Apps can often prove unnecessary (how many ones for creating a to-do list do you really need?), but one area where they tend to excel is travel.
There are so many nuances to think about — planning flights, translating another language at a restaurant, settling costs after the trip — that having some help on your phone is a must.
It doesn't matter if you're taking a road trip, going backpacking, or heading to a resort for some spa time: Having easy access to input from travelers who have come before you can be both educational and rewarding. You might have taken a more scenic route if you'd downloaded Yonder in advance, or saved hundreds of dollars on your flight with Hopper 's fare tracking. And when you're unsure of how to plan your daily itinerary in Bangkok or whether you're supposed to tip at dinner in Bali, the Google Trips app is your savior.
We've rounded up the top travel apps that will make every stage of your trip easier and more enjoyable. In this case, the right downloads are just as important as packing well. Bon voyage!
Check back each month for the latest travel apps we love.
Live out your rom-com dreams and travel like Cameron Diaz in The Holiday. Love, Home, Swap lets you specify what you're looking for (in my case, a ski lodge that has Wi-Fi and can house at least two people) and provides a full list of pad-swapping options. We can't promise that Jude Law will meet you on the other side, though.
Love, Home, Swap, available on the App Store.
Photo: Love, Home, Swap.
If you're traveling by bus or train, Wanderu is the app to use. It's partnered with Amtrak, Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus Lines, and others to help you get the best deals whenever and wherever you're going.
Wanderu, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Airports aren't the most relaxing places on earth, but airport lounges are a step in the right direction. LoungeBuddy will help you find the best lounge in your current airport (or the one you're heading to), and will show you reviews, amenities, and cost. For lounges that do cost money (some are free), you can pay for access directly through the app.
LoungeBuddy, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: LoungeBuddy.
Trying to decide on a beautiful place to visit? Instagram is a logical place to start looking, but may prove challenging to pore through. Instead, use Sherpa. This invite-only app lets you browse (and share) photos you've posted to Instagram by geotagged location. Simply scroll through the feed for the app's most recently highlighted trips, then tap to scroll through the photos taken there. You'll definitely find some inspiration here.
Sherpa: The Social Travel Guide, available on the App Store.
Photo: Sherpa.
Google has used its search expertise to create one of the best travel apps out there. Google Trips is your pocket tour guide and the only one you'll need no matter where in the world you are. The entire app can be used offline (you can easily download all maps and tools), so you don't have to worry about losing service on a tiny road in the Spanish countryside.
Google Trips also pulls all your reservation information from your Gmail account, eliminating frantic searches for confirmation emails. For the world's top 200 cities, the app offers day plans: an itinerary of popular sites (factoring in the distance between them), mapped out for you. If you only want to follow that proposed itinerary for part of the day, the app will adjust to your schedule and help you find new spots to visit based on where you'll be the rest of the day.
Besides itineraries and reservation assistance, the app also includes essential facts, such as how much and when to tip, how to get from the airport to your hotel, and where to go in case of emergency — acting as a resource if you get into a sticky situation abroad.
Google Trips, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Google.
Stay on top of checking into your flight, gate changes, delays, and more with App in the Air. You can connect the app to your email account so that it automatically uploads your travel data. Then, you'll see information about weather and traffic leading up to your flight, as well as airport specifics. The best part is that it brings all of your flight details into one place, so you won't be hurrying to switch from your weather app to your e-ticket to your flight confirmation email.
App in the Air, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: App in the Air.
Hopper has already earned raves from travelers and industry experts as the go-to app for finding the cheapest flight. In fact, Apple named it the best travel app of 2015. The app predicts when airfare prices will go up and lets you know when's the best time to book. But it's the app's latest update that really sets it apart: Now, Hopper's little bunny mascot tells you which flights are inconvenient (long layovers, airport changes), so you won't accidentally book that Bangkok trip with a next-day arrival.
Hopper, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Hopper.
Agoda ranks high on our list of accommodations apps because it offers a wide variety of options, from hostels to apartments to hotels. It's easy to filter your search by location, price, and requirements such as free cancellation or free breakfast. You can also get special booking deals that are exclusive to the app, and save your confirmation to your phone's wallet app so you don't have to worry about any reservation mixups.
