Picture this.

You’ve booked a private shuttle with National Charter Bus and you’re on the way to your destination, which isn’t anywhere close by. You’re traveling with your large, noisy family, with the addition of rowdy toddlers who demand attention every few minutes. People are shouting over one another, trying to get a word in, while you sit struggling to stay sane with your headphones plugged in, doing the bare minimum.

You wonder, if only there was a way to discipline everyone on board. Something that requires zero to no effort, is enjoyable and leads to a stress-free road trip. And then it hits you, what about road-trip games? But you don’t know of any, apart from Punch Buggy, which was fun when you were 2. You need answers, pronto.

National Charter Bus can help. We’ve compiled a list of the top 7 road-trip games to play when you’re desperate to tone down the voices on board without being a dictator. Whether you’re driving down to Atlanta for a weekend getaway, or taking a long trip to Washington DC to tour our nation’s capital, we guarantee a fun-filled journey from start to finish.

Ready for some group bonding? Get your game face on, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

People smiling inside a charter bus
Going On A Trip Memory Game

So you’ve probably heard of the old-timey road trip game “Going on a Picnic” or “Going to the Grocery Store”, where you take turns keeping track of a long list of items. We decided to curate our own version of the game. Instead of going on a picnic or to the grocery store, you’ll be going on a hypothetical trip on your charter bus and listing all the different destinations you’d like to visit. The first person would start off by saying “I’m going on a trip on my charter bus where I’m going to visit [insert destination name].” The second person would then take the reins and repeat the same statement with the first person’s destination, along with the addition of another destination. This game slowly eliminates people as they mess up and forget the order of the list. The last one remaining is the winner. Going On A Trip not only sharpens your memory skills, but it also motivates you to pursue your wanderlust with National Charter Bus!

Guess the Song

If you’re the kind of crowd that loves different genres of music, then this is the game for you. Connect a smartphone, tablet, iPod, or mp3 player (if you still have that) to the bus’s audio entertainment system. Since the speakers on the bus are modern updates, the clarity and pitch of the music will be heard throughout the cabin space. If you’re in an 18-passenger minibus, this works out great since you can pair up into 6 groups. Turn the device on shuffle mode. Once it lands on a song, the first group attempts to guess the name of the song. They get 10 seconds to answer. If they fail to do so, the second group gives it a shot. Every group is allowed 3 mess ups and the one with the most number of correct answers wins.

Categories

This game is an all-time favorite since it really makes each person delve into their worldly knowledge. While sitting in your seat, close your eyes, and point to a person at random to start the game. They can pick a category that appeals to them— it can be anything from “different ways to fry potatoes” to “luggage brands”. Once they decide, everyone onboard takes turns giving an appropriate answer. The person who gives up first is automatically disqualified.

Never Have I Ever

A common game played at parties, Never Have I Ever leaves everyone squirming in their seats. For those of you who are of legal age, make things interesting and bring some liquor into the mix. Kids under 21 can sip juice or water so they aren’t left out. Everyone must hold up five fingers and a drink in the other hand. Each person takes turns saying “Never Have I Ever [insert action that they have never done before.]” Anyone on the bus who has done said-action must take a sip of their drink and put down one finger. The last-remaining passenger with any number of fingers up, wins the game. If you decide to play, always remember the National Charter Bus code: What happens on the bus, stays on the bus.

Destination Chain Game

Another game that really gets the brain working overtime is the Chain Game. We tweaked the game and made it travel relevant. In clockwise order, one person picks a category that appeals to them. It can be “cities”, “countries”, “neighborhoods” or even “beaches”. If the category is cities, the second person starts off by naming a city, for instance “Atlanta”. The third person continues the conversation, and names a city that begins with the last letter of the second person’s city, which in this case would be ‘A’. The game goes on until you’ve run out of cities to name.

I Spy

A cult-favorite, I Spy has been around longer than National Charter Bus. The rules are pretty straightforward, and the game starts off with one person stating “I spy with my little eye something [insert color]” or “I spy with my little eye something beginning with the letter [_].” The participants start naming different things inside or outside the bus that could be the potential winning answer. Once the item has been discovered, the next person continues the game.

License Plate Game: Bus Edition

Turn this game up a notch and hunt for bus license plates. The bus can be anything ranging from a small minibus to a UPS bus. Each passenger onboard hunts for the license plate and then comes up with quirky phrases originating from each letter. For example, BDK could mean “Bob Digs Karate”. Be as creative and unique as possible— the crazier the better. The person with the funniest phrases wins the game!

A charter bus with National Charter Bus branding parks on a city street

Rent a Private Shuttle For Your Road Trip Today

Streamline your road trip in and around the United States with National Charter Bus. We offer nationwide transportation services in premium bus rentals that are equipped with a vast array of amenities for your pleasure and comfort. Travel with a large group of 56-passengers or a small handful of 18, whatever you decide, we’re here by your side. Speak to our 24/7 reservation team at 1-844-755-0510 for a free, no-obligation trip quote!