10 Helpful Apps To Use When Traveling

Traveling as a family or even solo can feel a bit overwhelming. We’re lucky to live in a time when helpful apps can make travel more simple. There are many useful apps that could be worth downloading onto your phone while traveling. From GPS apps to VPN apps, this post rounds up a few of the top types of apps worth checking out.

GPS apps

Many of us already use GPS app frequently on a day-to-day basis. But which is truly the best for traveling? Waze is possibly the best app to use in a car. The app encourages other drivers to provide real-time traffic updates and uses this information to provide faster routes than other GPS apps. Which is useful when trying to speed up a long car journey. Waze can’t help you out with journeys on foot, however (Google Maps is generally the best option for this). 

Translation apps

Going to another country where people speak a different language? There are a myriad of translator apps that you can try – including apps that can translate people’s voices. Apps like Waygo can meanwhile use your phone’s camera function to translate signs and menus in Chinese and Japanese (a useful feature if you’re heading to China or Japan). Of course, there are also many language-learning apps that you can use if you want to pick up some of the local lingo.

Hotel booking apps

Several apps can help you book hotels or hostels in your local area. While you can use the Booking.com website, there is also a Booking.com app that streamlines the hotel booking process on a phone. HotelTonight and Hostelworld are also great for finding local deals on hotels and hostels. There are also niche apps that you can use to find certain accommodations, such as pet-friendly hotels or hotels with good Wi-Fi.

Attraction booking apps

Several apps can be useful for booking tickets to local attractions. When exploring cities across North America, My CityPASS is a popular app that can save you a lot of money by offering exclusive deals on multiple attractions. GetYourGuide and Viator, meanwhile, offer some of the largest libraries of local attractions and can help you check for availability and deals. Download these apps in advance so that you can plan attractions ahead.

Public transport planning apps 

Taking public transport? There are a few apps you can use for checking public transport times and routes, as well as booking tickets. Citymapper is a GPS app and public transit planning app that is focused on providing detailed maps of cities with up-to-the-minute information on buses and trains. Apps like Rail Planner are meanwhile popular for those interrailing across Europe – helping you to find the best train routes across the continent while using live information on trains.

Weather report apps

Being able to predict the weather can be useful when traveling to many places. Apps like Weatherbug can provide detailed and highly accurate breakdowns of the local weather for wherever you are in the world, as well as providing bad weather alerts. Whether you’re working out what to wear or considering climbing a mountain, such information could be handy.

VPN apps

VPNs like Clear VPN can have many uses when traveling. They are firstly and foremost a useful security feature to have in place when using public wi-fi. However, they can also be used to get around geo-restrictions – which can be useful when accessing websites or streaming TV shows that are restricted in other countries. For example, if you want to watch F1 in the UK but can’t do it through your usual streaming platform, using a VPN could give you access. 

Fuel finder apps

Several apps like GasBuddy specialize in mapping out local gas stations along with prices. If you’re on a road trip and you want to save money on fuel, such apps are essential to have. They can also be useful for planning routes around gas stations in remote areas.

Restroom finder apps

Need to find the nearest bathroom? Flush is a unique app that maps out restrooms in your local area. It also notifies you if these restrooms have a fee, which can be useful when exploring parts of Europe. This app can be used on the road or in cities.

Trail apps

Finally, if you’re planning on doing some hiking or cycling, it could be useful to have local trails mapped out. Not all GPS apps are helpful in this regard, however AllTrails is one that you can rely on. This app provides in-depth information on trails including their length, starting location and condition. It’s a must-have app if you’re an outdoor enthusiast.