There’s nothing quite like a road trip, and there’s no classic game like license plate bingo. Download your free printable and let the competition begin!
If there were an Olympic event for license plate bingo, I’d have a gold medal. At least that’s what I always tell my kids. (And, yes, they usually roll their eyes, just like you’d expect.)
But the fact is, my sister and I played this game all of the time growing up. We were lucky to grow up in a family that believed in exploring, and we traveled a lot. But until I was in high school, we traveled by plane only to move overseas and back home again. Twice.
Otherwise, we drove.
We road tripped from Kansas to Georgia, Maryland to Missouri, Florida to New Mexico, California to Washington, DC, and everywhere in between. Fortunately, there were lots of stops with much to do and see along the way. But in between, there was always the license plate game during these long car rides.
We even created a European version of the game tied to the country codes on European license plates like:
- CH for Switzerland
- D for Deutschland (Germany)
- DK for Denmark
- E for España (Spain)
- F for France
- GB for Great Britain
- NL for the Netherlands
Today, I’m usually behind the wheel or sitting shotgun instead of riding in the backseat. Whether on a road trip or a grocery run, I find myself automatically scanning the license plates of every car on the road with me. And as long as there is someone around to listen (including a canine audience), you can count on me to point out any non-native license plate I see, any time I see it.
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Me: Look, they’re from Alaska!
Child: (Continues tapping on phone keyboard without looking up, possibly responding with a teeny tiny shrug and maybe a small mumble)
Dog: (Wags tail excitedly because maybe “Alaska” is a synonym for park or treat)
Encourage your fellow road trippers of all ages to look up from their screens once in a while by incorporating the classic road trip game of license plate bingo into your next road trip by downloading your free copy here!
Everyday Wanderer is packed with all sorts of additional travel planning tips
Ready to Go?
Use These Helpful Links to Book Your Trip!
- Find low fares with airfarewatchdog and Skyscanner
- Book your plane ticket with Expedia or Kayak
- Or take the scenic route on an epic road trip in a rental car or an RV from Outdoorsy
- From hotels to private homes, find the perfect accommodation with Hotels.com or Vrbo
- Travel in style with a suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or handbag from eBags
- Save on tickets to attractions, sightseeing tours, and more with CityPASS, Tiqets, and Viator
- Don’t leave home without travel insurance from AXA
- Discover the sights, history, and culture of your destination with an interactive scavenger hunt
- Need something else to plan your perfect trip? Visit my travel resources page for more trusted partners. Happy wandering!
I was thinking the bingo card would be with license plate pictures, not a map of the US
However, after my initial disappointment, I think this will be good to help locate where the states are on the map for my older kids, my younger will probably just color the states however and whenever she wants 😉
Hi Jill! License plate pictures would be a fun idea, but I’m a bit worried that it might be frustrating for kids due to all of the personalized plate options avaialble. I’m glad you were okay to use the map version. Please let me know if you have any other feedback that would make this downloadable more usable for your kiddos! And safe travels! <3