Road Trip Ideas – 100 Road Trips

Entertainment is a must during a road trip. If you’re driving solo, you can listen to your favorite podcasts or audiobooks. But let’s be honest, a road trip with the right company is way more fun. On this list, there are a couple of road trip games you can play on your own, but you’ll need at least one other person to really make the most of them. Here’s how to break up the monotony of driving with road trip games.

1. The Classics: License Plates, 20 Questions, I Spy

How many license plates can you spot on the road? In this game, you keep an eye out for vehicles registered in different states and see if you can find one from every state. It’s a fun mix between your observation skills and geography knowledge.

Switch to the yes-no format of 20 Questions and use anything you see on the road as your object in mind. It could be anything from your steering wheel to a signpost to traffic lights to animals, and then have a great time guessing what the object is. Remember to limit the questions to 20 and give everyone on the trip a chance to participate.

“I spy with my little eye…” This game never gets old, making it perfect for road trips. There are so man clues you could come up with, from letters and numbers to locations and shapes on the road. It’s great for keeping little kids engaged, but you can also play an I-Spy version for adults, too. The fun is in the guessing, but you can make it more challenging by adding a time limit or points for each answer.

2. Memory Games: Alphabet and Patterns

Start with the letter A and find everything that begins with it for the next 10 or 20 miles, like signs, billboards, license plates, etc. You can tweak the alphabet game in numerous ways, like adding exceptions: find the letters on buildings only, or inside your car only, or at a rest stop. Have a reward for whoever spots the entire alphabet to make the game more interesting.

Challenge your memory with a pattern game and see how many objects each person can repeat in sequence. Take turns adding objects to the list until the sequence breaks, e.g., “I’m packing snacks for my road trip,” says one person, and the next adds, “I’m packing snacks and clothes for my road trip,” followed by, “I’m packing snacks, clothes, and a bike for my road trip,” and so on. You can add as many objects to the memory chain as you want. Start over if anyone breaks the sequence.

3. Storytelling Games: Create Your Own Adventure

The simplest way to get a good story going on a road trip is to start with, “Once upon a time…” From there, it’s anybody’s guess. Each person adds a sentence to the story, introducing a new character, scenario, twists and turns, and nobody knows the ending. You can turn this road trip game into a chain story, too, so that the next sentence in the sequence begins with the last word of the previous sentence. Or have each person contribute a single word that builds on the story.

Out of all road trip games, story chains are my absolute favorites. I find a certain freedom in just making up a story as you go along, which gives me an adventure within an adventure, being on the road and in fantasy land at the same time. The game can only get better the more creative you are!

4. Getting to Know Each Other: Hypothetical Questions

“Would you rather have a cat or a dog? Watch a movie or read a book? Stay home with takeout or party all night long?” These are simple questions that keep a conversation going on a road trip and reveal interesting things about all the players. It’s especially fun if your road trip buddy is a totally new person or someone you’ve wanted to know more about, even your partner. As one question leads to the next, you’ll have a wonderful conversation as the miles fly by on your road trip.

5. Brain Teasers: Riddles and Trivia

Consider downloading a riddle app for your road trip if you love a good mental workout. Choose an app with hundreds of riddles and levels, plus a good design to keep you engaged. Since most riddle apps need you to complete the answers on screen, take turns with them. If it’s your turn to drive, let your companion handle the app, and vice versa. Make it competitive and see who scores the most points.

Trivia apps can also make your road trip way more fun and interactive, so consider downloading a Jeopardy-style game before you head out. Have your companion use the app while you drive and take over when they get behind the wheel. Find a trivia app that works offline too, in case you travel out of coverage.

6. Hunt For Treasure: Geocaching and Scavenger Hunts

You can go on real-life treasure hunts on your road trip as a geocacher. All you need is a GPS device, a map, a pen, and a checklist of the caches along your route. You may also need some basic items like a torch, a multitool, or gloves to help you along–some caches are challenging to find. Choose a geocaching app, find coordinates along your route, and go hunting.

