If you’re lucky enough to enjoy your spare time by the lapping waves with the sand between your toes this summer, packing your bags with good food and great entertainment are two of the top items on your checklist.
So, throughout this guide, I will help you complete that checklist while keeping your packing light with a list of the top 9 beach drinking games of 2023.
Oh, and be sure to pack plenty of water. Drinking games in the sun can be risky business, so be sure to stay hydrated.
Best Beach Drinking Games of 2023
Beach drinking games can be tons of fun, and by the time you’ve finished reading this guide, you’ll have the perfect list of games to keep your friends entertained.
I have included a fantastic mixture; some old-school classics turned into drinking games, such as bocce ball and beer pong, and some you may need to become more familiar with, like the Goon of Fortune.
Remember, before heading to the beach for an afternoon of drinking games, remember to play it safe. Pack that sunscreen, and stay hydrated. Take a beach umbrella, or find a spot in the shade to avoid sun damage once the beers kick in. It’s meant to be fun. But sun safety comes first; we want this to be as much fun as possible.
Alright, now we’ve covered health and safety. Let’s get to the good bit and look at the top 9 beach drinking games of 2023.
1. Beer Pong
It had to be done. I could only put together a guide to excellent beach drinking games by kicking it off with a good old-fashioned game of beer pong.
This fun beer ball drinking game is an excellent choice at the beach because it can be played with disposable equipment for a start if you want to do it cheaply. Or, you can purchase a pack-away beer pong set, such as this Glowing Beer Pong Set.
You can adapt this game to the beach by digging holes in the sand instead of using cups if you want to be extra economical.
So, once each team has its pyramid of cups (or holes), they should assemble themselves in front of it.
Keeping a distance between the players and the pyramid and keeping a good separation between the teams, everyone should take turns bouncing the balls to get them inside one of the opposing team’s holes.
If you succeed in landing a ball in a hole, a player from the other team must take a drink or shot and fill their hole or cup with sand.
The game ends when the first team loses, having no holes left to fill.
2. Goon Of Fortune
This game is fabulous entertainment, though it will involve you carting a clothesline to the beach if you can’t be bothered. However, you’ll be glad of the haul once you’ve got it there.
You will also need some alcohol bags, like the kind you get inside a box of wine, also known as bladders of the goon.
The bladders of the goon are pegged to each arm of the clothesline before it gets spun around. When the clothesline stops, if a bladder lands above someone’s head, that person must tip their head back and take a mouthful from the tap.
3. Drunken Kanjam
Kanjam is an excellent disc-tossing game that involves two pairs of players.
The concept is simple, toss the disks into Kans. If the opposing team player hits your Kan by mistake, you must take two drinks, and if the opposing team’s disc lands on top of your Kan, you must take three drinks. Of course, if you miss your shot, you need to take a drink.
You can buy this Kanjam set online, which includes the disks, cans and table mats, and a handy carry bag making it easy to transport to the beach.
4. Bocce Ball
Bocce Ball might be an old classic, often considered a peaceful, relaxing game. However, have you ever thought of turning it into a beach drinking game? Well, I have, and here’s how you do it.
You’ll need to get yourself a Bocce Ball set, which includes eight balls, a pallino ball, a measuring tape, and a handy carry case.
You can play in two ways, with two players competing against each other or as two teams.
To learn all about the game’s general rules, check out my comprehensive guide to Bocce Ball. Just remember that the drink comes into it when the following takes place:
Take a sip of your drink if:
- You hit a Jack
- You’re on the losing team; everyone on that team should take a sip
- Your ball is the furthest from the Jack
- If your team has lost by more than 8 points, at this point, everyone on the team downs an entire drink
5. Spikeball
If you’ve ever seen the hit US TV show Shark Tank, you might have seen Spikeball when it was first introduced in 2015. Over the years, it’s become one of the most famous American outdoor games, making it an excellent beach drinking game.
