I used to just bring books with me on vacation (like, so many books). But these days, while I still have room in my bag for at least a few new titles, I now always make sure to pack some card games in my carry-on or tote before leaving for a trip.
Card games have been a key vacation tradition for the yearly trips my husband and I take with friends. It’s a fun activity to do together that’s more social than reading, and unlike tabletop games, card games typically don’t require a ton of complicated set-up or a long chunk of time. And in 2024, there are so many more options out there than rummy and poker. There are cooperative card games where you work together to solve a puzzle or complete an objective, role-playing card games where you’re acting a particular part to win the game, traditional points-based card games with a twist, and so much more. The right game can help make a rainy afternoon or a quiet evening that much more entertaining.
What Makes a Card Game Good for Travel?
Small packaging
Basically, can it fit in a purse or tote bag while still leaving room for sunscreen, bug spray, and other basic daily essentials? Thankfully, most card games are as big as…well, a deck of cards. Expect games that involve multiple decks or additional pieces to be a little bigger, and pack accordingly. Everything on this list can fit into a tote bag without weighing it down.
Short game length
I gravitate towards games that take five to 20 minutes to play, because they go by quickly and require less of a time investment than, say, Settlers of Cataan (sorry, but I don’t want to sit down for a two-hour game when I have a busy itinerary). Plus, shorter game length allows for more flexibility to play in unconventional settings—while waiting for a table at a restaurant, for example—and to bring other players in and out of the game.
Easy-to-follow rules
The ideal travel card game has simple rules that can be explained in just a few minutes, or through a quick demo round so everyone gets it. Because there’s nothing worse than eating up 20 minutes of your life listening to a long book of complicated rules for a game.
Age and number of players
If you’re traveling with younger kids, maybe don’t bring something that requires a lot of reading or math. Conversely, older teens might be too cool for the likes of Uno. Knowing how many people you’re traveling with can help you pick out options that can include everyone.
With those guidelines in mind, these are my picks for the best card games to bring on your travels.
The Best Card Games to Bring on Road Trips and Vacations
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Dutch Blitz
This is the card game equivalent of Pringles: once you pop, the fun don’t stop. I’ve busted this out while waiting for tables at restaurants, sitting poolside, or during downtime at family gatherings, and it’s always a hit.
How it works: Players each hold a deck of 40 cards that are marked with a different color and numeral (up to 10). Your job is to be the first to clear out your individual “Blitz” pile—a set of 10 cards in front of you—while accumulating points by making communal stacks of cards in numerical order. Everyone plays simultaneously, and things get competitive as people race to place cards down before others can beat them to it. And even if you lose (which I do, frequently), it’s so fun that you just want to keep trying again and again.
It only takes a few minutes to learn, rounds last for five minutes tops, and the only thing you need to play are a few people and a flat surface. In short, it’s my gold standard of vacation card games.
Number of players: 2-8 (with expansion pack)
Age range: 8 and up
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Uno
Uno is one of those universal games that almost everyone knows and loves—allowing you to include younger and older members of the family without spending a ton of time explaining rules. This set includes a few blank cards to replace ones you lose, or to write your own wildcards for extra excitement. Up to 10 people can play, making this perfect to accommodate lots of players.
Number of players: 2-10
Age range: 7 and up
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Phase 10
Love Uno, but looking to branch out? Try Phase 10, which comes from the same toy makers. This rummy-esque game takes players through 10 different “phases” of play, each of which have different rules in order to win (like, “get two sets of threes” or “collect seven cards of the same color”). The catch? If someone else completes a phase before you, they get to move on—while you have to replay it. Like Uno, there’s only one deck of cards required, and the simple rules and game play make it ideal for slightly younger players than some of the other games on this list.
Number of players: 2-6
Age range: 7 and up
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Sushi Go!
Players compete to create the best sushi roll combination in this fun game. You start with a hand of cards, choose one to keep, then pass your deck to the player on your left. You get a new hand from the player on your right, and repeat until everyone runs out of cards. Each type of sushi or sashimi has its own points and abilities, and bonus Wasabi and Chopsticks cards provide extra perks (like tripling one card’s points), adding to the fun. The only downside of this game: it’ll make you crave some sushi of your own.
Number of players: 2-5 players
Age range: 8 and up
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Hanabi
This tricky game requires cooperation, logic, and a lot of smarts. Everyone has five cards with different colors and numbers on them, and you can see everyone else’s hands except your own. You have to give each other hints so everyone knows what they have (like, “You have one card with a value of three”), in order to ultimately play your cards in the correct sequence. It’s a lot to keep track of, but it’s a fun brain teaser that incentivizes people to work together. (Ideal if you need some familial harmony after a long day on the road.)
