The best apps to download for your next road trip
Photo Tamas Tuzes Katai /Unsplash
Like many people we have something of a love-hate relationship with our phones. We hate the distraction that they cause drivers, but we do love the convenience they provide when it comes to planning and enjoying a road trip.
Here are the apps that we’d recommend you download before your next adventure, use them wisely.
Best for navigation
What Waze does best is jam dodging. Using people power to report holdups the app the app will always try to route you on the fastest way to your destination. We also like the speed limit and camera warnings and the built-in speedometer (very handy in old cars with inaccurate instruments). It’s not perfect for building complex routes with multiple waypoints, however, so if you do want to build a more scenic route the Google Maps is a better option. Google has also just introduced a low-carbon route option in the USA and will be bringing it to Europe. This feature avoids traffic and hills wherever possible to minimise emissions.
Download Waze for iPhone / Download Waze for Android
Download Google Maps for iPhone / Download Google Maps for Android
Best for music
Want to build your ultimate road trip playlist? Then Spotify is probably your best bet. You can collaborate with friends to create the soundtrack for your journey, press play and drive.
Download Spotify for iPhone / Download Spotify for Android
Best for booking accommodation on the go
While there’s a lot to be said for planning ahead and setting a destination for each day, one of the joys of road tripping is spontaneity. We’ve relied on the Booking.com app all over the world to find last minute stays in hotels, apartments and even a strange sort of converted shed somewhere in the frozen north of Sweden.
Download Booking.com for iPhone / Download Booking.com for Android
Best for finding fuel
On a long haul drive there’s always that time when the fuel gauge is edging into the red and the anxiety sets it. Navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps can, of course, route you to the nearest petrol station, but they won’t be thinking of your wallet. So if you’re looking to keep costs down then an app like PetrolPrices.com for the UK or GasBuddy for the USA will help you find the lowest price fuel nearby.
Download PetrolPrices.com for iPhone / Download PetrolPrices.com for Android
Download GasBuddy for iPhone / Download GasBuddy for Android
Best for discovering quirky pitstops
If you’re going on a good ol’ American Odyssey then you need to download Roadside America to discovery all of the oddball attractions along the way. The app even rates each unusual attraction so you can tune out the ordinary and focus on the weird and wacky.