Technology has revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Whether you need a digital road trip planner to help you map out your next journey or an app that leads you around or you want to escape traffic jams or find nearest gas stations or mechanics, these 9 best road trip apps have got you covered.
9 Best Road Trip Apps to Ease Your Road Trip Experience
Here are the 9 best road trip apps to download ahead of your next great adventure.
1. Google Maps
The best trip planning tool and map creator out there is Google Maps with an incredible suite of features – many of them you probably don’t even know about. This is typically the first tool I start with when planning a road trip.
Google Maps gives you the ability to plot out directions between 10 different points with a variety of map options and live traffic updates. You can also choose alternative routes and when using on the road. Google Maps will update you if there’s a faster route due to traffic or other reasons.
2. Promos by Clover
Part of the Clover Customer Engagement Suite, the Clover Promos app helps you build interest–and sales–with ongoing promotions from text, email, social media–and even receipts. Now, you can rev up slower periods with more traffic. Or, reach out to customers you haven’t seen for a while. What’s more, Promos is simple to use and comes free with your Clover POS.
3. GasBuddy
Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations around the U.S. and Canada. The app also tells you how recent the submission is so you know when it’s outdated.
The app is not just helpful for finding cheap gas but also for finding gas stations in general (and parking), which can alone be difficult in foreign territory. The app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android. While using it, be a good road-tripper and submit gas prices you see as you travel.
4. YourMechanic – Technician App
YourMechanic stands out among mechanic apps for independent technicians. It helps them make extra money by offering their services through the app. It works in more than 2,000 cities across the United States, connecting technicians with people who need work on their cars.
Joining the YourMechanic platform is simple. Mechanics receive a unique pin after signing up, which they can use to log into the YourMechanic – Technician App.
5. Roadside America
The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the U.S. are one of the most delightful parts of a road trip. The Roadside America app helps you find the most unique attractions worth stopping for, like the large sculpture of a cartoon mouse holding a cheese platter in Plain, Wisconsin — where else? — or the decidedly odd larger-than-life-sized three-way electrical plug that rests on a lawn in Philadelphia. The app features museums, murals, tours, quirky restaurants, and other photo ops, too.
Electric vehicles are increasingly commonplace and great for more environmentally friendly road tripping. The problem is finding charging stations, as most EVs can go 100 to 300 miles before they need to be plugged in. PlugShare claims to be the world’s most popular charging station finder. Probably true considering it lists 610,000 charging stations across North America, and beyond. Users share their reviews of the stations. They can also help to guide EV drivers to the best, fastest, and most reliable of the bunch.
7. Airbnb
In case, Staying in a tucked-away A-frame cabin, a yurt, or a private guest house in someone’s garden is more your travel style than bouncing between hotels, then Airbnb is the ticket. On the Airbnb app, you can search properties (more than 600,000 in the U.S. alone) on a map and read reviews before you book, which you can do in advance or last minute.
The app features not just vacation homes but also experiences, so if you’re keen to stop and experience a city like a local you can do so via a pottery class, say, or a guided walking tour.
8. Roadtrippers
An increasingly popular app (and website) for mapping and planning a road trip is the aptly named Roadtrippers. Utilizing this tool, users can create road trip maps similar to those found in google maps.
My favorite feature is the ability to sort popular destinations along the route by category such as camping, entertainment, landmarks, and more.
There is also a handy RV mode for those of us driving Recreational Vehicles which highlights spots specifically of interest to RV adventurers.
9. Pinterest
If you love endless road trip inspiration rabbit holes then Pinterest is the place for you.
Specially designed to keep feeding your wanderlust, Pinterest is a great app to see what places look like and explore potential trip itineraries.
Simply type in a point of interest or trip idea into the search bar and they’ll handle the rest. You can save your favorites as “pins” on different travel “boards”.
Also Read: Winter Road Trip Essentials: Must-Haves for Your Winter Car Trip