Make memories together on family outings that can last a couple hours or the entire day. Look for opportunities to see new places and try new things so everyone stays engaged. These fun family outing ideas will ensure that everyone in your clan has a great time exploring and enjoying the company of kin.
Creative Ways to Choose a Location
Hitting the open road with loved ones is a memory-making adventure for sure! If your family is up for anything and you all want to visit a mystery location, try out these clever and easy methods for picking a destination for your next road trip.
Coin Flip Day Trip
Take turns flipping a coin to make all your decisions for the day-like which way to pull out of your driveway and whether to stop at the next restaurant. Whenever there are two choices to make, let the coin flip guide you in your direction.
Turn to Social Media for Inspiration
As a family, choose three destinations you want to travel to. Take to social media and create a poll, asking friends and family to weigh in on the travel options. Compile the results, and the spot with the most votes ends up being the place your family travels to for vacation.
Point and Go Trip
Get a map of your area and outline a section that includes about a two-hour radius from your town or however long you’re willing to travel. Determine who gets to pick the place and let them point at the map section, without looking, to choose your destination. Use the same method with local business directories to find spots to eat or menus to choose meals. Once you arrive at an eatery, you can even challenge family members to point at the menu for items they will be ordering.
Travel Guide Twenty Questions
Find a regional travel guide at local gas station or town office and open it to the index. Each family member asks one question, like “Does it include water?” After each question, go through the index and cross out anything that isn’t likely to have that descriptor, like water. After twenty questions, pick from one of the destinations left.
The Road Less Traveled
Since you’ve probably done the typical activities nearby, look for opportunities to watch or learn uncommon skills.
- Find an unusual sports venue like a disc golf course, kickball field, or shuffleboard court and play something new.
- Look for an uncommon sports team to cheer on, such as a roller derby or cornhole team.
- See if your family has the smarts to break free from an escape room by visiting a company that hosts them or by creating one yourself.
- Visit a fish hatchery or other unique animal habitat.
DIY Family Outing Games
Make your own fun by turning any outing into a family competition. Go head to head with your loved ones to see who reigns supreme in these fun games.
Transportation Challenge
Choose one form of transportation, like the local train, to start. Determine how many stops to ride before getting off. See how many different types of transportation you can use in one day.
Farmer’s Market Challenge
Head to local farmer’s markets in different towns and see if you can come up with all the ingredients you need for a picnic lunch. Another idea is to split the family into two teams. Each team gathers ingredients only found at the market, then takes them home to create an interesting and unique meal for family members. See which team knocks it out of the park in the chef department.
Playground Obstacle Course
Walk or drive to the nearest playground and set an obstacle course using different equipment. Each family member can take a turn to see who can get through the course the fastest.
Put on a Show
Head to a local park where each family member chooses a talent to showcase in your family show. Put a hat or container out during each performance to see who can earn the most tips. Pool your tip money and spring for a tasty family treat.
Out-of-Town Fun
Even a trip to the next town can be full of new adventures and fun hidden locations. Stay close to home or head hours away to discover things you didn’t know were right in your backyard.
Recreate the Moment Challenge
Grab an old family photo album and try to find some regional landmarks or locations pictured. Look for restaurants, parks, and other areas that your parents or family frequented years ago. Head to locations in images and take new pictures when you find the right spot.
Family Name Adventure
Drive around your town and nearby towns looking for anything you see with your first names, last names, or nicknames on it. Examples include restaurant names or engraved stones in the front garden of a house. Take a picture with your namesakes and turn them into a collage.
Scrapbook Saturday
Every Saturday (or one day in the week or the month depending on family schedules), hold scrapbook Saturday. On your chosen day, your family heads somewhere new and documents the journey. When you return home, turn those images into a scrapbook memory. Work together to make each outing a different page in the scrapbook.
The Family That Runs Together Has Fun Together
There’s almost always a 5K run/walk happening nearby. Look for a family-friendly one with same-day registration and give it a shot as a group. Run, jog or walk the course. Celebrate your accomplishment by heading out for a treat afterward.
Get Your Learning On!
Learning can be fun, especially with some creative thinking. Head to learning institutions and add new twists to the experience. The kids will completely forget that you are trying to teach them something.
Museum Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are fun activities for people of all ages. Create a museum scavenger hunt at your local museum. Do your research beforehand online so that you know what the museum has on display during the time of your visit. See if your kids can solve your riddles and clues and learn a little something in the process.
Animal Games at the Zoo
A day at the zoo is a pretty common outing, but a day of playing games at the zoo is something different and engaging. If your kids struggle with an entire day of walking around gazing at animals, build some new and interesting activities into the experience. Try playing the animal alphabet game, where you try and spot animals and other items that start with the letters of the alphabet as a family. Race through the zoo grounds trying to complete the alphabet challenge.
Adventure Together
Family outings can be frugal, fun, and spontaneous. Gather your household and choose a new adventure to embark on together. You never know what fun you might find.
