Image via Complex Original
If there's one season to go out and venture into the wild, it's summer. If you're about to go to college in the fall, just finished college in the spring, or simply need a vacation, this is the perfect time to cross some things off your bucket list. And you're in luck. We've gathered 15 essential apps to help you make it happen. From planning, figuring out funds, keeping in contact with the loved ones, and saving memories, these are the apps you need to have while hitting the road and sunny skies this summer.
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Kayak
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
If you're going to be doing some long distance traveling, Kayak is a must for booking flights, hotels and getting ride arrangements in order. Users can compare tons of flights, track a flight's status, and store multiple trips from the app. Look up the airport's baggage fees (they always get ya), and see what the latest deals are for car rentals. You can even check out hotel photos and amenities, just in case you're tying to impress a special someone.
AirBnB
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
AirBnB is an awesome service that connects people who are looking for a place to stay with the people who can help make that happen. The app is like the Amazon of places to crash, whether it be for a night, a week, or an entire month, you'll find an apartment or hostel to fit your price point from a variety of hosts. More than 30,000 cities and 192 countries are listed with AirBnB, and you can easily browse reviews of the spot you are looking into staying.
Waze
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
With more than 50 million users, Waze is a community-based traffic app that alerts drivers to real-time road conditions. Yes, it's all gathered around teamwork, which is a pretty cool thing, considering how often one can deal with angry drivers (hey, we're all in this together). You, along with other users, can report accidents, hazzards, police traps and road closures-plus some good things, like cheap gas.
TapHunter
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
On the road and far away from your favorite bar? With TapHunter, you can check out what's on tap at nearby bars and restaurants. The app makes life easier by categorizing things by beer, location or brewery. As of now, there are only six cities supported by it (San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco/Bay Area, Denver/Boulder, and Seattle) but more are on the way. So, if you're driving on a hot summer's day near one of these cities, pull over and get a little something to lighten up your journey.
Tripomatic
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
If you don't feel like piecing together your own guides and all that, Tripomatic has everything laid out for you. It contains guides to more than 300 places around the world, and if you have a Tripomatic account, you can sync and edit things straight from the web. You can even download a PDF version of a guide for free and print it out, because you never know when electronics might fail.
Fuel Monitor
Platform: iOS; $1.99
Money can be a major factor when traveling. If you're driving long distance to an unfamiliar place, plug in your information to Fuel Monitor to get an idea of how much gas you'll be burning. Just put in the make and model of your car, where you'll be going, and the app will show you the trip's duration, distance, average rate of fuel consumption, and cost. Better to be prepared than sorry.
Chefs Feed
Platform: iOS; Free
Everyone has been there: you're on the road with your buds and you're all aching for something good to eat (because the last few fast food stops aren't doing it for ya anymore). Chefs Feed let's you know what the best places to grab a real meal are in your location, and they're all backed and reviewed by professional chefs. That's right, none of the average joes you'll find on Yelp. Don't settle for fast food when you'll be roadtripping across some of the best kept dining secrets in America.
iExit
Platform: iOS, Android; $.99
If you're stuck on a long road for awhile (the 5 in California, anyone?) it may come in handy to know what's coming up at the next exit, especially when they are miles and miles in between each other. iExit helps you find out what's coming up, and will let you know which exits have what you need--whether that's a bite to eat, or some gas if your car is feeling a little hungry. Even if you're planning to zoom on by, iExit will tell you when you might be passing points of interest you might not have otherwise known about.
Cards
Platform: iOS; Free
Going places but have the people back home on your mind? Let them feel special by sending them a personalized card made from the photos on your phone. The Cards app, made by Apple, lets you design and send greeting cards with photos and text made by you. Yes, you'll be sending a real card-something that may feel more personalized for your parents than a quick Facebook update. Choose to send a card in America for $2.99 with postage, or $4.99 with postage to anywhere in the world.
WiFi Finder
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
On the move, and need an Internet connection? WiFi Finder has over 550,000 free and paid locations for you to use in over 144 countries. You can categorize locations by hotels, cafes and other spots, just in case you feel like grabbing a cup of joe in the morning--or late at night.
Travel List
Platform: iOS; $1.99
Travel List is a stylish way to make sure you've packed everything to go before you leave. Organize by category and set auto reminders--because if you've traveled, you know things can get pretty hectic the day leading up to your departure. Even if you're going far, the app will adjust for your timezone.
Google Translate
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
Bonjour! Going overseas? Then Google Translate is exactly what you need. Type in what you want translated, and the app will do its best to change it to your desired language (users can choose between 60 of them). You can also speak a phrase and it will give you the corresponding translation. Not sure how to say something? The app's built-in voice will read back the words to you so you're not stuck in an awkward jam. ¿Dónde está el zapatería?
Everplaces
Platform: iOS; Free
Everplaces is an app that brings together blogs, businesses and people to share their knowledge about a location. It's built for people who love to travel and want to explore the secret places of a city. During your visits, you can snap photos, write notes, make your own guide, and place them all in your Everplaces blog.
Drive
Platform: iOS; $.99
Using your phone while driving is dangerous. Mostly because we spend so much time navigating through our screens. Instead of juggling your phone and the steering wheel, it's better to just pullover. Yet, if you're stubborn and are still going to use it, Drive app displays all of the most used phone features on one screen--text, calls, music, contacts--and makes them bigger and easier to navigate, so you spend less time looking at your phone while on the road.
Dcovery
Platform: iOS; $3.99
Dcovery is like the Evernote of travel apps, as the founders proudly state. If you're planning to go to a ton of places, or have already been to a ton of places, you can build your own travel guides, and add the places you find interesting. Dcovery has a cool feature called Place Finder that makes this whole process even easier. If you're browsing a page that mentions a bunch of places you like, all you have to do is click the Dcovery button and it will bring up a bunch of travel-related content in a sidebar. You can save the locations, add pictures, and store the webpage for offline viewing later.