You can also create your own scavenger hunt game from your itinerary. List down the coolest or most fascinating things you’d like to see on the journey, like landmarks or animals, and stay on the lookout. The first person to spot them gets points or a reward at the next rest stop.

7. Break a Sweat: Road Trip Olympics

I always recommend stretching your legs during rest stops, whether that’s having a picnic at a scenic lookout or doing stretches whenever you park. Take it a notch higher and play some physically engaging games when you stop. Think of a round of charades to act out some of the landmarks or road signs you’ve seen so far, or “Simon says,” or even limbo using a rope as the bar. When you’re moving your body like that after hours behind the wheel, you’ll feel super refreshed and ready to get back on the road.

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It’s easy to eat unhealthy foods during a road trip because you need to keep your energy up while you drive. You can take the easy option: load up on coffee, candy, chips, and energy drinks. Or, as I prefer to do it, you can take some time to choose healthier road trip snacks and save the sugar and carbs for when you really need them. Here’s what you need to know about delicious, wholesome road trip snacks.

Top 3 Things to Consider When Choosing Road Trip Snacks

1. Your diet needs and preferences

Whether you’re planning a solo road trip or traveling with family and friends, you want to make sure everyone’s needs and preferences are met. Think about vegan, vegetarian snacks, gluten-free, and dairy-free options, plus food allergies or sensitivities.

2. Healthy versus indulgent snacks

Of course, you can always have a treat on your road trip, but the secret is to have it guilt-free. So, find a balance between healthy and not-so-healthy road trip snacks and indulge as a reward, say, after driving an especially long stretch of road or any other achievement or milestone on your adventure.

3. Snack prepping and packing

You want easy access to your snacks while you drive, so portable treats like granola bars and trail mix are easy to grab. Keep perishables and temperature-sensitive snacks like chocolate and dairy products in a cooler; use Tupperware containers to keep your road trip snacks organized. This way, you’ll know where everything is and when to restock when you stop along the way.

Road Trip Snack Ideas to Keep Everyone Happy

1. Healthy road trip snacks

Get as much protein and vitamins as you can on your road trip to keep you energized and satisfied for longer. Protein bars, Greek yogurt, beef jerky, nuts, and seeds pack a punch and keep you feeling full. You can also snack on carrot sticks, watermelon slices, and apple wedges as part of your refreshments.

2. Savory snacks and bites

Pre-packaged snacks like cheese sticks, crackers, pretzels, and popcorn are great for a crunchy, salty fix. If you’re planning a picnic on the road, sandwiches and wraps are easy to prepare ahead and travel well in a cooler. You can also add a gourmet touch to your road trip with charcuterie and cheese.

3. Sweet road trip snacks

Cookies, muffins, and brownies can keep your sweet tooth happy on the road. You can also add fruit and honey to your yogurt for extra guilt-free sweetness. Keep bite-sized sweets like mini chocolates or gummies on hand for when you need a quick sugar fix.

4. Road trip beverages

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and alert while you drive, and have more than enough for everyone on the journey. You can pack coffee and tea for a caffeine boost, prepare smoothies and juices for the trip, and sports drinks with electrolytes if you’re driving in hot weather for extended periods. And of course, avoid alcohol: don’t drink and drive.

5. Snack locally, too

Plan to explore the different food options on your road trip, including stopping by roadside stands, markets, and local diners and restaurants. You’ll support local businesses and discover delicious snacks that you’d otherwise miss. It’s also a good way to top up your snacks as you go instead of packing everything from home.

Bonus Tips

Make mindful choices when picking your road trip snacks and when eating them as well. Go for a balance between sweet and savory snacks, fresh and repackaged snacks, and always drink more water than all your other beverages combined.
Take breaks and stretch your legs on your road trip. Driving is a sedentary activity, and you may end up snacking way more if the drive is monotonous.
Manage your snack portions by packing individual portions in containers and following a snacking schedule. It helps your body make the most of what you eat at intervals instead of eating throughout the drive.
As much as possible, avoid eating in the car and snack at rest stops instead. Reach for water or fresh fruit while you drive, and break out the pre-packaged snacks and sandwiches at a park or scenic lookout.