How To Plan A Scavenger Hunt For Adults (Rules, Clues, Riddles & Prize Ideas For More Than 50 Outdoor Adult Scavenger Hunt Themes!)

Adult Scavenger Hunts 101

Two of my favorite outdoor games that are generally considered adult party games, group activities, and sometimes even team-building exercises are:

• Scavenger Hunts – completing tasks or collecting items on a list
• Geocaching – looking for hidden treasures near where you live

They’re outdoor games (or sometimes travel games)… with a twist!

Both of these outdoor adult games dictate precisely where you’re going (either walking OR in a vehicle) and exactly what you’re looking for when you get there (based on clues that lead you to complete specific challenges).

The goal is to find unique items and / or complete specific tasks within the shortest amount of time. For points and / or a prize!

The use of a vehicle (where individual teams ride in separate vehicles) is simply one option when planning an adult scavenger hunt. It helps the players get to each of the items faster — so they can complete all of the challenges that are (sometimes) spread out in a number of different locations.

Our Ultimate Outdoor Scavenger Hunt List For Adults (below) is the best place to start when looking for fun “outside the box” ideas for an adult scavenger hunt.

I’ve talked about geocaching and similar outdoor adventures quite a bit already.

So today I’ll concentrate on some fun ideas to help you PLAN a scavenger hunt for adults.

Here’s what you’ll find in this Scavenger Hunt Guide:

• Who participates in adult scavenger hunts (…and why they’re such “a thing” right now)
• How to play (rules for playing & winning a scavenger hunt for adults)
• What the adult scavenger hunt clues are like (there are many different styles, but these 2 are the most popular: Riddles/Puzzles -VS- Tasks/Challenges)
• A simple example of a scavenger hunt for adults (to give you a better idea of what they’re like before you plan one)
• Our Ultimate Outdoor Scavenger Hunt List For Adults (an A to Z list of more than 50 clever scavenger hunt ideas… organized by theme, location, and special occasion)
• How to plan an adult scavenger hunt for you and ONE other person… or for an entire GROUP of friends (important areas to focus on)
• How to invite people to your scavenger hunt (mail or email… using printables and virtual online resources)
• Advanced tips (to help you plan the ultimate outdoor adult scavenger hunt yourself)

Who Participates In Adult Scavenger Hunts?

These days, people plan scavenger hunts for adults as a way to have one central activity for all participants to enjoy that’s centered around a “theme.” (see our A to Z Ultimate Outdoor Scavenger Hunt List below)

Scavenger hunts are great for:

• Everyday parties with friends
• Team building projects
• Birthdays (especially the big ones: 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th)
• Neighborhood block parties
• Family reunions
• Holidays (Valentine’s Day & Christmas are the most popular — leading people to find their gifts)
• Class reunions
• New member initiations (to the company, job, or group)
• Bachelorette parties
• Road trips and vacations
• Date nights
• Proposals (even engagements!)
• Wedding receptions
• Game nights
• Anniversaries
• Retirement parties
• Any group whose members share the same interest or hobby

”I love games of all kinds, and that hunt is pretty intense,” said Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com who treated 50 friends to Mr. Watson’s Met hunt as part of his birthday celebration last April. ”It takes you into corners of the museum most people never find. I can’t think of a better way to bring people together and have fun.”

~ Watson’s Adventures

You can plan your treasure hunt for just one person. Or, for a group of people.

Heck, you might even want to plan a VIRTUAL scavenger hunt! This is a great idead for book clubs, work colleagues who work remotely, old high school friends who don’t live in the same town anymore, Facebook groups — you get the idea. A Virtual Scavenger Hunt is a clever way to do something fun with people you know, but you don’t live near one another. (Even more virtual ideas in the Ultimate List below.)

And yes… Scavenger hunts are just as much fun when they’re small and intimate (with just one or two people) as they are when they involve larger groups (who might be a bit more rambunctious).

For example, you might want to plan a small scavenger hunt for your spouse or best friend — as a unique date night activity, a birthday celebration, or just a fun way to spend time together out & about. You see, with a scavenger hunt, you get to chat AND strategize AND people-watch AND complete challenges — all while playing a fun “game” together.

Another example is to plan an adult scavenger hunt for a small group of friends. These might be friends who know YOU well, but don’t necessarily know each other well. Or, they might be your regular group of friends that always do things together — but you’re looking for something “different” that you can all do for a change of pace. (You know, besides the regular bar-hopping, watching movies, sitting-around-talking kinds of activities.)

