comes with 30 red army pieces, 2 label sheets, rules and a gameboard. Suitable for 2 players ages 8 and above.

The cribbage is known for its cribbage board or the crib used for scorekeeping. It features holes, known as streets, lanes or tracks where the score is tallied with pegs.

Use your army wisely and decide on a plan to capture the flag of your opponent.

Nicole LaBarge

Nicole is a travel expert who has been traveling to the American Southwest since 1992. There is so much to see and do in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and California. I spend part of the year in Phoenix and travel around the area visiting all the best places and going on the best hikes. Check out my detailed destination guides, the best hiking in each state guides, and the travel gear you need for your next trip.

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Going on a road trip? These games will help you pass the time 

From classics like Scrabble and Uno to newer hits that prioritize conversation and connection, these games will appeal to everyone in the car.

No matter where you’re going on a road trip, travel games can be a great way to pass long hours in the car and create lasting memories.  

( Looking for ideas on where to go? Here are 25 essential drives for a U.S. road trip. )  

The best travel games should be small and light enough to pack with you. They should appeal to a wide range of ages and interests. And of course, they should provide hours of entertainment.

With that in mind, the classic card game Uno is our top choice for best overall travel game. It’s compact, fun for everyone, and easy to pack and pull out when the mood strikes.  

But it’s not the only one. We considered portable games in several categories too. From classic board games to Ping-Pong inspired matches, here are the best travel games to take on your next road trip.

The best travel games by category

We break down the best travel games based on different categories like board games, card games, and more.  

The best travel board games

Purple cow magnetic backgammon  .

One of the best travel board games is backgammon, considered the national game in many countries across the Middle East and the Mediterranean. This portable version of the classic board game is magnetized so the pieces don’t slide around. Simply open the case, roll the dice, and play. The board may be smaller, but the strategy remains the same.  

Keep in mind:   The magnets on the pieces aren’t the strongest but do a good enough job of staying mostly in place.  

Product details: Number of players: 2 | Ages: 5 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 |   Size: 6 x 3 inches  

Portable Puck Shot

Sturdy wooden pucks and a Baltic birch wood case make this portable hockey board game ideal for car trips, camping, or spending a cozy evening in a cabin. You don’t have to be a hockey lover to enjoy this fast-paced game either. It involves a simple sling that fires wooden pucks across the board at your opponent’s goal.  

Keep in mind:   The Portable Puck Shot game is a bit large and heavy, making it more suitable for a road trip than for carrying onto a plane.  

Product details:   Number of players: 2 | Ages: 6 and up | Minutes to play a round: 5 | Size: 17 x 10.25 inches  

Scrabble to Go

Buy it now on   Amazon

It’s not hard to see why Scrabble is one of the most popular board games around. It appeals to players across generations, stimulates the brain, and can spark fun debates. This miniature version comes with snap-in tiles that make it easy to play on bumpy car rides or pick up later, after a break.  

Keep in mind:   The tiles on this mini version are small, which may take some getting used to for some players.

Product details: Number of players: 2 to 4 | Ages: 8 and up | Minutes to play a round: 25 | Size: 10.63 x 2.50 x 10.63 inches

Best travel card games  

Song survivor.

This travel card game is a great way to kick off singalongs in the car or hotels after a long day of travel. Developed by Black-owned small business Doin’ The Most, the game involves drawing cards with one word, prompting each player to sing a song containing that word. If a player messes up the lyrics or can’t think of a song in time, they’re out. This card game is designed for players (and crooners) 13 and up, with easy and hard modes to help make the game as challenging as you want.  

Keep in mind:   Not everyone is into singing outside of the shower, so consider your audience of fellow players before bringing this one along.  

Product details: Number of players: 2 and up | Ages: 16 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 | Size: travel size  

52 Essential Conversations

The premise behind this intriguing travel card game springs from the idea that the art of engaging conversation never goes out of style. It’s a “social-emotional” learning game designed to get players thinking and talking about topics that can help people—including kids—open up, improve social skills, and spark creativity. The cards come in a small tin box, making them easy to keep organized and bring anywhere.  

Keep in mind: Although this travel card game is designed for players 5 and up, some questions lean more adult. If you’re playing with a multigenerational group, you can skip the questions better suited to adults or take them out of the deck before you play.  

Product details: Number of players: 2 and up | Ages: 5 and up | Minutes to play a round: NA | Size:   3 x 2 x 1 inches

This popular family card game is equally fun to play while traveling. You can go head to head with just one other person or as many as 10. The objective is to be the first person to get rid of all your cards. But achieving that goal depends on the luck of the draw. Just don’t forget to shout “Uno!” when you’re down to your last card. We love that this version comes in a sturdy tin for safekeeping.

Keep in mind:   This version of Uno incorporates graphic symbols on the cards so players with colorblindness can play too.  

Product details: Number of players: 2 to 10 |   Ages: 7 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 | Size: 3 x 2 x 5 inches

Exploding Kittens

Easy to learn and loads of fun, Exploding Kittens is a cheeky card game loosely based on Russian roulette. Players draw cards, but use strategy (plus special “immunity” cards) to avoid drawing an “exploding kitten” card. With its compact size and lack of any additional game pieces, this card game is a hilarious way to pass the time while traveling.

Keep in mind: This card game is available in English, but other languages (German, Spanish, Italian, and French) are in the works.  

Product details:   Number of players:   2 to 10 | Ages:   7 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 | Size: ‎4.41 x 6.38 x 1.5 inches  

Best travel games for adults

Pepper pong.

This portable spin on Ping-Pong and pickleball is one of the best travel games for adults. About the size of a shoebox, the game sets up virtually anywhere in a matter of seconds. Place the foldable net (called a Fence) on a picnic table at the park or any other relatively flat surface, and you’re good to go. The game’s three ball sizes (called Peppers) give you options for how aggressively you want to play. You can also feel good about purchasing this portable travel game—the makers say they donate a set to a recovery center or addiction-focused homeless center with each set they sell.  

Keep in mind:   There’s no official age minimum for this game. If you can swing the racket you can play. You’ll need a flat surface to set up.

Product details: Number of players: 2 to 4 | Ages: 3 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 | Size: 12 x 7 x 4 inches

The Hygge Game

Buy it now at   Uncommon Goods

Hygge is the Danish word for coziness and the basis for this 300-question portable travel game. The questions are designed to foster meaningful conversations among friends and family members. Play it during long car rides, in a candlelit, hygge-inspired restaurant, or anyplace where you want to spark fun and thoughtful connections.  

Keep in mind: Some of the questions go pretty deep and might surprise people who prefer more superficial lines of interrogation.  

Product details: Number of players: 2 and up | Ages:   14 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 |   Size:   5.70 x 5.70 x 1.80 inches

Parents Are Human

Like the Hygge Game, Parents Are Human is a card game that fosters understanding and connections. This specific deck (others are designed for friends, romantic partners, and siblings) focuses on immigrant families, making it a great game for family road trips. Each set includes 50 question cards and 20 action cards in English on one side and another language on the other ( Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, and Thai).

Keep in mind:   Some reviewers say you can’t play this card game many times with the same people.  

Product details:   Number of players: 2 and up | Ages:   13 and up | Minutes to play a round: NA | Size: ‎3.81 x 2.81 x 1.44 inches

Where Should We Begin

This traveling card game stems from relationship therapist and author Esther Perel’s Where Should We Begin podcast and is ideally suited for adults. Cards with topics like “A dream I’ve never shared” and “One of the things that is keeping me up at night” help travel companions learn more about each other in an approachable way.

Keep in mind: Many reviewers prefer not to use the dice and pull randomly from the deck of cards instead.  

Product details: Number of players: 2 to 6 players | Ages: 18 and up | Minutes to play a round: NA | Size:   9.4 x 4.9 x 2.6 inches  

Best travel games for kids

Nex playground.

This compact game console works as a portable travel game that the whole family can play while on the road. The colorful cube uses motion sensors (with controllers or wearable gear) for family-friendly competition. Just plug Nex Playground into a TV and tap the library of more than 20 games and experiences ranging from dance-offs to sports competitions and activities like jumping in puddles with favorite cartoon characters.  

Keep in mind: You’ll need floor space of about 8 feet by 8 feet to play, since the game requires moving around. If you’re in a small hotel room or other tight space, that can be challenging.  

Product details:   Number of players: Up to 4 | Ages: 5 and up | Minutes to play a round:   5 | Size: 2.83 x 2.83 x 2.83 inches

Kanoodle Ultimate Champion

Popular on TikTok, this puzzle game can easily pack up and go with you on your next road trip. It comes with over 500 puzzles and a timer, challenging family members to use problem solving and spatial reasoning skills to beat the clock in time.  

Keep in mind:   This game requires two AAA batteries to operate.  

Product details: Number of players:   1 | Ages:   7 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 to 30 | Size: ‎5.75 x 2 inches  

Play Monster Take ’N Play Bingo

Kids can spend hours playing this traveling bingo game. The animal-based bingo cards are built into a metal case that closes for easy storage and transport. Two players take turns spinning the spinner and placing magnetic markers on the matching animals.

Keep in mind:   The magnet is built into one side of the marker pieces, so they’re not the strongest at staying put on the board. However, this game is hard to beat for an affordable and fun option.

Product details: Number of players:   2 | Ages:   4 and up | Minutes to play a round: 5 | Size:   1 x 6.50 x 6.50 inches

Pass the Pigs

Families will get a kick out of this adorable dice game that involves rolling a pair of pig-shaped pieces to score points. The first player to score 100 points wins. It’s also a great game to play anywhere while traveling, since it only requires a flat surface to play, plus the pigs, scoring pads, and pencils fit in a small plastic storage case that easily tucks into a backpack.  

Keep in mind: Small parts could pose a choking hazard for younger kids.  

Product details: Number of players:   2 | Ages:   7 and up | Minutes to play a round: 15 | Size:   1.63 x 4.25 x 9.25 inches

Our review process  

The best portable travel games are compact and light enough to take on a road trip or flight, can be contained in a case, and are still fun after multiple rounds of play.

Size:   Travel games shouldn’t be large and heavy. They should be small and light enough to fit easily into suitcases and carry-ons.

Multiplayer: Games for two or more players are best, since the whole point of travel games is to keep everyone entertained.  

Fun-factor: Travel games can help stave off boredom between activities, while you’re in transit, or during travel delays. So make sure you choose games that appeal across ages, interests, and have enough variety for the long haul.  

Tips for buying travel games

Size of the game

When it comes to the best travel games, size matters, whether you travel with just a carry-on suitcase or don’t want to bulk out your checked baggage. Look for games that are contained in a case small enough to fit into a backpack. On road trips, you can get away with larger games, especially if you’re driving your own vehicle.  

Game ratings and popularity

A game’s ratings and popularity can give you a good idea for whether or not it will work for your needs. A sure-fire tip is to look for reviews by customers with similar travel styles and companions as your own.  

Players’ ages

It goes without saying, but you’ll maximize fun by packing travel games that are appropriate for everyone in your group. Consider bringing a couple of games–one for spending time with the kids and another for adults.  

Time it takes to play a round

When shopping for the best travel games, keep in mind that some people can take longer to finish a game than others. Consider your travel companions’ attention spans and choose accordingly.  

Frequently asked questions

Are there travel-sized board games?

Yes, many classic and unique board games come in travel sizes. Some even have travel-friendly modifications, such as magnets to prevent pieces from sliding off the board and carrying cases that keep everything contained.  

How do you know if a game is good for traveling?

Some games are better suited to travel than others. Card games with a carrying case and board games that don’t have too many loose parts (or are magnetized) tend to be good options for the road. Consider the size and weight of the travel game’s carrying case too. Make sure there’s enough room among everything else you’re packing for your trip.  

What are the best travel games for an airplane?

Since space is limited on an airplane, look for games that don’t take up more room than a typical airplane tray table. You’ll also want travel games that can handle turbulence and that you can quickly and easily pick up, in case you need to get out of your seat for a neighbor.  

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20 Best Board Games for Travel for 2024 (+ Card Games!)

Want to know the best board games for travel? Here are some of the best travel board games for your upcoming adventures…

The joy of being on the road is often the major reason we go on road trips. Sometimes there’s no zeal to do anything – just enjoy the air and time away. But even a short journey can quickly become boring when there’s nothing to do, especially if you’re traveling with someone, in a group, or with family. That’s why a good travel board game makes for a great addition to any packing list. They’re also great to keep everyone away from the TV in the evenings.

The best travel board games are an excellent way to pass the time whether on a trip or at home. From travel delays, long journeys, sleepless nights, or bad weather, board games for travel help kill the boredom. With this list, you can choose some of the best board games for travel. 

Best Board Games for Travelling 

There are tons of travel board games you can take with you on a trip, but you have to be sure they are sturdy, compact and designed for the road. Ranging from cards, boards, to dice, these are all the best board games for travel, for both kids and adults. 

1. Monopoly Deal Card Game  

Monopoly is one of the most popular classic travel games you can enjoy with 2 to 5 players, but this is the portable version. It’ll keep you entertained for hours, whether at home or on the road. Collect three complete property sets of varying colours with the cards, and you’re the winner. 

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With Monopoly Deal you can pick up more properties on the way and receive rent from your opponent. This card version of monopoly is the perfect card game to keep you and your travel companions busy for hours. It is great for camping trips, long journeys, vacations, sleepovers, and just about anywhere else. 

Ben and I play this one a lot, or at least we did when we rented a VW campervan and went to rainy Wales. This is a great board games for travelling as it’s so compact.

2. Jax Sequence  

Jax Sequence is both challenging and fun, making it the perfect family game. It’s a board game for both kids and adults and allows 2 to 12 players. Using a card with you, and then placing a chip on the matching space on the board, you can win if you’re the first player to meet 5 in a row. 

All the while you’re trying to block your opponent or remove their chips, watch out for the jacks! 

[amazon box=”‎B00000IVAK” template=”horizontal” description_items=1]

This is one of those portable board games for travelling that offer fun for hours back at home and on the road. The game requires both strategy and a good amount of luck. It’s kid-friendly too.

3. Catan Traveler  

Catan Traveler is another exciting board game for travel with a space-saving box that reveals the variable board. The game allows for 2 to 4 players, so you and other players can plan together to keep your settlements, cities, and roads safe. It’s handy and easy to set up in only seconds. It comes with six double-sided board pieces, to be arranged randomly so that each play will be completely different.    

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The game was designed for convenient portability, with a hex-shaped dice shaker, making it difficult to lost or drop it on the move. The cards are also held securely in holder trays.

4. Skip-Bo Card Game  

Skip-Bo , a sequencing card game perfect for camping trips and vacations, was designed by the famous UNO. You can create stacks of ascending cards, in sequence until there are no more cards left to play. The game can be played by 2 to 6 players.

[amazon box=”‎‎‎B0000205XI” template=”horizontal” description_items=1]  

The Skip-Bo ‘Wild’ cards will help you to break off a tight situation. What’s more, you can play it as any number, while putting on your strategic thinking hat to defeat your opponent. The game is designed with bright colours and is quite easy to play. Be the first player to deplete all your Skip-Bo stockpiles to win the game.

After a game of Skip-Bo, you can re-shuffle and start all over. 

5. Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game  

This is a must-have travel game for road trips, especially if you’re travelling in a group. It’s a simple but super fun card game that offers hours of fun on the road and at home. It contains over 500 personality-filled, fun questions , and you can be the first player to get to the WIN space by matching other player’s answers correctly to your turn, and then writing the ‘favourite’ answer on the starred area. 

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There are no right or wrong answers, making it a fantastic way for the game to remain competitive while also getting to learn a little bit more about other players. This is the perfect travel game for passing the time on a long trip or during sleepovers. It requires 2 players.

6. Sorry! Game

This is one of those classic travel games where you drop manners to crush your opponent. Sorry! requires 2 to 4 players and as each player takes 1 to 2 cards, you can get 1 of your 4 pawns out of the start area and off around the game board.

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Like most of the travel board games on this list, you need strategies to win your opponents in this game of Sorry! You also need the luck to chase, slide, race, bump, and score your way around the board to end up as the first to move all your pawns home. 

That said, this is an updated version of the game. It’s perfect for all family outings, picnics, long trips and sleepovers.

7. Spot It!

Spot It! is an award-winning game that requires visual perception to test your reflexes and observational skills. With a keen eye and quick hands, and to win you’ll have to find the 1 single match between the 2 cards and the symbol, usually leading to a frenzy of fun while you and your opponents try to find it. 

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The game requires 2 to 8 players. And to make the game more exciting for travellers, this version is a combination of 5 different ways to play. It comes neatly packaged in a handy grab ‘n’ go tin. 

8. Qwirkle Board Game  

This travel-size board game of Quirkle is easy to play and fun. For a long time now, Qwirkle has grown in popularity for a lot of board game lovers. You can set up the game in seconds and it’s relatively easy to play from age 5. Expect each round to take around 45 minutes.

[amazon box=”‎‎‎‎B085H2F2X7″ template=”horizontal” description_items=1]  

While Qwirkle is great as a board game for travel, it’s also great for home use so you can practice your skills. 

9. QuadPro Magnetic Travel Chess Set  

This Quadpro version of the chessboard game was specially designed for chess lovers on the move. It’s a foldable, plastic chess set magnetically attached to the bottom of each of the pieces to prevent them from going missing on the road. It maintains the 64-square playing field with the complete chess pieces.

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This travel board game is a great way to pass the time in transit, camps, at school, or home. The QuadPro magnetic travel chess set is designed for compactness to keep it safe, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking either.

10. Magilano SKYJO

Magilano SKYJO requires 2 to 4 players and with a little bit of space in front of you, you can enjoy this travel card game. The game also requires strategies and with 2 face-up, 12 hidden cards, each player picks it, in turn, to take the top card from the draw or discard pile. 

[amazon box=”‎‎‎‎‎B06XZ9K244″ template=”horizontal” description_items=1]  

Exchange 1 card from your 12 cards display, and keep doing so until you or other players have only open cards. When the round ends, then it’s time to add your cards for scoring with the lowest number to win.

It’s easy to play with and also portable. The game is addictive and can be enjoyed on the floor, table, or anywhere else.

11. Connect 4 Grab and Go Game  

Connect 4 Grab and Go is easy to play, and it’s all about lining up your counters in order to ensure 4 are arranged in a row. It could be up-down, left-to-right, or diagonal. As long as you have four counters sitting together in a direction, you’ve won.

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It’s a competitive travel game to play on a trip and is also a fun way to pass the time in a group.

12. Boggle  

Boggle isn’t as popular as some of the other board games for travel on this list, and it can be a little challenging to get right the first time, especially for non native speakers. However, it is fun-filled and after the first few games, you’ll get it.

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All you need to do is shake up the letters and flip the timer. After that, you then spot the words that appear as fast you can. It’s a competitive and fun game that tests your command of the English language as well as your ability to think fast.

13. Apples to Apples Party Box

Apple to Apples isn’t just exciting, but also hilarious and the perfect travelling board game to play away the time. It’s just as much fun to play at home as it is on the road. To win the game, you have to win the most rounds by playing a ‘red apple’ card to best match the round’s communal ‘green apple’ card, as selected by that round’s player. 

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With 63 Green Apple Cards and 441 Red Apple Cards, there are tons of crazy combinations you can find. Also, the game requires 4 to 8 players. Mattel is one of the most popular travel board games – and for a good reason.

14. Czech Games Codenames  

This exciting spy game of Codenames requires teams to compete to find out who can make contact with all of their teammates (agents) first. With 1-word clues, you and your agents must try to discover (guess) the words of your team colour, at the same time avoiding the ones that belong to the opponents. 

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To play this game, get your spy mode switched on and work as a team to win. It is a fun game you can play in a group and on trips. Another thing is to be on the lookout for double agents and any assassin trying to get you. Whether you lose or win, it’s still fun to pick up all the clues in this portable game. It’s for both kids and adults and requires 2 to 8 players.

15. Taco vs. Burrito  

Taco vs. Burrito is a fun, crazy, and strategic game that involves a food fight. One of the major reasons the game is popular is because it was created by a 7-year-old and funded through Kickstarter. 

If you enjoy card games and food combos, Taco vs. Burrito is the game for you. The game requires 2 to 4 players and you can use the cards dealt to start making any crazy food combinations you want. You can as well switch up the game with action cards for extra ingredients to win. 

Also, remember to keep an eye out for Order Envy or Health Inspector that can ruin your appetite and meal. This is a great travel board game for kids.   

READ MORE: Have a go at my Road Trip Quiz – see how high you can score!

16. Mattel Games UNO: Classic Tin Box  

Like most Mattel games, this classic box UNO game is one of the most popular classic travel games out there. Race against 2 to 10 of your opponents to rid yourself of your hand as you try to match cards on the board by either number or colour.

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You can use special cards like Reverses, Skips, Draw-2s, and even color-changing Wild Cards to boost your chances of becoming the winner. The game is perfect for camp trips, family outings, sleepovers, campervan trips, etc. 

17. Smart Zone Games Hive Pocket  

This is a very strategic game that only requires two players. It’s a board game (can be played on any flat surface) that comes with its own travel bag. You and your opponent can break open the 22 pieces from the Hive Pocket to form the patterns to be used as the playing surface. 

[amazon box=”‎B074G1R4N4″ template=”horizontal” description_items=1]  

The objective is to surround your opponent’s queen while keeping your queen safe. Anyone that surrounds their opponent’s queen first is the winner. 

18. Blokus Game  

Blokus is an exciting game that needs a strategy to win. The game requires only two players and can be enjoyed both at home and on the move. The rules are pretty easy to learn. Each player has to take turns to place their 21 pieces on the board to ensure that each piece touches another piece of similar colour – but it has to be at the corners. 

You can protect your territory by blocking your opponent’s moves at every turn to win. The game is made with wipeable, sturdy materials, making it perfect for road trips. 

19. Yahtzee

Yahtzee is one of the most timeless classic games, and for good reason – it’s portable, fun, and relies on a healthy dose of chance and skill!

In case you’re unfamiliar with the rules, Yahtzee is a game where the goal is to win the highest number of points by rolling three dice up to three times. Certain dice can be locked into place for the second and third rolls, so it’s important to plan your strategy accordingly.

This game’s player count is flexible depending on how many dice you have, and the best part is that it can be played online or physically. So if you’re stuck in the car and worried about little game pieces getting lost in the crevices, give the digital version of this game a try!

20. Solitaire

If you’re worn out and need to keep the kids quiet, why not have them try a game they can play by themselves?

That’s right – solitaire is the perfect game to try if you need that extra beauty rest on the road. The physical version of this game can be messy, what with all the cards and the order they need to be laid out in, but there are plenty of digital versions available.

The best board games for travel

Travelling is a great time to play a board/card game or two. You’re in a beautiful new location, but it’s fun to keep your mind and hands busy, especially with kids around. Step away from the screens and invest in one of these great travel games for your next trip.

Related Posts:

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• 19 Best Road Trip Gifts for Every Kind of Traveller
• How to Use RailAir With a Toddler: Woking to Heathrow T5 
• 5 Festivals in the Cotswolds to Check Out
• 21 Brilliant Gifts for Friends Going Abroad

Hi, I'm Vicky! I wrote this. You can find me on all the social media @VickyFlipFlop. I love a bit of adventure, will try anything once, and have a strong passion for the local food and drink, whatever it may be. I'm here to help inspire you to travel to places a little out of your comfort zone, or at least to explore the usual destinations in a different way. Stay, have a look around, and if you have any questions – let me know below.

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The Best Travel Board Games for Adults to Play

When you travel and want to have some fun on the road, here are the best travel board games for adults to try out.

What makes a great travel board game?

Board games are a great way to spend quality time with friends, family, and even strangers. These days, you can find a board game for any party size, age group, and general interests!

While some board games are massive undertakings, like Gloomhaven , others make for the perfect travel game. A great travel board game is both portable and usually has simple rules.

Many of the best games are smaller adaptations of an original game that you know and love. Whether you’re going on a road trip, traveling to different countries, or just need a fun way to spend time in your hotel room, here are the best travel board games for adults!

Exploding Kittens

Given the need for games to travel well, many of the games on this list take elements of a classic game and implement them in card form. Exploding Kittens does this in a unique way that combines luck with skill in a fast-paced multiplayer match.

As the name suggests, this game is all about avoiding the exploding kitten cards in the deck. If you are unlucky enough to draw one of these cards, you immediately lose.

Thankfully, there are many other cards in the deck to protect you against these detonating felines! Players can shuffle the deck, skip a turn, and even defuse a bomb if they have the corresponding card.

Exploding Kittens is easy to learn and games go by quickly! The premise is quite simple, but it’ll take a few rounds to understand what each card does (and when to use them).

You can play with anywhere from 2 to 5 players, and I’ve found that having more players makes things more exciting. The last person to avoid detonation wins!

Exploding Kittens has won awards , sold more than 10 million copies, and is one of the games you should pack on your next trip.

Here are some beginner tips for new players who want to pick up Exploding Kittens:

• Try to save high-impact cards for when the draw deck gets small. These include Attacks, Shuffles, and Skips. You need to be able to protect yourself from that final Exploding Kitten and these cards are a great defense.
• Play mind games with your opponents when they have a card that allows them to steal from your deck. I like to raise one card slightly in my hand when presenting the cards to an opponent. I vary the type of card that I raise (high- vs low-impact) to keep people guessing about my tactics.
• Try to sort your hand so you know where everything is. After several rounds, you will have many cards in your hand. At a certain point, it can be tough to remember exactly what you have available without glancing at the cards every few seconds. By organizing them, you’ll have an easier time refreshing your memory about the types of cards in your hand.
• Go after the players who have a small hand size. If you see anyone with 3 or fewer cards, this is typically an easy target. By minimizing their defense, you make them more susceptible to getting blown up by a kitten!
• Mix up your strategy when it comes to placing the Exploding Kittens. The most common placement is on the top of the deck, but savvy players will catch on to this quickly and just skip their turn. Change where you put it in the deck, including within the top 4 cards, to keep players guessing. Separately, placing it as the last card in the deck will often lead to opponents wasting valuable cards trying to avoid the kitten early.

Catan Dice Game

Catan Dice Game takes the award-winning board game and simplifies things by about 95%. The goal of the game is straightforward – settle the world of Catan by acquiring resources and building structures.

The dice version is a bit more casual than the original board game. Instead of the classic 2 dice with numbers on them, Catan Dice Game features 6 dice sporting colorful resources. This mechanic makes large board tiles obsolete and greatly reduces the amount of space you need to play. 

Since this is more luck-based, you don’t need to use as much brain power as the full board game version. Players use score sheets to keep track of their progress and games only take about 15-30 minutes.

Catan Dice Game is perfect for 1-4 players. It’s really cool that you can play it solo to get your Catan fix! Make sure to bring your pen or pencil on your trip since the game doesn’t include any writing utensils.

Tic Tac Toe

This is probably the easiest game on the list. The aim of the game is to get three of your shape in a row, either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. It may be an old game, but there’s a reason why Tic Tac Toe boards are still selling well on Amazon in 2022.

The best part of this game is how quickly you can finish a match! Two players take turns placing an individual piece, and the game is usually over in a matter of minutes.

For adults, you may want to switch things up a bit by playing a Tic Tac Toe variant. For example, 5 x 5 Tic Tac Toe is the same game except the winner is the player with the highest number of three-in-a-rows. Alternatively, you can get really crazy and pick up a three-dimensional Tic Tac Toe set.

One other nice thing about this game is that you don’t necessarily need a board to play. Some of my best Tic Tac Toe memories are using a pencil and paper. If you’re looking for low-cost, friendly games, look no further than Tic Tac Toe! 

This is a cute little game that may also make you hungry! Sushi Go is all about scoring points by collecting combinations of cards. You are rewarded for acquiring sets of the same card, and there are even modifier cards to further boost your score.

Sushi Go was created for 2-5 players, but I found the sweet spot to be 3-4. With this party size, you take out some of the randomness while still allowing plenty of room for strategizing.

Games are fairly short, with an average match lasting about 20 minutes. Whoever has the highest point total at the end of three rounds wins!

Interestingly, players select cards at the same time, instead of taking turns like in other card games. As a pick-and-pass game, players need to consider which card their opponents might need as they select for their own hand. If you’ve got a larger party, you should consider picking up Sushi Go Party . Up to 8 people can play this variant.

Even though Sushi Go is marketed toward a younger audience, it’s also a blast to play as adults!

If you’re looking to get better at Sushi Go, try some of these tactics:

• Cards move around quickly and you need to pay attention to which ones are available each round. It’s common that a card that you pass to the next player will come back around to you. Use this knowledge to make informed decisions about which card to keep and which ones to let go to someone else.
• Don’t go after the same set as other players! It can be tempting to try to compete, but more often than not you will end up with an incomplete set when you could have completed a full set of another card. This is especially the case for Maki Rolls which can often cost you 4-5 cards.
• Squid Nigiri is OP when it comes to point combos. Go after these if possible!
• Dumplings are high risk/high reward. If other people aren’t targeting Dumplings, try to sneakily get these in your deck for a huge points boost at the end of the game.

Bananagrams

This is the perfect game for people who like Scrabble but want something faster and more compact. Bananagrams is both entertaining and educational, with easy-to-follow instructions and fast-paced gameplay.

Players must form words using tiles from the ‘bunch’ of letters in the center of the table. The game begins with a “split” and ends with a “peel”, as players shout out banana-related terminology throughout the match. The first player to use all their tiles and call out “bananas” is the winner!

Since Banagrams is all about speed and word formation, it rewards quick thinking and a decent vocabulary. The website suggests anyone over 7 years old can play, but adults will have an easier time forming complex words.

Banagrams is great because of its small form factor and not needing a board. I’ve found that you still need a good amount of space to spread out your tiles, especially when you have 4+ players, but traveling with this game is very easy.

Chess is one of the most strategic 2-player games out there. The basics of chess are fairly straightforward, but the skill ceiling is incredibly high.

While chess is capped by the lowest number of players out of the games on this list, it can be the ideal choice for traveling duos who enjoy strategic thinking. Many available chess boards fold in half for easy transportation and are lightweight enough to toss in your backpack.

The goal of chess is clear – capture the opponent’s king. By understanding how each piece moves and the nuances of special moves, you can force a ‘checkmate’ on the other player. In this win scenario, the king cannot escape from being captured with any legal move.

Since we’re in a digital age, chess can also be played easily on a phone, tablet, or computer. By downloading an app, you and a partner can enjoy this fantastic game without having to even pack a board!

