Funny Things to Do on a Road Trip
Is there a better vacation than taking a road trip with friends?
You can't beat the feeling of being on the road, your favorite tunes pumping out of the stereo, anticipating where your next exciting stop might be. There are so many fun things to do on a road trip!
That being said, fun road trips can have their shortcomings; from car boredom to mishaps along the way (everyone gets lost, right?).
Mine have certainly had their fair share of unfortunate events!
You know what?
There are a few ways to ensure that yours is awesome and full of entertainment.
In this article, I'll share some ideas with you. Read on to find out how to make a road trip fun!
Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip With Friends
The sense of freedom a fun road trip can give you is great, and who better to share it with, than your best buddies?
However, I'm sure you'll agree that the journey isn't always plain sailing. That's why it's important to know what to do on a road trip to keep it fun and entertaining
Here I've compiled 21 top hacks, pieces of advice, and fun things to do on a road trip with friends, to ensure that your adventure is full of fun!
They're all built from my personal experience, so should come in useful on any road trip.
Say goodbye to car boredom, goodbye to the mundane, and goodbye to any squabbles with your chums. With these top road trip tips, you can let the good times roll.
1. Listen to an audiobook
Audiobooks are the perfect resource for a bit of in-car entertainment.
Not only can reading in the car make you feel carsick, but it's very much a one-person activity. Audiobooks are the perfect way to stay entertained for a while and keep everyone involved!
Even the driver can tune in without too much of a distraction.
As with podcasts, they can also give you something to chat about, and something to focus on. We've got a full article on the best audiobooks to listen to in the car.
How To Find Audiobooks
Get onto this Audible Plus free Trial and download some books that sound juicy before you go. This is my favorite resource for Audiobooks, mainly due to the huge selection available.
2. Tell a joke
Need some entertainment? Need a few laughs? Tell each other some jokes! There are a wealth of pages online with endless examples to keep you chuckling for hours.
If you've exhausted your current repertoire, use these funny road trip jokes to keep the rest of the crew entertained.
3. Play a road trip game or ask each other some interesting questions
There are endless opportunities out there, from car word games, to road trip games just for adults, to games specifically for 2 people.
Play one (or more) of these games with your bestie to pass some time, have some fun, and maybe even get a little competitive with each other.
We also have a big variety of Road Trip Questions to get the conversation going in the car! They are perfect to keep the journey from getting boring.
4. Listen to a podcast
Listening to a podcast is a great way to kill some time during a long journey; it helps you stay stimulated. Whether that's through laughter or through igniting an interesting conversation with your friends.
Download some podcasts that sound hilarious or interesting to you prior to departing.
If you need more help check out this article on the best podcasts for road trips.
Recommended Podcasts
Two of my favorite podcasts are:
- How I Built This – this podcast tells the story of how some of the most famous and interesting companies were born. Innovators and entrepreneurs come onto the show and describe the twists and turns that come with starting a business.
- The Joe Rogan Experience – this podcast is a long-form conversation hosted by comedian Joe Rogan who is super entertaining and always asks the most intriguing questions. Guests range from actors to musicians to sports stars to scientists and beyond.
Discuss the Podcasts
When you do listen, take away the best points and talk them through with your buddies after. You might find you enter into some juicy discussions.
Before you set off, don't forget to grab an In-Car Charger so that you can charge up your phone on the road!
5. Listen to a playlist
No road trip is complete without an ultimate road trip playlist, right?
Before you set off, ensure you have compiled and downloaded a playlist of all your favorite tunes. I'm talking newbies, classics, some old rock, and roll – anything you can sing along to is a definite priority.
Prepare the list with your friends. This is a great way to get excited about your upcoming trip!
Looking for a pre-made playlist?
We've made several ready-to-go playlists which you can find on our Best Road Trip Songs post. There are easy links to Spotify too!
I always find that tunes from the 90s go down a treat with my friends in the car. Maybe that's just me…?
The Easy 90's and All Out 90's playlists on Spotify are full to the brim with bangers you'll no doubt recognize.
9. Pullover and do something active to let out some built-up energy
Keep energy levels high by playing some sports or doing something active at a rest stop. Find somewhere with a grassy area and let off some steam before you get back into the car.
Before you set off on a road trip, pick up a football online to use for rest stops!
This will keep spirits high, provide a bit of comradery and ensure your legs have a good stretch before you continue on the road.
A football, frisbee, or simply a ball to play catch with are must-have road trip essentials.
