How to Make Long Bus Rides for Sports & Clubs Actually Fun

Whether you’re heading to an away game, a tournament, a band competition, or a field trip that starts way too early in the morning, long bus rides are basically part of the deal. The good news? They don’t have to be boring. With the right plans (and the right people), bus rides can become some of your favorite memories. Here’s how to make those hours on the road way more fun.

🎧 1. Build the Ultimate Team Playlist

Music is everything on a long bus ride. Create a collaborative playlist ahead of time and let everyone add their hype songs, throwbacks, and “do not judge me for loving this” tracks.
Go for a mix of:

• pump-up songs

• karaoke classics

• chill “sunset on the bus” vibes

Bring good headphones just in case your teammates’ music taste is… questionable.

🎲 2. Pack Easy Group Games (They Never Get Old)

Games keep everyone awake, laughing, and less likely to scroll for three hours straight. Try:

• “Heads Up” on someone’s phone

• Card games (Uno, Phase 10, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza)

• “Would You Rather?”

• “Name That Song” using the playlist

Zero prep + zero supplies = maximum fun.

🍕 3. Bring the Best Road-Trip Snacks

Snacks can make or break a bus ride. Pack things that are shareable, non-messy, and guaranteed to disappear fast. Think:

• gummy candy

• trail mix

• pretzels

• granola bars

• fruit snacks

• anything your teammate always tries to steal

Bonus: bring mints for the whole row. Instant hero status.

🎥 4. Download Movies or Shows Before You Leave

The bus WiFi (if it even exists) will betray you every time. Download a movie, a few episodes of something funny, or a comfort show you’ve rewatched a million times.
Pro tip: Sit next to someone who always brings their iPad.

✍️ 5. Make It a Memory Day

Long rides = the perfect time for:

• journaling

• taking aesthetic bus-view pictures

• filming a mini vlog

• doing friendship bracelets

• making TikToks quietly so you don’t get yelled at

These end up being the moments you look back on the most.

😴 6. Embrace the Nap

Sometimes the fun thing is… sleep. Pack a hoodie, earbuds, and a neck pillow if you’re about that life.
A legendary bus nap hits different.

💬 7. Talk to People You Don’t Usually Sit With

Bus rides are a low-key way to get closer to teammates or club members you don’t normally talk to. Sit somewhere new or start a random conversation.
You never know—you might come out of the trip with a new friend.

📸 8. Make a Shared Photo Dump for the Trip

Start a shared album or group chat just for photos from the day. Add:

• “before the game” selfies

• chaotic mid-bus ride pictures

• scoreboard shots

• victory (or “we still had fun”) pics

Instant memories, no effort.

🌟 9. Give Your Bus Ride a Main-Character Moment

Look out the window like you’re in a coming-of-age movie. Put on your emotional playlist. Reflect dramatically. You deserve it.

🧃 10. Create a Bus-Ride Tradition

Every team or club has That One Thing™:

• a pre-game hype chant

• someone’s lucky snack

• passing around the same pack of stickers

• a “treat of the trip” someone brings each time

Traditions make even the longest rides feel special.

Make the Ride Part of the Fun

Long bus rides don’t have to be something you “get through.” They can be part of the fun—and sometimes the best bonding moments of the whole season. So grab your snacks, claim your seat, and get ready to make memories before you even get to the main event.