One of the best parts of the game is your ability to experiment. There are many common openings with several branching lines that you can learn to set yourself up for success, but just knowing the basics allows you to get started.

If you want a game to test your mind on your next trip, chess is a great option!

Monopoly Deal

Monopoly Deal is a great game for larger groups, with a suggested player count of 2-6. This is a pure card game , where players take turns drawing, playing, and discarding cards. The goal of the game is to be the first player to acquire three monopolies on the board.

Monopoly Deal may also be one of the most contentious travel games on this list. There are several cards in the deck which target a single opponent, resulting in a very aggressive style of play. There’s even a card that lets you steal an entire monopoly set for an opposing player!

This game comes in a compact size and has great replay value. The box suggests games should be quick, in the 15-minute range, but games can last much longer depending on the audience. If you have a big group who like to spend a long time contemplating their next move, games can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.

Another thing to note is that you’ll need a good bit of tabletop space to play if you want things to be comfortable. At any given point, there are likely to be dozens of cards on the table, a discard pile, and a draw pile. I’ve made it work in more confined places, but I definitely prefer to have a flat surface nearby that can accommodate all the cards.

Lastly, Monopoly Deal isn’t explicit about the behavior of certain cards in the rule book. You may find yourself googling specific actions as you get up to speed, but the learning curve is well worth it.

Here are some quick tips for winning more in Monopoly Deal:

• Try not to put down any property cards until you’ve built up a reserve of funds in your bank. The cash on the table is used to pay out other players for rent and action cards, so this is good protection against having to forfeit a property.
• Don’t be afraid to deposit non-cash cards in your bank. It can be tempting to hold on to all the rent cards and actions that you draw, but they may be better served as ‘cash’ if you don’t have an immediate need to play the action.
• Houses and hotels are very situational! It’s rare that you will ever put them on a monopoly, so I find the best use to be as cash in the bank.
• Keep track of what has been played, especially the ‘Just Say No’ and ‘Dealbreaker’ cards. These are two of the most powerful cards in the game. In any deck of Monopoly Deal there are 3 Just Say No’s and 2 Deal Breakers.
• Remember that the discard pile will come back into play once you’ve gone through the initial draw pile. This means that any action that has already been used earlier in the game may be used again!
• Since the point of the game is to get three monopolies, you can accomplish with the fewest cards possible by going after 2-card monopolies. This includes the Brown Cards (Baltic Avenue and Mediterranean Avenue), Dark Blue Cards (Boardwalk and Park Place), and Utilities (Water Works and Electric Company).
• There are two Property Wild Cards in the deck. These can be used as any color but have no monetary value. Try to use these on your final turn to pull out a sneaky win by completing a monopoly. 
• If possible, use action cards that take money from other players when everyone at the table has cash or property on the board. This way, you can maximize the value you get from those actions.
• It can be advantageous to go after a player with no cash in the bank that also has properties in play. In some cases, you’ll be able to acquire multiple property cards by playing one action card.
• Don’t be afraid to play many “Pass Go” action cards in one turn. This is a great way to get a card that you need quickly, and you can discard less valuable cards from your hand before ending your turn.
• Prioritize having lower dollar value cards ($1 and $2 million) to give you flexibility when having to play other players. It’s rough when you have to give up more cash than required when you don’t have smaller money cards in your bank.

Uno is another game that can ruin friendships but is always a great time! The instructions are straightforward – get rid of all the cards in your hand as soon as possible. Players need to match the color or number of the current card that is displayed to the group.

Like Exploding Kittens, there are all kinds of action cards that allow you to protect yourself against your foes. You can be rewarded with a solid strategy in Uno even though there is some element of luck to the game. Just make sure to yell “Uno” when you’re down to one card!

It’s a fun game for up to 10 people and Uno is highly portable. Since you only need the deck of cards, there aren’t any additional pieces to clean up after you’ve played. Finally, it requires very little room to play, making it great for confined spaces.

Forbidden Sky

Now that we’ve gone through eight competitive games that are great for travel, let’s turn to the other side of the table. Cooperative games are the perfect way to unwind while spending quality time with friends and family. 

Forbidden Sky is a race against the clock, as you and your team scurry to build and explore. You’re tasked with launching a rocket before you meet your doom via electric shock.

I really like that this game has varying difficulty levels. Depending on how familiar your group is with the game, you can adjust the challenge.

It’s also neat that each person gets a role with specific stats and abilities. In this sense, it mimics a classic RPG and makes each player unique. 

One thing to note: the rocket is battery-powered so make sure you have fresh batteries before embarking on an adventure. You don’t want to travel to your destination only to find that one of the coolest parts of the game won’t work!

Forbidden Desert

From the same folks who brought you Forbidden Sky comes Forbidden Desert. Both of these games are on the pricier side compared to the earlier games. Either one is roughly $30, but they each are fantastic cooperative board games that travel well.

In this game, sand piles up over time, creating potential blockades for your party. You need to stay hydrated to survive and can take refuge in tunnels for extra protection.

As in its Sky-counterpart, Forbidden Desert gives each player a specific role on the team. You can be anything from an explorer to an archeologist as your group ventures out to recover a legendary flying machine.

The archaeologist can clear 2 sand markers from 1 tile per action. Explorers can move, clear sand, and use Dune Blasters diagonally. Check out the Forbidden Desert Wikipedia to get a full breakdown of the player roles.

Forbidden Desert also features a time element, where your party must complete the task before the desert takes you. You can play with 2-5 players and the game will usually last around 45 minutes.

Our Recommendations for Fun Travel Board Games for Adults

The best travel games are often as simple as a deck of cards. The objective of the game should be easy to understand and, ideally, it will fit in a small package. Travel-sized games can still be a lot of fun, and the entire game can be carried easily on your road trips!

While this list of the best travel board games is great for adults, most of them can also be enjoyed with younger kids. Each one can be a good way to have a lot of fun when you only have a little bit of space. The important thing is that you and your fellow players test out a few options to see what works best for the group.

What are some of your best travel board games for adults? Is there a perfect travel game that I forgot on this list? Join the conversation in the comments section!

I love Monopoly Deal! And Code Names!

Code Names is another great travel game that could be on this list!

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10 Best Travel Board Games For Adults

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My husband Andrew and I, we love playing board games, both alone and with friends!

Luckily, we didn’t have to say goodbye to board games just because we went traveling!

Nowadays there are quite a lot of travel size games for adults you can choose to take on your next trip. Whether you are traveling by car, bus, train, or airplane, travel games will never let you get bored during long-haul flights, monotonous train rides, and exhausting airport layovers.

That’s why my today’s topic is the best travel board games for adults . There is no shortage of travel games for children out there, but many of them are either too easy or simply boring to play when you don’t have children. So for this post, I decided to specifically choose a few travel games for adults: some of these are my all-time favorites, some are my friend’s staple games for board game nights, and some are just interesting games I found and am curious to play.

The cool thing? All of them have a smaller travel version that won’t take too much space in your bag , which makes them the best games to play while traveling. Also, most of them are suitable for 2 players, which is what we are always looking for as a travel couple.

Ready to pack some fun into your hand luggage? Read on!

Pssst… If you have kids, don’t leave immediately, many travel board games from my list are actually family-friendly! They are just not necessarily children-oriented .

Why play board games – 5 good reasons

1. you may learn new things about each other.

Generally, board games are a great way to spend quality time together and maybe even learn new things about your friends or partner. Also, they help you find out more about your new acquaintances who you just met on a trip and invited to play, which might be the beginning of a new friendship. Whether you play against each other, in teams, or cooperate to beat the game, the engaging process of playing board games may show new sides of everyone’s personality you never knew existed!

2. It’s so much fun!

Up until we put all our belongings into storage and left to travel the world , we had many cool board games at home. We used to either play alone (let’s call it our kinda geeky idea of a date night ) or invite a few friends to have a board games party.

Sometimes we’d also go to local cafés that are board games-friendly and often have some selection of unique board games you can play while you are there. This way even if you happen to get bored with the games you own, you can always go out and play something new!

By the way, you can absolutely look for such cafés when you travel. We uncovered an amazing place with thousands of board games when we were looking for ways to have fun in Copenhagen , check it out!

3. They are healthier than video games

I’m not gonna list here all the bad ways in which screen time impacts your health , but it’s a known thing. Games that are good for you are board games! They don’t affect your eyes and sleep, and you usually move more when playing a board game than when you sit in front of your screen, which is in many ways better for your physical wellbeing.

Another great benefit of board games vs video games is that they never run out of battery ! Same as a good old paper book, board games are electricity-independent and also don’t make you recharge any of your devices.

4. Board games make you smarter

Not every board game is good enough to really make an impact, but the majority of ones on my list are!

In the process of playing board games, you engage in solving puzzles, building strategies, finding solutions, and making countless decisions. All these activities make your brain work in different ways. The more you play, the better you understand how it all works: you start to make better choices, you can predict the game situation farther forward, and the smarter you get.

Problem-solving skills are crucial for your dream life! Every life decision either takes you closer to your goals, or it doesn’t. Thanks to board games you learn to make better decisions and realize the consequences of your steps, which helps you a ton outside of a game board.

Some games also improve your teamwork skills, that will help you in numerous life and work circumstances!

5. They distract you from all kinds of travel stress

Even for the most experienced digital nomads who travel all the time, it may be stressful. No two trips are exactly the same: different cultures, different languages, various tricky local rules. Every new airport is a new experience, every tour company has its own policies, not even mentioning all those things that can go wrong (they rarely do, but we still worry every time, right?).

Well, maybe after your 50th flight you stop worrying about the amount of liquids in your hand luggage and whether or not you forgot to put your cute passport cover back on after the customs control. But until you get to that point, you have a lot to stress about.

Travel board games can easily distract you from all that noise in your head and bring you into a calm and positive mood instead of constant anxiety.

How to play board games while traveling

Depending on a game, you either need a dedicated surface like a desk to play or don’t. Simple card games like Uno can be played literally everywhere, but other ones require a bit of space. For most travel sized board games, a tray table like the one they usually have on Economy flights is more than enough.

Here are some places I could think of where you can play your travel board games

• In the back of the car on a road trip (don’t involve the driver!)
• In the airport lounge during a long layover or when there is extra time before boarding

• Anytime, anywhere, if you travel in a trailer or a motorhome
• On any flight as long as you have a tray table in front of you
• On the ground when you make a stop for a picnic at some beautiful field or forest
• In your hotel or Airbnb after a long day of exploring
• On a train with your travel buddies or neighbors (look for a restaurant car if there is no table in yours!)
• Whenever you are waiting for your camera to capture a thousand photos for that cool timelapse
• In a board game-friendly cafe or bar

This is not an extensive list! Everyone’s journey is different, and you’ll surely find your own places to play board games. Whenever you get bored and there is a reachable surface, go for it! There are even games you can play alone against the game itself in case you travel solo or are an introvert like me!

With that said, let’s finally take a look at my list of the best travel size board games!

10 best travel board games for adults

1. struggle for catan – easy civilization building board game for couples.

This is a simplified travel version of a highly popular classic Catan board game : it doesn’t have an actual board or any little pieces, just a set of 110 cards with resources and city expansion options on them. It’s also suited for 2 players as opposed to the classic game (3-4 players), which makes it a great fit for traveling couples like us!

In Struggle of Catan you harvest resources like brick, wool, and grain to build and grow your kingdom. You’ll pave new roads and employ knights as you go, and strategically allocate your resources to survive during challenging times when there is shortage of goods at the market. You win when you grow your cities enough to get to 10 points, but it might be tricky when your opponents poach your knights and roads !

Average Time: 25 to 45 minutes

Players: 2-4

2. Exploding Kittens – Fun Travel Card Game For Adults

This fun game was first announced on Kickstarter and went really viral – it reached the goal of raising $10 000 in the first 20 minutes ! This alone puts it on the list of best travel board games of all time! Despite the theme, it’s actually a family-friendly card game, unless you purchase a special adult version .

The idea is based on a widely known Russian roulette: when it’s your turn, you draw a kitten from the shuffled deck and hope that the top one is not an exploding one . There are many different cards that let you prevent an explosion or “see the future” and act accordingly. The game is quick and fun, which makes it a cool one to play anytime, anywhere.

Take a look at this quick 4-minute explanation by Matthew Inman to get the idea:

Apart from the expansions and hardcore adult option, there are two normal versions: the basic one for 2 to 5 players and the party one that is suitable for up to 10 players.

Average Time: 15 minutes

Players: 2 to 5

Consider purchasing a travel case to drastically minimize the size of the game for travel purposes.

3. Monopoly Deal – Quick Travel Sized Version Of A Famous Board Game

I never quite liked the well-known classic Monopoly board game because of how long it was. It would always get boring at some point and even if you win it’s not that fun after you waited another hour for it to finish.

I guess I wasn’t the only one feeling like that about classic Monopoly, as they eventually created a shorter travel-sized version that is suitable for my list of interesting board games to play! This one doesn’t have a board nor does it incorporate any essential tiny pieces that can easily get lost. You still have to buy properties and pay for rent, but the game ends when you collect 3 full property sets under your wing.

The more players you have, the longer it takes, with the two-player version being played for as quick as 5-15 minutes ! Such a cool twist to an old long Monopoly, and especially great for travelers who are looking for short airport or airplane travel games.

Average Time: 5 to 45 minutes depending on players

Players: 2-5

4. Tic Tac Toe – Simply The Best Travel Board Game

I’m sure you know how to play it – and this wooden edition looks so cool and elegant that I couldn’t help but include it to my best travel board games list. Among my other travel games for adults mentioned here, this one is the easiest.

Tic Tac Toe board game is as simple as it can get : three items of yours in a row and you are a winner!

Whenever you have a few minutes to waste before airplane boarding, on the road, or even in a cafeteria waiting for the food, it’s a great opportunity to play Tic Tac Toe. This one is for those times when there isn’t enough time or space to properly sit, unfold, and play another game from start to finish. It’s also said to be a good conversation starter so you can even offer to play with someone you just met on your trip!

There is an even smaller version , but I like this one better and it is also suitable for travel.

Average Time: Less than a minute

5. Carcassonne – Medieval Village Board Game For Adults

Carcassone is a tile placing game with a simple mechanics and a very short rules list . Together you build a medieval French village and claim different kinds of territories. It involves some strategic thinking as with each step you need to decide if it’s worth it to put your limited troops on new lands versus laying your hands on someone else’s property to share the profits.

The end result depends on your strategy but is often unpredictable when there are more than two players. Also, sometimes you get lucky to draw the one specific missing tile before the very end and win the game when your chances were really low.

Check out this nice overview of a Carcassone gameplay by Watch It Played channel:

Carcassone won’t be on your top of games to play while traveling if you are a backpacker. I included it because it’s one of our favorites : it is suited for two players as well as for a bigger company of friends. This one won’t fit your pocket, but it’s a good option for picnics and road trips . As opposed to more popular card games, Carcassone tiles are thick enough to be played outside even when it’s windy.

There is also a travel-size Carcassone version available on Amazon that has smaller tiles and might be a better idea for your trip, but it doesn’t have enough reviews for me to recommend it properly and I haven’t checked it out myself as we have a standard edition.

