A brim all round to shade your face. Look under the hat in its resting place.Hide the next clue: the sun hat. Under the hat, on a shelf the hunter can reach.
A little book with your photo inside. Without it, borders won't open wide.Hide the next clue: the passports. An adult holds the passports and hands over the clue. Skip this stop if the trip stays inside the country.
A pillow that bends around your neck. Find it and give the tag a check.Hide the next clue: the travel neck pillow. Tie the strip to the tag with thread.
Before we leave, the plants need a drink. Look by the pot that's nearest the sink.Hide the next clue: the houseplant nearest the sink. Under the pot's saucer, with a corner showing.
Breakfast first, there's far to travel. Turn the cereal box and the plot will unravel.Hide the next clue: the cereal box. Tape the clue to the back of the box, never inside with the food.
Show all 72 clues (67 more)
Beach trip, continued
Colder than any place we could go. Look by the peas in the ice and snow.Hide the next clue: the freezer. Seal the strip in a sandwich bag so frost does not smudge the ink.
Count the sleeps until we go. The calendar page has more to show.Hide the next clue: the wall calendar. Circle the departure day before the hunt, and clip the clue to that page.
Every adventure starts out here. Look by the door where the coats hang near.Hide the next clue: the coat hooks by the front door. In the pocket of the coat the hunter wears most.
Every good journey runs on snacks. Look in the cupboard behind the packs.Hide the next clue: the snack cupboard. A cupboard the hunter can reach from the floor.
Flip and flop is the sound they make. Find the clue between them, for goodness' sake.Hide the next clue: the flip-flops. Sandwich the clue between the pair.
Good news comes in an envelope. Look in the mailbox and don't lose hope.Hide the next clue: the mailbox. Your own mailbox, with an adult walking out beside the hunter.
It has a handle, wheels and a zip. Look inside it, you're going on a trip.Hide the next clue: the suitcase. Lay the clue flat inside the lid. A good second stop, because it gives the game away.
Keys for the house and keys for the car. Look where they hang, it isn't far.Hide the next clue: the key hooks or key bowl. Clip the clue to a spare key ring.
Open the trunk, there's room to spare. Your next clue's riding along in there.Hide the next clue: the trunk of the car. An adult opens the trunk. The packed bags can wait there too.
Pick a story, thick or thin. The book by your bed has a clue within.Hide the next clue: the book on the nightstand. Let it stick out like a bookmark.
Pictures of places we went before. The photo album is hiding one more.Hide the next clue: the photo album. Slip it in beside a photo from the last trip.
Rub it on noses, shoulders and knees. The bottle has a clue, so look there, please.Hide the next clue: the sunscreen bottle. Hold the strip around the bottle with a rubber band.
Sand castles start with a shovel and pail. Look in the bucket to follow the trail.Hide the next clue: the sand bucket. A kitchen bucket with a wooden spoon in it works as well.
See under water, clear and wide. Your goggles have a clue inside.Hide the next clue: the swim goggles. Thread the strip through the strap.
Shells and sand between your toes. Check the bag where the beach stuff goes.Hide the next clue: the beach bag. In the inside pocket, so it takes a second look.
Somebody has to feed the pet. Look by the food bowl, you're not done yet.Hide the next clue: the pet's food bowl. Beside the bowl, not in it. Skip this stop if there is no pet.
Spending money, a coin or two. The piggy bank is guarding a clue.Hide the next clue: the piggy bank or coin jar. Under it, not in it.
Tick tock, the day is drawing near. Look under the clock, a clue is here.Hide the next clue: a clock. Under a clock on a table or a low shelf. Nothing goes on a high wall.
Too big for the bath, all stripy and bright. Unroll this towel and a clue comes to light.Hide the next clue: the beach towel. Roll the clue into the middle of the towel.
Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and comb. Check the bag they ride in away from home.Hide the next clue: the toiletry bag. Empty the bag first so the strip stays dry.
Where do we sit to plan and eat? Look under the table, by your seat.Hide the next clue: the kitchen table. Tape it under the table edge at the hunter's own place.
Where we're headed the sun shines bright. Your sunglasses case holds a clue tonight.Hide the next clue: the sunglasses case. Inside the case, under the glasses.
The whole wide world on a little stand. The clue is under some far-off land.Hide the next clue: the globe. Tape it over the destination for a bold hint, or over the opposite ocean for none.
You can't go swimming in jeans and a tee. Find what you swim in and you'll find me.Hide the next clue: the swimsuit drawer. Fold the clue inside the hunter's own swimsuit.
You'll want to remember all you see. Look where the camera likes to be.Hide the next clue: the camera or its case. No camera in the house? Use the shelf of photo frames.
You'll want your tunes for the long ride there. Your headphones have a clue to share.Hide the next clue: the hunter's headphones. Wind the strip around the band or tuck it in the case.
