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Must-Have Vacation Rental Board Games Everyone Loves

It's time to pack your bags and get ready for that long overdue vacation! Whether you’re renting a place through vacation rentals Airbnb or Vrbo, or packing a tent and hitching up the trailer for an outdoor adventure, you’ll want to make sure you add in some great board games to boot!

Board games are more than just a fun pastime. They’re a great way to get everyone in your home together for an activity that encourages conversation and lifts spirits. Plus, some can even be played virtually, so you can share the game night spirit remotely with friends and family.

We’ve got a great list of board games everyone loves to play, so check them out and get ready to make that vacation an even more memorable one.

Telestrations

Need a good laugh? Telestrations is a fan-favorite that keeps everyone entertained, and with millions of copies sold, this is a must-have for those big group vacations or family reunions!

Telestrations is just like the classic game of telephone, but instead of repeating what you hear, you draw what you see! Players choose a secret word or phrase from over 1,700 options, and then take a stab at drawing it on the included dry-erase sketchpads.

Pass your sketchpad to the next player, and then they have to guess what it was you drew. Once your book returns to you, you’re bound to enjoy some hilarious and unpredictable outcomes. 

The best part? Drawing skills are not required and hilarious stick figure drawings and a sense of humor are always welcome.

Blank Slate

Want a game that you can unpack and start playing in a matter of minutes? Then Blank Slate is perfect! The rules are simple: everyone gets a slate, choose a word cue card, and fill in the blank - you get points based on how many people you match with, that’s it!

For example, if the cue card reads “Brain ___,” players will write which word first comes to mind and write it down on their dry-erase slate. You could choose Brain Storm, Brain Freeze, or Brain Teaser. Whichever you believe best fits. Only rule, no hints!

Once everyone has chosen their word, reveal your answers to find out if you matched with another player. If your word is the same as someone else, you both earn points! The first player to reach 25 points is the winner. 

And while you may be on vacation, Blank Slate is also a great Zoom game to play with friends and family virtually where you can use a webcam to reveal your Word Cue Cards and slates. No need to be in the same house to play!

Hues and Cues

Going on vacation is all about seeing new sights and experiencing new places. When was the last time you gazed at the sky to spot shapes in the clouds? Or played “I Spy” with a child to test their keenness?

With Hues and Cues, colors and descriptions are all in the eye of the beholder - from holidays or hobbies, to emotions and experiences, clues are based on perception.

First, a “cue giver” describes a specific color from the gameboard grid using one- and two-word cues. The other players places their marker on which color they think is being described based on those cues - the closer to the chosen color, the more points players score!

Use examples from everyday life, from nature to pop culture, or materials and moods. Everyone around the table gets a turn to give cues and guess. The better your hints or guesses, the more points you earn. Play off others' experiences to narrow down what they have in mind!

Telestrations After Dark

Headed out for a girls weekend? Maybe a bachelor or bachelorette party? Telestrations After Dark is the must-have game for those more raunchy, and downright hilarious vacation memories!

Just the same as regular Telestrations, each player selects a sketch book and a marker. But then things take a turn as you watch the hilarity unfold with “after dark” words and phrases.

Tapple

Inclimate weather and a rainy afternoon can put a damper on any vacation - add in kids and it can be difficult to keep everyone entertained. Luckily, Tapple is a great game kids enjoy and it’s educational as well - parent approved!

Simply choose a category card and start the timer. The active player has a limited time to think of a word that fits, tap the first letter of the word on the Tapple wheel, and then re-start the timer for the next player.

Think fast! If the timer runs out before you’ve chosen a word, you’re out. The last player standing wins.