You’ve just booked your first vacation in years. You know who you’re going with and for how long. You know you can expect beautiful weather, spectacular culture and unreal memories. But as you pull your dusty suitcase out from your closet, your vision blurred with the dozens of destination photos you scanned earlier on Google, you suddenly realize: Where the heck do I even begin in organizing this trip?
No need to fret, avid-traveler. All too familiar with the stress that can arise from planning and executing an unforgettable vacation, I’ve put together a list of the best travel apps to use to guarantee a smooth trip. Oh yeah, and all these travel apps are 100% free.
Flight and Hotel Booking
First off, you’re going to need a place to stay during your holiday. Hipmunk is a fantastic, easy way to cover all of your flight and lodging needs. This app lists the best flight and hotel deals in your area and includes Airbnb and Amtrak in their suggestions, a great option for those who’d prefer to stay in a fully furnished private house and travel via train. You can choose to book flights and accommodation separately or search for deals as a combo to ensure the best possible discount.
Packing Management
The next stage is packing. For android users, Pack The Suitcase is fantastic for organization and not forgetting to pack that one, very important item you can’t live without. Pack The Suitcase will make helpful suggestions and inspire you to pack wisely. Your asthma medication? Put that in the front pouch of your carry on. Your 6th pair of heels, however? Not that crucial.
For iPhone-lovers, uPacking List is your ideal choice. This travel app covers all the bases with personalized lists, further sub sections and shopping list sharing abilities with your friends or family. Finally, an easy way to keep track of who’s in charge of what in your travel group. Packing has never been this painless.
Airport Alerts
Airports are generally considered a stressful place for most people, which is why GateGuru is a must-have when traveling. This multi-purpose app will help you track down the best amenities at airports and keep you up-to-date on gate changes, wait times and correct terminal locations. Kevin McCallister and Co. could have seriously used this app back in the day.
Translation
Once you’ve touched down at your destination and checked into your hotel, it’s time to explore. For easy navigation, download the iphone and android-friendly Google Translate app. With its major overhaul last year, Google added the Word Lens feature into the app, allowing for visual translation. This means you’re able to point your phone at a piece of text and receive automatic translation in your preferred language on screen. Users can also try the speech mode feature to do the same thing, only hearing the translation instead of reading it. What language barrier?
Navigation
Now that you know how to get around town, it’s time to download Foursquare to discover the best places to visit in your city of choice. Simply type what you’re looking for into the search bar (Historic landmarks, parks, beaches, sushi, etc) and watch all your options appear on a map. Foursquare makes walking around aimlessly in a circle a thing of the past with their helpful guide, and with millions of reviews available for everything you search for, you’re guaranteed quality as well.
Additionally, Viator is also fantastic for getting an authentic visitor experience wherever you go. Their team of travel insiders pre-vet all activities to ensure quality and authenticity, and provide verified reviews and photos, discounts and 24-hour support.
Whether you’re backpacking solo or going on a family vacation this summer, your travel experience should be one of the most memorable times of your life, so don’t let something like disorganization get in the way of that. With these helpful travel apps, you’re sure to have the vacation of a lifetime.
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