Since I’m not lucky enough to have my own personal assistant, I rely on certain apps to help me out while I’m traveling. Some get me where I need to go and others make it more fun while I’m there. The following are my top 10 apps I use while traveling:
Google Maps– This is my favorite navigation app for getting us from point A to point B. So far it has never steered me wrong, even when traveling abroad, and the voice-guided option makes it easy to use while driving. The app uses your location and quickly adjusts as you change your course. It also offers real-time ETA’s based on traffic conditions. If you are unsure where you want to go, it offers suggestions of local attractions, restaurants, stores, and hotels. It also allows you to add stops along the way such as gas stations and coffee shops. My favorite feature is it gives great walking directions, which is helpful while in a big city.
Free Wi-Fi Finder– Who has the time to search for Internet access when you are traveling and have little time to wander off course? This app shows free Wi-Fi hotspots in over 50 countries, giving both the address and phone number. This helps avoid roaming charges that can rack up your bill. A neat feature is you can download maps before you go and then use it offline.
Weather Channel– Weather can make or break your trip, so an accurate weather app is a great tool to have. You can look up weather for the week and even peek out as far as 14 days. It provides the forecast hourly or daily. I especially like the “feels like” temperature display. You can keep an eye on severe weather with their alerts on lightning, hail, and severe storms. It also gives tide information, which is useful for beach vacations.
Tipping Bird– Every country can have different expectations when it comes to tipping. You don’t want to be the tourist that undertips or overtips, so this app takes the guesswork out of it by calculating the final bill amount in the local currency. It is an easy, simple app to use. My favorite feature is it allows you to convert the currency into your own, using real-time currency exchange. I wish it would also include how to tip services like taxis, hotel doormen, etc.
OpenTable– There is nothing worse than having tired kids and having to wait an hour to get a table at a restaurant. OpenTable allows you to pick a time to be seated and will give restaurant recommendations based on cuisine or location. The app will even send you a reminder before your reservation time. It allows you to cancel and rebook existing reservations you booked through them. You can even send your friends invites as well as put it directly on your calendar.
Google Translate– The unknown is scary for some people and many choose not to visit foreign countries because they’re afraid they won’t be able to communicate with anyone. This app translates between over 100 languages when typing. You can use a camera to translate text instantly to about 30 languages. There is also a two-way instant speech translation in over 30 languages.
Uber– My husband uses Uber whenever he travels for work. It allows you to use your location to find the nearest Uber driver to you so it is often faster than getting a taxi. A great feature is you can pay for your ride by having it charged to your credit card when you arrive at your destination. Also, you can choose the type of car that picks you up and when it arrives it will text you they’re there. This eliminated standing outside in the cold with your children waiting for your ride to get there.
Waze– This is one of my new favorite driving app, although my friends have been using it for a while. Waze gives you the best route to take to avoid accidents, traffic, road closures, and construction. It is simple to use and it adjusts if new problems arise during your ride. The turn-by-turn voice guided navigation system simplifies your drive. Also, the maps are constantly being updated, which I appreciate because the GPS on my car contains such old maps. Also, the ETA is usually spot on.
World Clock Pro– This app gives you an unlimited number of world cities you can display. The alarm clock feature is great because it allows you to set alarms for different time zones. I never trust hotel alarm clocks and I hate waking up to a ringing phone from a wake-up call.
PicLab– This is my favorite app for photo editing. You can do so much to your travel pictures with it. It has a wide variety of fonts, overlays, and stickers. It is also a nice tool for creating photo collages. There are over 50 filters to choose from and it even has drawing tools.
This list is based on my own experience and opinions. I was not paid by any of the above apps for my review.