With over 200 countries including a million or more cities, when it comes to vacation planning the choices are endless. When an opportunity for me to get away arises, I try to be creative in how I choose the destination. Travel is fun, and so are these games!

The M.A.S.H Game

There are no mansions here, just a motel. The M.A.S.H game is played like the children’s game, but instead of finding out your future husband – you find out your future trip.

Grab a pen and paper and copy down the game. Write down your top 5 destinations under locations. Pick one of the magic numbers and count through the items starting with “Motel” on the first list. Cross out the ones you land on with your magic number. Continue this with each list below, using the same magic number – and keep going until you only have one option left on each list. To mix it up a bit, start on a different numbered item each time you start counting to your magic number.

Magic Number Options: 27, 5, 8, 13, 55

• Motel
• Apartment rental
• Small hotel (hostel or camping)
• Hotel

Locations (this is the part you’ll fill out before you start playing):

Modes of Transportation:

1. Train
2. Plane
3. Boat/Cruise
4. Car
5. Other

Travel Partners:

1. Solo
2. 2 people
3. More than 2 people, but less than 6
4. Complete stranger (i.e. from a travel buddy finder websites)
5. Bus/group tour

Type of Trip:

1. R&R (Beaches and Spas)
2. Adventure (Rock climbing, Scuba diving)
3. Volutourism
4. Cultural (museums, art galleries)
5. Sightseeing (Eiffel tower, San Marcos)

Do or Die

Still stuck on where to go? Use a six-sided die to choose for you.

Any six-sided die will do. The number the die lands on corresponds to a selection’s number. Once you have all your selections picked, plan your trip based on the selections.

Example:
If you rolled –

• 1. Asia
• 4. South Korea
• 6. Tourist town
• 3. Hostel
• 1. Plane
• 2. $100-$150/day

This might become a trip to Seoul, South Korea, Asia arriving on Korean Air, sleeping at Stay Korea, and having $81.59-$131.59 a day to spend.

Roll the die to pick a continent to visit. Roll again to choose a country:

Continent options:

1. Asia
2. South America
3. Europe
4. Africa
5. North America
6. Oceania

Country options (based on the number you rolled for a continent):

1. Cambodia – Bolivia – Estonia – Morocco – Costa Rica – Cook Island
2. Oman – Ecuador – Austria – Egypt – USA – Tahiti
3. Thailand – Peru – Ireland – Zanzibar – Cuba – Fiji Island
4. South Korea – Chile – Croatia – Botswana – Greenland – Papua New Guinea
5. India – Argentina – Italy – South Africa – Mexico – New Zealand
6. China – Brazil – France – Kenya – Canada – Australia

Roll the die to choose an area:

1. Small town
2. Big town
3. Country
4. Wilderness
5. Historic town
6. Tourist town

Roll to pick your type of accommodation:

1. Hotel
2. Camping
3. Hostel
4. Motel
5. Couchsurfing
6. B&B

Roll for your method of travel:

1. Plane
2. Boat
3. Hitchhiking
4. Train
5. Car
6. Mix

Roll for your budget:

1. Less than $100/day
2. $100-$150 per day
3. More than $150 per day
4. $100-$150 per day
5. More than $150 per day
6. Less than $100/day

The Dare Game

The game is simple, and there is no backing out, read the dare and do what it says. Some of these dares require putting faith in another person and a “C’est La Vie” outlook on life from you.

I dare you… To go into any travel agency that you have not used before. Give them your budget and tell them to plan a trip for you anywhere in the world within your budget. The catch is that they cannot tell you any details of your trip (i.e. location, accommodation) until the night before your trip. You may not give them any suggestions.

I dare you… To throw a dart at a map on the wall. Where it lands is where you go. Play it by ear and make no plans until you arrive at your destination.

I dare you… To go to a public place and ask a stranger for their favorite destination and go where they tell you.

photos, top to bottom, by jaaron, matsuyuki