4 Popular Camping Games For Adults
A camping trip with your family or group of friends can lead to new adventures and exciting activities. It can also provide some well-deserved downtime and an opportunity to let loose. For the adults on the trip, camping games and tournaments can be a fun way to pass the time.
The games we’ve listed below are some of the most popular, and they can be played by just about anyone on the camping trip, regardless of athletic skill or ability. They can also be turned into drinking games pretty easily, if that’s your thing.
Toss Your Way To A Good Time
One of the hottest trends in camping games these days is the “toss” game. From cornhole (known as “potty” in the northeast) and ladder ball (sometimes referred to as “monkey balls”), to classics like bocce and horseshoes, tossing something at a target is one of the hottest adult camping games out there these days.
Most tossing games can be played by two people (one-on-one) or by two teams of two. The rules and scorekeeping are pretty simple, and you can only get better the more you play. But consider yourself warned: these games can get competitive!
Campgrounds and bars all over the country organize tournaments for these games, and for cornhole, in particular. Prizes for the winners can range from money to trophies. There is even an American Cornhole Organization, which has its own podcast and web store!
If you’re handy with tools and know what you’re doing, you can make DIY versions of these games. We recommend buying a 2-in-1 set like this cornhole/ladder ball combination; it’s easy to transport and even folds into a useful side table.
Jenga: Childhood Game Turned Adult Entertainment
Another camping game for adults that has gained popularity over the last few years is Giant Jenga. This oversized version of the tumbling tower game that we played as kids is just as fun as you remember. Here’s how it goes:
Everyone stands around holding their breath as you carefully try to push a piece of wood from an unstable stack.
Once you’ve wiggled the piece free, you have to place it on the top of ready-to-collapse tower. If the tower collapses before the next person starts their turn, you lose.
For an extra challenge, play Giant Jenga on the soft sand of a local beach or campsite.
Be prepared to draw a crowd and make some new friends, as it’s hard for anyone to resist watching as the tower gets more unsteady!
Hide & Seek The Adult Way
If your group isn’t into competitive lawn games, geocaching can be a great camping game for adults. Geocaching consists of using your phone’s GPS system to find—and then re-hide—toys and trinkets that other “geocachers” have left behind.
Think of it as a treasure hunt left for you by other campers and hikers. Just make sure you are prepared for your trip with water and proper clothing.
Geocaching is perfect to do on a camping trip or a hike because there are so many possible places to hide and find things. Since most of the adults in your group will have a smartphone, you can even break up into teams to challenge one another. Simply sign up with a free geocaching website to get access to millions of hidden items (or “caches”).
Kick Back With Left Center Right
If your camping adventures have left you worn out, or the weather isn’t cooperating, there are plenty of great camping games to enjoy indoors and sitting down. A classic game like Left Center Right is always entertaining.
Left Center Right is a small dice game that is usually played with quarters or poker chips.
The game doesn’t require any special skill or talent, but can get surprisingly competitive, even when playing for such small stakes. To buy Left Right Center.
Catch Phrase
For some serious laughs with a group of adults around the campfire, pull out the game Catch Phrase. This handheld electronic game, which is similar to charades, requires you to give clues to the other players in order for them to guess a word.
A beeping countdown timer threatens to go off in your hands if you don’t finish your turn quickly.
Which One To Choose?
This short list is just the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of entertaining camping games for adults and new versions of games are always being created.
To ensure that everyone has the best time possible, follow these tips:
- Call, text, or email your camping companions prior to the trip and ask what games everyone already has and can bring with them
- If you plan to buy a new game, ask your friends to vote for the one they want to play most
- Remember to bring along some paper and pencils for keeping score, and a small prize if you’re planning a tournament
- Whichever game you choose, remember to keep it friendly and fun
We want to know what your favorite camping games are. Share with us by leaving a comment below.