27 Travel Board Games for Adults [2023 Update]

Travel board games for adults: we laugh at them until we’re about to travel and are waiting forever in the train station or airport.

Then, we wished we didn’t pretend to be so mature to play silly games, and actually would love to have one. 

One of the best ways to keep us entertained while traveling is with one of those travel board games for adults, which by the way, are both fun and clever!

Either if we travel with friends or family, these creative games will ensure we have a fun time while we wait for long periods.

WWB Writer, Saymé Pérez will show you some of the best travel board games for adults out there.

Related Posts:

• Free Accommodation for Travellers
• Best Backpack for Traveling with Kids
• 25 Best Backpacker Gifts
• 31 Best Travel Gifts For Couples

What’s a Travel Board Game and Why Do You Need One?

A board game is one of strategy or chance. They’re played on a specially designed surface, aka the board.

They often involve two or more opponents moving pieces and using dice or cards. Of course, the games should be played according to a set of rules. 

Games can be based on:

• strategy
• chance
• a mix of the two

They usually have a goal that a player tries to achieve. They’re not only fun but allow you to relax and get your brain to work at the same time.

Games are important even for adults, it helps us to relieve some stress, improves our creativity and our relationships with others. 

Additionally, playing games also helps to prevent memory problems and improve brain function.

Top 27 Travel Board Games for Adults

1. Bananagrams
2. Qwirkle Travel
3. Travel Monopoly
4. Mr. and Mrs. Pocket Edition
5. Exploding Kittens
6. Boggle
7. Cards Against Humanity
8. Connect 4 Grab & Go
9. Battleship Grab & Go
10. Codenames
11. Dobble 
12. Catan
13. Farkle
14. Sequence Travel Edition
15. Backpacker Travel Game
16. Deep-Sea Adventure
17. Bullshit/Cheat
18. Loaded Questions
19. Guillotine
20. Uno 
21. In A Grove
22. Fluxx
23. What Do You Meme
24. Rummy
25.  Dixit
26.  Pandemic
27.  Hanabi 

1.Bananagrams

This game is easy to set up, so you can take it with you and play anywhere.

It’s a word-based game, which consists of 144 letter tiles, similar to Scrabble. The goal of this game is to use all of your tiles to create interconnected words.

Here’s the fun part: there are no turns. 

The players just go at it, creating words as fast as possible until they’re out of letters. It needs two players, and it’s very addictive.  

It’s lightweight and very easy to carry around.

Pros:

• Easy to carry
• Fast-paced
• Two players needed

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone
• The letter tiles can get lost

2.Qwirkle Travel

This game has colorful pieces similar to dominoes. The goal here is to connect the tiles next to each other, according to colors and shapes, instead of numbers.

Each color is supposed to appear in a row once! The winner of each round is the player that has put down the most tiles, in the most rows.

This game needs thought and skills as well.

Pros:

• Easy to play
• Funny 
• Skills needed

Cons:

• Heavy
• Lots of small pieces to lose
• 2-4 players can play

3.Travel Monopoly

Our beloved Monopoly has a travel version! 

Being so famous, we won’t get into the game details but will tell you how this version is different.

The board can be folded in half, so it’s easy to pack and carry. It’s also self-adhesive, so the counters won’t fall easily if there’s some movement.

The board is surprisingly lightweight, and there are miniature versions of the pieces, up to six. So, this is a game for two to six players.  

It’s one of the best travel games for families, and awesome for stations/airports long waiting.

Pros:

• Small and foldable board
• Self-adhesive board
• Lightweight

Cons:

• Minimum of two players
• It takes time to play
• Cards/pieces could get lost

4.Mr. and Mrs. Pocket Edition

This is a perfect travel game for (you guessed it) couples.

There are 330 questions, and each one is designed to know how well you know your partner. A fascinating game indeed! 

The game includes printed scorecards and pencils. It’s pocket-size, lightweight, and easy to carry. 

One of the best travel games for couples.  

