I don't know about you, but I love breaking out some travel board games in the evening when I'm on vacation. You've been out for the day at the beach or pool, and now you're settling down around the table with a glass of wine in hand. It becomes a little tradition as you try to outdo each other's high score over the course of the break.
So, what are the best travel board games? I've been reviewing board games on GamesRadar+ for well over six years now and have run our tabletop coverage since 2021, so I've got my fair share of suggestions. Whenever I'm heading on vacation, a weekend away, or a day trip, there are a handful of options I usually bring with me. I've also included a couple recommended by our team of experts, just to round things out. They think these are some of the best board games overall, so they've clearly got the goods.
I've also tried to find the cheapest possible prices for each of these recommendations, so you should be able to save a little cash on them if you decide to take the plunge.
This quick and easy-going title is a bona fide award winner, and it's right at the top of the pile in terms of good travel board games thanks to its compact box and gameplay involving just cards and a few tokens.
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I haven't been on a vacation without Jaipur in years, and it might just be my favorite entry on this list. It's a fast-paced trading game with multiple possible strategies, and it's easy to sling in a bag or suitcase.
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If I had to describe Hive in just a couple of words, I'd say 'weirder chess.' You command a small army of insects and must surround your opponent's queen, resulting in a tense but compact battle of bugs.
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If you love hidden role/deception games as much as I do, you need to have Traitors Aboard in your collection. It blends together mechanics from some of the best bluffing games into one glorious mix.
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You'll struggle to find a more charming and replayable travel board game. It's tough to find one that's more hardwearing too, because this one comes in a sturdy metal tin that'd survive being dropped off a tower.
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I must say, I've found Bananagrams to be very aPEELing for a long time - particularly on the go. OK, I'm sorry. But puns aside, it's perfect as a travel board game and never gets boring because it's always so different.
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Best for families: Scout
If there's one thing the board gaming community can agree on, it's that Scout rocks. This moreish title took the hugely respected Spiel des Jahres awards by storm back in 2022 (walking away as overall game of the year) and has earned widespread fan acclaim since then... particularly as a travel game.
For starters, it's a breeze to transport thanks to a small, compact box. In addition, it's played with cards and just a few tokens that won't take up much space on a table. That means you can use it pretty much anywhere.
When combined with Scout's easy-to-understand rules, short matches that only take 15 to 20 minutes, and hidden depth that should intrigue players of all skill levels. Like our Scout review says, "its emphasis on speed and uncertainty make for an addictive 'just one more match' feeling that's hard to beat."
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | It may seem simple at first glance, but you'll be dying to play again by the end of your first match. | 5/5 |
Accessibility | Scout is pretty straightforward on the whole, and most people should ease into it without much trouble. | 4/5 |
Replayability | Because the game will change drastically based on which cards you draw and the ones that are available, you'll keep coming back for more. | 5/5 |
Setup and pack-down | Seeing as there just some numbered cards and tokens to organize, Scout isn't difficult to lay out or put away again. | 4/5 |
Component quality | A handsome, minimalist design gives a sense of flair without becoming overpowering, and everything is of a high quality. | 4/5 |
Best for couples: Jaipur
I've been recommending this game for years, and I don't think I'll stop anytime soon. I gave it five stars in my Jaipur review, and I stand by that now; this two-player masterpiece has won plenty of awards in numerous countries (from the USA to Germany and Spain) since its release for good reason.
Putting you in the shoes of rival traders who are competing to earn the favor of the Maharaja, it's all about taking and then selling goods to earn points. If you have more points than your opponent by the time the round is over, you get a seal of approval - and if you earn two seals of approval, victory is yours.
How you get to that point is entirely up to you. Should you collect cheaper items and sell them quickly? Or is it better to focus on a handful of more premium goods to sell at a much higher price? Will you focus on gathering camel cards to earn an end-of-round bonus? There's no right answer, and your approach will likely change based on what's available in the market and what your opponent chooses to prioritize. For want of a better word, that complex simplicity is why Jaipur excels.
Honestly? I'd say it's one of the best card games around.
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | The game's core loop is straightforward, but it's absolutely riveting nonetheless. | 4/5 |
Accessibility | Because it's so simple to play, anyone can get into Jaipur with minimum effort. | 5/5 |
Replayability | While there are deeper games, Jaipur is varied enough to keep you coming back over and over again. | 4/5 |
Setup and pack-down | Because it just uses a deck of cards and a small number of tokens, setting up or putting Jaipur away is a doddle. | 5/5 |
Component quality | A warm, inviting art-style pairs nicely with well-made cards and tokens that should stand the test of time. | 4/5 |
Best on the go: Hive
You won't get far talking about the best 2-player board games without Hive coming up. It's a stone-cold classic and has been delighting fans since 2001, even on the go; because gameplay involves placing tiles straight onto a surface, you don't need lots of room (an airplane tray will do, even). Those tiles are also carried in a small bag, allowing you to sling it in a backpack or suitcase with no trouble.
Think of it a bit like chess, only more abstract. The game ends when someone's bug Queen gets surrounded by pieces of any color, and you'll vie for dominance by placing a plethora of insect tiles across the board. Each one of these has to touch another, so you must cunningly build up the pattern as you go. Considering how each bug type has a different movement style or ability, you can also shake things up for your rival with unexpected placements.
Do you enjoy more tactical games, or ones where you can outwit your foes? Hive will go down very well with you. Just remember, it's only for two players!