6. Take photos
As if you aren't going to be taking photos anyway? But just in case you weren't planning on taking (at least) a few snaps on your trip, picture this:
It's someday in the future, you're old and wrinkly, and you're sitting next to your bud having a beer reminiscing about those hilarious trips you used to take. You're going to want to see some photos so you can have a joke about how cool you were back then.
Take photos, whether that's simply with your phone or your fancy camera.
Phones capture great photos these days. Here's a beginner's guide to awesome iPhone photography.
Sharing your photos
Capturing memories while you're away is great – you can relive all the awesome moments from your trip. But make sure you share them with your friends.
I'm not just talking about bragging about your trip on Instagram (although that can be fun too), but sharing with the people you experienced the trip with.
How to Share Your Photos
Create a shared album on your phone.
That way, you can all easily add your snaps to it.
Whilst you're here, don't forget your must-have road trip accessories!
7. Document Your Trip
This will, of course, involve a bit of work during the trip, but you could reap the rewards after. Documenting your road trip with friends is a great way to reminisce and fondly look back at the good times you had.
What's more, if you're taking a longer trip and doing loads of awesome activities, it can be easy to forget parts!
Be Creative
Documenting your trip doesn't just mean writing down what you had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. You can do it however you wish, and get creative.
Here are some ideas for documenting your trip:
- Jot down your favorite activities in a classic diary-style journal
- Write a blog post or film a Tik Tok!
- Take a photo by every place-name sign
- Take a panning video at each stop and edit them together as a montage
- Buy a small souvenir from each of the cool places you visit
Have fun with it and get creative. This will make it more fun to share with others once it is complete.
8. Have a singalong session
Now you've got your perfect road trip playlist, jam-packed with all those classic songs, make sure to belt them out at full volume together.
There's no better feeling than being out on the open road with your favorite people and your favorite tunes blaring out.
Take it in turns to play DJ to mix it up!
10. Sleep
For obvious reasons, this one doesn't apply to the driver!
But if you're traveling a long way during your trip, it might be a good idea to take it in turns to catch some precious Z's.
If your friends are anything like mine, chances are your road trip is going to be a lively one – it might involve partying, it might be jam-packed with daytime activities, it might have both!
Either way, sleep is sometimes in short supply, so catching a few hours on the road could be wise.
Driving?
Consider reading our article on how to stay awake while driving.
Sleep and drive in shifts
Clearly, a car full of sleeping passengers isn't always the best for the driver. Particularly if you're driving a long way on a boring road. Frankly, that's just unfair.
Sleeping in the car on your road trip only really works if there is more than 2 of you, and you can rotate. One person stays awake with the driver, while the others have a doze.
This worked particularly well during my road trip up through Chile and Argentina with 3 of my buddies, as an example.
2 of us would take on the driving and navigation, switching as we went and keeping each other entertained. The other 2 would get some shut-eye in the back, especially if we were driving at night!
11. Take a detour to see something cool
If you've already planned your road trip, you've probably got a decent idea of what you want to see and do. Of course, it's smart to have a plan.
Making sure to outline your 'must-do' activities is a must, for example, as these are probably one of the main reasons for your trip.
BUT…
Don't plan too much!
In my opinion, the best things about a road trip are flexibility and spontaneity! Especially when you're road tripping with your friends.
With that in mind, be sure to take a detour and see something cool on a whim. Road trips give you the freedom to chop and change your plans as and when you want, so take advantage and get off the path.
12. Try and use a paper map
Ditch the technology, work as a team and go old school; see if you can use a paper map to find your way around for a while.
Don't do it when you're on the highway, though, that would just be silly. Try and do it somewhere that actually requires you to read the map.
This might sound counter-productive, but it can actually be great fun for a while. You might just find it's the stimulating task you need to kill off some of that car boredom!
Chuck a paper road map into your Road Trip Packing List!
13. Watch the sunrise/sunset
It's likely you'll see at least one sunset during your trip.
Forget about trying to make up ground for an evening, and make time to pull over and enjoy it with your friends. They're the perfect setting for a photo stop, a picnic with your buddies or a relaxing beer after the days of driving.
The same goes for the sunrise. Sure, they can be early. But aim to see at least one sunrise during your trip. It'll be worth it.
If you have any hiking planned one of my favorite things to do is turn it into a sunrise hike!
14. Take your own food and have a picnic
Eating out on a road trip can be super expensive. What's more, the options are often limited and unhealthy.