Pros:

• You’ll get to know your partner better
• Lightweight
• Easy to carry

Cons:

• A limited number of questions
• Could lead to arguments

5.Exploding Kittens

This is a card-based game. The goal here is to avoid picking an exploding kitten from the pack of face-down cards.

There are also action cards that give sneak peeks and mix up the pack in many ways.

It’s also a fast-paced game, lightweight, and very easy to pack and carry around, being similar in size to standard cards.

More than two players are needed for this one, and it’s perfect for both friends and family.

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Easy to carry
• East to play
• Easy to understand rules
• Suitable for friends and family 

Cons:

• The cards could get lost
• Not suitable for single players
• Maximum of 5 players

6.Boggle

Another well-known game with a travel edition.

You have a box full of dice with letters on them. You shake the box to mix up the dice, then open the box and turn it over a sand timer.

Each player should create as much worse as the letters allow. Warning: any word spotted by more than one player doesn’t count!

It can be played for as much time as you want, and it’s suitable for playing alone. It can keep you busy for a long time.

Pros:

• Suitable for playing alone
• East to play and carry
• Parts are kept in a carry case
• Perfect for word-search lovers

Cons:

• The dice shaking can disturb others around you
• The carry case lid isn’t hinged 

7.Cards Against Humanity

Definitely a 100% adult game over here. Although it’s very simple and easy to play.

The dealer reads out an incomplete phrase, and each player tries to finish in turns.

For doing so, they have to use words found on the cards they’ve been dealt in a hand. It’s the dealer who decides the winner.

The phrases can be offensive, dirty, or polite. It’s a game for up to 20 people, so it’s perfect if you’re traveling with a group of friends, or want to break the ice. It’s one of the best travel party games for adults. 

Pros:

• East to play
• Suitable for large groups
• Easy to carry
• Simple rules 

Cons:

• Not appropriate for playing in public
• Not recommended if you offend easily
• Minimum of 4 players

8.Connect 4 Grab & Go

This is a compact mobile version of the Connect 4 game. It’s small and has handy attached trays to place the counters. It also includes an all-in-one playing grid that makes storage easy.

You and your opponent get 21 checkers apiece and the chance to get 4 in a row. But you both get the chance to block the other’s attempts to connect with your checkers.

It’s a fun game, though according to some users the tokens get stuck when you drop them in and need to manually push them to the right spot.

Pros:

• Simple to play
• Easy to set up

Cons:

• For just two players
• The counters can get lost

9.Battleship Grab & Go

This game is very simple: a two players (or team) game links guesswork with the skill to track down the other player’s navy ships’ coordinates. 

It’s portable and designed for not shaking if there’s an obstacle. It’s specially designed for road trips because there’s no need to pass tokens between players.

Pros:

• Easy to play
• Travel-friendly
• Portable 
• Lightweight

Cons:

• For two players minimum

10.Codenames

I love spy-themed games! This one in particular is about uncovering all of each team’s secret agents.

Agents, might I add, that are hidden among assassins and bystanders. It’s a game of word association, and the clues are given by a spymaster to their team.

Those words are linked in some way to the agents the players are looking for. As you can imagine, there are several possible combinations, therefore you can play for a long time. 

It involves more skill and thought, and it’s competitive and fun.

Pros:

• Easy to play
• Can be played for a long time
• Funny

Cons:

• Better played with 4 or more players

11.Dobble 

This game is easy to play and funny. It also has multiple variations for all tastes.

It includes a durable travel tin box with 55 playing cards and illustrated rules, and gives you 5 challenging ways to play. 

Not only that, but it’s a fast observation game in which players compete to match the same symbols between two cards in the game. Furthermore, it can be played by 2-8 players and the player with the most cards at the end of the pack wins!

Also, it’s easy and quick to learn. 

Pros:

• Easy to pack and carry
• Challenging and funny
• Metal carry tin

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone

12.Catan

Another fun strategy game over here. This one is easy to learn, being the goal to build roads and settlements, trade with the other players, and winning by reaching ten victory points.

It is a competitive game since all the players try to secure settlements and more points. Plus, each player needs to watch out for the robber, who stops the development of the settlements he’s landed on.

