My favorite FREE* road trip assistance apps (for the iPhone) are:
Beat the Traffic. This handy little app provides real time information about traffic conditions. When traffic slows, I pull up the app to find out whether the traffic isslow or if there's an accident up ahead. We use it to slip around major backups on the highway.
Rest Area Finder by Guidebook Galactic. This handy dandy feature provides information about upcoming rest areas. Moments after the kids say they have to go, you can tell them just how long the wait will be!
Gas Buddy. How many times have you stopped for gas only to discover that gas at the next exit was ten cents cheaper? With Gas Buddy, that is a thing of the past. Load the app. Allow it to recognize your location and then find the cheapest gas nearby. This app has saved us up to 15 cents/gallon. (It's a great app to use anytime!)
Other FREE* apps that help greatly with travel are:
Speak Easy. Traveling to another country? Learn essential phrases in other languages to help you communicate during travel. People always prefer to hear you speak their native tongue and appreciate your efforts.
Pandora. This wonderful app provides music that you want to listen to. No more searching through the local radio stations to find what you like!
Sleep Machine Lite. Having trouble falling asleep? Then play sleep machine lite and let the sound of the ocean lull you to sweet dreams (not while you're driving please!)
Flashlight. Hotel rooms are notoriously dark. Waking during the night often means turning on a light so you don't stub your toe. With the flashlight app, you have access to light that won't wake the rest of the family.
There are hundreds of thousands of apps for iPhones, droid and other smart phones. Yes, even a post office locator! Which are your favorite apps for travel?
*Because I travel on a budget, I prefer free apps!
12 comments:
Great suggestions, thank you! I can definitely see using these before our next family trip. A couple I have already but the others I will be looking to download.
those are great! i especially like the gas one!! good find.
Thank you so much for these wonderful tips. I will be letting my husband know about these.
The last few of your posts have really made me excited for our next road trip. Seriously! Especially, since the last road trip I had, I didn't have my iPhone. Now I'm really excited! Thanks!!
Perspective Parenting,
Where are you going? (Or did you mention that in another comment and I just haven't put the pieces together yet?)
I hope today's post (Friday, 4/27) helps you with car packing too!
Happy Travels!
Oh wow this is a great collection of apps! :) Thanks for sharing. How's the blog coming along? Should you have questions, let me know.
I have a couple of these apps and couldn't agree with you more on how they have helped us in family road trips. The small ones and the longer ones. Looking forward to trying the others that you suggested! Thanks!
Great suggestions, thank you! I've heard a lot of great things about Gas Buddy and Beat the Traffic, so I definitely think it's time I check them out! As far as my favorite; the one app I use the most is Dish Remote Access. It lets me watch all of my favorite shows from back home on my iPhone, live or recorded; anywhere I have a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. I use it when I'm the passenger of course, but it's also proven to be quite the time-killer when I commute to and from work at Dish on the bus sometimes. :)
Gabbie,
I've never heard of Dish Remote Access. Is that something any DISH customer can download free or does it carry a monthly fee? Could be handy for families who need to calm cranky kids too!
Thanks!
This is a great list and perfect timing for me!
Great ideas! I'll need to check some of these out, especially Beat the Traffic. I also like hotel finding apps like Kayak.
What a great list! As IPhone addicts, we have a few of these apps. I will need to get Flashlight. We also love Yelp and to find the nearest restrooms, SitOrSquat.
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