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Do you have a long trip in the car coming up? If so, you may be wondering what to do on a long car ride.
Even though you may like to count the lines as they go by, or stare out the window and watch the trees, there is only so much of this you can do. Eventually, you are going to get bored. Fortunately, there are some creative ideas you can use to entertain yourself in the car. In this article we will talk about 21 fun things you can do on a car ride that will add a little bit of fun to a long trip.
Wonder what do do on a long car ride no more. We have some solutions. Let’s get to it.
What To Do On a Long Car Ride [21 Fun Ideas]
1. Play a Game with the License Plates
One of the first ideas that may come to mind is playing a game with the license plates. This game is relatively straightforward. You and the other people in the car have a competition to see who can spot the most cars with different license plates during the next hour, 2 hours, or 30 minutes. Then, the person with the most license plates wins.
This is a fun game to play on the interstate because a lot of cars are going to go by. Of course, you are going to see a lot of license plates for the states you are in, but you will also see a lot of license plates for other travelers!
2. Pop in a Great Audiobook
Another option you may want to try is popping in a great audiobook. Even though the idea of a “book on tape” might appear obsolete, there are still plenty of ways you can listen to an audiobook. For example, you may have a Bluetooth connection in the car you can use. Or, you may want to use an auxiliary or USB connection. Why not take a look at the list of some of the top audiobooks topics and pick one for your next trip?
3. Fill In Some Mad Libs
Another idea you may want to try is filling in some mad libs. These are relatively straightforward. You open a book, look at the blank, and ask people to fill in the blank without looking at them. Then, in the end, you’ve read the entire story. It should be hilarious and incoherent! Of course, you should think carefully about the words you use to fill in the blanks! You need to make sure it is appropriate for the people on the car! If you are wondering what to do on a long car ride, a simple mad-libs should never be overlooked.
4. Swap Playlists with Each Other
Another idea you may want to try is swapping playlists with each other. Pretty much everyone has a playlist of music they like to listen to in the car. Everyone has a different style, and you may want to consider sharing your playlist with other people. Take turns sharing music, and see if anyone has other songs you may want to add to your playlist! You may even want to take a look at some of the best road trip playlists you can use!
5. Channel Your Inner Photographer
Of course, an easy way to entertain yourself in the car is to take a bunch of road trip photos. You are probably planning on taking a bunch of pictures when you get to wherever it is you are going. At the same time, you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to take some amazing pictures in the car! Everyone has a slightly different view, and you may want to play with different filters to see what kind of pictures you can come up with. After a little while, swap pictures with your friends and see what everyone was able to spot! This is an often overlooked but fun thing to do on a long car ride.
6. Let Out Some Pent Up Energy
You are going to have to take a break when you are on a long road trip. You may have to stop for gas, and you may have to stop for food. During this time, you can let out some pent-up energy. There are plenty of stretches you can perform to get the blood flowing. You may even want to have a sprint across the field as long as you are in a safe location. This is an easy way to entertain yourself, and it can break up the monotony of being in the car.
7. Plan a Detour During the Trip
If you are in the car for several hours, you are probably going to pass by multiple beautiful locations. Of course, you want to get to your destination as quickly as possible, but you do not want to miss out on other opportunities along the way. You do not know when you are going to be in that location next, so consider planning a detour to take a look at some cool sites. You may even want to use a website to figure out what the top locations are in the local area. If you are looking for what to do on a long car ride, never overlook taking a break and seeing some sites. After all, when will you get a chance to get back there?
8. Pick a Favorite Movie To Watch
If you have access to a TV in the car, or if you have a laptop with you, you may want to pop in a movie. This is an easy way to kill some time, and there may be something on your bucket list you have not seen yet. Make sure the movie you pick is age-appropriate, and you may want to put on the subtitles if you are worried you will not be able to hear the movie over the sound of the other cars going by!
9. See Who Can Go the Longest Without Touching the Phone
The ultimate source of entertainment in the car is your phone. Therefore, you may want to play a game and see who can go the longest without touching it. You may be surprised at just how difficult it is to go for even a few minutes without touching the phone, particularly when you are trapped in the car. You may want to have someone with a box who is the designated keeper of the phones. Then, see if there’s a surprise you can give the person to go to the longest without touching their phone!
10. Play Two Truths and a Lie
If you are looking for things to do in a car on a long ride with friends and family, this is one of my favorites, because going on a road trip together is one of the best ways to get to know one another. This is because you are going to be trapped in the car for a long time with other people. Therefore, why not play a game that can help everyone get to know each other just a bit better? The game is pretty straightforward. Everyone is going to say three statements. Two of them are going to be truths about themselves, and one of them is going to be a lie. The other people in the car have to try and guess which one of the statements is a lie.