Do yourselves a favor and take your own food. Not only will this save you money, but you can have an awesome picnic in the setting of your choice, with your chums.
Taking your own food on your road trip will give you freedom as you drive and explore and prevents you from having to eat dodgy overpriced gas station burgers.
If you're going to pack food for your trip, make sure you compile some awesome road trip meals to take with you! That way you won't forget anything crucial for your alfresco dining experience.
15. Camp for (at least) one night
I love camping.
In my opinion, there's nothing better than getting out in the open, setting up camp and being at one with nature. It's also one of the perks of taking a road trip; you can camp anywhere as you are in control of your destination!
Want to camp on the beach? Awesome.
Don't forget to create a Camping Road Trip Packing List!
How to find the best camping spots
Ioverlander is a superb app that shows you established campsites and wild camping spots within a certain area. It'll tell you whether they're free or how much they cost, as well as what facilities are available.
Get your buddies around the campfire for an unforgettable road trip experience.
Don't forget to pick up Cards Against Humanity! My favorite travel game.
16. Catch up – have a heart to heart
Let's face it, you're going to be spending A LOT of time together. Taking a road trip with your friends means a lot of time in close quarters when you're on the road.
For that reason, it's the perfect time to have a serious chinwag and catch up on everything.
Talk about:
- Your problems
- What's going well
- Your work
- What you're studying
- You love interests
- What you've been doing recently
Talk about anything and everything. It's time for some bonding. If you're stuck for ideas, check out these road trip conversation starters.
17. Discuss future travel plans (or wishes)
Talk about where you want to go in the future. This is one of the best topics of conversation. It's sure to bring up some exciting stuff and keep you chatting for hours.
Even better?
Take a scratch world map with you, so as you discuss you can scratch off where you've already been and start plotting where you want to go next!
Been is a nice app version of this. It's easy to tick off countries and then will show you a personal world map with countries you've visited highlighted.
While you're at it, plan your next road trip together. Recommend places to your friends that you've already been to and that you'd know they would love. Keep the adventures going.
18. Talk about a mutual friend (or friends)
As I said, you're going to be spending a lot of time in close quarters so a road trip with your friends is a great time to have a chat.
Chat about the friends you share in common.
I always find this topic is interesting and provides a lot of conversation, as you fill each other in on the trials and tribulations of your friendship group members.
19. Put down your phone
Believe it or not, this doesn't just apply to those driving! Don't constantly play on your phone during your journey.
Not only is this no fun for the driver, but it will distract you from enjoying the moment. You can play on your phone anytime, but you might only take this trip once. Use the time to bond with your friends on the trip, instead of those far away through social media.
Obviously, you don't have to do anything drastic, like lock your phone away in the glove compartment. Instead, use apps that are interactive for everyone in the car such as these road trip game apps, quizzes, music, and podcasts.
20. Laugh about the mishaps
There's no way you can predict exactly what will happen on your trip.
No matter how much you plan, how detailed your itinerary is, how good your packing list is, you need to accept that things won't always go to plan. You could end up taking a wrong turning and a 2-hour detour. You could end up with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere (I did in Chile).
Bottom line?
Don't let these hiccups spoil the rest of your trip! Try and laugh them off as part of the adventure.
Sure, it's a smart idea to plan for the worst – it can save you money in the long run and soften the blow if something goes wrong. But don't stress if and when things go south.
21. Support each other
A road trip with friends can be tough.
If you can't laugh at all the misfortunes, help each other through them! Some people find obstacles and mishaps harder to take than others, so be a supportive friend when the going gets tough.
You'll find you get on better, work better as a team and everything will just feel easier.
22. Play The License Plate Game
The license plate game is a fun way to spend some time on a long car ride. It's a simple game that can be played co-operatively or competitively. The aim of the game is to spot as many different license plates as possible from different states.
If you are reading this before heading out on your road trip, make your way to our guide. We've got a full article on how to play the license plate game which includes printable resources to use whilst playing!
22 Awesome Things You Should Do on a Road Trip with Friends – Pin for Later
Your Road Trip With Friends
Now I've given you my 21 top tips for taking a road trip with friends, I want to hear from you!
Which awesome thing are you going to make sure you do?
Or do you have any other suggestions for things to do on a road trip with your chums?
Either way, let me know and leave a comment below!
Source: https://www.theroadtripexpert.com/road-trip-with-friends/
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