What’s better than spending time with your friends and family? Spending the day outside with them! The feeling of the warm sun on your face, the feeling of that first burn of the summer, and of course cooling off with a cold one.
But sometimes just sitting around a pool or playing the same old yard games can be a bit boring, so we have come up with a list of things you can do to enhance your outdoor activities. Here is a list of drinking games that can be played outside.
Best Outdoor Drinking Games
A lot of these games can also be played indoors, but who wants to wipe up water off of the floor or smell a musty rug? Who wants to clean up their favorite vase that has been broken by a frisbee? No one, that’s who.
These games are designed to allow you to be outside in the fresh air where there is no limitation to what you can do. This list is completed with the names and descriptions of the way we like to play them. Because we like to always find better ways to play games, constructive criticism is always welcome!
1. Slip Cup (6+ players)
Get your best team together and get ready. It’s a flip cup, but with a slippery twist. The game is played the same traditional way but involves a slide to the table. 3 to 6 players per team is recommended.
Set-up:
- Drinks (do not need to be the same type for everyone)
- A slide (or other slippery, long surface)
- A table is set up past the end of the sliding surface (so you do not crash into the table and ruin the game)
- An equal ratio of solo cups-to-participants
Getting started:
Fill each cup to the second line from the bottom. Line your team in order at the beginning of the slip surface. (Hint: Some teams put their best players at the front in hopes of an early lead, while others put them at the end to act as the anchor.) Have someone call the count down, and let the fun begin!
Slip Cup drinking game rules:
- The first two participants are given a count down and then race to their respective slip surfaces.
- They then slide down the slip surface
- Drink the alcohol from their cup
- Place the cup upright just over the edge of the table
- Flip the cup with their finger so that it lands upside down.
- Once successful, they then signal to their teammate to slide down
- If a player mistakenly slides down before a signal, they must go to the beginning of the slide surface and slide again. Another player may not slide in their place
- Repeat Steps 3-6
- Continues these steps until one team has successfully flipped all of their cups. At this point, the game is over.
- Refill empty cups
- Rotate starting positions
- Restart the game
This is an easy, fun, entertaining, and competitive way to stay cool during the hot summer days. A modification to this game can involve the losing team voting a member out of the next round. The losing team will choose someone to drink two cups so there is an even amount of cups per team.
2. Pool Pong
Another great crossover game is pool pong. This is a great way to stay cool while downing a cool one. This game is a bit more challenging than the original as the cups are floating around in the pool.
It can be played in the shallow end play if you want to just cool off in the pool, or in the deep end if you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge. Either
Set-up:
-Alcohol
-Two ping pong balls
-20 solo cups (10 red/10blue)
-20 small inflatable cup holders or
-1 Pong raft that can be found here).
Pool Pong drinking game rules (cup holders)
- Fill cups to the second line from the bottom.
- Aligned cups in a 4-3-2-1 triangular fashion.
- The cups will then begin to float. Let them go.
- Shoot at the color cups your team did not set up.
- When a ball is tossed into a cup, remove the cup from the play
- Drink the alcohol and the team not throwing must drink the fluid inside of it.
- Players may not swat the ball out of mid-air.
- If done, they must remove a cup of the throwing team’s choice and drink the contents.
- Once the ball has contacted a cup, it may be caught or swatted pending it does not land in the cup.
- Bouncing: If you can manage to bounce the ball off of the water, kudos, you have won the match, our hearts, and physics.
- Rollbacks: If both players make different cups in the same turn, they will be awarded a bonus turn.
- Continued until one of the two players misses
- If the two balls land in the same cup before it is removed, the throwing team has won. No rebuttals
- Both teams will have two re-racks per game.
- Must be done at the beginning of the turn
- Rollbacks do not count as a new turn
- Available when 6, 4, 3, or 2 cups remain
- If a cup floats away from the pack it may be stabilized by the opposing team. This will count as a rerack
- If a ball lands in a cup and spins:
- Males may “finger” the ball out of the cup and females may “blow” the ball out of the cup.