NOTE: The links below contain ACTUAL EXAMPLES of each type of scavenger hunt. Even if you aren’t interested in a particular theme, you may want to see what unique things they did to pull off their treasure hunt for adults. Because I’ve only selected the “best of the best” adult scavenger hunt ideas here. (No one associated with the links below has asked to be on this list. Nor have I agreed to include specific people or websites on this list for any reason. These are all my own personal favorites, as someone who simply likes to play games with my adult friends.)

A to Z List Of Adult Scavenger Hunt Ideas By Theme

ABSTRACT – This photo scavenger hunt for adults goes beyond the material world. The idea is to take pictures that “show” intangible concepts. For example: An image that represents “Chaos.” Something that represents “Curiosity.” An image representing “Courage.” Something that embodies “Confusion.” An image that symbolizes “Hope.” Something embodying “Compassion.” You get the idea… With an Abstract Scavenger Hunt for adults, you can choose ANY adjectives and / or use any “theme” you like!

AMAZING RACE – This is an Amazing Race party that you can do in your own backyard. OR, if you want more space, you could stage it at a local park — but it will still be all in one place, no driving around needed! Of course, you could also plan an Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt that involves teams with drivers and the race taking place all throughout your neighborhood or entire town. (See citywide and road rally examples below.)

ANTIQUES – A fun idea for anyone who loves shopping at thrift stores and antique shops. This is an exciting treasure hunt for previously loved relics that can be enjoyed by adults of ALL ages. An Antique Treasure Hunt is also a fun way to spend the day strolling through small shops and stores while browsing for items you might like to own. Some antique items to find might include: “An item with a hidden compartment.” “A treasure chest.” “A vintage postcard.” “An 8-track tape.” “Something selling for more than $500” “A 1960s magazine.” “A cuckoo clock.” “A 1940s postage stamp.”

AROUND TOWN – This game can be played on your feet while walking through your hometown’s downtown area OR from the seat of your car while looking out the car window! You can do the Around Town Scavenger Hunt for adults by yourself OR with a friend. Items to search for might include: “A decorated mailbox.” “A mural painted on the side of a building.” “Furniture on the curb.” “A person doing yard work.” “A tree with a birdhouse.” “An antique car.” and “A fountain statue.” If you’re playing in teams, the game will be similar to the Citywide Scavenger Hunt below. Consider these Around Town Scavenger Hunt challenges. (More here.)

BACHELOR PARTY – Decide whether you want to host the tame version of a Bachelor Party Scavenger Hunt… OR the outlandish version. For the outlandish version, I can’t list many of the challenges here. But the tame version of a Bachelor Scavenger Hunt might include these types of challenges: “Find a girl with the same name as the bride then take a shot.” “Make a bow tie out of toilet paper and wear it all night.” “Dance by yourself on the dance floor.” “Drink something blue.” “Hit a bullseye at darts.” and “Take your picture next to a funny bar sign.”

BACHELORETTE PARTY – The challenges for a Bachelorette Scavenger Hunt might include things like “Go to a restaurant and order a dish with a spicy level of 10,” “Find a guy who can tell a joke and get a video of him telling that joke to the bride.” “Take a selfie inside of the men’s bathroom.” “Get a guy to buy the bride a drink.” “Find a guy to teach the bride how to do a shot.” (I especially like the convenience of this Bachelorette Party Scavenger Hunt email template — so everyone has the tasks accessible to them on their phones. It’s editable too, so you can add and remove tasks!)

BACKYARD – Most of the scavenger hunt ideas I’ve found on this theme are geared for children. HOWEVER, they can easily be adapted and “adulted’ — to make them fun and filled with “outside the box” ideas that appeal to adults. You could focus on basic items found in most backyards OR you could kick it up a notch and make your Backyard Scavenger Hunt for adults be more like the popular board game Blank Slate — where players get more points if they find items that no one else found using these categories: something hard, something soft, something green, something brown, something tiny, something big, something alive, something dead, something prickly, and something smooth. (Another Blank Slate version is mentioned below.)

BAR CRAWL / PUB CRAWL – In my opinion, one of the most clever things a host could do for a Bar Crawl Scavenger Hunt (or ANY type scavenger hunt for adults who grew up together, actually) is to pre-print some “reenactment photos” — which are old and embarrassing pictures of the participants throughout the years. Then, assign each photo/pose a certain number of points. Get each team to RECREATE those same poses (ideally, with the same people in the pictures), and take a modern photo of each pose! Not your style? Then here’s a list of editable challenges for a simple Bar Crawl Scavenger Hunt. (More here.)