Your phone will need its daily feed. Look where you keep the cord you need.Hide the next clue: the phone charger. Beside the plug, not behind it. Nothing goes near the socket.
Snow trip 9
A mug for cocoa after the snow. Look inside it before we go.Hide the next clue: the hunter's favorite mug. In a cupboard the hunter can reach, with the mug empty.
Big and heavy with plenty of grip. Look in the boots you'll need on this trip.Hide the next clue: the snow boots. In the toe of the left boot.
Cocoa stays hot in me all day. Unscrew my cup and read what I say.Hide the next clue: the insulated bottle. Empty and dry, with the clue under the cup lid.
Puffy and zipped from chin to knee. Your biggest coat has a pocket for me.Hide the next clue: the winter coat. In the pocket, zipped shut.
Pull it down over both your ears. Inside your wool hat, a clue appears.Hide the next clue: the wool hat. Fold the clue into the turned-up brim.
Ten warm fingers will thank you for these. Look in your mittens before you freeze.Hide the next clue: the mittens or gloves. Push the clue into the thumb.
They fog on the chairlift and shine in the sun. Your snow goggles hide the next one.Hide the next clue: the snow goggles. No goggles yet? Wrap a new pair as the first present of the trip.
Toes get cold where the snow lies deep. Look in the drawer that thick socks keep.Hide the next clue: the thick-sock drawer. Inside the woolliest pair.
Wrap me twice around your neck. Shake me out and have a check.Hide the next clue: the scarf. Roll the scarf around the clue and put it back on its hook.
City trip 9
A bag for your back for a day about town. Unzip the front and look deep down.Hide the next clue: the day backpack. In the smallest pocket.
Hello and thank you, please and where. A little phrase book has a clue to share.Hide the next clue: a phrase book. No phrase book? Write four travel words on a card and hide the clue behind it.
It might just rain on a city street. Look in the umbrella, folded neat.Hide the next clue: the folding umbrella. Tuck the clue under the strap. Nobody needs to open it indoors.
Miles of pavement and sights to see. Your comfiest shoes are hiding me.Hide the next clue: the comfiest walking shoes. Under the insole if it lifts out, or in the toe.
Museums and towers and trains underground. In your jacket pocket the next clue is found.Hide the next clue: the light jacket. In the pocket the hunter uses least.
One fancy dinner is part of the plan. Check your best outfit as fast as you can.Hide the next clue: the hunter's best outfit on its hanger. Pin the clue to the hanger, not to the clothes.
Streets and rivers, all drawn flat. Unfold the map and look at that.Hide the next clue: a folded map. Any map will do. A map of the real city gives the most away.
Tickets, receipts and a postcard or two. The travel wallet has a clue for you.Hide the next clue: the travel wallet or document folder. Keep the real tickets somewhere else until the reveal.
Write what you see at the end of each day. A notebook and pen are hiding the way.Hide the next clue: a travel notebook. A new notebook makes a small first present. Write the clue on page one.
Camping or road trip 11
Buckle up, it's a good long ride. Look on the back seat, a clue's inside.Hide the next clue: the back seat of the car. Parked on your own driveway, with an adult beside the hunter.
Far-off birds look close through these. Check the case, and hurry, please.Hide the next clue: the binoculars. In the case, under the strap.
Fill me with water before the trail. Look inside me without fail.Hide the next clue: the water bottle. Empty and dry, with the strip curled inside.
The front seat has a little door. Behind it, maps, and one clue more.Hide the next clue: the glove box. The car stays parked on your own driveway, and an adult opens it.
Laces, mud and a sturdy sole. Look in the boots for a mountain stroll.Hide the next clue: the hiking boots. In the toe, under the laces.
Marshmallows toast when the fire burns low. Find the bag and you will know.Hide the next clue: the bag of marshmallows. Tape the clue to the back of the bag, in a cupboard within reach.
Roads and towns on every page. Open the atlas and turn to your age.Hide the next clue: the road atlas. Slip the clue in at the page number that matches the hunter's age.
Sandwiches, apples and drinks kept cold. Lift my lid and a clue you'll hold.Hide the next clue: the cooler. Empty, with the lid left unlatched.
Spread me out on grass or sand. Shake me open, the clue's at hand.Hide the next clue: the picnic blanket. Folded inside, on a shelf the hunter can reach.
When the campsite is dark I light the way. Unwrap my handle and read what I say.Hide the next clue: the flashlight. Wrap the strip around the handle and hold it with a rubber band.
Zip yourself in from toe to chin. Unroll the bag and look within.Hide the next clue: the sleeping bag. Roll the clue into the foot of the bag.