- Once the ball touches the alcohol, the cup is removed
- Once a team has successfully hit every cup, the opposing team will
have to be allowed one last turn.- Each player will be allowed to shoot the pong ball as many times until they miss.
- Once both players on the opposing team have missed, the game is over.
Additional gameplay rules:
- Do not intentionally make waves during the opponent’s turn.
- This rule may be disregarded if that is how you wish to play the game.
- Courtesy rack:
- Additional re-racks at the opposing team’s discretion
- No limit to the number of courtesy racks given
- Laser Shot:
- If a ball is successfully tossed a ball into a personal solo cup of the opposing team, the game is over and the throwing team wins
- The cup must be held by the opposing team at the time of the ball entering the cup.
- If it is floating in a cup holder, no action is taken.
- If a ball is successfully tossed a ball into a personal solo cup of the opposing team, the game is over and the throwing team wins
- Celebrity shot:
- Teams will be allowed to have someone not playing the game take a shot
- Teams are allowed 2 “celeb” shots per game.
- If the celeb is part of a rollback, this does not count as a second celeb shot.
- Heating up/Fire:
- If a player successfully makes 2 consecutive shots, they may call “heating up”.
- “Heating up” must be verbalized after the second make.
- Upon a third successful shot, they must call it “fire”.
- They will shoot until they miss.
- If a player successfully makes 2 consecutive shots, they may call “heating up”.
- Solo Cup Shot:
- There will be no solo cup shots due to the cups floating
Overtime
- If a team successfully completes its rebuttal:
- refill 3 cups per team with alcohol.
- Place in a 2-1 triangular pattern.
- Continue normal play.
- Rollbacks are still in play.
- Heating up and fire will not be allowed.
- If an additional tie occurs:
- Refill one cup per team.
- Repeat overtime rules.
Pool Pong drinking game rules (raft)
The only rule change here from normal beer pong is that you may not intentionally make waves during the opponent’s turn. Bouncing and solo cups are back in it for this one, although bouncing on a raft may prove to be difficult.
There you have it. Pool pong is a great way to hang out in the pool and play the game we have all come to know and love. ***NOTE*** please remember to be careful and ensure that you and all of the other participants are strong enough swimmers, especially if you play this game in the deep end of the pool.
3. Bucket Ball Pong (2+ people)
Like pool pong, bucket pong takes the game of beer pong off of the table and adds a whole new feel to it. The rules of bucket pong are the same as normal beer pong. What’s the difference? You are using large buckets filled with water, larger and different weighted balls, and there are only 6 buckets per side.
This game is fun for those who have a nice backyard, no pool access, or those spending a day at the beach. You can get a set on Amazon here or simply drive to a store in your local area.
The only rule change in this game is the game is not over if both balls get tossed into the same bucket. Since the buckets are larger, they are heavier and more difficult to move. If both balls are made into the same bucket, that bucket is still removed and the second ball will result in a miss.
To ensure that you do not fully waste a shot we suggest that you let the opposing team remove the bucket before you shoot again. If a ball hits someone removing the bucket, it will result in a loss of turn. Bouncing is still allowed, although very difficult to do off of the ground.
4. Scavenger Hunt 2 (2+ people)
Everyone has gone out for a night and seen some things that are common, not so common, and pretty rare. This is the basis of this game. Grab some friends and have everyone come up with a few things to see, make a list of them, and let the games begin. Although this game does not require you to drink, it makes it much more interesting and fun if bar hop. This game can be played anywhere from any local bar to casinos, to even Walmart. All you need is a list of things to see and a camera.
The rules are simple, everyone has the same list of things they must get a picture of. The only catch is you must also be in the picture to prove you did not steal it from the internet.
For example, if someone puts “a man or woman wearing a red fedora”, you must get a picture with that person after gaining their permission. If someone puts “a statue” or “a water fountain”, simply take a selfie with one or have someone take a picture of you standing next to it. Be creative with the things you are looking for, but try to make it somewhat possible.