11. Take a Nap
Okay, this one is not exactly original, but it is helpful when you are in the car for a long time. Particularly if you are going to be swapping drivers, everyone else has to get their sleep. That way, you will have energy when it is your turn to drive. Consider taking a nap in the car, and you may want to take a look at a few strategies that can help you fall asleep faster.
12. Break for a Picnic
Being trapped in the car can be incredibly monotonous. Therefore, you need to do something to break up the monotony. When it is time for a meal, it is easy to pull over, get some fast food, and get back in the car. If you want to switch it up a bit, then you may want to consider taking a break for a picnic. See if there is an open field you can commandeer for a little while. That way, everyone can take a break, stretch, and catch up.
13. Play Some Video Games
You may not have room in your car for an entire console, but this is a good way to entertain yourself. Your phones may have the ability to talk to each other using a Bluetooth connection. Therefore, there may be an opportunity for you to play games with other people. See if there are some common games people have on their phones. This could be a great way to entertain yourself if you are going to be in the car for a long time.
14. Pick a Podcast
You may want to consider putting on a podcast as well. There are plenty of ways you can play a podcast in the car. Maybe you have a Bluetooth connection, and maybe you have a USB cord you can use. A lot of people have a podcast they are working through, so this is a great way to get to know each other just a bit better. See what everyone is listening to, and consider putting on a podcast in the car. This is a fantastic way to kill some time while also learning about something new. Take a look at a list of some of the most popular podcasts right now.
15. Swap Funny Stories
Going on a road trip is a great way to spend quality time with family members and friends. Therefore, why not take advantage of the opportunity to catch up with one another. Virtually everyone has a funny story they would like to share with other people, and now is the perfect time to do exactly that. Take turns talking about each other’s mishaps, and see if there are some great ideas you can put to use the next time you are hanging out with your friends.
16. Test Yourself with a Paper Map
It doesn’t take a lot of skill to use a GPS to get yourself from place to place. Therefore, you may want to consider testing yourself using a paper map. Plot out your destination, and see what you can figure out where you are located right now. Then, draw a route on the map to help you get to wherever it is you need to go. Then, compare this to the GPS and see how close you got. This is an opportunity for you to learn some geography along the way.
17. Put On a Sports Game
If you love sports, this is a great opportunity for you to catch up on your favorite team. Particularly if you are driving in the afternoon or the evening, there is probably going to be a great game on. You may not be able to get it on a local radio channel, but you may be able to use a radio app to help you get the game on the radio. Then, you can stream this to your car and enjoy the game.
18. Have a Singalong Competition
You might also want to consider having a sing-along competition in the car. Your phones probably have the ability to connect to the car using Bluetooth or a USB cord. Therefore, take turns picking a song that someone else has to sing. You need to make sure you pick something that other people know, but have people sing it one at a time. Then, see who is the best singer in the group! You may be surprised at some of the talents your family members and friends have.
19. Be a Therapist for Your Friends and Family Members
If you have something difficult going on in your life, you may want to open up to your family members and friends. They may have suggestions for ways you can handle your problems. This is an opportunity for you to have a heart-to-heart with one another, and your family members and friends will probably appreciate having someone to talk to you. Everyone has problems in their lives, and this is a great opportunity to support one another.
20. Play I Spy
If you are feeling a bit nostalgic, this is a great opportunity for you to play a classic road trip game. The game is pretty simple. Someone has to say they spot something of a certain color. Then, the other people have to guess what it is. Of course, the objects are going to go by pretty fast, so you need to pick items that people can guess pretty easily. You may be able to kill some time with you play a few rounds of this game.
21. Do Something To Document Your Trip
Finally, you may want to do something special to document your trip. There are a lot of people who do not get to travel very often, and you may not get the opportunity to travel again in the near future. Therefore, find a way to document your trip. You may want to take videos of the car ride, and you may want to have people record something for future posterity. Fortunately, your phone can do all of this for you, so put it to work for you.
What To Do On a Long Car Ride – Final Word
These are a few of the best ways you can entertain yourself if you are going on a long road trip. Even though you want to pay attention to the road, there are ways for you to bond with the others in the car! So if you a long ride ahead of you, try to one (or many) of these ideas to my the trip a little more enjoyable. Even if these activities simply keep your kids happy and occupied, they make your trip a much more pleasant one, so try some of these 21 fun things to do on a long car ride on your next vacation. And enjoy your trip!
