There’s nothing better than hitting the open road with endless possibilities the only thing stretched out in front of you. While you might be looking forward to getting off the beaten track and switching off from the world, there’s no denying that remaining a little connected with technology can make your road trip so much easier.
I’ve put together a list of my favorite apps to take the stress out of your next road tripping adventure.
Gas
GasBuddy
Gas is one of the major costs on any road trip but with GasBuddy, you can guarantee you are getting the best prices. This app is constantly updated by users so you can find the best fuel prices wherever you may be.
FuelBuddy
Tracking expenses is a great way to help you stay on budget, especially when it comes to something like fuel. There’s no getting around this expense on a road trip but a road trip gas calculator like FuelBuddy can help you monitor your usage so you don’t get surprised by unexpected costs. FuelBuddy allows you to track the gallons you use, cost per gallon and odometer to get a realistic picture of your gas expenses. It’s also very handy for longterm road trippers as spikes in usage or cost can potentially indicate a mechanical issue with your vehicle.
Accommodation
HotelTonight
Finding a last-minute hotel room doesn’t have to be difficult. HotelTonight allows you to search for the best deal for a hotel room in your current location, saving you money and time.
Available on Apple and Android.
Airbnb
Roadtripping is all about creating memories and what better way to do this than through a stay at a unique property. Whether it’s a farm stay or living like a local in a self-contained apartment, Airbnb is an easy way to book accommodation.
Planning
Tripit
If you are a serious planner, Tripit is for you. This app allows you to store all of your reservations, including accommodation, flights, car rental and activities, in the one place. All you need to do is send your booking confirmation emails to Tripit and everything will be neatly organised in the app – it’s that easy!
Roadtrippers
A road trip planner with stops ensures you won’t miss a thing. With Roadtrippers, you simply enter your start and end destinations and then let the app work its magic. It will show you cool places to stop, how long the trip will take and even estimate the cost of gas. With all of these options, Roadtrippers is definitely one of the best road trip planner apps.
Mapping
Google Maps
The trusty Google Maps app shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it’s worth a mention nonetheless. With options to avoid tolls, add stops and download certain maps offline, this app will help you to get from Point A to Point B without hassles. It’s certainly one of the best road trip map apps.
Locus Map Pro
If you’re going a little further off the beaten track, whether that be in your car or on foot, it’s worth downloading Locus Map Pro. While this app does come with a fee, it offers a much more comprehensive GPS to ensure you don’t get lost in remote areas.
Available on Android only.
Discovering Stops
The Outbound
Looking for some interesting sites and attractions in a new destination? The Outbound has you covered. You can search for outdoor adventures, local tourist attractions, restaurants and tours all from the palm of your hand. The best part is that locals have created the descriptions so you know you’ll be getting the best insider knowledge.
Roadside America
For the ultimate American road trip, make sure you download Roadside America. It provides a list of all the weird and wacky attractions you’ve never heard of so that your road trip will be truly memorable. Simply search for attractions nearby and experience the bizarre points of interest along your road-tripping route.
Available on iOS only.
Traffic
Waze
Nobody wants to waste precious hours of their road trip time stuck in traffic unnecessarily. Waze collects information from other drivers to provide you with a current update of traffic situations, including traffic jams, accidents and even speed traps.
Google Maps
The ever-reliable Google Maps gets a second mention on my list. If you have service, the app updates in real-time providing you with information on the latest traffic problems and fastest routes. There’s no quicker way to get to your destination!
Entertainment
Spotify
No road trip is complete without the perfect driving playlist! Spotify allows you to select your favorite music playlists so you won’t be at the mercy of the radio. If you are planning on visiting remote destinations where you might be without service, you can purchase Spotify Premium and download some music so that you’ll never be without the ultimate soundtrack.
Podcast Addict
Podcasts are another great way to keep entertained during long stints of driving. Podcast Addict offers a wide variety of podcasts so there’s something for everyone. The best thing about the app is its user-friendly management system that ensures podcasts are easily accessible on long drives.
Available on Android only.
Facilities
BestParking
A helpful app for anybody road tripping through the USA or Canada, Best Parking allows you to find available parking in all of the major cities that are notoriously difficult to find a parking space. You can even use it to compare prices, meaning not only will you save time but money too!
Flush Toilet Finder
There’s nothing worse than being stuck on the road and desperately needing a bathroom. Flush Toilet Finder is an app that documents over 100,000 public bathrooms across the globe so you’ll never be stuck without a toilet again!
Restaurants
Yelp
Got a particular food craving but not sure where to go? It can be difficult navigating a new destination, but Yelp makes finding great food easy. You can browse all restaurants or search for a particular cuisine, then make a choice based on the reviews.
Foursquare
Foursquare is another app that will help you to find the best food in town. Simply search what you are looking for and let the reviews guide you.
Weather
WeatherBug
To avoid your road trip plans getting ruined by the weather, download Weather Bug. This comprehensive weather app provides you with temperature forecasts as well as information on storms, pollen count and even live camera views in some areas.
Weather Channel
The intuitive Weather Channel app provides you with snapshot weather updates so you can quickly adapt your road-tripping plans if necessary. You’ll even get notifications like ‘expect rain at 3.00 pm’!
Whether you download one app or many from this list to add to your arsenal, I hope they help make your road trip that much more fun, enjoyable, and stress free! Let me know in the comments below if there are any that I’ve missed.