Average Time: 30-45 minutes

6. Unstable Unicorns – Cute Travel Board Game To Play

In this game you get to build your own stable with baby unicorns, grow and protect them – can it get any cuter than that? The cards pretty much say exactly what you should do, and every player has an instruction card with a clear order of actions on it so you won’t forget anything.

The person who has the most colorful clothes is considered the unicorniest and starts the game! The cards are beautiful, the gameplay is well-thought, it’s very cute and fun to play, that’s why it made my list of best travel board games today!

Many people find the rules a bit confusing at first, so I suggest you watch this short video by Magic Orthodoxy to get the gist of it:

Average Time: 30-45

Players: 2-8

Besides the base game, there are many expansion packs with llamas, dragons, and even a 21+ adult NSFW pack. You can take a look at full version with all the expansion packs if you want to have it all, but it’s a bit too much for travel.

7. Never Have I Ever – One Of The Fun Travel Games For Adults Only

Who doesn’t know this game? If you ever struggled coming up with ideas when it was your turn to play, this fun board game edition is for you. It actually has lots of ideas written down on cards so you don’t have to invent the vehicle. It also makes the process faster as nobody waits too long for anyone to think!

Obviously, this is not a game for a family trip (actually, they have a special family edition just for that!), neither is it among games you should play with new acquaintances (unless everyone is super open about every aspect of their private life). And forget about playing this particular one in public transport!

The best time for Never Have I Ever is when you travel with a group of old friends. Opposed to common belief, it doesn’t require involving alcohol, although it helps shy people to open up. You may find out lots of new things about your friends!

Warning: Skip this one if you are super shy and easily offended as there are lots of innuendos and sexual context.

Average Time: Not specified, stop when you had enough.

Players: Best for 4-12, but possible even for 2.

8. Uno – Classic Card Games For All Ages

Uno is a staple card game for any occasion . It’s quick, super easy, and doesn’t require a big surface to play (just enough space for two piles of cards). It’s really family-friendly and loved by both children and adults: my 5-year-old sister picked it up in a matter of minutes and someone always happens to have it when we go out of town with a group of friends.

Basically, you have to match the current top card with something from your hand . It should be either the same color or the same number, but there are a few cards that let you “cheat” in form of reversing the order, skipping your turn, or giving the next player a hard time. The tricky part is having to call “Uno!” when you are left with one card or facing a penalty if someone else catches you! The game usually takes a few rounds and ends when someone scores 500 points.

Average Time: Varies. Can be 5 minutes or an hour. You can choose to make it fast by playing a quick round or two and count points to find the winner instead of waiting for 500 points.

Players: 2-10

We have this classic version, but there is also a more popular version in a tin , which is a bit bigger but still claimed to be travel-friendly.

9. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – Fun Travel Game To Play With Friends

This game is quick, simple to understand, fast-paced, and really fun!

You each have a set of cards and you have to call the next name from ‘Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza” sequence while putting your own card on top. The hardest part is to trick your brain to say what you have to say instead of what it says on your card. When the card actually matches the called name, you have to put your hand on top: the one who is the last to do this loses the round and grabs all the cards. Whoever is out of cards first, wins the game. It’s really one of the best travel board games for adults if you just want to spend some quality time with your travel buddies without thinking too much about the game rules!

Prepare to have fun and laugh a lot with your friends! There are a couple of unexpected characters there as well.

Here is the overview from the creators Dolphin Hat Games themselves:

Average Time: 10-15 minutes

10. Chess – Good Old Classic Board Game

Although I’m not a big fan of this game, my husband loves it and plays all the time!

I’m sure I don’t need to explain the mechanics of chess to you. But in case you somehow don’t know about chess, it’s a classic strategy game between two players where you have to predict each other’s actions several moves ahead based on the current on-board situation in order to win. I couldn’t help but include this in my list as it’s an ancient game that has been played around the world since 7th century and will probably be on our list of must have board games to play forever.

The travel version is usually small and magnetic. The full set fits in your pocket and thanks to the magnets all the pieces stay put on their places even when your vehicle catches a rough road patch. In fact, you can even take the board, turn it upside down, move to someplace else, and continue the game there with the field situation intact! How cool is that?

Average Time: 10 to 60 minutes

Final thoughts on best travel board games for adults

Whichever game (or games) you choose for your next journey, don’t forget to put it in your hand luggage . You won’t necessarily have time to play while exploring a new city or engaging in cultural activities . Well, maybe a quick round during lunchtime or at your accommodation after a long day (that is, if you have any energy left for anything but lying down).

But when it comes to getting to your destination, there are lots of opportunities to play – like that 9-hour layover we had in Poland last year – and you usually don’t have your luggage with you at those times. Grab a travel size board game in your carry on – and thank me later!

Pin it for later and come back for fresh ideas on travel board games for adults!

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I was surprised I didn’t recognize some of these games. They look like a lot of fun!! I will check them out for my next trip.

Yeah, I mainly lined up my favorites, and not all of them may be among the most popular in US 🙂

Wow many of these games bring back great memories like Uno! I need to try a few more of these – thanks for all the suggestions!

Happy to help Carrie!

I used to be a big fan of board games. I even brought some when I moved to California. For some reason, I have not continued into that trend. Reading your article makes to go back to games. There are a lot of interesting and fun ones here. I have not heard of most of these (which makes me more curious).

Cool, which board games are your favorites?

This is such a great idea to pass the time while traveling! I love how portable all of these games are 🙂

Yes! All of them are travel-sized and great for trips 🙂

Scrabble is my go to board game, traveling or not. I guess its because I’m a word person. But it’s more than just having a good vocabulary. You need a good strategy too.

I like Scrabble too, but I always try to avoid games with many little details that can be lost while traveling. But we had it back home!

CATAN IIS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE GAME!! Yes yes yes, such good points!

Right?! It’s super interesting to play, even in the short travel version!

These are lovely games indeed. Since I travel solo most of the time I can’t really play games but these are good ideas when at home as well.

Do you meet new people in your travels? You can play with them! I mentioned in the post that some of these are good conversation starters and can be used as ice-breakers with new acquaintances. Start with the short 5-15 minute ones!

Wow, all these board games look so fun!

They are indeed! And a great way to spend some extra time in between destinations 🙂

Wow! I love your passion for games! Love this post with tons of researched information on something so darn fun! Do you find the outdoor game spaces when you travel? Like chess in the park? Thanks for this!

Thanks Jen! Not really, when I’m outside exploring I’m looking for interesting cultural activities and things to see, games are for after 🙂

What a great post 🙂 UNO is just a classic!!! Love it. We also found that a travel sized Backgammon game or a solid game of cards is always good!

Thank you Cecilie! I didn’t include Backgammon because I’m trying to avoid travel with games with many little details that can be lost! Chess is the only exception 🙂 And yeah, I always see at least one group of people playing simple cards when I’m in the airport, it’s a classic!

I love this post! Board games are a great way to connect with those that you are traveling with or make new friends! We’re big fans of Exploding Kittens and I’ve never heard of Unstable Unicorn game; we are going to have to check that out. Loved your details, thanks for sharing!

Exploding Kittens is a hit with all our friends! Thanks Arielle!

Love this! I am a big board game player, travel will never make me change that 🙂 one of my favourite hostel nights was when four of us got some beers then at on the floor playing pictionary for hours.

Cool! We play Pictionary almost every time when we come back home and meet with old friends 🙂 But I think I’ve never played it abroad, I should try, thanks Elle!

Woah, that’s a great selection of board games, don’t know half of them and should definitely look more into it – they are also quite portable!

Thank you, Stefani, they are all really great to take on a trip!

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The Best Travel-Themed Board Games for Adults Shop Armchair Travel The Best Travel-Themed Board Games for Adults Armchair Travel , Shop The Best Travel-Themed Board Games for Adults

• November 7, 2020

From card games to conversation starters, from escape rooms to murder mysteries, bring back game night with travel-inspired fun for adults. Travel-themed board games also make great gifts for your friends and family who like to travel the world.

The Best Travel-Themed Board Games

Ticket to ride europe.

Ticket to Ride Europe takes players on an exciting train adventure through the great European cities of the turn-of-the-century. This is the second installment in Days of Wonder’s Ticket to Ride Series of train adventures. The latest version includes larger cards, new train station game pieces and an improved game board. Ticket to Ride Europe is guaranteed to offer hours of enjoyment, while offering the chance to explore Europe as an armchair traveler. Buy Now

Who Knows Where?

Passport To Culture

Murder Overboard

Tabletopics Destination Anywhere

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Escape from the Grand Hotel

Where on Earth ?

If you enjoyed the Best Travel-Themed Board Games for Adults , check out other travel-themed books and gifts .

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17 Best Travel Board Games for Adults in 2024

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

Are your road trips and getaways a bit boring?

Do you see board games as a fun way to kill time during long hours while traveling?

If so, you have come to the right place. In this post, we share with you the nine best travel board games for adults this year .

These games can easily be played while in the car or at the airport. They are also great for when you’ve finally arrived at your destination and need to unwind.

Without further ado, let’s check out the best travel board games!

Table of Contents

1. Bananagrams

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Bananagrams is one of those board games that is fun to play over and over again. It’s just like playing Scrabble, except with fewer things to remember and less complicated rules. 

The objective of the game is simple, yet also quite challenging: Be the first person to use all of his letters once the “Bunch” is empty, then shout “Bananas!” to let the other players know that you are done.

You have to yell “Bananas” so that your opponents can check your combinations and see if you created real words. Otherwise, you will be called a “rotten banana” and get kicked out of the game.

The distribution of letters varies based on the number of players. This may affect the strategy of each player, but the goal remains the same no matter how many tiles you get. If no one is able to use all of his letters, the player who has the longest and most difficult word wins.

Bananagrams was named Game of the Year in 2009 by the Toy of the Year Awards. We highly recommend this word-anagram board game to adults who often travel with children or elderly people. In addition to the fact that it is fun, entertaining, and educational, it is also known to help improve mental and cognitive abilities.

• A fast-paced game that is light and easy to pack, perfect for travel.
• A friendly game that is suitable for anyone who can spell, regardless of age.
• A helpful game that improves cognitive skills and prevents age-related illnesses.
• Might be too short and easy for people who like more complicated games.
• Not recommended for those who aren’t fond of playing word games.

2. Codenames

Codenames is another top-notch board game that is quite challenging, but still has simple rules that anyone can understand. The game is all about figuring out codenames, finding clues, deciphering hints, and identifying agents using investigative and critical thinking skills.

What makes the game rather interesting is that there are only two people who know the identities of the agents. These people are called spymasters. These two spymasters are rivals who have to give out one-word clues to their teammates to help them identify the agents.

Everyone has to be a bit cautious, though, because there is an assassin who can ruin everything and cancel all the points, bringing the team’s score back to zero. Each team also has to make sure that they don’t identify the opposing team’s agents.

Codenames won the 2016 Spiel des Jahres Best Board Game of the Year award, one of the most prominent awards in the toy industry. Whether you are at home, on a road trip, or going somewhere with your friends or family, Codenames will provide endless fun and entertainment.

• The rules of the game are simple and easy to understand.
• The gameplay is fast-paced, making it highly replayable.
• Recommended for employees during team-building events or overnight activities.
• Some customers feel like the game’s overall artwork is not that impressive.
• Can be a bit of a drag if there are only a few players.

3. Connect 4

Connect 4 is a classic game from Hasbro (the maker of Monopoly and Scrabble). It only has two important goals to remember, which are to get four in a row to win and to block your opponent from doing so first.

There is no luck involved in this game. It is purely strategic, and one wrong move can hand the game to your opponent.

We recommend Connect 4 for adults—especially partners, because it is only for two players—who are on road trips and are looking to kill some time. It has a compact mobile version called “Grab and Go” if you want a more lightweight option, but even the original version is lightweight and easy to carry around wherever you go.

• Rules are very simple.
• An excellent way to practice hand-eye coordination (even for adults).
• Purely based on strategy; absolutely no luck involved.
• Be careful with your seller, as some deliver the game in poor condition or with low-quality materials.

4. Exploding Kittens

Exploding Kittens is yet another award-winning board game that has become extremely popular. It has sold over nine million copies worldwide.

The rules are simple and the goal of the game is not overly complicated. You just have to avoid encountering an exploding kitten until the game ends. If you find an exploding kitten, you lose and have to wait til the next round to play again. 

There is no guarantee that you can avoid the exploding kittens, even if you have a strong strategy. In other words, the game is partly based on luck. If you do come across an exploding kitten, the only way to stay safe is by using a “defuse” card, which can be drawn only by chance. 

What is most important is the fun you’ll have with your companions while playing this game. We recommend the party pack version if there are many people in your group, but the original version will suffice if there are only a few of you.

For travelers looking for something to do while  waiting to arrive at their destinations, this game is a must-try!

• A fast-paced game that you can play in your car while traveling.
• Very lightweight and does not have a lot of components to worry about when packing.
• Extremely popular game.
• Not recommended for players who like more complicated and strategy-based games.
• Might not be entertaining enough for groups with only a few members (two to three players).

5. Spot it!

Spot it! is probably one of the loudest and most exciting games ever made. We really like it, especially for parties and gatherings, because it is a test of players’ reflexes.

The rules of the game are pretty simple: Look for identical symbols and shout the symbols’ names out loud. You gain a point for each symbol you say correctly, and the payer with the most points when all the cards run out is the winner.

Note that the symbols on the cards have their proper names written in the game’s manual. You have to shout those specific names in order to get points.

Spot it! is highly recommended for road trips or when you are on vacation. Since the game is fun and interactive, it will even help keep the driver alert. The game is so loud it keeps everyone awake!

• Believed to be very helpful in developing cognitive skills like mental alertness, focus, and concentration.
• Advertised as a game that improves visual perception, observational skills, and reflex abilities.
• Can help people stay awake during long hours on the road.
• There is a high probability that people who aren’t good at remembering names or who have slow reflexes will lose.

6. Monopoly

Monopoly is, without a doubt, one of the most classic games out there. It remains a favorite because of the fun and excitement it brings, generation after generation. The game was created by manufacturing giant Hasbro, and remains as popular today as it was when it was first released.

The goal in this game is very straightforward: to eliminate all the other players until you eventually own the whole board.

Monopoly is great for anyone who has been traveling nonstop and needs a rest day. It can take a while to finish, but with all the thinking needed to play this game, you are sure to enjoy a good night’s sleep afterward.

• A perfect choice for friends who are also business partners.
• A product of Hasbro, meaning it is guaranteed to be a quality board game.
• Has a card version (Monopoly Deal) that you can play instead if you want to kill time while on the road.
• Some of the game’s elements are not suitable for very young audiences (e.g., getting thrown into jail).
• Be careful with your seller, as some sell imitations with low-quality features.

7. Cards Against Humanity

Cards Against Humanity is one of those games that doesn’t take much explanation. All you have to do is match questions with the most suitable answers. This game has the same rules as Apples to Apples, but the topics are a bit more risqué.

This is a great game for sleepovers, vacation getaways, and adult game nights. A self-declared “party game for horrible people,” Cards Against Humanity tests your opinions regarding sensitive issues like racial discrimination, political awareness, existential quandaries, and even sexual conduct.

We normally only recommend this game for adults because many of the topics are inappropriate for young people. However, we may also recommend it for teens or those who are about to enter adulthood.