Pros:

• Can be played for a long time
• It requires skills and thought
• Very enjoyable

Cons:

• Just 3-4 players can play
• The board requires space

13.Farkle

This is another perfect choice if you’re traveling with a big group since it allows many people to play.

It’s a dice-based game, and it can be played by an almost limitless number of players. This is because each person takes turns shaking the six dice. 

Players need specific dice combinations to get points, and the winner is the person that reaches the winning points margin first. Additionally, it doesn’t require skill or any complicated rules, and it’s easy to carry. 

It’s one of the best games to play on vacation with friends.

Pros:

• Great for large groups
• Games can be varied in length
• More than one player

Cons:

• The dice can get lost
• The dice are small
• Can’t be played alone

14.Sequence Travel Edition

This game is specifically made for traveling. It’s an interesting mix of poker and bingo. It’s a large board game.

The players get dealt cards, and the aim is to create a sequence of five connected cards. The board has cards printed on it, and sequencing involves strategy and skills.  

The board is placed in a specific way within the lid that prevents the players to lose their place. It’s competitive and funny and reminds me why I love board games about travel.

Pros:

• Funny
• Easy to play
• Easy to carry
• Players don’t lose their place

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone

15.Backpacker Travel Game

One of the best travel-themed board games! The aim of this is to make you go around the world and be the traveler with the highest number of pictures once you return.

Of course, being similar to real life, you’ll find obstacles and issues, for example, missed flights, travel sickness, and getting your backpack stolen.

The board and cards are easy to store, and are durable, being perfect for traveling. 

Pros:

• Funny and close-to-real life game
• Easy to store and carry
• Durable cards

Cons:

• Can´t be played alone

16.Deep-Sea Adventure

This is one of the best travel games for families, it’s fun and needs a lot of strategies. 

To earn points you need to bring as many treasure pieces as you can, from the ocean to a submarine. All before you run out of oxygen! 

After three rounds, the player that’s returned the most treasure to the boat, wins. The tricky part is choosing when to return to the submarine because other players can sabotage you and take the oxygen for themselves. 

Pros:

• Great game for families/group of friends
• Competetive and demands skills

Cons:

• Suitable for 2-6 people

This game is perfect for road trips. It’s a card game, and the fast you get rid of the ones you pick, the better. 

17.Bullshit/Cheat

For getting rid of the cards, sometimes you have to bluff, and if your bluff is called you will have to pick all the cards on the table.

It’s a risky game, and you’ll have to put a poker face for little lies that will allow you to win.

Pros:

• The cards are easy to pack
• Easy to play
• Fun and risky

Cons: 

• Can’t play alone

18.Loaded Questions

This game is a variation of the “Who Said What” game. It’s great and easy to play.

The package includes question cards, an answer/scorepad, and two pencils. There are 200 hilarious, creative questions for hours of memorable gameplay.

Warning, the questions can get bizarre, and we love this game for it! It’s easy to pack and take everywhere.

Pros:

• Revealing and funny
• Can be played for a long time
• Easy to carry

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone

19.Guillotine

This game, as you can imagine, is a bit macabre, and it’s based on the French Revolution.

The goal here is to…behead…the least popular nobles in three days. The player with the highest points at the end of that period is the winner.  

Each round, twelve nobles are lined up for the guillotine. Players are given cards with the ability to manipulate the order of the nobles, and during your turn, you play action cards to change the order of the line, so you can collect the best nobles. 

Pros:

• Funny although macabre 
• Easy to package
• Lightweight

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone

20.Uno 

This classic game is still a favorite, and it’s one of the easiest family travel games you can play.

With a specially printed pack of 108 cards, the goal is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards by picking up and putting down cards based on what’s face up in a central pile.

You’ll need to think strategically as the game goes on, and then shout ‘Uno!’ not when you’ve won, but when you have a single card left in your hand.

Pros:

• Easy to play
• Easy to pack
• Lightweight
• A classic game

Cons:

• You’ll need a tablespace
• The cards can get lost
• You can’t play alone

21.In A Grove

One of the best travel party games for adults, this one is hilarious and required you to trust in your gut. 