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | Hive is like a more abstract version of chess, and it's utterly engrossing as a result. | 5/5 |
Accessibility | There may be a lot to take in at first, but once you have the hang of it you'll be away. | 4/5 |
Replayability | Thanks to numerous bug types and an infinite number of ways you can place pieces, you never have to play the same way twice. | 5/5 |
Setup and pack-down | Things start with just one tile and graduate to a small battalion of them, so it's not too much of a headache to organize. | 4/5 |
Component quality | These tiles are incredibly sturdy, and are stored in a bag for easy transportation. | 5/5 |
For large groups: Traitors Aboard
There's nothing better than a hidden role game, if you ask me - and this one streamlines the mechanics of my favorites, including Unfathomable (which I said was brilliant but took too long to play in my Unfathomable review).
The aim is to take the gameplay excellence of those fan-favorites and condense them down into a 20-minute experience that's easy to understand and even easier to play. One side are pirates, while a small number take on the role of mutineers (the number of which varies depending on how many players there are). The pirates are trying to build up the value of their treasure chest and meet a specific goal, like 11 points in total. Meanwhile, the mutineers are trying to reduce that chest's value. To do this, everyone places a card from their hand into the chest each turn - and these cards have a value of +1, 0, or -2. If you're a pirate, you'll want to add as many +1s or 0s as possible. If you're a mutineer, it's all about those 0s or -2s. Once a pirate thinks the required goal has been met, the game ends and you check the chest... but you won't know if you've succeeded until you flip the cards over.
Things get interesting because you're encouraged to play fast and loose with the truth as a mutineer. You're meant to discuss what you've put into the chest each round, and mutineers can obviously lie. "Oh," they say after slapping down a -2 in secret, "me? I put in a +1. Definitely, yes sir." A pirate's only defence is to give anyone they're suspicious of three 'walk the plank' cards and banish them from the game, though they can also use ability cards to turn the tide.
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | Traitors Aboard mixes a wealth of different systems together for the perfect deception cocktail. | 5/5 |
Accessibility | Unless you can't keep a straight face to save your life, you should get to grips with this game very easily. | 4/5 |
Replayability | This one will vary a lot depending on whether you're a pirate or mutineer, who you're playing with, and how many people are joining in. | 5/5 |
Setup and pack-down | There's really not much setup involved in Traitors Aboard. | 5/5 |
Component quality | While I don't know if they'd survive years of punishment, the cards are more than strong enough for travel. The art style is compelling, too. | 4/5 |
Best for kids: Sushi Go
Sushi Go is another of my ride-or-dies when it comes to travel games. It's just so easy to get into, and you can return to that well over and over without growing tired.
What makes Sushi Go an especially good choice as a travel board game is its little tin case, alongside the fact that it doesn't require much space at all in use; you'll have most of the cards in your hand, with just a few laid out on the table in front of you. That allows you to play on trains, planes, or down the pub.
Your aim is to earn the most points by collecting the most delicious sushi cards (each one with a different score or ability) over the course of three rounds, but beware: you'll be drawing from a shared deck that's passed between you, allowing other players to see what you're prioritizing. They can then scupper your plans by grabbing the cards you need themselves, or challenge you for dominance if the food type you want requires you to have the most of that card to win any points for it.
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | The combination of closed draft, trying to outdo your opponents, and setting up points modifiers is a compelling one. | 4/5 |
Accessibility | While those who struggle with math might not be so keen, there's no denying how easy Sushi Go is to get into. | 5/5 |
Replayability | There are a lot of different sushi varieties at play, all with different abilities, so your approach will change based on what's drawn. | 4/5 |
Setup and pack-down | Sushi Go is a deck of cards contained in a tin, so it's as easy to set up and put away as possible. | 5/5 |
Component quality | An adorable art style blends nicely with a very sturdy metal case that can be taken anywhere. | 5/5 |
Best word game: Bananagrams
This is one of my 'old faithfuls' that almost always comes on vacation with me, and I'm still not sick of it after close to a decade. Think of it like a make-your-own crossword puzzle; you get given a set of tiles and must use them all up as words. However, these have to all connect. The first one to get rid of all their tiles (and not be able to draw more) is the winner.
It sounds as if that'd take a while, but don't worry. Bananagrams moves fast. Once someone is on a roll, it becomes a race to the finish. However, that doesn't mean everyone else is left in the dust. It's more than possible to catch up, and fortunes can change quickly. You can watch your lead evaporate if you're unlucky enough to draw a Q or X and have nowhere to put them without restarting your crossword, for instance.
It's an excellent choice for competitive players too, because this really is a test of speed and skill. Can you make words faster than your rivals? Will you be able to think on your feet and rearrange your crossword when necessary? While there's an element of luck thanks to the tiles you draw, success is down to brainpower rather than random chance. Want one of the best family board games? This is it.
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | There's a surprising amount of tension for a game about making words. | 3/5 |
Accessibility | So long as you can spell, you can get involved with this game. | 4/5 |
Replayability | Because you draw different letters each time you play, there's no end to possible combinations. | 5/5 |
Setup and pack-down | Although packing away involves scooping up a massive pile of tiles, getting ready to play is easy. Just dump them face down on a table, take a few, and away you go. | 4/5 |
Component quality | The sturdy plastic tiles would survive a bomb being dropped on them, and the zip case looks like a banana. What more do you need? | 5/5 |
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