• The perfect game to inspire serious conversations between adults and teens.
• Can be a good way to discover more things about other people (such as their thoughts and opinions).
• Very lightweight and easy to pack; can be played while you are on the road.
• Some of the statements may be too offensive for people who are more conservative.

8. Forbidden Series: Forbidden Island, Forbidden Desert, Forbidden Sky

The Forbidden series is most interesting if you own all three board games: Forbidden Island , Forbidden Desert , and Forbidden Sky . The island version is the original and was first introduced by game manufacturer Gamewright Store. The desert version is the second version, which is a sequel to the island version. Finally, the sky version is the latest continuation of the storyline.

In Forbidden Island, your goal is to collect all the sacred treasures before the island sinks. In Forbidden Desert, your goal is to recover the flying machine hidden deep beneath the desert before the desert swallows you and your team. In Forbidden Sky, your goal is to launch a secret rocket that will prevent the savage storm before the storm itself savages you all.

The objective for each game may be different, but the concept and gameplay are the same. You have to come up with a strategic plan to finish your mission. You will need to work together with your teammates to win the game.

You do not need to play all three games at once to enjoy the Forbidden world. But of course, if you want to get the most out of the game, it would be best to try them all. The next time you are on a trip we recommend that you try them all by playing one version per night. 

Catan is an excellent choice for travelers, especially those who travel through different countries.

It’s a civilization-building game, so it has elements of discovering new civilizations and cultures. Your travel adventures are sure to give you bright ideas about how to build your city and settle your community within the game.

Catan has around an hour’s worth of gameplay. It is designed for three to four players, so it is suitable for smaller groups of friends. If you and your friends are travelers and board gamers, try Catan and see how your traveling adventures can actually affect the way you strategize and plan.

• Has easy-to-learn rules that are perfect for beginners.
• Has high replayability because of the various possible endings.
• Exciting enough for expert gamers and simple enough for first-timers.
• Some expert gamers argue that it is more luck-based than strategy-based.
• Has many components that may get lost if not handled properly.

10. UNO Tin

UNO is a classic, and it never disappoints. It is one of those games that is quite flexible—easy to travel with and easy to teach. No matter where you are, you can easily take it out of your bag and start playing with your travel companions (even the kids)!

UNO Tin is the travel version of the game. The cards are secured in a tin can for easy access, clean-up, and organization. This is what makes it different from all the other versions of UNO; the manufacturer has focused on storage to make the game more friendly for travelers.

We recommend UNO Tin for those who have always loved this card game—and who love to travel. While the original version is still travel-friendly, the tin version just makes it a lot easier for you to keep the cards organized.

• Requires a combination of both luck and strategy.
• Good choice for families with teens and kids (7+ years old).
• Compact and lightweight; easy to carry anywhere.
• Be careful with your seller, as some deliver in poor condition.

11. Throw Throw Avocado

This game is a sequel to the classic Throw Throw Burrito , which has been called the first dodgeball card game. The primary goal is to collect matching sets of cards while ducking, dodging, and throwing avocados at your opponents.

Collecting three-of-a-kind sets earns you points, but getting hit by an avocado loses them. You need a lot of luck to get a matching set, but the main goal is to enjoy yourself while throwing and matching.

We recommend this game for those who would rather have fun than think. It is best paired with the Throw Throw Burrito game, but you can also play it on its own.

• Players have the option to combine it with Throw Throw Burrito.
• Excellent travel game choice for those who like camping and picnics.
• Rules are simple to learn and easy to understand.
• Not recommended for those who like strategic board or card games.
• Not for non-athletic people, since you have to dodge the avocado.

12. World’s Smallest Sorry!

Sorry! is yet another classic board game, but with the original version you need a space that can accommodate a 10.5 x 10.5 inch board. With this smaller version, you can now play the game anywhere you want—even in your car!

This smaller version has the same rules as the original. It comes with a case, a cute gameboard, 12 pawns, and 45 cards. All of the pieces fit perfectly inside the case, making it easy for you to store and organize them, no matter where you are.

• Excellent gift idea for those who travel a lot.
• Suitable for adults, teens, and kids ages 6 and above.
• Board pieces are dangerous for very young children.
• Board pieces are easy to lose if you are not observant.

13. Battleship Grab & Go!

Hasbro never fails when it comes to providing us with the best board games. Battleship, for instance, has been wildly popular ever since its release. With this miniature version, you can play it anywhere, even in your car!

Like the previous entries, this cute, Battleship Grab & Go! has the same rules and mechanics as the original. Your goal is to sink all your opponent’s ships before yours go down. Use the command features to make your move and implement your strategy, and make sure you are the last ship standing at the end of the game.

• The case has a flip-open feature for easy storage of pieces.
• Very lightweight and travel-friendly.
• Pawns (ships) are small, so they are easy to lose.
• Dangerous for very young children.

14. Scrabble-to-Go

Scrabble is an all-time favorite—a classic among classics. Scrabble-to-Go is easy to travel with, so now you can play Scrabble anywhere you go.

What is most interesting about this travel version is that you can pack it up in the middle of the game without messing up all the words you have already placed. The tiles fit tightly on the gridded space and your letter rack has a lid flip that can lock unused tiles in place.

We highly recommend checking out this mobile version of Scrabble, particularly for those who like traveling and outdoor activities like camping. It is one of the safest miniature board games and can make any trip more fun and exciting.

• Lid flips provide additional privacy for your unused titles.
• The board is foldable and comes with a zippered storage case.
• Lightweight and small—perfect for road trips, camping, and picnics.
• Might be too small for people with bigger hands.

15. Jax Travel Sequence

Sequence is both a card game and a board game. How cool would it be if there was a compact version? As it turns out, there is! This classic game and all of its components are now available in travel mode. The best part is that it can still accommodate many players (up to seven), even in this miniature style.

The rules of the game are the same as with the original version. You use your cards to determine where your chip will land on the board. However, winning is now a little easier, since the first person to complete two sequences is declared the winner.

Jax Travel Sequence is for strategists and mathematicians, but you really don’t have to be that logical to play it. You just need to understand the rules, master the gameplay, and pray for a little luck!

• Has faster gameplay than the original.
• Requires a combination of strategy and luck.
• The compact kit allows you to take it anywhere.
• Not recommended for loyalists to the original version.
• Not suitable for those with bigger hands.

16. Magnetic Games 5-in-1

If you are looking for a set of games you can take with you on the road, Magnetic Games 5-in-1 is the perfect fit. It consists of game components for chess, dominoes, checkers, backgammon, and playing cards, all of which are packed into one box.

The board and all the pieces have magnets for easy playing, which is helpful if you want to use it while in a car, bus, train, or any other vehicle. The magnetic feature prevents the pieces from falling off the board, so they won’t easily get lost.

The board and all of its components are durable and made of high-quality materials.

• Contains five classic board games.
• The magnetic feature is a plus.
• Portable and lightweight, so it is easy to bring with you anywhere.
• Be careful of imitations, as many have reported unauthorized sellers.

17. Small Magnetic Board Travel Game Set

If you are not content with just five games in one set, then maybe this 12-in-1 Small Magnetic Board Travel Game Set is your jam. Enjoy this set of 12 exciting board games in their miniature versions while on a road trip, preparing tents for camping, or simply having a picnic.

The 12 games include checkers, chess, Chinese checkers, tic tac toe, backgammon, Snakes & Ladders, solitaire, NineMen’s Morris, auto racing, Ludo, Space Venture, and racing, all with their own boxes and storage, which fit in a bigger box.

• Highly recommended as a gift idea for those who love board games.
• Ability to purchase and enjoy many classic games at once.
• Makes it convenient for you to pick the game that you want.
• The bigger box is made out of cardboard.
• The game boards may be too small for some people.

Final Thoughts on Travel Board Games for Adults

We hope that our list was able to help you determine which best travel board games for adults you should try on your next trip.

Traveling is fun, and your board games should be too. Try one or two of these games and enjoy your trip even more!

And if you're looking for more board games, be sure to check out these blog posts:

• 9 Best Memory Board Games for Adults
• 41 Best Board Games for Couples to Play on Game Night
• 9 Best Party Board Games to Play with Adults

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15 Great Travel Card Games: Best Card Games For Families

Whether you’re gearing up for a big family trip, or planning a weekend getaway, having entertainment options (such as travel card games) for your kids is key. If your family is like ours, you’re probably on the lookout for the best card games for families to help encourage family bonding on your trip.

As a traveling digital nomad family , being mindful of the types of travel card games we bring along is important. We prioritize games that are small. That way, they can fit into our bags without taking up too much space. And we also like to choose games that are playable for all members of our family.

We’ve played some fun games as a family over the years. So I thought I’d take some time to share with you our picks for the best card games for families. These are perfect for occupying time during the down moments of your trip.

This post was originally published on June 21, 2020.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase something. But don't worry, this will not result in any extra costs to you.

Table of Contents

Top picks for best card games for families

Want some help in picking travel card games for your family? Here are my top 5 picks for the best card games for families who travel:

• Stack The Scoops
• Unstable Unicorns
• Exploding Kittens

Travel tips for families, plus my favorite travel card games

We love bringing along travel card games on our trips to play in our hotel room, Airbnb, or house sitting stay. We travel with only a few card games at a time. But if you have more space (for example, you’re doing a road trip) you can always bring more games.

For our family, we like taking the travel card games out of their boxes and putting them into Stashers. This helps us save valuable space and weight. Then we put the Stashers in Cotopaxi packing cubes, to keep them all in one place. Packing cubes for family travel are an easy way to transport games.

In this post, I wanted to offer you an all ages mix of the best card games for families. These games also make great travel gifts for kids and families! I’ve included a short description, recommended ages, and the average time it takes our family to play the travel game.

Ready for a change? Take the first step to living a life of full time travel.

1. Stack The Scoops, our pick for best travel card games

My first pick and all time favorite choice for best card games for families is Stack The Scoops. This game is a set collection card game where players build sets of ice cream treats to score points. Sets are created by matching a base, an ice cream scoop, and a topping card within the same color. You can double or triple your points for a set by playing special Double Scoop or Triple Scoop cards.

We created Stack The Scoops as a family in 2020. Our then 9-year-old daughter came up with the concept, and my husband filled in the gaps of the game rules. Since then, we’ve sold over 3,000 copies to families in the United States and around the world through our game company, ViBuGo .

Cute design that’s fun for kids to play

One of the things we love about Stack The Scoops is it’s fun for our kids to play. The ice cream theme makes the game interesting for the kids. And the quick game play is competitive without being too cut-throat.

We also love the game illustrations. My husband spent six years in corporate design, so that experience came in handy for our game. The cards have the right feel of fun and whimsy.

Award-winning educational game

As you might guess, we like travel card games that help our kids build skills. Stack The Scoops helps reinforce addition and multiplication skills for early math learners. And even for older kids, there are some strategic elements to the game as well.

Since launching Stack The Scoops, we’ve received several awards, including awards from Mom’s Choice Award and Creative Child. Additionally, Stack The Scoops was included in a few gift guides from Toy Insider , and we’ve also been interviewed by the media !

Easy to take for travel

We’ve had amazing feedback from families who play Stack The Scoops. Because it’s small and compact, it’s easy to take along on trips. This game is our top choice for travel card games for families.

Many families have personally told us that it’s one of the best card games for families with young kids!

Recommended for ages 5+

Game play: 15-45 minutes

Another choice for travel card games that we love is Set. We traveled with this game for a couple of years during our big trip. Set helps kids reinforce matching skills, and problem-solving skills.

It’s easy to adjust the game play for younger kids by playing with a smaller set of cards. Plus, we like that Set doesn’t have words on it, so it’s great for kids who can’t read yet. Set is a great choice for travel card games with cards that only have illustrations.

Recommended for ages 6+

Game play: 20 minutes

3. Rainbow Bunny Bop

If you’re traveling with really young kids, you’ll want travel card games that aren’t too complicated. An easy game to play is Rainbow Bunny Bop. It’s a speed game based on rainbows and bunnies! Players compete to be the first to run out of cards by putting them in rainbow order in the central playing area. 

We know the creator of Rainbow Bunny Bop and think it’s another choice for the best card games for families with really young kids. It helps them learn their colors and also practice hand-eye coordination. 

Game play: 10 minutes

Learn more about the amazing family travel resources we use for worldschooling!

4. Hasty Baker

Another choice for travel card games we enjoy is Hasty Baker. In this game, players compete to complete baking recipes using the cards in their hands. The first player to complete a certain number of recipes wins.

This baking-themed game helps kids learn strategy. But it’s also cute and fun to play. We are friends with the creator, and he’s a travel-loving parent like my husband and me! Hasty Baker is definitely another one of our top choices for best card games for families.

Recommended for ages 7+

Game play: 30 minutes

If you’re looking for a classic game to add to your selection of travel card games, then UNO is your pick. The rules for UNO are so simple that even young children can learn it. You essentially have to match either the color or the number of the card in the central play pile. Wild cards can help make matching cards easier.

We enjoy UNO because it helps our kids with simple math concepts like color and number matching. But there is also some strategy involved.

6. UNO Flip!

One game we started playing during our travels was UNO Flip! It’s played just like regular UNO, but there’s also a second side that can be played as well. 

We discovered UNO Flip! at a boardgame café in Vietnam , and we just love playing it as a family. Like classic UNO, it’s easy to learn. And since it’s only cards, they’re easy to pack in your bag. They’re the perfect choice for travel card games!

7. Mille Bornes

For a more unique choice for travel card games, consider playing Mille Bornes. It’s an old card game that our family has been playing for years. Mille Bornes is a race car themed game that has players collect miles and avoid obstacles like flat tires, speed limits, and accidents. 

This game is mainly chance-based, but there is some strategy involved too, like many of the other travel games on our list. This one takes a long time to play, so kids with short attention spans may have some difficulty playing. However, I think it’s one of the best card games for families because not only is it fun to play, but it fits perfectly with the type of travel we love to do: road trips!

8. Exploding Kittens

If you’re a family that’s looking for some silly travel card games, then you’re going to enjoy Exploding Kittens. We love playing this fun card game as a family because of the game’s creative graphics. Exploding Kittens is designed by one of our favorite cartoon artists, The Oatmeal.

In Exploding Kittens, players compete to be the last person standing by avoiding drawing the exploding kitten card from the top card of the draw pile. It’s essentially a game of chance. But there are some silly cards in there that let you take actions against other players. This is a fun quick-play option for the best card games for families.

Game play: 15 minutes

9. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

For a game that’s a little more action-oriented, then add Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza to your list of travel card games. This game really tests your coordination skills! And it can get pretty rowdy, so be sure to play this in a place where people won’t mind you getting loud. 

We were reluctant to try Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza at first, because there didn’t seem to be a lot of strategy involved in the game. But once we played, we could see why many families think this is one of the best card games for families. It’s just so silly, and gets us laughing every time!

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10. Sushi Go!

One of our family’s favorite travel card games is Sushi Go! This matching card game has players build sets of sushi and nigiri to earn points. Besides the math component, there is also a strategy component too. Some cards will make you lose points if you have the least amount of them at the end of the game! 

Recommended for ages 8+

Learn how to travel and learn with your kids with my worldschooling posts.

11. Dutch Blitz

If you’re a fan of speed games, consider adding Dutch Blitz to your collection of travel card games. This game helps kids with matching, counting, and hand-eye coordination. And it’s a quick game, so it’s a great option to pass the time while you’re waiting for food at a restaurant, or waiting at an airport gate.