The premise of the game is that there has been a murder, with one victim, three suspects, and a few witnesses.

It’s up to you to decide who is the killer out of the suspects, taking into account what you heard and saw. 

This game is intriguing and has a lot of strategies involved. There’s even a version with a police officer.

Pros:

• Very funny and engaging
• You don’t need equipment
• Can be played anywhere

Cons:

• It needs more than 5 people or more to play

22.Fluxx

This game is easy to play, it’s a card-based game and surprisingly there are no rules!

Each card you put down changes the rules, which creates an intriguing game that requires a lot of strategies changing.

Your goal is to collect cards and accomplish the objectives that are on the table at that point before they’re changed.

It’s enjoyable if you’re not a structured game fan.

Pros:

• Easy to pack
• Easy to play
• Funny

Cons:

• Not suitable for rules lovers
• Can’t be played alone

23.What Do You Meme

This is one of the best travel board games for adults! The primary goal is to create funny memes by pairing caption cards with photo cards that are in play.

One of the players performs as a judge, and this position will be rotated round by round. The judge will decide who’s the winner. 

This game will guarantee you a long laughing time.

Pros:

• Easy to carry
• Easy rules
• Extremely funny

Cons:

• Needs to be played by at least 3 people

24.Rummy

This is a fairly easy game in which the players take turns placing numbered tiles in runs or groups. The first player to use all of their tiles wins.

It’s easy to learn and fast-moving, it’s different every time it’s played.

There’s a lot of strategies involved in the game and luck, so it’s very funny. The game comes in a big box, but you can take the tiles out and store them in a small bag to save space.

Pros:

• Easy to play
• Fast-paced 
• It’s different every time you play it

Cons:

• 2-8 players

25. Dixit

One of the best train board games for adults, this game has beautiful artwork and the rules are very easy.

It comes within a small box, it’s fast-paced and demands a great deal of strategy. 

The players have hands of oversized cards with various artistic pictures. The active player secretly selects one of his cards and gives a very brief description. The other players secretly select their cards that match the description.

The chosen cards are shuffled and revealed, then players vote on which was chosen by the active player. Each correct answer gives points to the guesser and the active player. Each incorrect answer gives points to the player who submitted the guessed card.

It’s easy to carry and needs to be played by 2-5 players.

Pros:

• Easy to carry
• Easy rules
• Stimulates strategy and creativity

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone

26. Pandemic

For this travel board game, players must work together to plan their strategy of eradicating the diseases before they overwhelm the world with ever-increasing outbreaks. 

Nothing more similar to our current reality. 

As if the idea came out of the Saw movies, only through teamwork will you keep the world safe from outbreaks and epidemics.

It can be played by 2 to 4 players. Four diseases threaten the world, and each player will take a role in defeating them. 

Pros:

• Clever
• Easy to play
• Promotes cooperation and teamwork

Cons:

• Can’t be played alone

27. Hanabi 

Another travel board games for adults that promotes teamwork. Only working together, the players must launch a Grand Fireworks Finale.

The rules are simple, even though the game itself is not. 

You need just a deck of 50 cards and a few tokens to play it. It’s so portable that you can carry it with you and play while waiting at the airport or train stations.

The images are simply printed on the face of the tiles, which can be worn off after a while.

Pros:

• Strategy promoting
• Funny and easy to carry
• Simple rules

Cons:

• Printed images
• Can’t be played alone

What to Know Before Buying a Travel Board Game

How do you choose the perfect travel game board for your next trip? Here are some tips:

• Packability: try to buy something easy to carry. Don’t buy a large game that will occupy much-needed space.

• Number of Players: as you just read, many games cannot be played alone. Take this into account if you’re traveling solo.

Conclusion

Although we hate waiting a long time before getting into a train or plane, and we also hate spending long hours on a road, with travel board games for adults that time can become more bearable. 

Now you have a list of the best travel board games for adults that will allow you to spend valuable time with friends and family.

If you like this post, please share. Do you have more ideas for travel board games for adults? If so, leave us a comment in the box below.

Ready to start your next adventure?