To play the beach drinking version of Spikeball, you will still need to invest in the Spikeball set, an investment you will be proud of. The set works perfectly on the beach, sitting comfortably in the sand. Still, it can also be easily set up in the backyard or on the grass, so perfect for any outdoor occasion.
The game’s played in teams and follows similar rules to volleyball, except balls are thrown into the net rather than over it.
The game aims to prevent the opposing team from spiking the ball back or getting your ball, which means the competition can get a little heavy.
Drinking is brought into the game when teams lose. I recommend keeping it sensible, as this is a high-energy game to play when intoxicated. You can make up your own rules regarding how much you drink and when.
6. Cornhole
I love cornhole. I’ve loved it since playing it during sports days as a child, so imagine my excitement when someone introduced it at the beach one day as a drinking game!
To play cornhole at the beach, you can now purchase handy, transportable cornhole sets, which are waterproof and easy to carry around, making it the perfect traveling game. It’s also super simple to set up and pack away for added convenience.
To learn the proper rules of cornhole, check out this complete guide. Once you’ve reviewed the official rules, you’ll see how to apply the drinking protocols to the game. However, to give you a brief idea, the game aims to have your teams throw bean bags into the holes on the platforms.
7. Beersbee
Do you love a game of frisbee and wish there was a way to make it more challenging and entertaining for adults? Well, now you can.
Beersbee, also known as Polish Horseshoes, is a fun way to practice your frisbee skills on the beach with friends while incorporating a good drinking session at the same time.
All you will need to play this fun beach drinking game is two poles, two beer bottles or cans, and a frisbee.
Split your group into teams of one to three players, and position them around 30 feet behind each pole.
Players need to throw the frisbee between the two poles for the other team to try and catch. The rules are as follows:
- If you don’t catch the frisbee, you must take a sip of your drink.
- If you hit one of the beer bottles/cans and don’t hit the pole, your team gets two points, and the other team has to drink.
- If you knock the bottle or can over after hitting the pole, your team is given one point.
- If the other team catches the bottle/can before it falls, no points are won, and your team has to drink.
It’s the best way to keep the old-fashioned game of frisbee alive, whether played as a drinking game or not.
8. High Noon
Grab your beers and some water balloons, and get yourself to the beach for this thrilling beach drinking game for groups.
It’s ideal if you have shorts or clothing with deep enough pockets to hold the beers for this but don’t worry. If not, you can hold onto them instead.
With beer in your packets, stand back-to-back with someone from the other team, then walk around ten paces away from each other.
Once you’ve stepped ten paces, shout “Go” and start to guzzle your drink as quickly as possible before crushing the can and aiming to throw it at your opponent. The opposing team members are all about to pelt you with water balloons. But you should get your aim spot on because if you miss, you best be prepared.
Great fun!
9. Ladder Toss
This popular beach drinking game is commonly played at garden parties or BBQs and is often called BoloBall.
You can purchase game sets online, such as this Ladder Toss set which comes with a handy carry case making it hassle-free to carry and set up at the beach.
The game aims to wrap the balls on a string (bolas) around one of the three steps on the ladder by tossing them. You will only get points if your bola remains on the ladder. It also means the other players should not be able to knock your bola off the ladder.
The points you get depend on the step you land your bola:
- Top Rung – Three Points
- Middle Rung – Two Points
- Bottom Rung – One Point
The first player to reach 21 points in the game is the winner.
So where does the drinking come in, I hear you ask. Simple, if you miss the steps on the ladder, or your bola falls off, or in case another player knocks you off the ladder, you’ll have to have a drink.
For more information on this classic outdoor game, check out my ultimate guide to Ladder Toss.
Let’s Round-Up
After reading this guide, I hope your eyes have been opened to a whole new world of opportunities when it comes to beach drinking games. Hopefully, your next trip to the beach with friends will be full of fun and laughter.
Plan your day carefully, stock up on sun cream, and pack plenty of water into your bags alongside the beer. Many of these games are high-energy, which can be risky combined with beaming sunshine and alcohol.
Remember to play it safe, guys, and have fun!