If you want to require drinking to be a part of the game because let’s face it, that’s why you came here, add that into the hunt. Put down “take a shot with a bald guy” or “chug a beer/mixed drink with a girl with a brown purse.”
Make sure there is video proof of the bartender pouring the shot, opening the beer, or mixing the drink and footage of the participant and the stranger performing the action. Also, please be sure that the stranger is aware of the game and is okay with you taking footage.
If you are doing the scavenger hunt around a city and are drinking, please be smart. Don’t drink and drive. Call an Uber, a Lyft, or simply just walk around and get those steps in.
5. The Back 9 Crawl Open (Maximum 18 people)
Submitted by @jarmington27
This game is great for anyone who loves golf, drinking, and bars hopping. The game consists of 9 bars and spending a limited amount of time at each bar. Players have the opportunity to break even, minus, or go positive for each bar.
The scores are totaled up at the end of the night and the winner is the one who successfully finished the 9 with the lowest score. All participants dress up like golfers, act like golfers, and are scored like golfers. So find your local area that is loaded with bars. An even amount of participants is ideal for this event.
Back 9 Crawl drinking rules:
- Half of the participants place their names into a hat.
- The other half picks one name from the hat. This is your partner for the night.
- Partner, not teammate
- One “Marshall” card will be placed in the hat. Whoever picks that card is required to keep track of the time spent at bars.
- He/she will then pick one more card and that will be their partner
- Pairs will then pick a number out of a hat from 1-9. Each number corresponds with the bar must buy a round of beer.
- The lower the bar number, the greater the chance people will have dropped out resulting in a cheaper tab.
- Pairs will split the tab at the bar
- If someone drops out prior to getting to their assigned bar, they are responsible for repaying whoever picks up the tab
- Participants will be given a score sheet with a list of bars
- You have 20 minutes at each bar
- Finish a BEER of 4.0% AbV within the 20-minute time frame for par.
- Failure to do so will result in a +1 for the bar
- Additional beers may be drunk, but WILL NOT result in minus points and will be purchased by the drinker, not the assigned pair.
- Shot of 80 proof (40%AbV) or higher results in minus points.
- Shots only count AFTER the beer has been finished.
- Shots cannot be substituted for beer.
- Shots will be purchased by the drinker, not the assigned pair.
- Bar partners are required to watch and sign off on their partners confirming that they have
- A) Finished their beer
- B) Verify that they have taken the shots they claim to have taken
Water Hazard bars
- A minimum of three bars and a maximum of 5 will be chosen to act as “water hazard” bars.
- Participants are NOT allowed to use the bathroom while at these bars
- There should be 2 back-to-back water hazard bars in the middle to end of the route.
Final Scoring
- The participant who has finished all 9 bars with the lowest score wins.
- In the case of a tie, those involved will be co-champions.
- If no one completes all 9 bars, the winner is whoever has completed the most bars.
- When two people have completed the same amount of bars but not the event, whoever has the lowest score wins.
- Should someone have completed 7 bars scoring -5 and another has completed 8 with a higher score, the participant who has completed more bars wins, even if they are over par.
- Participants are responsible for their scorecards. Lost, stole, or illegible cards will result in elimination.
- +/- scoring as follows:
| Minus Points | Value | Plus Points | Value |
| Taking an 80-proof shot(s) after finishing the par beer | -1 per shot taken | Inability to finish the beer in 20min time frame | +1 |
| Getting a guy/girl’s phone number (must be verified by bar partner) | -1 per phone number | Being caught using the bathroom during water hazard bars | +1 |
| Hooking up with a guy/girl (must be seen by anyone in the game) | -3 per hook-up | Throwing up in a bush or trash receptacle | +1 |
| Throwing outside of a bar | +2 | ||
| Throwing up inside of a bard | +3 |
Entry fees:
- If warranted, every participant will pay an agreed-upon amount
Prizes
- Third Place: Entry fee back
- Second place: 20% of the remaining total
- First place: 70% of the remaining fee total
I hope you found a great outdoor drinking game to play! There are countless options, from simple to complex. Let us know your favorite drinking games for outdoors below.
Cheers!