BASEBALL – For players of all ages, here’s how to have a Baseball Scavenger Hunt at a Major League game. And here’s how to have a Baseball Scavenger Hunt at home — finding items that “resemble” baseball game items within your home. You can even print out official-looking game tickets for your Baseball Scavenger Hunt riddles and clues!

BEACH – Some of the tasks for a Beach Scavenger Hunt might be to “Find bird footprints in the sand.” “Find some seaweed.” “Find something written in the sand.” “Find a piece of driftwood.” “Find a shell with a hole in it.” “Find a beach towel with a carton character on it.” “Find a coin in the sand.” “Find a starfish OR a sanddollar.” Here’s a good printable list of Beach Scavenger Hunt items.

BIRTHDAY – Whether you’re planning a scavenger hunt for your spouse or partner’s birthday OR a 21st Birthday Scavenger Hunt OR it’s your own birthday treasure hunt… some fun riddles and challenges might be: “Take a picture of something with your age on it.” “Wear something outlandishly festive.” “Find someone with the same birthday as you.” “Find someone wearing a T-shirt that depicts the decade you were born in.” These teens show how to pull off a Birthday Scavenger Hunt — video style.

BLANK SLATE – If you’ve ever played the board game Blank Slate, then you’ll quickly realize how a treasure hunt could be played that way as well! Here’s the idea… Hand out a list of items that everyone needs to find and photograph. Give points for each photo — low points for the easy ones, high points for the difficult ones. This way participants have the option to either complete a few difficult tasks and earn big points fast OR complete a bunch of easy tasks which will take more time to build up points. Here’s the kicker: At the end of the game, any photos that are duplicates get tossed out! So, if one of the challenges was “Get a photo of all team members in the back of a police car for 50 points…” if TWO or more teams come back with such a photo, none of them gets any points for it! This adds a whole new dimension to the scheming and strategizing that will take place during your Blank Slate Scavenger Hunt!

BOOKSTORE – This adult scavenger hunt is perfect for a date night activity or even a game with your best friend! The clues could point to things that are meaningful between the two of you OR just random fun things to find among all the books. Here are some examples for a Bookstore Scavenger Hunt: “Find a book about something you’d like to learn how to do.” “Find a book that was a favorite when you were a kid.” “Find a recipe you’d like to try.” “Find a book with a plot that sounds like your life.” “Find a book that most reminds you of [the person you’re dating].”

CAMPGROUND – If you’re camping (or RVing at a campground or RV park), it will be fun to go on a treasure hunt and see who finds the most items within a certain amount of time. Some interesting things to look for include: “A heart-shaped rock.” “Animal footprints.” “A park ranger.” “A canoe or kayak.” “A hammock.” “Moss on a rock or tree.” Or use these fun campground riddles and send your group looking for specific clues! (These Campground Scavenger Hunt ideas are mostly for kids, but she’s got so many ideas that could be useful for adult scavenger hunts as well.)

CEMETERY – Sounds a little creepy, but it doesn’t have to be — unless you decide to do this scavenger hunt at night and use flashlights! (Or if you host your scavenger hunt for adults during Halloween.) Some fun things to look for include: “Find the tombstone of someone famous.” “Find someone with your first or last name.” “Find someone who died before 1950.” “Find someone who lived over 80 years.” “Find someone who was younger than 20.” “Find the most longstanding surname in this community.” “Find an angel.” You’ve gotta admit… a Cemetery Scavenger Hunt for adults is something most of your friends probably haven’t done before!

CHRISTMAS – A fun way to get out of the house during the holidays is to play the Holiday Mall Scavenger Hunt… what a riot! If that’s too “participatory” for you, then get everyone in the car and do a Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt together. This Ugly Sweater Scavenger Hunt is a hoot as well! Or, you could turn the tradition of opening gifts into a treasure hunt instead by using these clues for your Christmas Scavenger Hunt. (The Pass The Present game is a favorite in our house each year!)

