If you’re soon to be embarking on a road trip with your better half, or you’re a digital nomad couple traversing the globe, you may well be on the lookout for some inspiration to wile away the hours! (Especially if he or she is doing the bulk of the driving).
Great road trip games for couples can provide hours of fun on long drives, making the time spent on the road more of an adventure than a chore.
Here are a few tried and tested favorites, plus some more obscure ones where you can pretty much make up your own rules as you go along!
And if you want to make it super easy on yourself, check out the ready made road trip games for couples in the third section. My husband & I have played a few of these with hilarious results!
Road Trip Games for Couples – Tried & Tested Faves
1. I Spy
We’re starting with one of the most classic road trip games for couples and families alike, “I Spy.”
Players take turns being the guesser and the spy, and the game can last as long as you like or until you get bored!
As the spy, you say ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with …’ and then provide the first letter of something you can see either inside or outside the car.
The guesser must figure out what you are looking at, and can guess as many times as they like.
This road trip game for couples can be made even more interesting with a little bit of imagination.
For example instead of the first letter, the spy could say something like, “I spy with my little eye, something round and red”.
Or the spy could assign point values to certain objects, making smaller, more common ones worth fewer points and trickier ones worth more points.
You can come up with your own rules and keep score throughout your road trip, creating a friendly competition!
2. 20 Questions
One of the best road trip games for couples is 20 Questions. This game can teach you a lot about each other in a fun way, and it’s easy to play on the road.
To start, one of you chooses a topic and then the other starts to ask questions about it.
For example, your partner can choose a place you’ve visited and you can come up with 20 questions about it. You can ask your partner questions about what they thought about the place, their favourite memories, and anything else you can think of.
Or to make it easier you can buy a bunch of question cards from Amazon & simply ask your partner what comes up on the cards.
This game can be an interesting way to learn more about each other while enjoying the scenery.
3. Truth or Lies
It’s tough to do truth or dare when one of you is driving, so an alternative road trip game for couples is ‘truth or lies’!
To play, one person starts by making a statement about something they have done in the past, or a funny anecdote. The other person must then determine if it is the truth or not.
The guessing partner has the chance to ask their partner any further questions to make their guess more accurate, like the location or timeframe in which the anecdote happened.
If both are in agreement about the answer, then the sharer scores a point. The person with the most points at the end of the drive wins!
4. Atlas
A simple but fun road trip game. One partner starts by naming a city, town or country. The other partner then has to name another city, town or country which starts with the ending letter of the previous name’s destination.
So for example, if your partner says ‘London’, you might say ‘Netherlands’, then they might say ‘Switzerland’ and so on.
The game continues until one or other can’t think of a place and the point is awarded to the winner. You can just play for fun or for the more competitive amongst you, for coffees, ice creams or lunch!
5. Name That Tune
No road trip would be complete without a few rounds of Name That Tune!
As a couple, you can challenge each other to a sing-off by taking turns playing snippets of different songs on your phone or car stereo.
A game like this is great for couples as it tests your knowledge of one another’s music taste. To make it even more fun, you can add a points system, with the one who names the most right genres and artists out of 10 getting to choose the next stops on the road.
It’s a great way to spend a long drive learning about the music preferences of your beloved and enjoying a laugh or two.
Make sure to come up with a shortlist of songs from various genres, from classic rock or old-school punk to chart-toppers of recent years.
Taking this game a step further, you can also use popular children’s music or TV show theme songs as a source of inspiration.
6. The Alphabet Game
The Alphabet Game is a great way to pass the time on a road trip for couples.
To play, one partner starts by saying “I’m going on a road trip, and I’m bringing…” while naming an item that begins with the letter “A.”
The other partner then follows with an item beginning with “B,” and the back-and-forth continues until someone can’t think of an item beginning with the appropriate letter.
You can easily customize the game by specifying items that fit the theme of your road trip destination – such as “I’m going to the beach and I’m bringing an anorak” or “I’m going to the Rockies and I’m bringing a – zipper.”
Alphabet Games are also recommended for couples who struggle with communication issues, as it encourages laughs and conversations about topics that don’t necessarily have to do with the relationship. Enjoy the game!
7. Kiss, Marry, Kill
Kiss, Marry, Kill is a classic road trip game for couples!
Start off by thinking of three people that both you and your partner know. They can be celebrities, friends or family members. Be sure to pick people you both know!
Then take turns and decide who you would “kiss”, “marry” or“kill” of the three people.
This game is a great way to get to know your partner on a deeper level, by finding out their likes, dislikes and general opinion of certain people.
It is also a great way to laugh together, as oftentimes the answers can be hilarious and out of the box.
Have your partner go first, take your turn and then discuss why you both chose these people. This can be an interesting and enlightening conversation that can provide further insight into the thoughts and opinions of your partner.
It’s important to make sure the game is kept light-hearted and meant to be fun though. This means not criticizing each other’s answers, especially with celebrities.
Put yourself in your partner’s shoes and don’t take it too seriously. Enjoy the game together and you’ll have a great time!
8. Two Truths and a Lie
Two Truths and a Lie is a classic game to play while on a road trip with your significant other.
Similar to Truth or Lies, but different, the game is simple.
Each partner takes turns telling two truths about themselves and one lie.
The other partner has to guess which is the lie.
You can make the game more interesting by adding a reward for correct guesses!
Some possible variations for two truths and a lie include guessing the truth about a destination you’ll be stopping at on your road trip, or about the people you’ll be visiting.
This game is great for getting to know more about your partner and building communication and trust. Try to make your truths and lies as creative as possible and you’ll keep each other entertained for hours!
You can even make a game out of guessing why each other lies or the meaning behind each lie. Fire up that car, grab a map, and get ready to Road Trip!