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Some of my fondest childhood memories are of summers spent on road trips with my family. We never left the house without games to keep us entertained. With limited space in the family minivan, our road trip games were always compact and easy to pack.
Fast forward to today, Joe and I enjoy RV camping out of a Ford Transit Class B RV, which means we have very limited room for RV games. So this is a list of our favorite camping games that don’t take up much room in the RV. While full-sized cornhole and ladder golf didn’t make the cut, these lightweight options are perfect for any adventure.
Whether you’re planning your next camping trip or searching for thoughtful gifts for the camping enthusiasts in your life, these games will bring smiles and laughter without taking up much room in your RV.
You might be wondering, “Why do I need games when I’m enjoying the great outdoors?” Here’s why:
- There’s the long drive to and from your destination.
- The weather might take a turn, leaving you rained in for the day.
- Or maybe, after a long hike, you just want to kick back and enjoy a fun game.
RV Games For Everyone
Table of Contents
1. Mini Cornhole
Cornhole is one of the most popular RV camping games, but not everyone has room for the full size version. Luckily, we were introduced to mini cornhole while camping with friends at Redwood State and National Park in California. Weighing in at 2 pounds and measuring 10 inches by 5 inches, you can play tabletop cornhole outside or inside your RV.
For the serious cornhole enthusiast, you can even get an official American Cornhole Association version.
2. Monopoly Deal Card Game
Monopoly was one of my favorite games growing up and I still love to play when we have a group of people together. When we first started RVing, I decided to donate our full size Monopoly set. Then we met up with our friend in Tucson, Arizona and discovered Monopoly Deal Card Game. It’s just as fun and takes up a fraction of the room of the original Monopoly game. Plus, you don’t have to worry about loosing all the extra pieces like the hotels and finding a surface large enough to setup the game.
3. Catan Dice Game
Friends of ours in Colorado introduced us to several strategy games and one of them was Catan Dice, which is based on the popular board game Settlers of Catan. The dice version of the game takes up very little room and can be played with up to four people.
4. Frisbee Golf Starter Kit
So far, we’ve traveled to 49 states in the U.S. and have encountered more frisbee golf courses than we ever expected. A couple of years ago, we found ourselves dispersed camping near a frisbee golf basket in Bend, Oregon. People camp in their RVs at traditional golf courses, so why not camp at a frisbee golf course too?
You can get a Frisbee Golf Starter Kit that won’t take up much space. Plus, you can count it as exercise equipment since the game involves a fair amount of walking.
5. Fake Artist
Unleash your artistic side with this hilarious game, perfect for 5-10 players. We first discovered Fake Artist at a game night with a group of people we had never met before. It turned out to be a fantastic way to break the ice, get to know everyone, and share some great laughs. This game, along with the next one on the list, became two of our favorite camping games that night.
6. Trash Pandas
Are you ready to become a raucous raccoon? Trash Pandas is a fast-paced game for two to four players, where each turn challenges you to push your luck with every roll. The goal is simple: rack up the most points before the cards run out. We had a blast playing this game and can’t wait for a rematch the next time we camp together.
7. Throw Throw Burrito
This dodgeball card game with flying burritos was recommended to us by fellow full time RVers with three children. Exploding Kittens is the creators of this high energy game and there’s even an extreme version with a 3 foot tall inflatable burrito ideal for playing outdoors. Now, who’s up for a burrito duel?
8. Mini Jenga
Jenga comes in all sizes these days, from giant sets often found at bars and campgrounds to mini versions that are perfect for packing on an RV road trip. Each mini set includes 18 small blocks, so you can combine two sets for an even more challenging game.
9. Deck of Cards
There’s so much you can do with a simple deck of cards, and you can always make it more special with a themed set like the National Park Edition. A single deck offers countless games to play alone or with others. Joe and I especially love playing euchre when we’re camping with friends from the Midwest.
10. 50 Games You Can Play Anywhere
The name of the game says it all and it’s very compact, which gets an extra point in my books. These 50 Games On the Go include memory challenges, word games which should keep you and your fellow travelers entertained for hours.
Got Your Number makes for a fun driving game where everyone takes a turn at finding numbers outside the camper. This is a great RV game for me because I love to read billboards, road signs and bumper stickers when Joe’s in the driver’s seat.
11. Voltage
This fast-paced two player game was a gift from my family who loved camping out of small travel trailers. Voltage is a fun two-person strategy game created by Mattel Games and takes us up very little RV storage space if you’re willing to part ways with the box and put all the game pieces in a small bag. Joe and I usually play best out of three.
12. Rack-O
This game was first introduced to us at a game night hosted by our friends in Wisconsin. First released in 1956, Rack-O is a four player game played by taking turns until the first play arranges all their cards in ascending order. Although I haven’t figured out how to win this game, it’s still a lot of fun to play.
13. GPS Based Games
It’s rare to travel without a GPS enabled smartphone these days and games like Geocaching have become very popular as a result. We learned about GPS based scavenger hunts from readers of this blog and have met many kids and adults who love to play. All you have to do is download the app and sign up for an account to start playing.
Bonus. Online Group Games
No list of fun RV games would be complete without mentioning online group games. Classic games like Scrabble, Uno, and Yahtzee now have apps you can download to play with friends and family, no matter where they are.
I love online group games because we have many RV friends traveling across the U.S. and even around the world. These games provide a fun way to stay connected, even when we’re miles apart. As long as we have good internet, we can schedule a game of Call of Duty Mobile with friends or play a round of Jackbox games via Zoom.