CITYWIDE – Everyone gets in their cars and races to find all of the items (or complete all of the challenges) the fastest. These are some fun task ideas: “Take a picture of the ENTIRE town square.” “Find the third street north of the police station and take a picture of the street sign.” “Find someone who is walking their dog and ask if you can take a photo of the dog.” “Count how many traffic lights are on [street name].” “Find an ‘open 24 hours’ sign.” “Make a creative pose with your own shadow.” Here are some great tips for organizing a City Scavenger Hunt for adults. (You can even do an Augmented Reality Scavenger Hunt in Nashville that incorporates all of the amazing murals in Nashville, TN!)

CRUISE – Sometimes, the cruise lines will organize an adult scavenger hunt as a group activity for everyone on the ship. But if you’re going on a cruise and there is NOT such an activity, why not plan your own Cruise Scavenger Hunt for you and your friends?! As you can see in this video, it’s TONS of fun. All you have to do is make a list of items that everyone has to find (and/or photograph), put an official start & stop time to it, and determine a final prize. Here’s a list of just about every single thing you could possibly encounter on your cruise to include. A couple of my favorites are: “Take a photo each day of the week in the elevator.” “Take a picture with a cruise employee.” “Take a photo of yourself posing with a towel animal.” “Take a picture with the ship in the background.”  

DECADES – The goal is to find at least one item from every decade! You could start as far back as the 1920’s or 1930’s and go all the way up to present day. Fun challenges might be: “Take a photo with a person born in each decade.” and “Find a U.S. coin from each decade.” OR you could just focus on a single decade, like an 80’s Scavenger Hunt! In that case, the tasks would be to find ANY items that are related to a specific decade (80s, 90s, etc). A Decades Scavenger Hunt for adults can be quite challenging — but it’s super fun. And nostalgic. Plus, everyone is sure to find completely different things! This would also make a good virtual scavenger hunt, with everyone participating from their own homes or neighborhoods or towns (see below).

DISNEY – If you’re going to a Disney park soon, why not devote one day to an Adult Disney Scavenger Hunt?! You could ask everyone to collect Disney stuff from within the park. Some clever challenges you might want to include: “Find a hidden mickey.” “Make a pressed penny AND tell me what number you should dial if you’re having a problem with the pressed penny machine.” “Take a picture of a Disney guest wearing inappropriate shoes.” “How many Dumbos are there on the Dumbo ride?” “Take a picture of a jewel in the pavement in the Magic Kingdom.” Here are some incredible ideas from a former Disney cast member!

GEOMETRY – The idea behind a Geometry Scavenger Hunt is to find everyday objects that are the same as the shapes listed. The goal is to find them all and take photos of the different objects found. Then, participants upload their photos into an online photo album (like Google Docs or Dropbox). Some clever shape ideas: “Sphere” = a soccer ball. “Cylinder” = a can of food. “Diamond” = a baseball field. “Cubes” = dice.

GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT – A Girls Night Out Scavenger Hunt is perfect for those occasions when you and your girlfriends want to enjoy a night on the town — either your own town OR you might want to drive to a nearby town that’s bigger and has a bit more going on. The idea is to let your hair down and have some good clean fun with friends. Some examples of the challenges for this adult scavenger hunt include: “Get the DJ to play a song.” “Find an upcoming event flyer.” “Take a picture of the worst tattoo.” “Order a drink with a fake accent.” “Take a picture of graffiti in a public bathroom.” “Ask a nightclub for a job application.” “Take a selfie with a bartender.” “Get a shoutout from the DJ.” “Take a video of you sidewalk dancing with strangers.”

GIRLS’ ROAD TRIP – Here you have to take pictures of unusual things you see: “The weirdest town name on a highway exit sign.” “The words ‘wash me’ written on a vehicle.” “The weirdest thing you’ve seen for sale on this trip.” “A police car with lights on.” “Someone taking a selfie.” “A group photo next to a ‘Welcome to [town]’ sign.” “A bridge over water.” “The weirdest warning sign (‘Do not stand on toilets.’ a sign showing people falling off cliffs, a sign that warms people not to get caught in boat propellers — you know, for old people).” “A person wearing a baseball cap sporting the town’s Major League Baseball team.” A Girls’ Road Trip Scavenger Hunt is actually fun for kids of all ages! There are lots of fun printables for this theme.

GRATITUDE – This type of adult scavenger hunt focuses on being thankful of all “the good” around us. In a way, it can resemble an outdoor nature scavenger hunt. Some unique things to look for: “Something that makes you happy.” “Something that reminds you of the people you love.” “Something that would make a friend happy.” “Something that’s interesting to look at.” and “Something in the shape of a heart.” The idea behind a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt for adults is to remind everyone to be grateful and thankful every single day.

