5 Ways to Entertain Yourself on a Long Car Ride

I must admit, I don’t mind long car rides. It gives me the chance to relax, enjoy great conversation with my husband, and let my mind wander. Although I can still tap into the 3G network on my phone, there is something comforting about being forced to detach myself from my computer and the internet. Inevitably, however, some external force is still needed to keep me from gauging my eyes out. Here is how I stay entertained:

1. Magazines: Rarely do I actually allow myself to sit down and look through a magazine at home. I’ll hoard my magazines in anticipation of an upcoming car ride. Once in the car, however, I let myself devour Backpacker, Bicycling, and (somewhat shamefully) Better Homes & Gardens. J
2. Audiobooks: After I become nauseous from looking through magazines, I’ll set myself up with audiobooks. Lately I’ve been into History in an Hour. They’re tagline is “history for busy people”… perfect.
3. Podcasts: Podcasts are my driving hero. In 5-25 minutes, I learn something, feel productive, and am entertained. My favorites? TED Talks (audio only), RSA, Convince and Convert, and Michael Hyatt.
4. Daydreaming/Writing: Driving often causes me to brainstorm or to run ideas past my husband (he can’t escape now, can he? 😉 ) If I feel particularly inspired, I will crack open my computer and do some writing. Again, the lack of internet provides a welcomed focus!
5. Car/Road Sign Games: I won’t pretend that I’m above the annoying memory or road sign games. David and I actually get pretty competitive about it, which makes it more fun.

• ABC: Go through the alphabet finding a word on a sign that starts with A, then one that starts with B, then C etc. Race whoever else is in the car to see who can go through the alphabet first. You can cheat for X using exit. A major shout-out to Zaxby’s restaurant and Quality Inn for existing and causing this game to be shorter.
• Categories: Pick a category. Go back and forth naming things in that category until someone can’t name one. Whoever wins gets a point. Figure out what point value you are playing to ahead of time. 😉
• Ghost: The objective of ghost is not to finish spelling a word. The first person says a letter, the next person says a letter, etc. If you finish a word, you get a letter in “Ghost”. First person to spell Ghost loses. For example, First person says “A”, second person says “R”, first person says “T”. Since ART was spelled, the first person loses. They get a “G” in ghost. The next time the first person loses, they get a “H”. If they lose 5 times, spelling ghost, the game is over.

How do you entertain yourself on long road trips? Comment below!