7 Best Travel Apps
Whether you’re traveling to faraway lands, or taking a quick jaunt to a nearby locale, there are plenty of great apps to make your trip easier. From planning to packing to finding the best place to get sushi, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best travel apps available. So, next time you’re jet setting to new and exciting places, be sure to take these travel apps along for the ride –you savvy traveler, you.
PackingPro
Packing Pro can help you get through that most arduous of pre-vacation tasks –you guessed it, packing. Packing Pro can help you create detailed lists of everything you need to remember. But it’s not just for big vacations, this travel app is super helpful for a weekend getaways, or even just packing the kids’ backpacks for the first day of school. Create your own lists for each trip, or use templates the app provides based on where you’re going. You can even specify different categories for each member of your family. No matter how good your packing technique is, I guarantee Packing Pro will remember something you didn’t think of.
iTunes ($2.99)
TripIt
TripIt is the organized traveler’s dream — the traveler aspiring to organization too, I suppose. Don’t waste time and effort searching for that airline confirmation number in your email, let TripIt compile all of your travel info in one convenient place. TripIt will scan your inbox for any travel-related emails and create individual itineraries for each trip (but don’t worry, you can edit and customize all the info, too). Plus, if TripIt sees that you’re required to be in two different places back to back, it will even link maps to your travel plan, so you can easily figure out how to get where you need to go.
iTunes (free)
Google Play ($0.99)
Wifi Finder
Need to find wifi quickly and easily wherever you go? Of course you do! Use Wifi finder to search over 150,000 wifi locations to find the closest one to you, no matter where you are. Input your location and the app will show you all available wifi locations nearest to you –free, paid, and password protected connections. It also lets you search based on location types, like “coffee shops,” “airports,” or “libraries.” And best of all, you don’t need to be connected to wifi to use the app (because that would defeat the whole purpose, right?). Download the full database and use it offline anywhere you go.
iTunes (free)
Google Play (free)
XE Currency
XE Currency is the go-to app for seeing how far those pennies of yours will take you, the world over. It’s free, well-designed, and easy to use –no need for fancy features, just tell me how many rubles I have to spend on Russian vodka. Plus, it converts currencies in real-time, so you’re certain to get up to date information.
Localeur
Localeur is creeping up on the big guys like Yelp and Foursquare, and by many accounts is set to eclipse them soon. Unlike other similar apps, Localeur curates reviews written by hand-picked locals about the best attractions in their cities, hidden gems located well outside the mainstream tourist traps. Find the best seafood in Boston, or the best jazz club in Chicago, or hey, even use it to get to know your own city better. Currently, Localeur is only up and running in US cities, but they’re looking to expand internationally soon.
iTunes (free)
Google Play (free)
BonJournal
Grab this free app and create beautiful journals of all your awesome traveling adventures. Take notes as you experience things, so you don’t forget what you did, and add pictures to flesh out your digital scrapbook. You can even share your journals with family and friends, both as you’re writing it, or later all at once. You can also see the journals of others who have traveled to the same destinations, to give you insider info on what sights to see.
iTunes (free)
Touchnote
Hey, remember postcards? Well now you can easily send friends and family some custom-made snail mail with Touchnote. Use your own picture, create a postcard, and have it mailed for you (or posted to Facebook), all from the app. Each postcard costs $1.49, and ships worldwide. Touchnote also geotags you, and includes a little map of your location on the back of your postcard, so friends and family can see where your travels are taking you.
iTunes (free)
Google Play (free)
Which travel app do you swear by? Tell us about them in the comments below!