GROCERY STORE – With these clever riddles, you could send the participants looking for things like “a vegetable that comes in 2 different colors,” “a bottle of root beer,” “yogurt covered fruit,” “something sold in a package of 6,” “something that smells really good to you,” “a food you’ve never tried before,” — even “the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies!” A Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt for adults is pretty simple. For a fun twist (and to make it a bit more difficult), you could make it a Grocery Alphabet Scavenger Hunt.

HOTEL – There are lots of fun riddles you could use at basically any hotel. Some of the items to send participants looking for: “something that shows your home state (a T-shirt, license plate, map),” “how many paintings are on the wall in the ___ room?” “photograph 3 things you want to remember about this hotel,” “take a picture of a postcard.” And if you happen to be on a Disney vacation, here are some scavenger hunt items that can be found at a Disney Resort or Hotel. I especially like this clever Hotel Scavenger Hunt created by Choice Hotels.

IKEA – This store is a great place to hold a scavenger hunt for adults because there are so many different rooms and lots of props and backgrounds you can work with. Plus, the food at IKEA is cheap — so everyone can afford to spend the day here. It’s like you’re big kids for the day and IKEA is your playground! Here’s a good list of items that participants need to find for an IKEA Scavenger Hunt.

LIBRARY – You could make it a date night activity, or a fun game of Book Bingo with friends. Some things to look for in the library: “a book published in the 1990s,” “a book with over 300 pages,” “a book with a map inside,” “a book that is ‘historical fiction’,” “a book you would like to read,” and “a book that was published the year you were born.” Here are some advanced ideas for adults who are book nerds participating in a Library Scavenger Hunt. By the way, how well do YOU know your local library?

MALL – This is a fun date activity OR group activity — especially if you make it a photo scavenger hunt at the mall. Some good things to look for include: “a price tag over $100,” “a price tag under $5,” “a vehicle indoors,” “take a picture of yourself dancing with a mannequin” “try on something with sequins and take a picture,” “a picture of someone on your team wearing red high heels,” and “an item with the mall’s name or logo on it.” Here’s a good way to assign points to the items participants find at the mall. And if your Mall Scavenger Hunt happens to take place around the holidays, then why not make it a Holiday Scavenger Hunt At The Mall?

MEMOIRS (your own personal) – Here’s a really cool scavenger hunt for adults that you could even do ALONE! The idea is to take pictures of “things that describe you,” “things that made you who you are today,” “your favorite meals,” and “the inside of your home.” You’re basically documenting your life in photos! A Memoirs Scavenger Hunt is very similar to a Time Capsule Scavenger Hunt — a nostalgic treasure hunt that takes you down memory lane.

NATURE – There are so many easy ideas for this one! You could plan it for your own backyard, your neighborhood, or a nearby local park. OR you could make it a destination scavenger hunt — at a National Park, a campground, or the beach. The idea is kind of like a game of I Spy, but with a nature theme. Here’s how to assign points for your Nature Scavenger Hunt. Even hunting for simple, kid-friendly items can be fun and eye-opening for adults who aren’t too competitive.

NEIGHBORHOOD – A super laid back treasure hunt for adults! It’s also a fun way to spend time while you’re chatting with someone you’re taking a walk with. Here are 7 different ideas for your Adult Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt. Ask participants to look for things like “a red door,” “sidewalk chalk,” “a house with more than 5 front steps,” “a trampoline,” “a motorcycle that’s parked,” and “a basketball hoop.”

OFFICE / WORKPLACE – Not only is a scavenger hunt at work a great team-building exercise (and a REALLY fun way to get to know everyone while learning interesting things about the company), it’s also a good ice-breaker activity for adults at work. Here’s a clever Workplace Scavenger Hunt with a scoring system. And here are some more fun treasure hunt ideas for a workplace setting.

OUTDOORS – DIY indoor scavenger hunts are nice, but sometimes you just need a REASON to get out of the house. Am I right? I especially like this Outdoor Photo Scavenger Hunt for adults. Some of the fun challenges might include: “Photograph a squirrel carrying a nut.” “Take a picture of your team balancing on a fallen log.” “Find a butterfly on a flower and take a photo of it.” “Photograph wildlife (deer, groundhog, opossum, squirrel, etc) from a safe distance.” and “Take a selfie with a body of water in the background.” Here are some good riddles for an Adult Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. You could even venture outdoors by yourself and have your OWN outdoor scavenger hunt!