This is a fun game to play to help build up your quick thinking and reflex skills. However, if you or your kid tend to get frustrated in stressful situations, you might not want to play this game. Or you can play cooperatively rather than competitively (our house rules).

12. The Mind

We first played The Mind at a gameschooling conference called GameSchoolCon (yes, there’s a convention for homeschoolers who like to game!). It’s an easy to learn cooperative game that encourages nonverbal communication and intuition. We like playing this as a family because it helps us get on the same wavelength.

The Mind is a great choice for travel card games if you’re looking for something you can play quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of space, and is fairly quiet to play.

13. Not Parent Approved

If you're looking for a kid-friendly party game for a big family trip, then consider bringing Not Parent Approved as one of your travel card games. This game is similar to Cards Against Humanity, but much more family friendly (and without the inappropriate humor). 

Basically, one player selects a blue question card, and they must choose a red answer card out of the cards provided by the other players that best fits the question. The answers are silly, and oftentimes nonsensical. So you need to provide an answer that you think is most applicable to the question, and hope the player who’s it chooses your card.

14. Unstable Unicorns

Who doesn’t love unicorns? Unstable Unicorns is one of our favorite travel card games to bring along when we travel. We love the fun graphics. And the game play is long enough that it makes for a satisfying experience (sometimes those short games just end too soon!). 

Unstable Unicorns is a great strategy game for helping kids learn skills for planning ahead. Your kids will need to be able to read, because many of the cards have their own special instructions. However, I think it’s an excellent starter game for introducing kids to more complex travel board games. It truly is one of the best card games for families.

Game play: 30-60 minutes

15. Village Green

We love games about traveling the world. If you’re a big fan of all things Britain, make sure you add Village Green to your list of travel card games. In this game, players compete to collect the most points for the gardens they create using their cards. Points can be earned from the flowers, trees, ponds, grass, or gazebos they have in their gardens. Playing this game really brought me back to walking through English gardens in the West Midlands with kids , or visiting one of the villages in the Cotswolds.

I recently played Village Green with my friends Vanessa from Wanderlust Crew and Marcie from Marcie in Mommyland , and we had a blast playing together. Village Green is a fairly quiet and gentle game. But it really encourages you to use your strategy skills to plot out the best cards to play that will earn you the most points.

Recommended for ages 14+

Travel card games to play with a deck of cards

Of course, no set of travel card games would be complete without an old-fashioned deck of cards. We bring along a deck of cards to play simple games with the kids. We also use the deck of cards for math drills by having the kids add up or multiply pairs of number cards. 

One of the best card games for families we like to play with our kids is Go Fish . There are dozens of games you can play with a deck of cards. Here are a few to get you started. Some of these games are also great choices for travel card games for 2:

• Crazy Eights

If you’re looking for ideas for games you can play with a deck of cards, Card Games 101 For Travelers is a good book to take along on your trips. It comes with two decks of cards.

Why we love taking along travel card games

It’s easy to rely on electronics to keep our kids occupied during travel. I’m not afraid to admit that my kids get A LOT of electronics time when we’re on the road. But sometimes it’s nice to have a non-electronics option when it comes to entertainment and games.

Whether we're visiting New York City , Bali , or Paris , we like having down time at the end of the day. And especially when we want to do some family bonding activities , making a game night is easy when you carry along a few fun travel card games.

Another reason why we enjoy bringing some of the best card games for families on our trips is that they are a useful tool for homeschool activities. Many of our games help our kids build skills like math, problem solving, and strategy. And some of them also help build competition and cooperation skills. When you’re a slow traveling worldschooling family like us, you find creative ways to help your kids learn!

Read more ideas for homeschool activities families can do anywhere.

What to look for in travel card games

When you’re choosing your family’s travel card games, keep in mind that you want ones that are easy to pack. Our family prefers games that are just decks of cards, rather than a travel board game that has multiple components. Card games travel better than board games, in my opinion.

Another thing to look for in card games is the educational value of the game. As I mentioned before, we use card games as part of our worldschooling lessons. This means we prefer games that have a learning component. However, it doesn’t have to be blatantly educational. Some of the best card games for families are ones that teach you skills like math, problem solving, or strategy, but aren't actually about those topics at all! 

Finally, a card game for traveling families should be fun for the whole family to play. Choose games that are age-appropriate for your kids. But also, don’t shy away from a game because you think that it might be too advanced for your child. You can always modify the rules to simplify it for younger players.

Get prepared for any emergency with the insurance made for digital nomads!

Making travel card games a must-have in your travel bag

No matter what game (or games) you choose for your family, it helps to have travel card games as part of your travel must-haves. Family vacations are often full of down time. And in those down moments, it’s good to have a couple of games to pull out to entertain the kids.

The best card games for families are ones that help them spend time with each other and bond. And they can also help with building skills like strategy, problem solving, sportsmanship, and math. While all the games I feature in this post are targeted for families, they also make fun travel card games for adults too.

What are your picks for the best travel card games to play with your family? Send me a message and let me know. And don’t forget to buy a copy of our game, Stack The Scoops , too!

Are you longing for a big trip with your family? Use my ebook, Hey Kids, Let's Go Travel! for family travel advice on planning and prepping for a family gap year.

Need help thinking through how to budget for a family trip? My  Travel Budget Worksheet  is just the tool you need! Click  here  to receive your free copy by signing up for my newsletter.

Want to connect with me on social media? Find me on Facebook , Instagram , Pinterest , and Twitter. And for those of you who are dedicated to traveling more responsibly, sustainably, and ethically, join over 200 like-minded families on my Facebook group, Responsible Family Travel .

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14 best travel credit cards of June 2024

The best travel credit cards offer an array of premium perks and benefits . For both occasional travelers and frequent flyers, adding a travel credit card to your wallet is a great way to earn rewards and save money on every trip you take. At The Points Guy, our team has done the legwork and curated a selection of the best travel credit cards for any globe-trotter, whether you prefer to backpack through mountains or settle into a luxury villa for some relaxation. From generous travel credits to premium lounge access, we’ve chosen the cards packed with the best benefits to elevate your next travel experience.

Check out our list below and discover which travel credit card from our partners makes the best addition to your wallet for all of your adventures.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for beginner travelers
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for earning miles
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for premium travel
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card : Best for maximizing business purchases
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for lounge access
• American Express® Gold Card : Best for dining at restaurants
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card : Best for no annual fee
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Best for business travel
• Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card : Best for unlimited point earning
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for travel credits
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card : Best for variety of bonus categories
• American Express® Business Gold Card : Best for flexible rewards earning
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card : Best for travel rewards beginners
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card : Best for Alaska Airlines miles

Browse by card categories

Comparing the best credit cards, more details on the best credit cards, credit pointers with brian kelly, what is a travel credit card, helpful tools, how we rate cards, how to maximize travel credit cards, how to choose the best travel credit card, ask our experts, pros + cons of travel credit cards, frequently asked questions.

• Airport Lounge Access

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit card on the market. Offering an excellent return on travel and dining purchases, the card packs a ton of value that easily offsets its $95 annual fee. Cardholders can redeem points at 1.25 cents each for travel booked through Chase or transfer points to one of Chase’s 14 valuable airline and hotel partners. Read our full  review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card .

• You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases, 2 points per dollar on all other travel and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
• Annual $50 Chase Travel Hotel Credit
• Premium travel protection benefits including trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance and lost luggage insurance.
• The card comes with a $95 annual fee.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

When it comes to simplicity and strong rewards, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice for most travelers. You’ll earn earns 2 miles per dollar on every purchase with no bonus categories to memorize, making it an ideal card for those with busy lives. Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

• This flexible rewards card delivers a solid sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles, worth $1,388 based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuer.
• You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories.
• Rewards earned are versatile as they can be redeemed for any hotel or airline purchase for a statement credit or transferred to 15+ travel partners.
• Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
• Capital One airline partners do not include any large U.S. airlines.
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

If you can maximize the  $300 credit toward Capital One Travel, the Venture X’s annual fee effectively comes down to $95, the same annual fee pegged to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ). Add in a 10,000-mile bonus every account anniversary (worth $185, according to TPG valuations ) and lounge access, and the card may become the strongest option out there for a lot of travelers. Read our full  review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

• 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
• $395 annual fee
• $300 credit annually, only applicable for bookings made through Capital One Travel portal
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card’s sign-up bonus is among the highest we’ve seen from Chase. Plus earn points across the four bonus categories (travel, shipping, advertising and telecommunication providers) that are most popular with businesses. The card comes with travel protections, shopping protections and will also have primary coverage when renting a car for business purposes for you and your employees. Read our full  review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card .

• One of the highest sign-up bonuses we’ve seen — 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 worth of spend in the first three months after card opening.
• Access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal for points redemption.
• Reasonable $95 annual fee.
• Bonus categories that are most relevant to business owners; primary car insurance.
• Perks including cellphone and purchase protection; extended warranty; trip cancellation/interruption insurance; trip delay reimbursement.
• Yearly cap on bonus categories.
• No travel perks.
• Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule on card applications.
• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Platinum is unmatched when it comes to travel perks and benefits. If lounge access, hotel elite status and annual statement credits are important to you, this card is well worth the high annual fee. Read our full  review of the Platinum Card from American Express .

• The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. TPG values it at $1,600.
• This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, and more than $1,400 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. (enrollment required)
• The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway.
• The $695 annual fee is only worth it if you’re taking full advantage of the card’s benefits. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost.
• Outside of the current welcome bonus, you’re only earning bonus rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so it’s not a great card for other spending categories.
• The annual airline fee credit and other monthly statement credits can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards.
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

This isn’t just a card that’s nice to look at. It packs a real punch, offering 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar). There’s also an up to $120 annual dining credit at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com ,  Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations, plus it added an up to $120 annually ($10 per month) in Uber Cash, which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. All this make it a very strong contender for all food purchases, which has become a popular spending category. Enrollment is required for select benefits. Read our full review of the Amex Gold .

• 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar)
• 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel.
• Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of account opening.
• Weak on travel and everyday spending bonus categories.
• Not as effective for those living outside the U.S.
• Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits.
• Few travel perks and protections.
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of travel rewards, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great way to get started. With no annual fee and a simple 1.25 miles per dollar on all your purchases, you won’t have to keep up with multiple bonus categories — just earn rewards on everything you purchase! Coupled with the 20,000-mile sign-up bonus, you can use your rewards to book travel, transfer to Capital One’s loyalty partners and more. Read our full review of the  Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card .

• No annual fee.
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
• Use your miles to book or pay for travel at a 1-cent value, or transfer your miles to loyalty programs to gain potentially even greater value for your rewards.
• Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other credit cards can offer you higher rewards for your common purchase categories.
• Capital One airline transfer partners do not include any large U.S. airlines.
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great card for frequent travelers looking to add a touch of luxury to their business trips. While the card does come with a high annual fee, you’re also getting a ton of valuable benefits in return. They include generous annual travel credits, unparalleled lounge access that includes Amex Centurion Lounges and more. Read our full  review on The Business Platinum Card from American Express .

• Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry every 4 years or $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4.5 years (enrollment is required)
• Up to $400 annual statement credit for U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
• Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels; access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection (enrollment required)
• Steep $695 annual fee.
• High spend needed for welcome offer.
• Limited high bonus categories outside of travel.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
• Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
• Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
• $695 Annual Fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card offers healthy reward earning rates on top of uncapped point-earning meaning the sky's the limit — especially if you strategize and spend in popular categories.

• No foreign transaction fees
• Uncapped earning potential
• $50 annual statement credit
• Solid point earning rates in popular categories
• This card features an annual fee
• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 annual fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of our top premium travel cards. With a $300 travel credit, bonus points on dining and travel purchases and other benefits, you can get excellent value that far exceeds the annual fee on the card. Read our full  review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card .

• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners.
• 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchases through the Ultimate Rewards portal, 5 points per dollar on flights booked through the Chase Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining, 1 point per dollar on everything else
• 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel directly through Chase Travel
• Steep initial $550 annual fee.
• May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph card packs a punch for a no-annual-fee product, with an array of bonus categories plus solid perks and straightforward redemption options. Read our  full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph here .

• This card offers 3 points per dollar on various everyday purchases with no annual fee. It also comes with a 20,000-point welcome bonus and an introductory APR offer on purchases. Plus, you'll enjoy up to $600 in cellphone protection when you pay your monthly bill with the card. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Despite the lucrative earning structure, Wells Fargo doesn't offer any ways to maximize your redemptions — you're limited to fixed-value rewards like gift cards and statement credits.
• Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.

American Express® Business Gold Card

The Amex Business Gold card is a solid choice for high-spending small businesses with the flexibility to earn 4 points per dollar in the two categories where you spend the most. The card is ideal for businesses who value simplicity above all. Read our full  review of the American Express Business Gold Card .

• You'll earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar in the top 2 spending categories each month (on the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year).
• Hefty $375 annual fee.
• There may be better options for small businesses who don't spend a lot.
• Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
• Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
• Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
• *Terms Apply

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is a great starter card thanks to its no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees when you travel internationally. Earning and redeeming is effortless, with no confusing bonus categories to keep track of and the ability to redeem your points for all of your travel needs. Read our  full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards  card.

• 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases
• No annual fee
• Bank of America does not offer airline or hotel transfer partners like other banks such as American Express, Chase or Capital One.
• No travel and purchase protections.
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 19.24% - 29.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

There’s a lot to love about the Alaska Airlines credit card, in part due to its highly valuable loyalty program: Alaska Airlines MileagePlan. Whether you’re a loyal Alaska flyer or a points maximizer looking to diversify your rewards portfolio, this card has a lot to offer. For starters, you’ll receive Alaska’s Famous Companion Pass each year from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year, free checked bags for you and up to six guests on your itinerary, 20% back on in-flight purchases and more. Plus, Alaska has joined the oneworld alliance, opening up endless redemption opportunities. Read our  full review of the Alaska Airline credit card.

• Free checked bag for you and up to six guests on your reservation.
• Alaska discounts, including 20% back on in-flight purchases.
• Limited Time Online Offer—60,000 Bonus Miles!
• Get 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
• Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don’t expire on active accounts.
• Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
• Free checked bag and enjoy priority boarding for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, when you pay for your flight with your card — Also available for authorized users when they book a reservation too!
• With oneworld® Alliance member airlines and Alaska’s Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem miles.
• Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a low $95 annual fee.
• This online only offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

You’ll earn a solid return on dining and travel (6% back and 4% back, respectively, based on TPG valuations ) on top of your generous sign-up bonus, and you also have access to some of the best travel protections offered by any travel rewards credit card.

We’ve long suggested the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card   as an excellent option for those who are new to earning travel rewards because it lets you earn valuable, transferable points  with strong bonus categories and a reasonable annual fee.

“The Chase Sapphire Preferred has remained a top card in my wallet for years. Between the consistently strong sign-up bonus, low annual fee and continual improvements that have been made over the years, it’s hard for any other mid-tier rewards card to compare. I love that I can earn bonus rewards on travel, dining, streaming and online grocery purchases — all with just one card. Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are valuable and easy to use whether you’re new to points and miles or an expert.” — Madison Blancaflor , senior content operations editor

To add more luxury to your travel experience, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . Though it comes with a higher annual fee, you’ll enjoy Priority Pass lounge access plus a $300 annual travel credit.

