Top 28 Best Apps for Travelers
Are you on the go? Do you love to travel? Need some help with travel plans, places, how much things cost and how to get there? Here are some Smart Phone apps to help you out. The Top 25 Best Apps for Travelers includes travel apps for jet lag, finding places to eat, finding the right time for taking photographs before you arrive at your destination, apps to remotely control your GoPro, apps so that you can have the surf report and surf cam views of the places you want to surf and much more . . . You’ll find everything you need to travel the world and then some in these travel related apps. Bon Voyage!
1. XE Currency App
Xe Currency is great for knowing the current exchange rate. You can also use it offline which helps out in remote areas and for shopping or other purchases while traveling. You can also track currency trends so that you can see when it might be a good idea to exchange your money. Might give you a little extra pocket money on your trip if you exchange on the best day or do your major shopping on the best day. There is a free version and a pro version. For most people the free version would work well.
2. Jet Lag Genie
Jet Lag Genie helps you overcome jet lag with a customized plan based on your flight and sleep patterns. You will feel better and have a better time on your trip if you can reduce the effects of jet lag. Notifies you when to wake up, when to go to sleep, when to get some sun, when to sit in the dark, and when to change the time on your watch. Helps you prepare before your trip and reduces the effects of jet lag during your trip and after you get back. Currently $2.99.
3. Packing Pro
Don’t forget your socks! This app helps you to remember to pack everything you need for a trip. You won’t forget and it will make for smooth sailing rather than having to find a place to purchase a memory card or additional underwear as soon as you get there. Currently $2.99 on the iTunes Store.
4. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is the best way to compare airline fares, hotels and car rental prices. You can also spin the globe and find cheap fares from your location. Lots of ways to save on the big ticket items on your trip. Skyscanner is free.
5. Tripit
Tripit helps you to organize all your travel details in one place. Get maps, weather, directions, your itineraries and much more. There is a free app and also a Pro version that gives you real time flight alerts, seat tracker, flight flintier, point tracker and other perks. The upgraded version is $49 currently. The Pro verion might be something for those who travel frequently.
6. Flight Track 5
Keep track of all your flights or those of friends and family. You can track a flight by route, number or airport. Also has terminal maps to help you get to your gate. You don’t have to enter your flights manually, as you can forward your flight confirmation emails and Flight Track 5 will update the information automatically. This app currently costs $4.99.
7. The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE)
This app helps you to determine the direction of light so that you can get optimal photographs on your travels. Also show you where the light will be on various dates and times of day at locations. It is a map centric sun and moon calculator. It will help you to plan your photography. You’ll be at the right place at the right time! No more “I wish we were here earlier in the morning”. This app currently costs $8.99.
8. The Photographer’s Transit
Made for outdoor photographers, The Photographer’s Transit app is a map based shot planning tool for DSLR photographers. If you use a camera that has interchangeable lenses, then this app with help you with planning to use the best possible lens, camera body, and shooting locations using a field of view simulator. You can determine shot lines before you arrive to make sure that the terrain is not going to block your shot. Great for travelers because often you only get one chance to visit a place. This app will help do some pre-trip planning. This is a great companion app to the Photographer’s Ephemeris above. This app currently costs $8.99.
9. GoPro App
As well as having access to the GoPro Channel, you can remotely control the functions of your GoPro Camera with the app. You can also see a live preview for easy shot framing. You can copy photos and videos to your device and then email, text, or send to social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
10. Adobe Photoshop Express
Photo editing for your iPhone photos on the go. Easy to improve your images before your share them on social media or with friends. This app is free.
11. Hotel Tonight
If you have a last minute change of plans and you need a hotel tonight – try the Hotel Tonight App. You can get great deals on last minute hotel bookings.
12. Airbnb
Airbnb lets you book places to stay off the normal grid. You can find all kinds of accommodations including apartments, homes, flats, cabins, and everything in-between. They have over 600,000 listings in more than 34,000 cities with great deals to be had. Generally speaking, when you rent these kinds of places, it feels like you are living a living more like the locals. The app is free.