PEOPLE WATCHING – If you like people watching as much as I do, then you’re gonna LOVE people watching with friends… for prizes! The idea is to find someone “with tattoos on both arms,” “wearing red socks,” “wearing sunglasses,” “with purple hair” “wearing an 80s band T-shirt” …or any other features & characteristics that would NOT be too easy to find wherever you’ll be watching from. A People Watching Scavenger Hunt for adults is a great way to pass the time while having fun with friends in a casual way.

PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT – This is one of the most popular types of scavenger hunt that adults enjoy! You can choose the Riddles & Clues style of scavenger hunt or the Task List style. Basically, you’re requesting that participants take pictures of THEMSELVES doing certain tasks (or finding certain items)… OR you could have participants take pictures of OTHERS (even strangers) doing specific tasks. Fun challenges for your Photo Scavenger Hunt might include: “Walk a crosswalk like the Beatles.” “Get at least 5 strangers to dance in a public space.” “Pose with a statue.” “Build a human pyramid.” and / or “Take a photo of a license plate which has all numbers summing to exactly 11.” You could even spend the entire day taking fun photos of yourself and/or your team in front of all the cool murals in town!

PHOTOGRAPHY – This one’s for all of the amateur photographers out there. You do it with your friends who LOVE to take photos. Someone even turned their Photography Scavenger Hunt into a challenge online — and over 30,000 people participated! How’s THAT for doing something fun with people who share the same hobby as you?! The idea is to include photos that test everyone’s photo skills (often, participants use DSLR cameras instead of the cameras on their phones).

PHOTO WALKS are actually “a thing” these days! (You can see one in action here.) Here’s one of my favorite “Tech Guys” Leo LaPorte talking about a Photo Walk that he’s participating in. Need ideas to help you plan a Photo Walk? Start here. And if you can get permission for your group to be able to take photos in places where most people haven’t been before, seen before, or even know about… even better! Some ideas for your Photo Walk: Get low. A single color. Reflections. Shadows. Lots of little details. Panoramic. Self portrait. Typography. Street portrait. History. Mostly dark. Color-POW! Monochrome. Look behind. Abstract. Get a photo of another group member without them knowing it. General rules for Photo Walk include: Don’t step into someone else’s shot. Be respectful of others. If someone asks you not to take their picture, honor the request. Don’t take pictures of children. Follow your own ethical guidelines, but don’t be afraid to stretch yourself.

RAINBOW – This probably isn’t what you’re thinking! It’s an adult scavenger hunt where everyone attempts to find objects that perfectly depict the primary colors of the rainbow: red, orange, green, blue, yellow, purple. A Rainbow Scavenger Hunt is easy to play while you’re on a leisurely walk with a friend, or your partner, or your teenager, or your dog. In this case, the “prize” is you taking your mind OFF the stressful and mundane things in your life — so you’re able to focus ON living in the moment. Or… you could make this a fun St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt with a rainbow pot of gold theme!

RECREATE THE PAST – As the host of this adult scavenger hunt, first you will pre-print lots of random old photographs that have the Scavenger Hunt participants in them. You know, from the good ‘ol days. Then, task everyone with recreating those same photo poses again… together! (You might need to substitute some stand-ins for people who aren’t there to participate.) But one thing’s for sure… you’ll be reliving old memories and creating lots of new ones!

REUNION – These are some classic photos to take as part of a Reunion Scavenger Hunt (“Who traveled the farthest,” “Someone you didn’t know you were related to,” etc). Here’s a DIFFERENT idea… First, as the host, you’ll need to jot down ONE unique fact about every person who will be attending the reunion. That becomes the “task list” for your Reunion Scavenger Hunt. Then, all participants have to find the relative who meets each of those criteria! Some examples: “My hair is really grey, I just dye it this color.” “I’m a veteran.” “I have broken more than 5 bones.” — whatever statements happen to be true about the relatives in your own family (TIP: You could use general statements instead. Maybe there will be someone at the party who matches, maybe there won’t. The fun is in “the search” and the number of points the participants obtain for finding matches!)