Reveal clues with blanks 11
A parcel waits and the trail is done. Look ____, and you have won.Reveal clue. After printing, write in where the wrapped reveal is hidden. Wrap a guidebook, a map or a small thing for the trip, with the destination written on the tag.
The bags are waiting, the plan is set. ____ will be our best trip yet.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination. Put it on top of the bags in the trunk of the car.
Circle the day and count the sleeps. We leave on ____, and that's for keeps.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the date. Pair it with a paper chain, one link for each sleep until you go.
From our front door to somewhere new. On ____ we leave for ____. It's true.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the date, then the destination. Tape it to the inside of the front door.
Guess where we're going? Guess once more. It's ____, so head for the door.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination. For a same-day trip. Stand the bags by the front door first.
No more clues, the secret's out. ____ is what it's all about.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination. Seal it in an envelope with a postcard or a printed photo of the place.
Pack your bags and don't be late. We leave for ____, and ____ is the date.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination, then the date. Tape it inside the lid of a packed suitcase.
Shout it loud and shout it clear. We're going to ____ this year.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination. Write the destination in big letters and let the youngest hunter read it out.
This is the last clue, and that's a fact. We leave for ____ on ____. Go pack.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination, then the date. Leave it on the hunter's bed beside an empty suitcase.
The tickets are booked and the secret is through. ____ is waiting for you.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination. Fold it around the printed tickets or the booking page.
You solved them all, so here's the prize. We're off to ____. Surprise, surprise.Reveal clue. After printing, write in the destination. Read it aloud together, with a phone filming the hunter's face.
How this list was compiled: Written for this site in September 2026: 61 original rhyming clues that each lead to one object or place in an ordinary home, and 11 reveal clues with blanks for the destination, the date or the last hiding place. 38 clues hint at the kind of trip through the thing the hunter is sent to find (9 beach, 9 snow, 9 city, 11 camping or road trip), 11 fit any trip and 12 are plain household stops that give nothing away. Any trip deals from those 23, Around the house from the 12 alone, and all 23 are also listed under each of the four trip chips so one chip deals a whole trail. Nothing was copied from another clue list. Every hiding place was screened against the family's rules. No clue leads to a stove, an oven, an iron, a fireplace, a knife, a tool, a medicine or cleaning cupboard, or anything above the hunter's reach or that must be climbed to. Five stops need an adult, and the note under each says so: the glove box, the back seat, the trunk, the mailbox and the passports. The car stays parked on your own property. The phone charger clue sits beside the plug and nothing goes near the socket. The freezer clue is sealed in a sandwich bag. Nothing is bought for the hunt. The page names no destination, carrier, hotel or attraction and states no travel rule, price or document requirement, so it holds no fact that can change. Easy, medium and hard are our judgment. Licence: own work
How it works
Of these 61 scavenger hunt clues for a surprise vacation, 38 send the hunter to a hint of the trip: a swimsuit, snow boots, a folded map. Eleven reveal clues leave a blank for the destination and the date.
Read the full guide
One menu choice deals a whole trail
The page opens on Any trip: 23 rhymes that fit every journey, such as the suitcase and the phone charger. The menu adds a trip's own hints, nine to eleven each: Beach trip, Snow trip, City trip, or Camping or road trip. Keep what you own, take the rest away with × and press again for new ones.
Fill the blank, then lay the trail backward
With six to eight rhymes kept, choose Reveal clues with blanks in the menu. The rhymes you kept stay and reveal clues fill the other rows. Press Print: each rhyme prints over a blank line, with the hiding places on a last page. Cut the strips apart, keep one reveal and write the destination in by hand. Hide the reveal first and work backward.
Save the passport clue for late in the trail. It tells the hunter the trip crosses a border.
Keep real tickets out of the hunt: a paper strip can go missing in the freezer, a boarding pass cannot.
Questions and answers
How many clues does a surprise trip hunt need?
Six to eight stops plus the reveal suits most homes. Use one hint for every two plain stops, so the hunter is guessing by the halfway mark. For a young hunter, press Easy under More filters: 25 of the 61 rhymes are easy, 5 hard.
What if our trip is not one of the four kinds?
Stay on Any trip, or choose Around the house for 12 stops that give nothing away. Three reveal clues have two blanks, for place and date. For a visit to family, wrap a small hint and use the reveal that points to a parcel.
Can the hunt happen on the morning we leave?
Yes. One reveal clue is written for it: Guess where we're going? Guess once more. It's ____, so head for the door. The trunk and back seat clues suit a driving trip, with the car parked and an adult beside the hunter.
Can I add clues for other hiding places?
Yes, from the scavenger hunt riddle generator: choose a place on its list, such as the shoe rack or the washing machine, take away the clues you do not need with × and print. Those strips never mention a trip, so they lengthen a trail without giving the destination away.