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A long journey can be pretty dull, with nothing more to do than look out of the window. Make time whizz by with these games to play while traveling (and included are games to play at home too)!
Travel Games for Adults and Kids
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There’s nothing better than gathering the family for games night, especially ones that are fun enough to pull your kids away from their electronic devices for an hour or two!
Or during a flight or long layover, it’s always handy to keep a small travel game set in your carry-on, to help whittle away the hours at the airport.
But which game to play? There are a bunch of travel board games for family time to choose from. Strategy and cunning, or fast-paced and educational. TFG readers have you covered with a range of the best travel board games.
Fun Travel Games for the Whole Family
Travel Size Games
Regal Games
Regal Games Bingo is suitable for a long road trip ahead of you to keep the kids amused. This bingo set is one of the best car travel games for 3 year olds and up.
Albeit vintage in its styling, the easy to play boards involve spotting things out of the window to cover the squares. The shutter windows close over, so no other pieces are needed. Hours of fun, at a bargain price point.
Bananagrams
If you are looking for fast paced, travel word games, this one is award winning and raved about by celebrities and users alike. Arrange the letter tiles to create crossword style grids in the fastest time.
With no game board needed, the pieces come in a funky banana shaped pouch which is easy to throw inside your suitcase for a trip. Although not the most fun travel games for the car (as you don’t want to lose any tiles), it can be played anywhere.
TFG readers adore this game, they say they, “Love taking Bananagrams on our trips.”
Qwirkle
The word sounds funny, but for small travel games that are simple to play, try Qwirkle. Place your tiles down by matching the colors and pictures. This travel sized version of the game has a handy bag to keep the pieces inside. Strategy and chance both play a part in winning in this simple game suitable for upto four players, for ages 6 and up.
TFG readers take this on vacation with them for the family, one explains, “We usually have a travel sized Qwirkle and a deck of cards.”
Set: The Family Game of Visual Perception
Set Puzzle Games
If you like fast paced travel puzzle games, that only takes 20 minutes to play, Set is your go-to! It doesn’t involve turn taking so everyone stays involved and entertained. For kids and big kids, aged 6-99 (as it says on the box!), this game can be played solo, or with as many people that you can fit around a table.
A great mentally stimulating game, that’s easy to learn, TFG readers bring it on vacations and to games nights. One shares, “ I take compact games too, usually playing cards or Set (a game of visual perception, i.e., patterns)!”. Another adds, “I love Set and bring that to some things too.”
Connect 4
We love mini travel games, that are just smaller versions of family classics, and Connect 4 is no exception. The pieces are well made and are easily stored in the sides of the recognizable blue grid. Perfect for grab and go play, as no new rules are needed, and each game only lasts a few minutes.
As a well known brand, Hasbro travel games are available in a lot of childhood favorites, including: Clue, Guess Who, and travel Battleship game.
For day trips, bring a roomy but lightweight day pack so you can carry all of your essentials!
Best Travel Card Games
Mapominoes Europe The Ultimate Geography Game
Mapominoes
Mapominoes allows you to build a map of Europe, by connecting countries that share a common border. This is one of many educational small board games for travel. It’s a race to be the first player to play all of their cards on the table to win the game.
This game may test your gray matter, but reviewers still say it’s super fun and always different. As it uses no gameboard or small pieces, it is easy to add into your carry on to take on a trip to Europe, as you learn about it too!
100 PICS World Flags Quiz Card Game
100 PICS Travel Games
This handheld, portable card game by 100 PICS comes with a clever ‘open-the-doors’ card holder to help you learn about flags while on the go. Handy and small enough to keep in the car or throw in a carry on bag, this is one of the most fun, road trip travel games that will have everyone learning together. No need for wifi or batteries!
You can also get other card sets, such as animals and country specific ones too!
Mattel UNO
If you want good travel games, then look no further than UNO! Players compete to stack matching colors and numbers, with the aim to get rid of all of their cards first.
Perfect for making time fly during a flight, or a lazy day on the beach. It’s simplicity makes it one of the best travel card games for adults and kids alike. Just don’t forget to shout “UNO!”
Backpacker – The Ultimate Travel Game
Backpacker
Backpacker allows you to visit different countries, enjoy beaches, trekking, and culture. Meet other travellers and get good and bad advice, while trying to avoid getting sick or missing your plane, all in a deck of cards!
This pocket sized card game is great for global travelers, or even for someone setting off on a gap-year trip. Small enough to keep inside your backpack, yet simple enough to teach to your new friends in the hostel, with up to six players at a time.