ROAD RALLY (for teams) – Each team is given an envelope with a clue to start the race. You have to figure out where that clue is sending you in order to find your NEXT clue. Sometimes the clue is direct and tells you to go to a specific place, other times the clue is vague or filled with riddles you must decipher. When you finally find the clue spot, there is either another envelope with your next clue OR a person waiting for you that assigns you a task to complete and then hands you your next clue. One of the trickiest parts of a Road Rally Scavenger Hunt is keeping everyone on pace (and on the route) without tripping over each other when you have several groups participating. One idea is to make the route circular and start each team at a different point on the circle. Then, have one thing from each clue that, when combined, will reveal the final destination — so, if there are a total of 10 clues, once each team has all 10 answers they will be able to solve the final destination. This way everyone exits the circle once they return to their starting point.

ROAD TRIP (for individuals) – This is a great way to turn an otherwise monotonous road trip (with friends, family, or your BFF) into an interactive adventure! A Road Trip Scavenger hunt is fun for all ages. And whenever you stop and get out of the car, here are some fun challenges: “Find a stranger to High Five.” “Jump in a fountain.” “Find money on the street.” “Find something blue to eat.”

ROMANTIC – A fun date night activity (or Valentine’s Day activity)… where YOU are the prize! Here’s everything you need — from the catchy riddles to the props you’ll hide for your partner to find. And even some printables! Not quite ready for this level of fun together yet?… This Romantic Scavenger Hunt is the next best thing! Check out this video to see how a guy pulled off a romantic anniversary surprise scavenger hunt for his wife. (I’d say, he’s a keeper!)

SELFIE – A fun scavenger hunt for adults that can be completed while walking through the neighborhood or driving around town! You don’t even have to create any clues with riddles, if you don’t want to. Here’s an editable Selfie Scavenger Hunt template you can download to all team members’ phones. A fun example of a Selfie Scavenger Hunt for groups that has only ONE challenge is to require that “jump shots” be taken at specific locations! Or, give the participants a list of murals all around town, and request that they take group selfies at each one of them!

SERVICE / SERVING OTHERS – Similar to a Random Acts Of Kindness Scavenger Hunt (mentioned above), this is an especially fun activity for a date night or for couples. Personally, I think a Service Scavenger Hunt would be a great small group activity for everyone in my small group at church.

STORE – Since the riddles will lead you to things like soap, crayons, lightbulb, tissues, hand sanitizer, this adult scavenger hunt can literally be played at ANY store: the Dollar Store, any grocery store, Walmart, any department store, Target, any clothing store, etc. A Store Scavenger Hunt is also a fun couples night activity — where the participants take pictures of themselves with each of the items they find.

SUMMER – This one’s so simple that it can be played while you’re on a leisurely walk with a friend (or with several friends). You could look for these items together… or alone. And you could photograph them together… or alone. Sometimes it’s not about the “hunt” it’s more about having something different to talk about. Or simply noticing unique things about summer. Of course, you could also use these riddles to turn your Summer Adult Scavenger Hunt into a big adventure.

TOWN – This scavenger hunt for adults could take place uptown, downtown, or even your tiny little town’s square. The idea is simple yet engaging: take photos of unique things you notice in town! My favorite challenges: “Find the oldest building in the city and take a photo with it.” “Visit an outdoor cafe and take a selfie with some new friends you made.” “Photobomb someone else’s picture.” “Find public transportation and take a photo with the driver.” “Take a selfie with a local celebrity or famous landmark or statue.” “Find a silly local sign and take a selfie with it.” “Get an insta-worthy selfie in front of a mural painted on a wall.” Heck, popular tourist cities are even organizing their own around-town scavenger hunts! (See also the video below.) And how fun would a Town Scavenger Hunt for adults be if done virtually? Everyone takes pictures from their OWN town and posts them for all participants to see on a shared page online — on your own website, in Dropbox, or in a shared Google Doc.

VACATION – This adult scavenger hunt is similar to the “city” and “town” scavenger hunts listed above — but you’re in a town that you’re not all that familiar with. Basically, while you’re traveling or on vacation, you simply make a point to find specific items. (Of course, I would require photos of all of them.) A Vacation Scavenger Hunt is a great way to be a tourist for a day AND compete for some fun prizes! Here are some easy, intermediate, and advanced challenges to incorporate.

VIDEO SCAVENGER HUNT – Similar to a photo scavenger hunt, only this one involves recording specific activities at specific places. So, rather than “marking the found item off a list” or “collecting the found item” or even “taking a photo of the item,” participants must find the location and then complete the activity while they’re there. And it’s all caught on video! A Video Scavenger Hunt for adults leaves everyone with fun video memories of the day.