With the Capital One Venture, you’re earning 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which makes it easy to rack up rewards without having to juggle different bonus categories or spending caps. And with flexible redemption options and a manageable annual fee, this card is an excellent choice if you’re looking to keep just one credit card in your wallet for all spending.

Those looking to earn flexible rewards should use the Capital One Venture card as it allows you to redeem miles for a fixed value or transfer the miles you earn to 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners , including Avianca, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

“The Capital One Venture is a great card that can add value to pretty much anyone’s wallet. I use it to earn 2 miles per dollar on the purchases that fall outside of my other cards’ bonus categories. The annual fee is low, Capital One miles are easy to redeem and the card does come with a few nice perks — including TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee reimbursement.” — Madison Blancaflor , senior content operations editor

Even if you’re a casual traveler, consider jumping to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  (see  rates and fees ). The card’s up to $300 annual credit for purchases made with Capital One Travel immediately covers the higher annual fee — and that’s not even considering the added perks you’ll enjoy.

At $395 per year (see rates and fees ), this premium card is cheaper than all of its competitors without sacrificing the breadth of valuable perks it includes. Cardholders will get unlimited visits to Capital One’s premium network of lounges and 1,300-plus Priority Pass lounges worldwide  and able to bring up to two guests for no additional charge.

For frequent travelers, the Capital One Venture X is a must-have and is well worth the $395 annual fee. If you travel frequently with your significant other, family or friends, you can even add some authorized users for no additional cost. This will grant them their own lounge access (and the ability to bring up to two guests for no fee), among many other benefits, making this a huge cost-saver for those who travel in groups.

“With an annual fee that is $300 less than The Platinum Card® from American Express (see Amex Platinum rates and fees ), the Capital One Venture X card is my favorite travel credit card. The card comes with an annual $300 Capital One Travel credit, which I use to book flights. That effectively brings the annual fee down to $95 per year (see rates and fees ). Cardholders enjoy a Priority Pass Select membership. Authorized users — you geta number of them at no cost — also enjoy their own Priority Pass Select membership. I use my Venture X card to earn 2 miles per dollar (a 3.7% return at TPG’s valuations ) in spending categories where most cards would only accrue 1 mile — like auto maintenance, pharmacies and medical bills.” — Kyle Olsen , former points and miles reporter

Those turned off by the Venture X’s annual fee could opt for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , which has a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees ), identical sign-up bonus and similar earning and redemption options.

The Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services and advertising purchases made on social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. TPG’s most recent valuations  peg the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece, so you’ll get a fantastic return of 6% on purchases in these categories.

If you spend a lot on business travel or social media advertising, you’ll be able to earn significant points using the Ink Business Preferred card .

“I originally signed up for the Ink Business Preferred primarily for its sign-up bonus. But, over the last year, I’ve found myself making it my go-to card when booking travel. After all, the Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar spent on travel and provides excellent travel protections, including trip delay protection and rental car insurance.” — Katie Genter , senior writer

If you don’t want to worry about maximizing specific purchases and are looking for a lower spending requirement to earn a sign-up bonus, consider the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card , which offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases and carries no annual fee.

The Amex Platinum is a stellar premium travel card that can provide amazing redemptions . Besides the welcome offer, it comes with more than $1,400 in credits each year and various lounge access options. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Anyone looking for luxury travel benefits will find that the ton of annual statement credits make the annual fee worth it. Plus, you’ll get unparalleled lounge access , automatic Gold status with Hilton and Marriott, and extra perks with Avis Preferred , Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Car Rental Emerald Club . Enrollment is required for select benefits.

“While this card has a high annual fee, it more than justifies itself for frequent travelers like me. The lounge access options that come with the Platinum are unrivaled by competitors. I put all of my flights on this card to earn 5 points per dollar spent and trip protection insurance. I make sure to take full advantage of the Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hulu/Disney+ and Clear credits (enrollment is required). And, honestly, pulling a Platinum card out of your wallet to pay for something does feel pretty fancy.” — Matt Moffitt , senior credit cards editor

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  can be a great alternative to the Amex Platinum, with a notably lower annual fee, similar perks and a more rewarding earning rate on everyday purchases.

The Amex Gold earns 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants, with no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees ), meaning you’ll get an 8% return on purchases (based on TPG’s valuations ). While a few other cards temporarily offer higher return rates on dining, this is the best option for long-term spending, making it one of the best dining cards and best rewards cards .

Those looking for a great return on dining and purchases at U.S. supermarkets will get a lot of value from this card.

“Groceries and dining at restaurants are two of my top spending categories, and I love that the Amex Gold rewards those purchases with 4 points per dollar. When you factor in the $10 dining credit and $10 in Uber Cash each month, the $250 annual fee is a net cost of $10.” — Senitra Horbrook , former credit cards editor

For those who dine out a lot and also want additional bonus categories and other valuable perks for a lower annual fee, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

The no-annual-fee Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see  rates and fees ) has the same redemption options as its sibling card (the Venture Rewards card) but with a lower rewards rate and fewer perks. The miles earned on the card can also be transferred to airline and hotel partners, a benefit not usually seen with a no-annual-fee card.

The VentureOne is a strong card to have in your arsenal and great if you are budgeting. After all, there aren’t many no-annual-fee cards with the ability to transfer points and miles directly to travel partners, so it’s a big bonus that this card offers that (see rates and fees ).

“I wanted a credit card that earns Capital One miles without an annual fee, and this is a winner (see rates and fees ). It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some other cards, but I’m happy earning 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases without paying a fee to keep this card year after year. I’ll never cancel this card.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

For a small annual fee, many travelers could benefit from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . You’ll earn at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases and receive a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership.

There are certain ways to earn bonus points for spending on the Amex Business Platinum Card, but it’s the array of perks on the card that make it a great option. Beyond airport lounge access and automatic hotel elite status, there are a number of statement credits that are specifically targeted to common business expenses.

If you travel for business frequently, this card could help you upgrade your experience in the air and on the ground while saving you money on select business-related services. And the current welcome bonus is just the icing on the cake.

“I find that the annual perks and credits vastly outweigh the large annual fee. And that’s even without using some of them. By using the benefits with Priority Pass and Amex lounges, the airline incidental credits, plus the statement credits for Clear, our cellphone plan and restocking my home printer with ink and paper from Dell (enrollment required), I get more value out of the card than it costs to keep it. Plus, it earns my favorite points — American Express Membership Rewards — earning 5 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked with Amex Travel.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

For less-frequent travelers, consider the American Express®  Business Gold Card , which offers 4 points per dollar spent on your top two spending categories each month on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter).

The Autograph Journey offers cardholders the chance to earn elevated rates across travel categories including 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, 4 points per dollar on airline purchases and 3 points per dollar on restaurants and 'other travel' which includes timeshares, car rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites and campgrounds. On top of this, cardholders also get the added benefit of earning a flat rate of 1 point per dollar on other purchases for a $95 annual fee.

If you travel frequently and are looking for a card to help you rack up points you can redeem for future travel, this card is a decent option. Additionally, those looking for a way to fill gaps in their points earning strategy will benefit from the flat 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases outside of the main travel categories.

Another great perk the Autograph Journey features is an annual $50 statement credit triggered by an airline purchase of at least $50. This is on top of elevated earning rates in the certain travel categories and a solid welcome offer for new applicants. There's also no foreign transaction fees on the Autograph Journey card making it a good first travel card as well as a decent supplemental card to add to your travel credit card roster.

If you're looking for a more general use credit card with no annual fee, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see  rates and fees ). It earns a flat rate of 2% cash rewards on purchases making an excellent choice to help fill gaps in your reward earning strategy. The best part? Like the Autograph Journey card, the Active Cash Card doesn't put a cap on the amount of cash back you can earn.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with an annual $300 travel credit to offset a variety of expenses — such as airfare, hotels, rental cars, transit and more. You’re also getting an up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit  once every four years along with Priority Pass Select membership. And Chase’s slate of transfer partners allows plenty of opportunity to get the maximum value from your points.

Those looking for elevated earning rates and extensive travel protections should have this card in their wallet. The 50% redemption bonus when you use your points to pay for travel through the Chase portal  is also a nice perk.

“I’ve had the Sapphire Reserve for years, and it’s going to stay in my wallet for the near future. I get $300 off travel every year along with great earning rates on travel and dining (3 points per dollar) and various trip protections that can reimburse me when things go wrong. And by leveraging other cards in the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, I’m able to maximize the earnings across all of my purchases.” — Nick Ewen , director of content

If you just can’t stomach the Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee, go for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  instead. It has similar perks, redemption options and travel protections — for a much lower $95 per year.

The Wells Fargo Autograph is a great no-annual-fee card that offers quality earning categories and travel and shopping protection.

Travel card beginners who are looking to get into points earning should consider the Wells Fargo Autograph, which offers a welcome bonus, 3 points per dollar on a variety of everyday spending categories and cellphone protection.

If you’re just getting into the travel credit card world and are not sure travel cards are for you, consider the Wells Fargo Autograph, which will allow you to earn bonus points on travel spending without the commitment of an annual fee.

If you’re looking to earn transferable reward points but still maintain a similar earning structure, consider the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees ). The card earns 3 points per dollar on dining and 2 points per dollar on travel purchases for no annual fee. Plus, Bilt points can be transferred to any of its multiple travel partners. 

The American Express Business Gold card comes packed with perks and benefits, but its most unique feature is the ability to shift your monthly bonus categories. Cardholders will automatically earn 4 points per dollar in their top two spending categories on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter), so if your business spending varies month to month, you won’t have to commit to a bonus category.

The American Express Business Gold card is an excellent choice for business owners who are looking for a premium business card with premium business perks like monthly office supply statement credits, travel and shopping protection and access to The Hotel Collection.

The American Express Business Gold is an excellent choice for small businesses that have changing bonus categories but still want more premium business perks and benefits.

If you still want to earn Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee, consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (see rates and fees ), which earns 2 Membership Rewards points on all business purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card operates similarly to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . You’re earning flat-rate rewards across all spending, and then you can use those rewards as a statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases.

It’s perfect for low-budget beginner travelers  who want a card with no annual fee and a simple way to earn and redeem points.

“I’m happy earning 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases on a card without an annual fee. I can’t pay for everything in life with transferable points, and it’s nice to have a card with fixed-value points for those situations. I use this card for travel purchases where I need to pay in cash, then I can reimburse myself with the points.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re interested in a card with transferable miles that still has no annual fee (see  rates and fees ), consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card .

The Alaska Airlines Visa earns 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases; 2 miles per dollar on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and transit (including local ride share purchases); and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. You get a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six guests on your reservation, an annual Companion Fare on your account anniversary and 20% back on all inflight purchases.

Whether you live on the West Coast or not, the Alaska Airlines Visa is a good cobranded airline card to consider adding to your wallet. The Seattle-based airline is mostly limited to North American routes, but international destinations through Oneworld partners make this card valuable for all travelers.

“With new benefits, this card is even more valuable to me — even with its higher annual fee. It provides a free first checked bag, discounts on inflight purchases and priority boarding. My favorite feature, however, is the annual Companion Fare. I get hundreds of dollars in annual value from this perk.” — Ryan Smith , former credit cards writer

If you’re not looking to collect airline-specific miles, a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card might be a better option.

Travel rewards credit cards earn points, miles or cash back that are redeemable for travel expenses or are geared toward travel spending. The cards on this list are some of the best credit cards to book flights , hotels and more with their many perks and rewards . 

Travel credit cards offer rewards on different purchases that can help you book flights, hotels and more for little to no out-of-pocket expenses. Some cards also provide valuable perks and benefits that upgrade the overall travel experience — from Global Entry application fee credits to lounge access to complimentary elite status . If you have the right card (or cards) in your wallet, the sky is the limit on where your travels can take you — literally.

Additionally, it’s often advantageous to travel with more than one credit card for a variety of reasons. Carrying a backup credit card when you travel can provide peace of mind in the case of bank or issuer problems or if you have a card flagged for fraud while you travel. (In this case, knowing if your card requires you to set up travel alerts for lengthy travel could be worthwhile).

Are you new to travel rewards? Check out our beginner’s guide to all things points and miles . You’ll learn about top loyalty programs, how to maximize your credit card strategy to reach your travel goals and so much more.

Related: The complete history of credit cards, from antiquity to today

We have researched various types of travel credit cards to help you figure out which one is best for you.

Travel vs cash back credit cards

A travel credit card is a card that is geared toward travel spending and a cash-back credit card is a card that earns cash back on purchases made with the card.

Generally, when we are talking about travel credit cards we refer to cards that earn points and miles like the Platinum Card from American Express or the Hilton Honors Aspire card. The Platinum Amex earns transferable points which can be used with any of Amex's travel partners while the Hilton Honors Aspire card only earns Hilton points which can be redeemed at Hilton properties. These cards do not earn cash back on any purchases.

Cash back cards generally offer cash back as a flat rate or feature bonus categories that earn an elevated cash back rate. Select cash-back cards can also be a great travel card such as the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express which offers 3% cash back on transit including rideshare, trains, buses, and more. Even though it is a cash-back card, the Blue Cash Preferred offers an elevated return on select transportation which potentially makes it a solid travel card option.

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel credit cards work like other reward credit cards: They help you earn rewards, primarily points and miles, on your purchases. This section will primarily focus on transferable rewards credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card® from American Express, as they are what are typically considered travel credit cards.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

How to earn transferable points

Transferable points credit cards earn points or miles when you make a purchase on the cards. These points and miles can then be transferred to travel partners for rewards like flights, hotel stays and more. Different cards will have different currencies, but they are generally called either “points” or “miles” (depending on the issuer). All transferable reward credit cards, airline credit cards and hotel credit cards will have their own currency that is redeemable for travel rewards. 

Travel cards have varying rates for different purchase categories. For example, the American Express® Gold Card card earns 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants but only 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or Amex Travel. While the Amex Platinum may be a better card for travel as it earns 5 points per dollar spent on flights (booked directly with airline or Amex Travel and up to $500,000 per calendar year), the Amex Gold can be a good addition for Platinum holders who spend a lot of money on dining out.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

How to redeem points and miles  

Once you’ve decided on a travel credit card and earned a welcome bonus, it’s time to put those points or miles toward free travel. There are many ways to redeem your rewards with travel credit cards. Many cards feature an online booking portal through which you can use your rewards to book things like flights, hotels and car rentals. Before booking your flight, you should consider doing a  flight portal comparison to ensure you're getting the best redemption. Others allow you to transfer your points or miles to individual loyalty programs. Depending on the redemption, this could unlock even more value.

There are plenty of ways to ensure you don’t make mistakes with your travel rewards . For instance, be sure you do your research with your rewards to get a high-value redemption and make sure your accounts are in good standing so you don’t risk losing them.  

Related: Tips and tricks to get maximum value from your Capital One miles

It’s up to you to decide whether a specific trip is worth spending your rewards. You can use TPG’s monthly valuations to help you determine if the price of your flight or hotel room is worth your points and miles. Some travels are more affordable in cash, but you can always save your points to splurge on a business-class flight to Europe or an overwater bungalow at a luxury resort. 

How to use travel credit card portals  

In the world of travel credit cards, the four major players are American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi. These issuers also have their own travel portals which can be used to earn and redeem points for travel. 

