No matter how exciting a travel vacation may sound, planning will always be chaotic. Every hodophile (a person who loves traveling) has to deal with multiple elements of planning—renting hotels, packing, building an itinerary of places to visit, etc.
Mapping out your itinerary in a foreign land and making reservations in advance can overwhelm a new hodophile. Extensive planning will also sap your energies when it comes down to the actual traveling, and you wouldn’t want that to happen on an exploration/adventure.
You can instead let the travel apps do the planning for you. You want to book your stay, reserve your spot for the amazing tourist attractions, or get rental services, take out your phone tap a few buttons and let the apps do the rest.
Using travel apps to plan every last item in your travel itinerary will let you enjoy the rest of your vacation without worry.
Here are twenty free travel apps, both for iPhone and Android, you must download right now if you are planning to go on vacations:
Apps For Booking Flight and Hotel Deals
- Holiday Extras
Travel is expensive as it is. Once you factor in the other costs, your budget will start to shrink. The Holiday Extras app helps you compare major flights, destination fares, and other travel expenses to find the best deal for you.
Once your mind is at ease about the travel considerations, you can then focus your efforts on booking your stay. If you are planning to go on a family vacation to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which is a major family-friendly tourist destination in the south, you can Google “places to stay Pigeon Forge,” knowing full well that you are all ready to board your flight.
- Kayak
Kayak is an award-winning app that allows you to set filters and browse through various flight options, hotels, and transportation options to find the best fit. The app features an easy-to-use smart interface that allows you to make bookings and reservations directly on the platform.
- FlightRadar24
The Flightradar24 app will provide you with details of the different airlines and flights, side-by-side comparisons of different airline prices, latest flight schedules and delays, diversions, changes, or cancellations. If you’re looking to take advantage of the best flight deals, you have to use this app.
Packing For a Vacation: Apps
- PackPoint
Packing for a vacation is the most exhausting part of the vacation planning. You have to make tiny considerations based on weather, destination, activities, and other elements in your itinerary. With PackPoint, you just have to feed it the destination-related information, and it takes care of the rest. It will give you a customizable plan, which you can tweak and tinker to perfection, ensuring that your stay remains memorable for all the right reasons.
Apps You Can Use For Navigating
- CityMapper
Getting lost in an unknown country is not a fun experience. According to Global Rescue, 96% of travelers report safety issues when traveling to a new place. With no idea about the transport, routes, and fare rates, you could be lost for a long time, or worse. CityMapper allows you to explore any region with complete instructions on modes of transportation to use, best routes to take, and fare details.
- Google Maps
Staying updated with traffic details, road closures, and the best route when traveling to a new state can help you save time and free up mental space. Find all such relevant and latest information on Google Maps.
APPs For Travel and Entertainment
- Globe Tips
Every state has their own unique norms and culture. When traveling to a particular state, familiarize yourself with its customs, like how much do people tip the waiters over there. Globe Tips app helps you navigate the local norms almost as if you were native to the land you are visiting.
- Guides by Lonely Planet
Want to see what your itinerary should ideally look like? Select sites to visit, places to dine and shop in, and find fun-filled activities to do with Lonely Planet’s Guides. Get expert suggestions and recommendations on what to do when on vacation at a particular destination.
- With Locals
With Locals is your ideal digital travel companion. The app connects you with trusted locals who will help you find your ideal vacations spots and food places. If you don’t want to interact directly with someone on the app, you can use its video tours options.
Apps For Food
- The Fork
Download The Fork to enjoy the best culinary delights of the destination you’re visiting. The app lets you explore fine-dining options at exclusive deals and discounts. If you subscribe to the app’s loyalty program, you receive points that you can convert to money for your next meal.
- Eat With
To enjoy a personalized food experience, download the Eat With app and get local recommendations directly on your phone. With a customized food tour, designed with input from locals, you will get a flavor of the native food.
APPs For Language
- iTranslate
Can’t take out your dictionary every time you have to interact with a local? If you are not traveling with the iTranslate app on your phone, your travel experience will remain stale, devoid of the local colors of language and culture. The iTranslate app lets you communicate with the locals in their own language.
- Google Translate
More than 7,100 languages are spoken globally, meaning that there’s a high possibility you will experience a language barrier when on vacation abroad. Use the Google Translate app to translate your words into 38 different languages. The app also translates words from an image or a voice recording.
Conclusion
Technology makes travel easier. The apps mentioned above will release your mind from the worries of travel planning. From comparing flight deals, booking hotel stays, to exploring restaurant options, you can plan each and every travel detail without setting foot out of the door. Instead of wandering aimlessly like a lost tourist, inviting untoward attention, travel like you know where you are going. Become one with the locals by immersing yourself in their culture, traditions, and cuisine. With these apps, you will never feel away from home; when you have booked your stay, know where to dine and to have fun, no place stays unfamiliar.