If you are going on vacation traveling by car, here are the best road trip apps you'll want to download before you go. Having these apps is like always having a local with you; one who can tell you the best places to eat and stay on your journey and once you reach your destination.
1. iExit for iPhone (.99) and iExit for Android (Free) — Find what you need along the way.
Traveling down the highway, you get a yearning for a healthy meal but you only see McDonald's on the next exit sign. Or maybe you need to find a motel where you can stop for the night. iExit uses GPS to follow you down the road, and lists services that are coming up at future exits. Lodging, gas stations, restaurants, and major store chains are listed for each exit along the highway.
When planning overnight stops for your road trip, search iExit by state and highway for a listing of motels and services at each exit. If you like to make your stops quick, be sure to go into the settings to set your preference for how far off the highway you are willing to travel. If you have a favorite restaurant, motel, or store chain you can designate them as a favorite and be alerted when they are coming up at a nearby exit.
I have used iExit for thousands of miles of road travel during the past year. While it is updated frequently, some information has been incorrect—but always in my favor. It showed no services at exits for a 20 mile stretch in southern Utah. Yet, there were several gas stations with rest stop facilities.
2. Cheap Gas! for iPhone and Cheap Gas! for Android (Free) - Don't settle for paying more
It's always a slap in my face when I fill up my tank at a station only to find gas for twenty cents cheaper a mile later. The Cheap Gas app uses GPS to find your location and shows you the current gas prices of nearby stations. Tap on a station to get directions.
The Cyborg virtual reality feature is remarkable. It displays gas stations and prices simply by holding up your phone and facing different directions. In Cyborg mode, the screen will display surroundings (as if taking a photo) with gas station icons superimposed in each direction. Gas prices and distance to the station are displayed for each station. Tap on a station to get a map and directions.
3. Yelp for iPhone and Yelp for Android (Free)— Like getting advice from the locals.
My work as a travel photographer will take me to new cities and I am always thankful for the Yelp app to steer me toward good places to visit, eat, and stay. User-generated ratings, reviews and recommendations, ensure that you getting the real scoop and not marketing hype. Check out other diners' menu item recommendations so you don't miss the best Dungeness Crab on the island or ask for the hotel room with the best view of the bay.
Search near your location by type of food, price, sit down or fast food, or look for a place that is good for a romantic dinner. Yelp users rate more than restaurants and bars. The app includes reviews of drugstores, nightlife, shopping, attractions, as well as local churches and temples.
Another way to use Yelp is to check a restaurant or business before you go in to eat, stay, or visit. Search by the name of the restaurant or other business to read the reviews and recommendations.
4. Free Wi-Fi Finder for iPhone and Wi-Fi Finder for Android (Free)
In case you need to contact the office or download an app to your iPad, the Free Wi-Fi Finder app shows you a map of free wi-fi hotspots near your location. Click on a pin to learn if the hotspot is in a restaurant, library, or other type of business and get directions to the hotspot. This app has helped me out when I've had to post a story from the road and my lodging didn't have internet.
5. A good GPS app
There is nothing like good voice turn-by-turn directions to get you to your destination or help you navigate an unfamiliar city. Made to replace a stand-alone GPS device, these apps can run from $19.99 per year for MotionX, to $49.99 for the U.S. version of the TomTom app. I use the RoadMate app by Magellan ($39.99) as it can reroute my trip if it finds that a road is closed or there is traffic ahead.
These apps have enhanced my travel experiences. I find great restaurants, don't get hopelessly lost, and don't run out of gas. Still, I like to ask the locals and the hotel front desk to steer me to places they like. After all, I'm there to experience the town and I don't want to miss talking to the people who live there.
Have you used apps on your vacation?