VIRTUAL – A Virtual Scavenger Hunt is something you can do with longtime friends who don’t live near each other OR with new friends who all share something in common — like a remote job, a college affiliation, membership in a book club, a Facebook group, a love for animals, or ANYTHING! Basically, you could use any of the clues and tips listed with one of the scavenger hunt themes above and simply make it a virtual procedure of sharing those “finds” with one another online… instead of in person. Or… use these tips: how to plan a virtual scavenger hunt, some fun ideas regarding game rules and scoring options, plus some clever themes and things to look for (depending on the ages of your participants and their interests).

WALMART – Similar to a scavenger hunt that you might plan for any other store (like IKEA, a grocery store, the dollar store, or even at the mall — all mentioned above), we all know that having your group activity at a Walmart would kick things up a notch in its very own way! Here are some interesting rules and fun things to look for on a Walmart Scavenger Hunt for adults. Here’s a simple printable list of items, and there are some interesting riddles in this video.

WEDDING – Oh what a FUN activity for a wedding reception… as seen in this video! You could also request that ALL wedding guests capture photos of these special moments on the bride and groom’s big day with a little “I Spy” challenge. Here are some super simple ideas. Your Wedding Scavenger Hunt could even be played more like a game of Wedding Bingo, if you wish.

ZOO – If you think a fun day at the zoo is just for kids… think again! I’m not sure I’d be able to de-code and identify all of the animals on this free printable list. A Zoo Scavenger Hunt for adults is super simple to pull off. Here are some zoo animal riddles and fun things to look for — to get you started. (A few more here.)

Setting up the scavenger hunt can be just as much fun as participating in it!

Here are some areas to focus on when you plan a scavenger hunt:

• You can use the scavenger hunt themes and printables listed above, or you can come up with your own challenges that must be completed.
• If your treasure hunt happens to take place on or near a major holiday, then you may want to theme the items on your list to match that holiday or special occasion.
• You may want to plan your scavenger hunt so a car isn’t necessary. In that case, items on the treasure hunt list would include things found in the backyard, in the neighborhood, or some other pre-determined area with clear boundaries — within a store, at a hotel, in the campground, at the mall, in a museum, at Disney World, on the beach… or even virtually!
• Print out a very basic list of scavenger hunt rules that players must follow (travel distances/boundaries, specific tasks/items to be completed, any clues you want to provide). You could even have the players scan a QR code to reveal the next clue.
• Determine how many “points” each completed challenge earns the team.
• Set an exact start time and a definite stop time.
• Have prizes on hand for the team(s) that completed the most tasks. (Some ideas: gift certificates, novelty gifts, money. If you charge a small amount to play, the money can go into a “pool” to cover the prizes.)

How To Invite People To Your Scavenger Hunt

As for the invitations to your scavenger hunt…

You could simply mail out themed invitations, stating that you’re planning an adult scavenger hunt. You can add a little mystery to the event by telling them how to prepare — without discussing the details of the game. This will alert your guests to dress appropriately for the weather, wear comfortable shoes, and have adequate fuel in their vehicle (if your scavenger hunt involves some travel).

Eventbrite also makes it easy to send everyone (that you have an email address for) a virtual invitation. The best part is they have an automated RSVP system which is super helpful — it keeps you updated with who’s actually coming, and it makes it easy for you to update everyone if you happen to have last-minute notices, changes, or requests. It’s FREE to use Eventbrite for any party or meet-up that you host!

I organized a fun car rally / scavenger hunt for the staff at work. I concentrated on the hunters gathering information rather than things, so as not to disrupt the activities in stores and other businesses. Scavengers were asked to get dates from a building cornerstone and a gravestone, an inscription from a building lintel and a gravestone, to count the number of seats in a restaurant and the number of overhead light standards on a bridge, to identify historic community landmarks, etc.

— The Dollar Stretcher

National Scavenger Hunt Day is May 24th of each year… It’s never too early to start planning for your own fun scavenger hunt with adults!

Lynnette Walczak( Publisher )

I grew up playing board games and card games. It’s a pastime that I’ve never outgrown. The games mentioned here are great for your home parties, family game nights, camping outings, and RV road trips. (We play some of them on our cross-country motorcycle trips, too.)

When I’m not playing games with my friends and family, you will find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).