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9 Travel Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier

Traveling to a new place can be both exciting and hectic. Fortunately, we live in an age where things, such as directions and currency conversion, are just a click away on a smartphone. And to make traveling even easier, Sarah of the blog “Midwest Darling” is sharing the 9 best travel apps in this month’s travel guest post! Make your travels stress-free and check out her list below!

Sarah of Midwest Darling

Travel Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier

There are two things you need to know about me, I love to travel and I love being organized. I’d love to be one of those people who can whimsically float around by the seat of their pants, but I just don’t have it in me. I’m a planner; I want to get the most out of my trips. Therefore, I rely heavily on apps to help me plan and organize my vacations. I’ve tried a ton of different ones, but here is a list of ones I find the most helpful.

1.) SpotHero

Why I love it: I am in love with this one. Last summer Ivan and I had to go to Chicago. We decided to drive instead of taking the train in because it would be cheaper. However, when I found out how much the hotel wanted to charge for parking ($30 a night!), I knew I had to find an alternative. Enter SpotHero. You can search SpotHero for all the parking options around a certain location. You enter the time frame you will be there and it shows you the cost. It’s generally cheaper than the normal price and your spot is guaranteed. Plus, you can usually find promo codes online to bring your price down even further.
Sarah of Midwest Darling

2.) TripIt

Why I love itTripIt is great because it keeps all of your travel information in one place. It’s like an itinerary that organizes your flight information, dinner reservations, activities, hotel reservations and everything in between in one place.

3.) GasBuddy

Why I love it: If you are going on a road trip, you simply have to use GasBuddy. The app searches for gas stations around you and shows you their current prices. There is also a feature on the website that estimates your total trip cost based on your car make and model. It will also show you the best places to stop for gas along the way.

4.) Airbnb

Why I love itGuys, I’m obsessed with Airbnb. It’s a site that allows you to connect with people who are renting out their rooms, suites or entire homes. It’s generally cheaper than a hotel and gives you a true local experience. Not only do you get the chance to live like a local, but you also get access to a place with all the comforts of home instead of a cramped hotel room.

Sarah of Midwest Darling

5.) Google Translate

Why I love itI’m really bad with languages. I find that Google translate is incredibly helpful when you need to communicate but don’t know the language. Sure, it’s not always accurate, but it’s close enough that you can get your point across.

6.) Skyscanner

Why I love itSkyscanner is my favorite. Skyscanner is a flight search tool that allows you to search for flights over an entire month. This is perfect for when you don’t have set dates because you can find the best deal. It’s easy to use and pretty accurate. Plus, you also have the option to leave the destination open. So you can search for flights to “anywhere” from your home airport. This allows you to find some truly amazing deals if you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway.

Sarah of Midwest Darling

7.) Hopper

Why I love itI use both Hopper and Skyscanner, but I use them for different reasons. When I have particular dates picked out I go with Hopper. Hopper alerts you whenever your flight prices go down and it lets you know if prices are likely to rise or drop. Basically, it lets you know the best time to purchase tickets for a particular flight.

8.) Oanda Currency Converter

Why I love it I’m notoriously bad with math, especially when I have to calculate things in my head. To make things easier on myself I rely on Oanda.  It allows you to quickly calculate an exchange rate and even add in a foreign transaction fee (if your bank/credit card charges you one).

9.) Uber | Lyft

Why I love it: I try to use public transportation when I’m traveling, but sometimes you just want an easy ride. That’s where Uber and Lyft come in. You don’t have to call/find a local cab company and it’s almost always insanely quick. You’ll be able to get a ride whenever you need it, to wherever you need it. 

Sarah of Midwest Darling

 

Thank you so much for sharing these awesome apps with us, Sarah! I’m especially excited to start using Skyscanner

9 Travel Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier
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13 Comments

  1. great article thanks for sharing, in case you update it. add this app: ATM Fee Saver – its super helpful for saving money. it gives a list with ATMs and their fees and limits. super cool i found

  2. Lyft is huge here in Denver and so convenient! I use Google Translate for non-travel stuff too. I’ll have to check out the rest at a later date–they all sound great! XO
    Lauren-Blair
    www.prefertobedemure.com

    1. Lyft was big in Texas when I was there too and it’s convenient! Thank you for reading, Lauren! 🙂

  3. What a great post! I love to travel so this will be very helpful for me. Thanks!

    enchantingelegance.net

    1. Thank you so much, Amanda! I’m glad you enjoyed Sarah’s post! 🙂 I thought it was super helpful too!

  4. Awesome tips!! I LOVE uber and use it so much where I live. I love skyscanner and only recently started using the app (i only used the website before) and I’m obsessed with planning another trip now hahaha! I also love google flights – very cool for seeing everywhere in the world vs. prices!

    Lee – leethrifts.com

    1. Thank you for reading, Lee! I’m so happy you enjoyed Sarah’s post! I LOVE Uber too…I have no idea how I survived before Uber, haha. And Skyscanner I hadn’t heard of until I read Sarah’s blog – but it seems awesome! I’m looking forward to using it! Google Flights is great too…I get kind of obsessive checking it sometimes, haha. Thanks again for reading, Lee! 🙂

  5. Very helpful post. Should definitely try these apps. Thank you for sharing love! Hope you’re having a great weekend! 🙂

    1. Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed Sarah’s post! 🙂 I hope you’re having a great weekend too!

  6. I used Uber and Lyft all the time this past year!! I’ll definitely have to try Gasbuddy now that I have a car. Thanks for sharing!!

    Princess Kaiulani | www.princesskaiulanit.blogspot.com

    1. I love Uber and Lyft too! And doesn’t Gasbuddy sound awesome? I wish I had heard of that last summer! Thank you so much for reading! 🙂

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