When Apple trademarked the catchphrase, “there’s an app for that,” they knew what they were talking about. For example, did you know that you can check to see if your flight is delayed prior to leaving for the airport? Worried you’re spending too much time in the sun? There’s an app for that too!
At Hawkins International, we believe in leveraging the power of technology to make our lives simpler – which is exactly why we’ve scoured the app store to round up five of our favorite travel apps for the avid adventurer! Whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip, or jet setting across the globe to backpack across Europe, these travel apps will ensure that you make the most of your next adventure!
If you’re planning a road trip, Waze is a must. This free app is a GPS-based traffic navigation app that functions based on reports from other drivers. Waze users alert others when accidents, police, and other traffic-inducing situations are up ahead on the road. Users can also contribute to the app’s real-time data collection by driving with the app open. This software is programmed to learn from other users’ driving times to provide you with the most efficient route to your destination. Waze, which was developed by a start-up company in Israel, trumped well-known Square and Dropbox to win the Overall Best Mobile App award at the 18th Annual Global Mobile awards.
Featured in Time Magazine and on The Today Show, San Francisco-based Foodspotting is another (free!) community-driven app that is a necessity for the hungry traveler. This app allows users to search for a particular food, discover what is favored at a specific restaurant, and check out what other “food spotters” have previously posted. Foodspotting even allows users to bookmark particular foods that they want to try in the future.
When traveling abroad, staying connected with loved ones can often be difficult. With WhatsApp Messenger (a kitschy play on ‘what’s up’), people are able to communicate through messages, calls, photos, videos, and voice messages. WhatsApp utilizes your phone’s internet connection or if available, Wi-Fi, meaning that all content sent through the app is free and international charges do not apply.
Traveling itself can be hectic. With the additional chaos of taking multiple flights in one day and attempting to make it to each gate on time, any person would be frazzled. FlightTrack 5 by Mobiata eases stress by allowing users to view their flights in a beautifully organized, color-coded fashion while reporting real-time status for gates, delays, and cancellations. FlightTrack 5 covers more than 16,000 airports worldwide and 1,400 airlines making this app accessible for the majority of frequent fliers across the globe. This app also allows users to track the flights of family and friends, which is particularly useful for knowing when to head to the airport or ensure they made it to their destination safely. Overall, it’s jam-packed with useful tools and is well worth the $4.99 investment.
Heading to a sunny spot for your vacation? Make sure to download the ultimate beachside essential, Wolfram Sun Exposure, to monitor your time spent in the sun. By entering personalized information, such as skin type, location, time, and the level of SPF you are using, Wolfram Sun Exposure calculates how long you can stay in the sun before you are likely to burn. This handy app, which was crafted by the geniuses who made Mathematica, provides users with a UV forecast of their current location, information of the UV levels for a five-day period, and an advisory recommendation of an SPF level – not too shabby for $0.99!
What are some of your favorite go-to travel apps? Let us know in the comments below!