Best Camping Games for Friends to Play on Your Next Trip

There are so many fun ways to pass the time and make your own fun while camping with friends. Whether your group is lowkey, high energy, or just wanting to try some new games, this is the list for you!

A Few Quick Tips for Group Camping Activities

Before you start, keep reading for a few small tips and tricks to help you plan group games and activities for the trip. Experience seamless packing, planning, and enjoy your time together!

Easy Packing and Organization

These games involve minimal instructions and easy pieces for packing. Larger piece games, like lawn games, may need some more attention when packing. Outdoor game pieces would best be stored in a weatherproof bag. So, for ease of organization, use a canvas duffel bag for packing all game and activity pieces.

Check the Weather

Since so much of camping revolves around being outside, be sure to check the weather. Plan whatever activities are weather permitting. Bring a little something for sunny days, rainy days, and more.

Everyone Can Pitch In!

Open it up to everyone to pick something to do. The joy of group camping with friends is having fun all together. In the early stages, suggest that everyone bring their favorite card game to teach the group. The point is to have everyone involved, and for there to be options everyone is excited about.

10 Best Games to Enjoy on a Friends Camping Trip

Camping with friends is one of the best ways to enjoy the great outdoors this summer. Make it memorable and pack it full of your favorite ways to have fun together. Here are our top 10 most fun games to play with friends on your next camping trip. Enjoy!

1. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Hit the trail and let the games begin! Create a list of natural things, animals, and plants to be spotted along the trail. Either split into teams or play everyone for themself! Get creative and think outside the box when making your lists. Maybe add a certain animal sound, or a rare plant. Maybe even a shooting star if your group is playing after dark! A nature scavenger hunt is an awesome way to keep the group engaged with each other and the environment.

2. Mafia After Dark

Mafia is great to play around the campfire or under the stars. Really, you can play it any time of day, but this murder mystery game is perfect to save for when the sun goes down. It’s a sort of spooky, interactive storytelling game that’s easy for everyone to play. 

A selected narrator hands out cards that give everyone an identity. Townspeople, or the mafia. Everyone closes their eyes, and the mafia selects townspeople to secretly be “killed” off. The whole mystery becomes identifying the mafia, which the townspeople must do. Their guesses are based on testimonies, clues, and creative storytelling. Gather ‘round, and watch the story unfold!

3. Never Have I Ever

This game is easy to play around the campfire, on the trail, or in the car. You may have even played a version of this as a kid! Put all ten fingers up, and go around the group saying a fact or thing that you personally have never done. If anyone in the group has done it, they put a finger down. There isn’t really a winner or loser, per se, but it’s a great way to learn about each other, and best of all, it’s a great conversation starter! You may unearth some surprises about your group. 

4. Cornhole

Classic lawn games are an essential on friend camping trips! Summer days are perfect for a few friendly rounds of tossing the hacky sack. Cornhole is an awesome campsite game for friends because it’s simple to set up and play. The pieces can be large, but lightweight versions may be available. Pack these in durable canvas bags with handles, and it should be simple to pack. It’s easy to play on teams, 1 on 1, or even with a drink in your hand. If the weather is good, it can be left out for multiple days as a pickup game over the course of the trip!

5. Toss the Frisbee

Tossing the frisbee is awesome because you can do it virtually anywhere! Ideally, play in a big field, at the beach, or any open expanse. It takes up practically no space when packing and is lightweight. This is a good way to get some energy out and stretch your legs in beautiful scenery. Better yet, turn up the competition and make it a game of disc golf! Either find a course near you or create a makeshift version. 

6. Spikeball Tournament

Spikeball is a super fun game that can be played outside on any flat surface. Take it from the campsite to the beach. In 2 teams of 2, circle around across from your opponents. The whole goal is to spike the ball in ways that the other team can’t return it. Official game rules come with the set. It’s a fast-paced game that can easily turn into a tournament. If you want to get your heart rate up, this is a super fun game!

7. MadLibs

This is the perfect silly word game to play right from the comfort of your own camping tent. On a rainy day, get out the booklets and a pen. All it takes is a little creative vocabulary to fill in the blanks to these hilarious stories. Everyone takes turns reading the finished product out loud. It’s impossible to do without laughing!

8. Apples to Apples

This is a super funny game that everyone can catch on to. Essentially, players draw cards from a deck with funny words or phrases on them. These are used to complete prompt cards, which players take turns reading from. Everyone selects their funniest, or most out-of-the-ordinary, card to complete the prompt. They hand it to the reader. The reader of that round will read everything aloud and pick their favorite one. The person who submitted that card gets to keep the prompt card, and at the end, the person with the most wins!

9. Nertz

If you’re a fan of Double Solitaire, you’re going to love Nertz. The game can be played in groups of 3 to as many as 8 groups. That’s why it’s a good idea to have every camper bring their own deck of cards. Essentially, you are trying to be the first one to empty your deck of cards. Players build their own piles like in Solitaire. But the catch is that everyone is simultaneously playing on communal piles. It’s a real test of your reflexes!

10. Ice Breakers

On low-key days or moments in between adventures, spend some time in conversation. It may seem like a weird thing to suggest as a camping “activity”. But too often we get caught up in everything there is to do while camping, and moments of connection slip away. There are a few reasons why camping with friends is so special. One of those reasons is that it’s a unique time spent together. As a group, you are uninterrupted by work, phones, and other demands. Make the most of it, and learn something new about each other.

Get to know each other better with conversation cards around the campfire. This is the perfect way to dig deeper with the people you love, or to simply break the ice. Sometimes it’s helpful to start with a pre-written deck with prompts, or bring your own questions and topics to the table. Doing this opens the door for better connections and ultimately, great memories!

Final Thoughts

On your next camping trip with friends, plan some awesome activities and make new traditions. Games and activities are a great and easy thing to integrate into your outdoor excursion. Make connections, have fun, and engage in some friendly competition!

This was our list of 10 favorite games to play with friends while camping. But the truth is, there is an endless array of games to play and ways to have fun outside. In between hiking, swimming, biking, and whatever else the outdoors is offering. Make space for some fun– from scavenger hunts to frisbee, to storytelling, and hacky sacks. 

The key to making games extra fun is to get everyone involved. Whether everyone brings a deck of cards for a crazy round of Nertz, or they help pitch in packing materials.

No matter what activities you choose, never miss a moment to create deeper connections. Use the time together intentionally, and create space to get to know each other better over some fun games!

Happy camping!