Some issuers, like Capital One and Chase , offer an incentive to book travel through the bank’s portal but it is not always worth booking through a portal. 

We do not recommend booking hotel travel through card portals as it typically does not honor elite-status benefits or elite-qualifying stay credits. 

Luckily, flights typically allow you to earn bonus points through a card issuer’s portal and with the airline. Keep in mind that this does not apply to all cards. When purchasing in cash, there generally is little variance in booking through a portal or on the airline’s website so if your travel credit card offers incentives to book through the portal , it can be a great way to earn extra points. 

Related: Ultimate guide to the Citi travel portal

Points and miles redemptions will have a fair variance, especially if there are incentives to book through the travel portals. Overall, travel portals can be a great addition to your points redemption journey if properly used. Always remember to compare the price or redemption value of booking through a portal or directly with an airline. 

Booking through a portal may make matters complicated if you ever need to change or cancel your flight. 

Related: Battle of the credit card travel portals: Which is the best for booking flights?

Types of travel credit cards

Travel credit cards are cards that are geared towards travel spending. Luckily, there are many types of travel credit cards which means there is a good option for any traveler. Typically, when talking about travel credit cards, we are referring to transfer rewards credit cards, airline credit cards and hotel credit cards. There are additional types of travel credit cards that are less popular but can still be a good option for the right traveler.

Transferable rewards credit cards earn points and miles that can be redeemed through a card’s rewards program directly or by transferring them to a travel partner . Many of our best travel credit cards fall under this category because they are the most valuable type of points you can earn. Transferable rewards give you the flexibility to redeem your rewards in a way that will be most beneficial to you. Examples of top transferable rewards cards are the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Airline cobranded cards earn a specific type of airline miles. These cards also generally come with perks specific to that airline. For example, an airline card may offer free checked bags , a certain number of elite-qualifying miles to help you reach status, priority boarding privileges, inflight discounts and more.

Hotel cobranded cards work like airline cards. You’ll earn rewards that are redeemable for a particular hotel program, such as Hilton or Marriott. Hotel cards come with their own benefits, such as complimentary elite status or free award-night stays. In addition, hotel cards can help you stack your earnings on hotel stays with the hotel’s program.

For example, if you have a Marriott credit card , you’ll earn bonus points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott properties on top of the 10 base points you get as a member of the Bonvoy program. This can really amplify the rewards you can earn when you use your hotel card to pay for your booking.

The points and miles world can be confusing for new credit card users but it doesn’t have to be. While transferable rewards cards are arguably the best way to earn points and miles for travel, they can also be incredibly confusing. Fixed-value credit cards and cash-back credit cards are good alternatives for beginners who are looking to get into the travel credit card world.

Fixed-value cards earn points or miles that are always redeemed for the same value. For example, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card earns points worth 1 cent each. These cards are great for beginners who haven’t quite gotten the hang of maximizing transferable points or casual travelers who are looking for their first travel credit card . Fixed-value credit cards are often the best travel credit cards for beginners. 

As more hotels and airlines move to a dynamic pricing model where award pricing shifts dramatically, fixed-value rewards programs are becoming more popular.

Another great credit card option for casual travelers or credit card beginners is cash-back credit cards. You don’t have to worry about points, transfer partners or maximizing your rewards with these cards. Cash-back cards provide a percentage of cash back on your spending and provide a simple way to save on your upcoming travels. 

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ) is a great option for beginners to travel rewards. It earns unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and has no annual fee.

Travel credit card benefits

Some travel cards offer automatic elite status with various programs when you sign up and can also accelerate the journey to elite airline status by converting points to air miles. If you are loyal to a particular hotel brand, status with that brand will be valuable. You’ll be entitled to room upgrades, resort credits, early check-in, late checkout and more. If you’re not loyal, it won’t. The same goes for elite status with an airline — you’ll get lounge access, upgrades, increased baggage allowance, etc. When comparing the perks of various cards like elite status, be realistic about which ones you will and won’t use.

One of the coveted perks of premium travel credit cards is complimentary airport lounge access. Many premium travel credit cards come with Priority Pass lounge access , a membership that allows access to airport lounges across the world. These lounges are a great place to relax before your flight or have a snack during a long layover. Amenities will vary between lounges but most lounges provide wifi, private seating and refreshments. Be sure to check the priority pass guest policy as many lounges allow you to bring a complimentary guest (or guests).

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are both expedited screening programs for travelers. TSA PreCheck is reserved for expedited security screening for domestic flights and Global Entry provides expedited customs screening for international travelers when entering the United States. 

The application fee for TSA PreCheck is up to $85 and $100 for Global Entry. If you are approved for the program, the membership is valid for 5 years. Many travel credit cards will offer statement credit for the application . 

What TPG readers have to say about their favorite travel credit cards

Fan favorites among top travel credit cards include those that earn both points and miles. In addition to helping offset the cost of travel — whether it’s for rental cars, hotel stays or flights — some TPG readers love that travel cards also offer travel insurance (including protections for things like delayed or lost baggage). We asked our readers which credit card has made the biggest impact when they travel and why — here are their responses.

Note: Responses have not been edited.

“Allowed me to justify staying at nicer hotels and just overall leveling up with how I travel.” — Jackie C via Facebook  

“ Venture X for me - lounge access and my first long haul biz [sic] class flight on points! Changing my travel game for the better!” — Lauren R via Facebook

“Can't beat the flexibility of the $300 travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve .” — Armando S via Facebook

• Awards vs cash calculator Compare the cost in points or miles to cash.
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Earn the welcome bonus

One of the best ways to maximize your travel credit cards is to earn the welcome bonus . Most travel credit cards will offer a welcome or sign-up bonus that allows cardmembers to earn points or miles that would otherwise require a very high spend. Welcome bonuses are a crucial part of a card’s value, so before you apply for your next travel card, be sure to plan for how you will meet the spending requirement. Ideally, you would align large purchases with your card opening so that you don’t need to spend frivolously to earn that lucrative welcome bonus .

Use a travel card that matches your travel style

There is a travel credit card for everyone, but not every travel card is the best fit for your wallet . Consider what type of traveler you are, whether you have any brand loyalty and what perks you are looking for from your next credit card. If you travel often and in luxury, consider premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve® . These cards are loaded with tons of luxury perks like lounge access and automatic elite status . 

Alternatively, if you’re a more thrifty traveler who likes to maximize your travel earnings, consider a mid-tier travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . These cards allow you to earn points on your travel, and while they don’t come with a long list of luxury perks, they’re much more cost-effective for a traveler on a budget .

And even beginners don’t have to veer away from travel cards, since many products out there offer an introduction to the travel rewards world without incurring an annual fee.

It’s important to consider where you’re looking to go when you book trips, as certain cards are especially useful for international travel . Plus, if you’re someone who frequents the skies (such as a digital nomad), there are certain credit cards best for long-term travelers .

Knowing what your travel style is like will help you determine what type of travel card you need.

Use loyalty programs to stack your rewards

You don’t have to limit your earnings to just travel credit cards . Many airlines and hotel chains have loyalty programs that can be used in conjunction with your travel card to unlock added perks when doing business with a specific brand. In addition, many travel credit cards allow you to transfer points from your card to your eligible loyalty programs . This can open up nearly endless redemption options, including award chart sweet spots that can get you the most maximized redemptions for your points and miles.

• 1 Sign-up bonus Choosing a card with a healthy sign-up bonus will help jumpstart the possibility of unlocking elite status across different areas, including airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• 2 Annual fee Premium travel credit cards typically feature higher annual fees. Double-check that the card you choose suits your spending habits and travel needs before applying.
• 3 Bonus categories It also helps to check which bonus categories a card offers to ensure that they align with your spending, whether it’s at restaurants, at grocery stores or on streaming subscriptions.

What's your favorite travel credit card — and why?

• Using credit cards responsibly can help build your credit score
• Travel credit cards can earn cash back, points or miles on every dollar you spend.
• Travel credit cards can provide purchase, theft and fraud protection.
• Travel credit cards provide perks like travel insurance, complimentary hotel stays and more.
• Credit cards can encourage overspending.
• Carrying a balance and using your card irresponsibly can damage your credit score
• The cost of borrowing on credit cards is higher than traditional loans
• Having too many card applications can negatively affect your credit score
• Travel credit cards may be too complicated (or expensive) for those who aren’t frequent travelers.

Generally speaking, you need at least a very good credit score in order to get many popular travel credit cards. According to FICO, the scoring model used by most lenders, this is a score of at least 740. However, there’s no hard-and-fast rule, as each individual credit card issuer looks at a variety of factors in addition to your credit score when deciding whether to approve or decline your application.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to check your credit score for free , so you can get an idea of where you stand before wasting an application (and a hard inquiry on your credit report) for a card for which you’re unlikely to qualify.

Points and miles are simply two different ways to describe the same thing: the rewards you earn on a credit card. As an example, many popular Capital One credit cards earn miles, whereas cards that participate in Chase Ultimate Rewards accrue points. There’s no appreciable difference between the two words.

This gets a little more complicated when you begin discussing cash-back credit cards. Some of these show earnings with a dollar amount, while others show cash-back rewards in points. However, here too there’s no significant difference. It’s simply how the card issuer chooses to describe the rewards you’re earning.

It depends entirely on your typical travel habits. Many popular travel credit cards feature rewards, benefits and redemption options that only come into play when you’re actually on the road. This includes perks like airport lounge access,  rental car insurance  or statement credits for certain travel purchases. Ultimately, you should look at how much value you expect to get out of a given travel card in one year. Then, compare that to the card’s annual fee to make sure you’re getting at least that much value.

It depends. Generally speaking, you should aim to use your rewards from travel credit cards for travel-related purchases – like flights or hotel rooms. However, everyone has a different version of what “value” looks like here. Some travelers are perfectly content redeeming 25,000 miles for a $250 economy flight. Others would rather save up and use 100,000 miles for a $5,000 business-class ticket. The important thing is to avoid redemptions like gift cards or merchandise, since those typically offer poor value for your points and miles.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine whether you want to keep cash in your pocket by using rewards for a particular purchase instead.

Many of the luxury travel cards on this list offer hundreds of dollars in annual travel statement credits. However, not all annual travel statements are created equal. While some cards feature easy redemptions, other cards feature redemptions that come with more restrictions. 

Out of the various cards that offer annual travel credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve has the easiest redemption process for travel credits . The Chase Sapphire Reserve's travel credit covers a broad selection of charges, including flights, hotels, campgrounds and more. Additionally, the travel does not have to be booked through Chase’s travel portal, and the statement credit will automatically post when you make an eligible purchase. 

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Skillmatics Card Game - Guess in 10 Animal Planet, Perfect for Boys, Girls, Kids, and Families Who Love Toys, Board Games, Gifts for Ages 6, 7, 8, 9

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1. Animal Planet

2. Junior Animal Kingdom

3. Animal Planet Mega Pack

4. Animals & Countries Combo

5. Dinosaurs

6. Underwater Animals

7. Countries of the World

8. Professions

Around The Town

Junior Food We Eat!

Junior Inside My House

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About this item.

• ULTIMATE ANIMAL GUESSING GAME: Split into teams, or play one-on-one. Ask up to 10 questions to guess the animal on the game card! Is it a carnivore? Can it fly? Does it live in groups? Think hard, ask up to 10 'yes' or 'no' questions, and be the first player to collect 7 game cards to win!!
• STRATEGIZE YOUR WAY TO VICTORY: Make use of exciting features such as Clue Cards and Bonus Questions to plan your way to winning 7 cards..
• AWARD-WINNING FUN FOR THE FAMILY: Winner Of The 2023 National Parenting Product Awards (NAPPA) and the 2022 Parents' Picks Awards. This is the most exciting game you’ll find for Family Game Night that can be thoroughly enjoyed by all ages 6 and up!!
• PERFECT GIFT: Makes the perfect gift for boys, girls, parents, adults, friends, and families as well as any board game or card game lover..
• PLAY IT ANY TIME ANY PLACE: Includes 50 Game Cards, 6 Clue Cards and a handy box to store it all. The box size is portable & travel-friendly. Your child can become an instant champion by playing at game nights, gatherings, birthday parties, play dates, road trips, plane trips, outdoors, and more!!
• NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This animal trivia and strategy game can be played with 2 to 6 players. The average playtime is 20 minutes..
• BUILD KEY SKILLS: Guess in 10’s age-appropriate content and gameplay builds key skills such as Communication, Decision Making, Problem Solving and Creative Thinking Skills..

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Product Description

Makes Learning Fun!

With 50 exciting Game Cards packed with clues & 300+ fun facts, get ready for hours of fun learning!

Educational & Engaging

Guess in 10 helps children expand their general knowledge, all while having a blast!

Family Game Night Favorite

With 3+ million games sold, Guess in 10 is becoming the new family game night favorite!

Perfect for Gifting

Guess in 10 makes the perfect gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays and more!

Screen-Free Fun

Develop important communication, strategic and problem solving skills - no screens required!

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• 50 Game Cards, 6 Clue Cards, Instruction Manual

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REAL REVIEW: Guess in 10 Animal Planet {by a mom & teacher}

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Customers say

Customers like the value, readability, entertainment value, and family use of the tabletop game. They mention that it's well worth the money, the instructions are simple and clear, and that it is a fun icebreaker game for kids. They also appreciate the content, and durability. However, some customers feel the game is able to be a little too difficult for kids, and find the content too complicated.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the game fun, simple, and challenging. They also say it's a great way for grandparents to have fun with kids, and one of their favorite kid friendly card games.

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"Fun and Educational for all Ages " Read more

Customers find the game easy to learn and play, with simple and clear instructions. They also say the concept is simple yet engaging. Customers also mention the cards are easy to remember and to read even from across the room.

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" Easy to play . My ESL students love it." Read more

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Customers find the game great for family use. They say it's a great present for an enthusiastic child, and a useful gift for young ones. Some say the game is interactive for all ages and challenging for all.

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Customers like the durability of the tabletop game. They mention that the heavy duty cards hold up well to wear and tear, and the game is high quality and beautifully illustrated. They also say that it arrived in good condition.

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"I feel like I paid way too much for this cards. They are too thin , easily folded in kid's hands. And they don't have much variety...." Read more

Customers like the value of the tabletop game. They say it's well worth the money, a great purchase, and a good value for a growing child. Some mention that the packaging is low budget.

"...No small pieces and easy clean-up. Great purchase ." Read more

"... Well worth it , and might get again." Read more

"... Worth the price ." Read more

"...We played well over an hour than the 2 sister's played it. Well worth the purchase ." Read more

Customers find the game versatile and easy to transport. They mention it's a good idea for road trips, long journeys, and anywhere.

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"I bought this for my 6 year old and they are great to pass time on long journeys " Read more

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Customers find the tabletop game challenging. They say it's not the easiest game, and it quickly becomes too easy. Some customers also mention that the pictures are nice and bright, but the game is hard to play.

"My five year old loves this game but it is a little too easy for him , even when he’s playing by the rules (which is 50/50)...." Read more

"I bought this for my 4 year old. It is too hard for her to play . One person draws an animal card. Then the guesser picks up 10 cards one by one...." Read more

"...Unfortunately, Deadly Dinosaurs is a VERY hard version of the game ...." Read more

"This is a difficult game . That being said, if you have a young mind that is all about dinosaurs, they will beat you at this game every time...." Read more

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