How to play road trip bingo
Road trip bingo, also called car bingo or travel bingo, works like regular bingo, but the road does the calling. Each player gets a different 5x5 card with a FREE square in the middle. When you see something on your card out the window, say it out loud and mark it. The first player with five marked squares in a row, across, down or corner to corner, calls "Bingo!" and wins.
- 1Give each passenger a card and a pencil or crayon. The driver keeps their eyes on the road and acts as the judge.
- 2Everyone marks the FREE square in the center.
- 3When you spot something on your card, point it out and say it out loud, so the rest of the car can look too.
- 4Mark the square. If two players see the same thing, both can mark it.
- 5The first player with five in a row calls "Bingo!" and reads the row back.
- 6If anyone doubts a square, the judge decides. If the row holds up, that player wins the round.
Then grab fresh cards for the next stretch. A round can last a few miles or a few hours, depending on the road.
What's on the cards
The cards draw from 75 things you can spot from a car window in the US. There are farm animals (Cow, Horse, Sheep), vehicles (Police Car, School Bus, Tow Truck), road signs (Stop Sign, Mile Marker, Deer Crossing) and sights along the way (Red Barn, Water Tower, Bridge, Tunnel). There are no brand names, so nobody has to pass a certain store or restaurant to fill a row.
Each card picks 24 of those things and mixes them in a random order, so no two cards in your set are the same. Some squares turn up on almost any highway, like Billboard and Semi Truck. Others, like Hot Air Balloon or Rainbow, take some luck.
Add your own title, such as "Johnson Family Road Trip" or "Drive to Grandma's", and it prints on every card. Choose 1 big card per page, which is easier to read in a moving car, or 2 smaller cards per page to save paper. Both fit US Letter paper.
When it gets dark, play on one phone
Road trip bingo needs daylight. Once it gets dark, or the view turns into hours of the same highway, switch to a game that runs in the browser on one phone. A passenger reads out loud, so the driver can answer too. It is still one phone and the whole car playing together, not everyone on their own screen.
Would You Rather
A passenger reads a question and everyone picks a side. A good one can keep the car arguing for miles.
This or That
Two choices, one quick answer. Rounds are fast, so the youngest passenger can keep up.
Most Likely To
Who's most likely to fall asleep before the next exit? On three, everyone says a name out loud instead of pointing, so the driver plays too.
See all our road trip games, or start with Would You Rather, This or That or Most Likely To. There is no app to download and no sign-up. Prefer paper? Print This or That cards or Would You Rather cards to pass around the back seat.
Tips for printing and playing in the car
- Print on cardstock, or clip each card to a clipboard or a piece of cardboard, so it stays flat on a lap.
- Use pencils or crayons. Skip candy or beans as markers, since they roll under the seats at the first turn.
- Laminate the cards, or slide them into sheet protectors, and use dry-erase markers. Wipe them clean and play again on the drive home.
- Choose 1 card per page for big squares that are easy to read in a moving car.
- Print a few extra cards for the drive home or the second day of a long trip. To print later, at a hotel or a print shop, choose "Save as PDF" in the print dialog.
- Keep a small prize bag up front: a sticker, a snack or first pick of the music after the next stop.
Road trip bingo variations
Change the rules to fit the drive.
First to call it
Only the first player to call out a thing gets to mark it. It is more competitive and works well on long, open highways.
Spot the slip
Check "Add caller slips" and print every item as a slip. A passenger draws one, and the first player to spot that thing keeps the slip. Most slips by the next stop wins.
Call on this phone
A passenger taps Next on the phone to call a random item. Everyone hunts for it out the window, and the first to spot it scores a point.
Blackout
Mark every square on the card. Keep the same card all day and see who finishes first.
Four corners
Mark the four corner squares to win. Rounds are quick, so it suits short drives, like the ride to practice.
Team card
The whole car shares one card and works together. It helps a younger player who is still learning to read.
Who road trip bingo is for
Road trip bingo suits any car with a passenger who can see out a window. Families play it on summer vacations and on Thanksgiving and holiday drives to see relatives, when the car is full and the trip is long. It keeps kids looking out the window instead of down at a screen, and anyone in the front passenger seat can play too. Teachers and chaperones can bring a stack on a field trip bus, with up to 60 different cards for a whole class.
For more ideas, see our family game night guide and our classroom games. Driving somewhere for Thanksgiving? Pack Thanksgiving bingo cards for after dinner too.
Questions
Are these road trip bingo cards free?
Yes. You can make and print up to 60 cards at a time for free. There is no sign-up and nothing to download, except a PDF if you choose to save one.
Is every card different?
Yes. Each card picks 24 of the 75 items and mixes them in a random order, with a FREE square in the center. No two cards in your set are the same. Passengers can't just copy each other.
What is on a car bingo card?
Things you can see from a US car window: animals like Cow and Horse, vehicles like School Bus and Motorcycle, signs like Stop Sign and Mile Marker, and sights like Red Barn, Tunnel and Water Tower. There are no brand names.
Does road trip bingo need a caller?
No. Players mark what they see on their own. If you want a caller anyway, print the caller slips or use Call on this phone, and have players race to spot each item.
Can young kids play travel bingo?
Yes. Players who can read short words can play on their own. Younger players can team up with someone who reads the squares to them, or the whole car can share one card.
Can I print 2 cards on one page?
Yes. Choose 2 per page to save paper, or 1 per page for bigger squares that are easier to read in the car. Both fit US Letter paper.
What can we play when it gets dark?
Switch to a game on one phone, like Would You Rather or This or That. A passenger reads out loud, so the whole car can play, driver included. Our road trip games page has more ideas.