Hectic Holiday Travel Simplified With Five Apps
Thanksgiving weekend brought friends and family together from around the country to sit in traffic, and TSA lines. Now travelers everywhere are dreading round two coming at the end of December. During the holiday season people travel from near and far to celebrate with friends and family. Whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or car, getting around during the holiday season can be difficult. Over crowded airports, snow covered streets, and inflated travel costs really put a damper on holiday cheer. Luckily, you can avoid being bogged down by hectic holiday travel.
There are a few mobile apps out there that will make traveling during the holidays much more enjoyable. Whether you’re looking for the cheapest flight home, checking the weather at your uncle’s cabin, or just trying to grab a trusted bite to eat, these apps can help. Check out these mobile apps while you are traveling this season to save time, money, and highlight great locations along the way.
Get BEEN
iOS (free)
Rather than trusting unreliable restaurant reviews in unfamiliar cities, Get BEEN to see your friends’ restaurant, hotel, and/or local establishment suggestions on all of your travels. Using BEEN you can explore what’s nearby, and discover what your friends recommend, then share your favorite places and show off your expertise. Similar to having a “kitchen cabinet” of trusted reviews to rely on, Get BEEN lets you find new places to go through friends all around the world. Get Been also allows users to import places they have been to on Instagram and Foursquare, to maximize reviews. Download now by searching “Get Been” in the app store!
Dark Sky
iOS ($3.99) + Android (free)
This down-to-the-minute weather app is perfect for traveling due to it’s hyperlocal, state-of-the-art forecast technology that alerts users when it will rain, snow or sleet, down to the minute at their exact location. Users can also set up customizable weather notifications to alert them of dangerous conditions nearby, or if they just want to know when it is going to rain, for how long, and how much. Whether you’re on a long drive, or planning to stay a few days, Dark Sky can help you plan ahead and never get caught in inclement weather while traveling. Dark Sky is available in the US, UK and Ireland.
Here WeGo
iOS + Android (free)
Some people still don’t remember the route to their in-laws house no matter how many times they’ve taken the drive. Rather than wasting all your data getting directions to your travel destination, use Here WeGo. This app provides detailed turn-by-turn directions for over 100 different countries that you can download and access offline, making it a great app to help avoid data fees. Here WeGo also offers directions for various forms of transportation, including car, bike or public transportation and updates prices, traffic conditions, where to park, for any drive. Here WeGo operates in 1300+ cities around the world, in North America, Europe, Australia and more!
Gas Buddy
iOS + Android (free)
When you’re traveling to unfamiliar territory it’s helpful to have the inside scoop. Gas Buddy uses your GPS location to find the cheapest gas around to ensure you get the most for dollar when traveling. From gas insights and money-saving tips, to user-submitted station reviews and awesome road trip guides, Gas Buddy is right beside you on your journeys. Plus, this app offers user incentives like raffles and prizes when you report gas prices on the app. Who doesn’t like extra presents under the tree? Gas price data is available in US, Canada and Australia only.
Hopper
iOS + Android (free)
Predict. Watch. Buy. Fly. If you plan to travel by plane this holiday season you have to check out the award-winning mobile app, Hopper. This app has big data predictive algorithms that help to users find the best time to buy a plane ticket for any date and destination. Users can watch specific travel options and the app will advise you when the best time to book is. Hopper’s insightful predictions consistently perform with 95% accuracy, and the real humans behind Hopper can help you with your booking. With no ads, spam or popups, Hopper helps travelers choose when to fly and buy to get the lowest fares. You might end up saving enough money for a seat upgrade!
