7 Travel-Themed Games for Family Game Night

One of the best things you can do during your time at home is to have family game nights! We thought we’d recommend some board games, and in true Cruiseline.com fashion they had to revolve around travel (of course)! So without further ado in this edition of our Couch Cruising series, here are seven travel-inspired board games that you might like to add to your family’s rotation.

1. Ticket to Ride

If you love trains and/or cross-country travel, Ticket to Ride may be just the game you’re looking for. According to the manufacturer Days of Wonder, “Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure in which players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway.” This board game is so popular that there are over a dozen versions and expansions of it. If you don’t want to just play the traditional Ticket to Ride (which is a map of the United States and bottom of Canada), try others like Ticket to Ride Africa, Europe, or Japan. There’s even a ‘Rails and Sails’ version that incorporates oceanic sailing routes! Buy the regular version here: https://amzn.to/2YVYIfF and the rails and sails version here: https://amzn.to/35TjvSj. 

Watch a video tutorial on how to play

2. Where in the World

Where in the World has long been known for being one of the very best geography games around. Here’s what manufacturer Talicor’s website says: “When Where in the World was introduced 16 years ago it launched the trend in geography games. Today, this game remains the most comprehensive world geography games that families and classrooms love! The game has been updated to include the latest facts about every country in the world including capitals, major imports and exports, languages and religions. With 6 games in one, it’s possible for players of all abilities to play together providing challenge and a world of fun for everyone.” Whether you’re using this time to teach your kids about world geography and basic country facts, or just want to test your own knowledge and have fun doing it, Where in the World is a solid choice. Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3fE3eoW. 

3. Deep Blue

Deep Blue is a board game for those who enjoy being competitive, but also directly involving fellow players’ fortunes in their own strategy. Like Ticket to Ride, Days of Wonder makes this game, and describes it as “a push-your-luck and engine building family game where players dive for wealth and may join and benefit from other player’s diving fortunes. Collect the right crew of divers, sailors, and archaeologists, race to wreck sites to claim the best spots to dive from, and scout the seas to discover new wrecks.” Fans of the ocean, history, and archaeology will be sure to find the theme and design of Deep Blue especially appealing. Buy it here: https://amzn.to/2WP5KQv. 

Watch a video tutorial on how to play

4. Passport to Culture

If you’re looking for a fun way to explore new cultures with your family at home, we highly recommend Passport to Culture! The game’s website says that it is “an international education unto itself and a unique gift appealing to adults and children (10+). From Andorra to Zimbabwe, this fun, educational board game tests your knowledge of world cultures with question and answer cards on every country in the world. Not just for world travelers, Passport To Culture is the board game where players can discover their CQ (Cultural Intelligence) with fascinating, fun-filled facts about people and places, food and drink, world treasures, greetings and gestures, or customs and traditions.” Not only is the game a great way to pass the time and expand your knowledge, but it can also be used as a tool to learn the basics of a culture you’re planning to visit. Passport to Culture also comes in a smaller travel edition, so your family can take the fun on the road! Buy the regular version here: https://amzn.to/3dBUYnA and the travel version here: https://amzn.to/3cqBmCR. 

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5. 7 Wonders

According to the game’s official website, 7 Wonders is the most awarded game in the world. The fast-paced card game is described like this: “Each of the 2 to 7 players takes the head of a legendary city (Babylon, Ephesus, Rhodes...), and will have three Ages to make it prosper and even build the legendary Wonder of the world associated [with] it. The object of the game is to embellish your city and make it more influential than that of your opponents.” The website continues saying that “in order to develop their city, the players will have the choice between 4 different development paths: Military, Scientific, Commercial, and Civilian. At the end of the game, the player who tallied the most victory points is declared the winner.” If history, world landmarks, or civilization-building games are favorites among your family members, be sure to check out 7 Wonders. Buy it here: https://amzn.to/2zAceuU. 

Watch a video tutorial on how to play

6. BrainBox: All Around The World

This fun memory card game is perfect for families who want to learn fun facts about different countries around the world. The company behind the BrainBox games, Mindware, describes All Around the World this way: “Test your knowledge of famous landmarks, world cultures, geography and more with this fun, memory-boosting game. Players study the pictures-and-facts side of the card for 10 seconds, and then flip to the other side to see how many questions they can answer: Which sea borders Venezuela? Which country borders Bangladesh to the west?” The game is best suited for grade school kids, but parents will have fun playing and learning new facts, too. Buy it here: https://bit.ly/3fLrC83. 

7. Battleship

Pretty much every family already knows and loves Battleship. It’s a classic literally set on the ocean, so we had to include it! It’s easy enough for kids to quickly learn how to play, but also fun for adults who want a break from the day without having to think too hard. Game maker Hasbro describes Battleship as “the classic naval combat game that brings together competition, strategy, and excitement. In head-to-head battle, you search for the enemy’s fleet of ships and destroy them one by one. No ship is safe in this game of stealth and suspense. Try to protect your own fleet while you annihilate your opponents. It’s a battle that you must win!” Chances are you already have this game tucked away in the closet somewhere, but if not you can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3dCOvsp (this is a special edition that includes planes!).

Watch a video tutorial on how to play

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