Traveling with our electronic devices has become a strange mix of delightful, weird, and culturally unifying. We love how much easier travel has become with the aid of a few well-designed apps.
TripIt
Keep all travel itinerary and ticket information in one, well-designed, easy-to-follow app that alerts you about flight delays, upcoming itinerary events and more. Your itinerary can be shared with fellow travelers to keep you all on track.
WithLocals
Foodie? Looking for a walking tour that combines history and food? Want to explore a particular neighborhood? Meet with a local tour guide and visit interesting places where locals go to nosh.
Rick Steves Audio Europe
Ever notice two people walking through Europe connected by a wire? They’re likely both plugged into once device and listening to a walking tour. Rick’s are by far our favorite self-guided tours.
GPS My City: City Walks
CityWalks is our next favorite. They offer free downloads and paid versions with a larger breadth of information. City Walks has an enormous library of city options and includes attractions, restaurants, nightlife, and more.
Rome2Rio
Planning multiple legs of a trip? Type in each location and see transportation options, ticket prices, and route options. You can also use Rome2Rio to find flights with layovers. For example, stop in Reykjavic on your way to London.
Splitwise
Traveling with a group of friends or co-workers and trying to keep track of who pays can quickly become frustrating. Have everyone input their own expenses and let Splitwise keep track of who owes what.
Duolingo
Designed by teachers, Duolingo is a fabulous language learning app. It is now our go-to for familiarizing ourselves with a new language or brushing up.
Google Maps – iOS | Android
There are others, are there not? And yet, we come back to Google Maps where we can make a favorites list of locations and download offline maps to be used without an internet connection.
Google Translate – iOS | Android
Oh sweet mystery of life! Someone somewhere has invented an ear piece that does immediate translations (It’s ok. Don’t send us a link. We know it exists). But, until we have gold falling out of our pockets, Google Translate is free. And available. And awesome. Hold your device’s camera up to a block of text and Google Translate will visually translate the words into your language. Make friends (or get your package mailed at the post office) with the audio translate feature.
Weather
Know before you go. Check the weather before you pack, while you pack, and while you’re there. Luck favors the prepared, dahling.
AirB&B – iOS | Android, VRBO and HomeAway
We have had good experiences with each and stayed in some fantastic accommodations. Like all travel planning, have an idea of what you want (and don’t want), communicate clearly and do your research. Remember, your hosts also review you, so be a good guest.
Shopper
We use this app at home and while traveling. If you stay in one location and plan to cook, Shopper can be a helpful app. When traveling with friends and families, your grocery list can be shared. Split up the shopping by aisle and get it done faster so you can get busy relaxing.
OpenTable/Meal Reservations
When you’re exhausted at the end of the day, it can be a huge relief knowing you’ve planned ahead and have a reservation for your next meal. Many countries also have their own versions of OpenTable, Yelp, or other reservations apps. We look ahead and find one or two that will aid in a pinch—when we’re tired, the last thing we want is to roam around looking for a good place to eat and have to settle and wait for mediocre. Or worse, be turned away.
What are some of your favorite travel apps?