Keys, check; wallet, check; cellphone, check; travel plans, check. Be proactive and do your research in advance — it can help make a trip more fun. We’ve collected some of our favorite apps to help you travel smarter.
Spotify
No need to burn dozens of CDs or deliberate over the perfect iPod playlist. Spotify gives you millions of songs at your fingertips. Get the app and go! Play any artist, album, or playlist in shuffle mode for free. Or upgrade to Spotify Premium for $9.99/month. Available for Apple products and Android.
GasBuddy
Gas prices typically vary — on a road trip that difference can quickly add up. This app can help you find the cheapest gas near your location. GasBuddy crowd sources from some 30 million app users who share the best gas prices they’ve found throughout the U.S. and Canada. Available free for Apple products and Android.
Yelp
You’re in a new city you know nothing about — Yelp can help. Restaurants — read reviews of the highest rated. Coffee shops — which ones have Wi-Fi. Hotels, mechanics and so on. Find the best businesses around you, save money by discovering nearby deals, and share your experiences with Tips, Check-ins, and Photos. Available free for Apple products and Android.
TVFoodMaps
If you’re a Food Network addict, TVFoodMaps can help you find places that appeared in various programs and that happen to be on your way. Just enter your starting point and destination, and get a list of places you can visit, complete with the name of the program they appeared on, a full address, and a link to the official website. You can search by state or TV program. Available free for Apple products and Android.
Wi-Fi Finder
Wi-Fi Finder pinpoints the nearest places to find both free and paid Wi-Fi hotspots in more than 650,000 locations in 144 countries. If you’re listening to Spotify on 4G along the way, you may want to conserve some of that data. Free for iPhone and iPad and Android for phones and tablets.
Be an informed traveler
Try to make your trip less expensive, more organized and fun. Make sure you check out some of these apps — just make sure to do it before you start driving.
Travel smarter!