Best Travel Board Games for Camping
Board games and camping go together better than most people realise.
A wet afternoon, a long evening after dinner, or a quiet hour before bed, these are exactly the moments where a good board game transforms the experience from restless to genuinely enjoyable.
The challenge is that traditional board games are bulky, heavy, and vulnerable to wind scattering the pieces.
Travel versions and camping games for kids solve all of these problems. Here are the best travel board games for camping, chosen for compact size, quick play time, and ability to work for mixed ages.
What Makes a Good Camping Board Game?
Before we dive into specific titles, the best travel board games should all have the things below in common, which make them perfect for your next camping trip.
- Compact size. The game needs to fit in the camping bag without taking up significant space. Travel editions are usually much smaller than standard counterparts.
- Robust components. Cards, tiles, and wooden pieces all survive outdoor conditions better than paper money and flimsy cardboard.
- Quick to learn. On a camping trip nobody wants to spend twenty minutes reading a rulebook. The best camping games teach themselves in five minutes.
- Flexible player count. Games that work for two to six players are more versatile than those needing an exact number.
- Reasonable play time. Games lasting fifteen to forty-five minutes are ideal. Long games are fine at home but on a camping trip there is usually something else to do.
The Best Travel Board Games for Camping
If you’re looking for some specific titles, away from classics, then here are six of the best travel board games that will keep you and the family entertained on a trip.
Ticket to Ride: London
A compact travel version of the hugely popular Ticket to Ride. Players collect coloured cards and claim bus routes across London. Plays in about twenty to thirty minutes, teaches in five, and works brilliantly for ages eight and up.
Carcassonne
A tile-laying game where players build a landscape of cities, roads, and farms. Fits in a small box, plays in around thirty to forty-five minutes, and works well for ages seven and up. The tiles are robust with no fragile components.
Pandemic
A cooperative game where players work together to stop four diseases spreading around the world. Cooperative games are brilliant for family camping — the family either wins or loses together. Works for ages eight and up.
Azul
Players draft colourful tiles to decorate a mosaic, scoring points for completing patterns. The tiles are satisfyingly chunky, the game is quick to learn, and it keeps both children and adults engaged. Works for ages seven and up.
Bananagrams
A word game where players race to use all their letter tiles in a connected grid. No board required. Fast, competitive, and works well for ages seven and up. The tile bag is genuinely compact and robust.
Hive Pocket
An abstract strategy game where players place and move insect-shaped tiles to surround the opponent’s queen bee. The tiles are solid Bakelite, completely robust, and the whole game fits in a small bag. One of the best two-player games available at any size.
Classic Games in Travel Size
It’s not just about specific games, there are old classics which come available in travel dedicated sizes, that you can also have plenty of fun with while camping.
Travel Scrabble has rotating tile holders that clip tiles in place, preventing them sliding or blowing away, perfect for camping.
Travel Battleship is self-contained with no loose pieces, so you’ll avoid the problem of losing a piece here and there.
Travel Connect Four packs flat and works brilliantly for younger children, if you’re looking for a classic, quick gaming fix to keep the family going.
Tips for Board Games at the Campsite
Play on a camping table rather than the ground where possible.
Weight down the game if there is any wind, a couple of smooth stones at the corners prevents things blowing away. Store games in a dry bag or in the car when not in use.
For more ideas on keeping children entertained, visit family camping tips section, and the Camping With Kids homepage.
