The summer is upon us and what a time it is to make a road trip. Whether you’re adventuring across the USA or going north to south in the UK, or venturing around Europe, nothing beats a road trip.
But they aren’t easy and naturally, there’s plenty of time behind the wheel, plenty of time navigating, and then large spells simply doing very little.
Do not fear though, the smartphone is at your rescue once again and here are our top apps to download for your road trip…
1. Roadtrippers
If there’s an app out there called Roadtrippers, it’s safe to say that it’s going to be a worthwhile one to have downloaded for your road trip.
The app itself is a planning app that has a small subscription cost but allows you to plan out your stops, find attractions and things to do, and discover your nearest hotels. It’s essentially a one-stop-shop for all things road trip.
2. Waze
Traffic, road closures, and major events can really put you behind schedule when it comes to road-tripping, but Waze is a great app that gives you a heads up, with live traffic and road information. It will give you roads to avoid and anything that may slow your journey down, such as roadworks, allowing you to re-route and stick to your schedule.
3. Gaming
Rather than one app, we’ve gone generic here, as everyone has their own tastes. Some of us enjoy playing bingo on Moon Bingo, others prefer casino, puzzles, or strategy games. Whatever your preference though, a good source of entertainment while on the road is a must.
Of course, these aren’t for when you are driving, but rather during any downtime where you’re in the middle of the country with nothing really to do. Fire up the bingo and away you go.
4. HotelTonight
This is a brilliant app that allows you to find hotel rooms that are available last minute. They will seek discounted rooms and get you the best deal possible near to your location.
There are naturally many other hotel apps available too, as well as the likes of AirBnB, and downloading at least one can always be useful.
5. Spotify
Spotify, or any other music streaming service, will ensure your road trip will never get stale. You can create playlists, listen to your favorite artists, or even enjoy a game of Guess The Tune to help the time pass on the road.
You can mix it up too. If you’re not in a music mood, then there’s the opportunity to play podcasts and documentaries too, offering something a bit different across a range of subjects to suit your interests.
6. GasBuddy
This is another app that is perfect for helping you plan your journey. The app is completely free to download and offers you insight and help into where the nearest petrol station is. It will give you the location of the closest to you, as well as directions on how to get there and the prices they’re currently offering.
7. PackPoint
PackPoint is an app to help you stay organized and allows you to build an itemized list so you won’t forget a thing. What’s more, you can explore various destinations and the essentials you’ll need for each place.
The app takes into account the length of the stay, weather conditions, and more. It’s the ideal app for packing your bags, and also makes it a little less tedious than the packing process often can be.
8. ParkMe
One of the best parts of road tripping is being able to take in multiple towns and cities. But of course, you have to park somewhere. Don’t worry though, there is of course an app for that.
ParkMe is among the best out there and offers real-time updates on where there are free parking spots across various cities. They highlight both off-street and on-street parking, alongside how much the rates are to park there.
It claims to be the world’s largest and most accurate database of parking spaces, so it can be incredibly helpful, especially when turning up in a new city for the first time.
9. OpenTable
When visiting new places, one of the best things to do is enjoy the local cuisine. There are hidden gems and must-visits in every town, and the OpenTable app will allow you to filter down restaurants to find the type of food you want to eat.
It’s a huge database used all over the world, with the app also often allowing you to see what’s on the menu and make a reservation, meaning you can have your evening meal already planned before you even pull into your next destination.
10. GroupOn
For anyone looking to make some savings on a road trip but still enjoy plenty of activities, then GroupOn is always worth downloading. The app has tons of incredible vouchers that will give some fantastic savings across a range of things.
You’ll find activities and tickets, restaurant offers and many, many more. The app is free to use and all you need to do is buy an offer and you’ll be able to use it. There are many other apps available like this, while you may also find some specific to the city you are visiting, so do ensure you lookout for that as you can often get some incredible deals, particularly when it comes to dining.
11. Gaia GPS
For those road trippers looking to enjoy the great outdoors and a bit of hiking, then Gaia GPS is a wonderful app which you simply must download. The app is a hiker’s best friend, showcasing routes and tons of details so you can plan ahead.
You’ll find information on water sources, rest points, and what’s more, the lay of the land so you get a details topography view, ensuring you know how challenging a route may be. You can download your routes to your phone, so you aren’t reliant upon signal, which can often be slim at the top of a mountain.