Agoda, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Agoda.
Keeping track of who owes who what can create major headaches, but Splitwise makes it easy. Just create a trip, invite your friends (the app connects with your phone contacts), and add bills that need to be split amongst you. You can add pictures of receipts for your records, export the trip totals as a spreadsheet, and change currencies within the app.
Splitwise, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Splitwise.
No road trip is complete without Waze. The crowdsourced traffic app serves as a GPS and so much more. You can find the cheapest gas on your route, get automatically rerouted when there are troublesome road conditions, and share your ETA with friends. But the best part of the app is its traffic notifications, which are shared by fellow drivers and passengers so that you won't spend hours sitting in delays.
Waze, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Waze.
No matter how good a city's public transportation is, it can still be confusing when you're not a local. That's where Citymapper comes in. The transit app helps you find the fastest and easiest trip to your destination, whether it's by subway, bus, train, or taxi. You'll get real-time updates about delays; the app partners with multiple foreign cab companies to provide the most accurate travel options when you're abroad, too. While it's not available in all cities, most of the major ones (both U.S. and international) are covered.
Citymapper, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Citymapper.
The new app Whym is your answer to finding cool cultural events at the last minute. Intended for spur-of-the-moment travel, Whym helps you find cheaper tickets for museums, tours, and other city attractions. It's currently available in San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, London, Paris, Rome, and Barcelona.
Whym, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Whym.
Yonder puts a social-networking spin on travel. A community of enthusiastic and outdoorsy Yonderers post pictures and info about their own adventures so that you can find cool experiences wherever you are. You can see trending destinations, photos, and recommendations from locals that will help you get away from some of the more touristy, cliché options.
Yonder, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Yonder.
Google Translate just celebrated its 10th anniversary with a creative pop-up restaurant in New York that highlighted the app's coolest features. Our favorite: You can tap the camera icon and hold your phone over the piece of text you'd like to translate. This means that whether you're in New York or Paris, reading in another language has never been easier. Plus, the app just added 13 new languages, so now you can use it on your travels to even more exotic locales.
Google Translate, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Google Translate.
Facet is one of the coolest video platforms for travel. You can watch user-generated content from around the world, or, if you're on an adventure of your own, you can add a 10-second video for others to enjoy. Thanks to its new partnership with Departure Lounge, you can even book travel within the app. View a recording of the beautiful sunset in Cape Town, then buy your plane tickets pronto.
Facet, available on the App Store.
Photo: Courtesy Facet.
The Musement app is an easy way to find and book a range of events around the world, from a wine tasting in Venice to a skip-the-line tour of Doge's Palace. There are curated content selections (such as what to do on a rainy day), and also a "concierge" service that lets you ask a local expert for recommendations, reservations, and more.
Musement, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Musement.
Viator is all about giving you insider, VIP access to events on your vacation. The app has exclusive deals on prices, as well as the option to skip the lines at some in-demand tourist locations. It also offers same-day booking. The option to look for events on a day by day basis will simplify your planning.
Viator, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Viator.
Like Viator, Headout is a great app for getting discounts on day-of events. You can find stand-up paddle boarding trips, submarine tours, and more — and booking is easy and at your fingertips. Plus, if you invite friends to join, you'll earn credit when they book their first reservations in the app.
Headout, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Headout.
You check into your hotel and want to go for a walk, but where should you walk to? Use Detour, an app with curated, GPS-based audio walks in cities around the world. You'll see sites you might have otherwise missed, and get a taste of the local culture that you wouldn’t be able to get through tourist-geared walking programs.
Plus, you can even listen to a preview of a tour to see if it’s the right one for you.
Detour, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy Detour.
Finding parking in an unfamiliar city is usually a huge pain — not to mention pricey. ParkWhiz presents a helpful solution. The app not only identifies all the nearby parking, it also offers up to 50% off the garage price when you book in-app. Plus, you don't have to worry about losing a paper receipt, since everything is on your phone.
ParkWhiz, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Photo: Courtesy ParkWhiz.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
15 Apps That Will Make Your Instagram Photos Look So Much Better
You Saw Chewbacca Mom, But What About Facebook's Other Viral Videos?