13. Zagat App
With Zagat you can find places for dining, nightlife, shopping and lodging. Zagat provides professional reviews, online menus, reservations through Open Table, and Google Street panoramas (so you can see what the neighborhood looks like before you go). You can filter your searches by rating, cost, cuisine, and neighborhoods. I have to say that when visiting Zagat’s top rated picks I have never been disappointed. The Zagat app is free.
14. Foodspotting
Foodspotting is a visual guide to find good places to eat or to buy food. You can ask it questions such as “What is good here?” “What does it look like?” So it is more of a social media site for food. The app is free.
15. Foursquare
Foursquare contains all the tips you need about where to eat and where to go. It also learns about you and can tailor searches to your tastes. You can allow follow other people and influencers whose taste you trust or to find something new and outside your normal “go to” places. You can also connect your twitter and Facebook to see places that were liked that are close to your location. Great app for traveling to new places or even at home. The app is free.
16. Google Maps
Yes, I know. Everybody knows Google Maps. We put Google Maps on the list because it is a great app for getting you to your destination. Not too long ago I used various gps systems for the road. Most had problems and had to be replaced. I probably had 5 of them in as many years. Once I found Google Maps a few years ago I gave it a try and have used it ever since. The best thing is that it is free. Before I spent hundreds of dollars on various devices. Not to mention it is on your phone and you don’t need to lug around an additional piece of equipment. Google Earth is also a good companion app to check out locations before you get there.
17. Waze Social GPS, Maps and Traffic
Waze has become very popular. It is a community based traffic and navigation app. It can help you save time, fuel and even improve your commute by alerting you to traffic jams. Also good for find the next gas station. Waze is a free app.
18. UNESCO World Heritage App
Find out about all 981 World Heritage sites with full descriptions and photographs. This is a free app.
19. Google Translate
Google translate currently translates 90 languages. You can speak or type in your requested language for translation. This app is free.
20. Pixter Scanner
When you are traveling in a foreign country and you don’t speak or read the language, Pixter can help with translating traffic or transit signs. Take a photo and the app will translate the image for you. Currently the app has 32 languages that can be translated. In addition, it acts as a normal scanner as well. The app currently costs $2.99.
21. iStone Travel Translation
A great little app for simple phrases or questions when you don’t know the local language. Helps out with “where’s the bathroom” and other questions.
22. TurboScan
Scans documents into high quality PDF’s. You can use it to scan documents, receipts, notes, business cards, directions, anything you need to keep track of. Great way to keep track of your documents without having a hard copy to carry. Easy to use and the images are very sharp. I have used it even for legal document scanning when in a pinch. Uses the camera on your phone and turns it into a multipage scanner. Currently costs $2.99.
23. Netflix
Great for watching films when you have some down time or you have to wait somewhere and can’t do much else or you can’t sleep. Usually you will be too busy out and about but it is a nice app to have on your phone or iPad.
24. Weather Channel
Great weather app. You can plan your activities based on detailed forecasts and current conditions. Also has extra like pollen alerts, hurricane alerts, boat and beach modules, airport delay module.
25. NOAA Ocean Buoy and Tide Data
This app gives you information about current ocean tides and conditions around the world. It accesses buoys that record the swell height, direction, speed, wind speed, water temperature, air temperature, dew points, and much more. Great for surfers, or boaters or anyone who enjoys the ocean. You can search for buoys in your location and check the predicted tides for your favorite surf spot. This app currently costs $1.99.
26. Surfline
Contains comprehensive surf reports from around the world, surf cams, and surf videos. Analyzes ocean waves and currents to come up with forecasts. Over 180 live streaming cameras. The app is free.
27. Magic Seaweed
App for surfers and beach lovers. Features long range surf forecasts. Live spot by spot reporting of surf conditions and many other features and data handy for the surfer. This app is free.
28. Sunscreen
If you have ever been traveling and had a bad sunburn you will relate to the value of this app. Tracks your time in the sun, UV rays and alerts you when you need to reapply sunscreen. If you are outside all day then you should download this app. It is not fun to suffer sunburn while you are on your trip. This app is free.
Which apps do you like? What are your favorites for travel? Let us know in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!