Number of players: 2-5
Age range: 8 and up
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Exploding Kittens: Grab & Game Edition
My mom is an elementary school librarian, and she says the kids at her school are obsessed with this game. And for good reason: It’s incredibly silly and very fun to play. Essentially, players have to draw blind from a deck of cards, trying to avoid pulling one of the random “Exploding Kitten” cards (which takes you out of the game). You can defuse one of these cards with a laser pointer or catnip sandwich card, or take action to stave off an explosion—or direct it to another player. The last player standing wins.
This travel-friendly edition of the game comes in a smaller box than the original, making it easy to throw in a bag and take with you. It’s also less expensive. But it accommodates fewer players—four instead of five–so if you have a bigger group, you might want the OG version instead.
Number of players: 2-4
Age range: 7 and up
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One Deck Dungeon
If you have teens in your house who are too cool for other games on this list—or they’re just really into Dungeons and Dragons—check out this more advanced card game. Players work together to get to the bottom of a dungeon, fighting monsters, dodging traps, and gaining skills to help them on their quest. In addition to cards, you use dice rolls to take actions or use abilities. There’s more advanced strategy involved here, making it a great fit for older players. Games take a little longer to play than others on this list (my husband and I can get through an easier dungeon in half an hour), but play breezes by. Just note that it can only accommodate one to two players.
Number of players: 1-2
Age range: 14 and up
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Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
This game seems simplistic…but still creates a lot of fun. Each player takes a turn flipping a card face-up into a pile in the center while saying taco, cat, goat, cheese, or pizza (in order). If the card played matches the word spoken (so, you play a taco card while saying the word taco), players race to slap the pile in the middle. The slowest person adds the stack to their deck, and the game resumes until one person runs out of cards. Reviewers say the straightforward rules and picture-based cards ensure kids as young as five can play.
Number of players: 2-8
Age range: 7 and up
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Coup
In this dystopian card game, each player is the head of a family in an Italian city-state, with the goal of becoming the most influential person at court. You can steal from, bribe, or even assassinate other players in your quest for power. It’s cutthroat and fast-paced, with games lasting roughly 15 minutes. (You can also buy expansion packs that add different characters and abilities to the game.) Just note it’s not suitable for younger kids.
Number of players: 2-6
Age range: 13 and up
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Love Letter
Any Bridgerton fans in your crew will swoon over this fun game. Players are suitors competing to win the favor of the princess through allies and intermediaries, while knocking other suitors out of the way. You have to use deduction and strategy to quite literally play your cards right for a chance at the princess’s heart. The rules are a bit more complicated for this one, but games are fun and go by quickly over the course of a few rounds. This is also the most portable game of the bunch—the deck of cards, rule book, and favor tokens can all fit in the included small cloth pouch.
Number of players: 2-6
Age range: 10 and up
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One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Think Mafia meets Supernatural: a village is plagued with werewolf attacks, and players must figure out who the werewolves are before the next one. Different cards have different abilities—Seers, for example, can look at one person’s card to uncover their identity—and require differing strategies. While villagers want to identify the werewolf, the person (or people!) with the werewolf card will need to cast suspicion on others to save themselves. It’s a fun game that involves deception and cooperation in equal measure—and with games lasting only five minutes, it’s an easy one to pick up or leave off whenever you want.
Number of players: 3-10
Age range: 10 and up
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Ravine
I think of Ravine as a game version of those iconic Choose Your Own Adventure books from the ‘80s and ‘90s (with a little bit of the show Lost mixed in). Players are waiting for rescue after surviving a plane crash, spending the days foraging for food and supplies. The nighttime cards are where the action is: animal attacks, avalanches, rainstorms, and other weather events sap away at your health and sanity. Working together increases your odds of survival, although you can certainly lone wolf it and see what happens. Games go by in 15 to 20 minutes, and each playthrough is different depending on what cards you pull and who you play it with.
Note: It’s a bulkier game than others on this list due to its multiple decks of cards and other small pieces, but the box is still small and light enough to fit in a tote bag. It’s a great option when you have downtime before or after dinner to keep people entertained without much effort.
Number of players: 3-6
Age range: 10 and up
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Tussie Mussie
Tussie Mussie celebrates the Victorian tradition of assigning meaning to different flowers. In this game, you compete with other players to build the best bouquets over the course of three rounds. The beautifully-illustrated cards depict peonies, phlox, roses, marigolds, and more—each with different point values or effects on other cards. It’s a simple, fun game that might be more the speed for older family members (or people who aren’t into deception or cartoony violence).
Number of players: 2-4
Age range: 8 and up
