Going on a road trip no longer needs to be boring! After thousands of miles in the car, I’ve put together this definitive list of the best road trip games for two people to play. If you want to be entertained in the car, this is the article for you!
These fun car games for two players will keep you busy for hours. Whether you’re a couple or two friends out on a journey, this list has you covered. If you want more entertainment, check out our big article on the best road trip games!
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20 Questions
20 Questions is a game for your inner detective! One person thinks of something… it can be a person, place, or thing. The other then has 20 questions to figure out what the other person is thinking. Each question can only be answered with “yes” or “no”. Try to narrow it down as much as possible with the initial questions. A simplified version of this game (which I think is more fun) is to only allow the object in question to be a person.
Two Truths and A Lie
A simple but fun game that is played in the exact way it sounds! Take it in turns to say two truths and one lie about yourself. The other person must then guess which statement was the lie. Grab some ideas for Two Truths and a Lie from this article, which is full of examples that you could use.
The Movie Game
One of my favorite games to play, which is why it’s in the first 3 games of this article!
- The first player names a movie name
- The second player must name an actor/actress who was in that movie
- The first player must then name a movie in which he/she also appeared.
- The game continues until one player cannot think of a correct answer
Find That Car
In the simplest version of this travel game, choose a make and model of a car, and the first person to spot it wins a point! Continue for as long as possible or until a pre-determined winning score.
Listen To An Audiobook Or Podcast
When you’re on a road trip with friends, consider listening to a podcast or audiobook with Audible! There’s a huge range of content to keep you entertained. Click the button below for a free trial.
The Categories Game
This game is an absolute classic and one of my favorite word games to play in the car. I spent many hours playing it to keep busy whilst on my road trip around Europe. My favorite categories are “car makes” or “fruit and veg” if you want a long game!
How To Play
- Think of a category such as ‘types of fruit and vegetable’
- Take it, in turn, to name an item in the category, for example, “carrot” or “apple”.
- The game ends when someone can’t think of an answer.
(Use a 10-second limit to speed things along!)
The Human Jukebox Game
- The first player starts by singing a line from a well-known song (in tune, of course!)
- The second player must then link it with a new song using the last word that the first player used
- This continues with the first player, then linking a new song… and so on until someone quits!
- An example might be “I like big butts and I…” “got a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good…”
Would You Rather?
This simple but fun game is played with at least two players. It involves asking various would-you-rather questions that create a dilemma between two similar things.
They can be wacky, rude, or thought-provoking!
- Take turns to ask a question in the form “Would you rather X or Y?”
- You must provide an answer to any question asked!
- Try to create as much of a dilemma as possible
- Example: Would you rather have hands for feet or feet for hands?
Degrees Of Separation
This simple word game involves a player drawing a link between two items using a series of connecting statements. The shorter the series of connecting statements, the better the answer.
How To Play
- The first person thinks of two items, such as a pig and a waterfall
- The second player must make a series of connecting statements to other items until they can make a connecting statement to the target word.
- An example using pig and waterfall: “Pigs like to roll around in mud” “My feet get muddy when I go hiking” and “Sometimes when hiking, I see a waterfall”
The Holiday Memory Game
This simple but classic memory game has a simple format. Check out the gameplay instructions below on how to play!
How To Play
- The first player starts a sentence with “I’m going on holiday, and I’m taking….” Followed by the first item.
- The second player reiterates the sentence with the first player’s item and an additional item
- Each round, an item is added, and the first player to incorrectly remember all the items is out
- Be warned, this game can go on for a long time!
Guess The Song
This simple game involves playing songs by popular artists, whilst players guess the song. It’s an easy, fun game for two people to keep you entertained. One person uses Spotify or another music streaming app to play small sections of songs, and the other person tries to guess the song.
Trivia Crack 2
A great quiz app to use for two people on a road trip, test your companion on 6 available categories. I find that a quiz is one of the best ways to pass the time on a long drive. The diversity of the questions puts a real stop to the inevitable build-up of boredom on a road trip!
How To Play
- Get the app from the App Store
- As a passenger, test the driver on one of the many gameplay options
- If you swap drivers at the next gas station, you can reverse roles!
Online Cribbage
Online Cribbage is a fast-paced card game that is available to play online for free. The objective is simpler: players must score points through a variety of card combinations. The game can be played on your mobile device in easy, standard, and pro modes.
How To Play
- Cribbage is a two-player card game played with a standard deck of 52 cards.
- Each player starts with 6 cards, and they take turns playing cards and trying to score points by forming specific combinations of cards.
- The game is played in two phases: the “play” phase, where players alternate playing cards and trying to reach a target score of 31, and the “show” phase, where players score points for specific combinations of cards in their hands and in a shared “crib” pile.
- Points are scored for card combinations such as pairs, runs, and combinations that add up to 15 or 31, with bonus points awarded for certain combinations such as flushes and “his nobs” (a Jack of the same suit as the starter card).
- The first player to reach 121 points (or a previously agreed-upon target score) wins the game.
Extra Ideas
Having driven thousands of miles on road trips, I can safely say that I have fully exhausted this list of games! Games are certainly one way to stay entertained, but here are a few other top tips for road trips with two people:
- Check the news and discuss the issues of the day about a topic you are both interested in.
- Take regular breaks at service stations and take a walk around for 15 minutes to get some fresh air.
- Chat about business ideas or plans for the future, something that can take up some time.
More Road Trip Games
Please share this article and leave a comment below, especially if you have any suggestions for other games you like to play!
Here are some other of our road trip entertainment articles to keep you busy on a long journey:
- The License Plate Game: The Simple Guide
- 156 Awesome Road Trip Questions for Couples
- 12 Marvellous Road Trip Games for Couples
- 19 Amazingly Fun Road Trip Games for Kids
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