Looking for more tips on traveling in comfort? Check out our tips on how to alleviate back pain during flights!
Tabletopics Destination Anywhere
Tabletopics
Tabletopics is ideal for travel lovers. Boxed in an acrylic 4 x 4 x 4 inches cube, these cards have thought-provoking questions that will have you reminiscing about past vacations and dreaming of new ones!
You can also pick up this game in a travel edition, 3 x 1 x 3 inch box, which is easy to take on a vacation, or even throw in your purse to keep the family amused at a restaurant.
Games About Travel
Ticket To Ride
Build train lines across the US to score points and become the winner. The travel game that’s most highly recommended is Ticket to Ride. With up to five players able to play at once, the whole family can get involved. Game play is between 30-60 minutes, so it’s wonderful as a family afternoon activity.
You can even use a compatible Echo device and, say “Alexa, launch Ticket to Ride” and be taken on a guided tour of the game with no rule book needed. You can even play against Alexa if you have no-one around to play with. Super family friendly, it’ll make you want to book your next trip by rail as you plan routes across America.
Also available as a ‘Europe’ version too!
Monopoly Here & Now Game: US Edition
Monopoly
Monopoly is the grandfather of board games. With so many versions from all over the world, you can find one from your favorite country or even city.
This “Here & Now” version adds a travel theme to play as players compete to collect stamps in their passport. Unlike the original Monopoly, this version can be played in approximately 30 minutes. Recommended for ages 8 and up and up to four players, try this twist on the classic, which won’t leave you with the Monopoly tantrums!
You can also get the original Monopoly travel game sized edition!
Rio Grande Games Airlines Europe
Airlines Europe
For airplane travel games featuring strategy and cunning, Airlines will have you voyaging across Europe. Plot routes between cities and make the most money. A longer strategy game, similar to the previously mentioned “Ticket to Ride,” but reviewers say this game offers more opportunity for strategy and tactics.
This brand of travel board games for adults or teens, is recommended for ages 13 and above, so not one for families with younger children. Two to five people can play.
Flags Around The World Family Board Game
Flags Around The World
Trivia based family travel games like Flags Around The World is ideal for lovers of geography. Learn about countries and capital cities and collect flags to win. This is not necessarily the most exciting game reviewed on this list, but your knowledge of flags and the world increases each time you play!
The manufacturers say it is for 2-5 players and for ages 8 and above, but some reviewers play with younger children. One says, “My husband and I play along with our sons, aged 14, 11, and 5. Honestly, all of them enjoy it. Even the five-year-old is learning many of the flags.”
Find out how to survive long flights over 20 hours long!
7 Wonders
Who doesn’t want to explore ancient time travel games? 7 Wonders will let you do just that! This card based game is well reviewed on Amazon and players love its fast paced nature.
For ages 13 and above, players warn that it does take a while to get your head around the rules, and a few attempts to really understand the ins-and-outs of it. But once mastered, users rave about this advanced strategy game, especially the beautifully designed cards and pieces.
Up to 7 players can play at once, making it one of the great travel games for teens or large, older families.
Catan Traveler Compact Edition
Catan Traveler
Those of you who are familiar with the game Catan, will love that it now has travel size board games. With a small and easy to carry travel case, you can take it on your trips across the globe!
The game pieces are stored in drawers, built into the game board, and the pieces have pegs to secure them in place. Although, it wouldn’t be one of the best traveling games to play in the car or on an airplane, due to the amount of small pieces, it could be a good fit for an evening activity, on the balcony of your Airbnb after a long day at the beach.
Product Comparison Chart
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How Do You Pack Your Pocket Travel Games?
A lot of the great travel games we have mentioned are just made up of sets of cards, so for optimum travel space, ditch the box and just take the cards with you. You can either wrap an elastic band and store them in a bag or even a packing cube, or to keep them extra safe and well cared for, try putting them in one of these playing card containers.
For travel board game sets, again, lose the box if you can, and store the pieces and instructions in a reusable Ziploc bag, to save space in your suitcase.
Use packing cubes in your personal item to keep all your belongings organized when you fly that way you can have easy access to what you need right away.
What do you think are the best travel games for adults and kids? Share and comment below!
For more travel and packing tips, please read:
- What To Do on a Long Flight
- Traveling with Small Children
- Top Tips for a Stress and Anxious-Free Flight
- How to Soothe Sore Feet after a Tiresome Sightseeing Day
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