Memorial Day weekend. It's the gateway to summertime and a promising chance to get in a long weekend of affordable relaxation.
Easier said than done, right?
Lucky for you, we’ve scouted 10 apps every parent should download before buckling in. From playing the best audio books to scouting engaging pit stops, these apps will fend off any whispers of, “Are we there yet?”.
Make every stop count
Roadtrippers is a website and mobile app (iOS & Android) that helps travelers plan road trips and discover all the cool places along the way. With over eight million places on the platform, you can find the local’s favorite “breakfast spot” off the exit, “weird stuff” nearby, or every national park within 30 miles of your route. You can also book hotels as you go and keep everyone in the loop by collaborating on a trip itinerary or sharing plans with friends / family.
GasBuddy
Find a gas station anywhere, anytime with GasBuddy’s reliable and free app. It’s not just a safety net either. GasBuddy scours nearby gas prices to surface the cheapest option, so you can save a few bucks without going out of your way.
Entertainment
For the old-school families who still believe in the power of audio for inducing back-seat sleep, we’ve got two game-changers. Audible has long mastered the audiobook game. Choose from over 180,000 titles to download and keep the whole family on the edge of their seat with wonderful stories. If you’re taking turns behind the wheel, then we love the app’s new feature which allows Kindle readers to switch seamlessly between reading and listening.
And if you’re a podcast junky (on Android!), Pocket Casts downloads your favorite podcasts so you can get some new talking points before the family dinner off-line and off-the-record.
If you need a place to juice up on stories without ripping through your data, then WiFi Finder (iOSand Android) is the best way we know of to nail the nearest wi-fi hotspot. If you think it’s ironic to use an app to find a place where other apps can run for free, just know this little guy thrives in dead-zones with offline maps available to download before you get back on the highway.
Road Conditions
We all have our favorites, but when it comes to road travel we’re all about WeatherSphere’s “Essential Weather Bundle”. This app collection includes RadarCast, which gives hourly updates on weather patterns including how long your wipers will need to work and keeps us on our toes with instant push notifications when you’re headed into a storm.
Parking
Where did your mother-in-law really park? What level were you on again? Dude Where’s my Car? has the answer. It’s one less thing to worry about when the Christmas Movie at the mall gets out later than we expected...
Stay the night
Hotel Tonight’s mobile app is simple and direc; find and book classy and convenient hotels last-minute. With Hotel Tonight, you can find hotels, confirm your booking, and be reminded of check-in and check-out times on your phone or watch.
Dine out
Make your night away from the kids count with Open Table’s hugely popular app, finding a reservation for the group and sharing plans with every car in the caravan. For some extra flair, hit the Watch App store and keep the grumbling tummies in-the-know with vibrating notifications anytime your reservation changes.
Beyond the road trip
If the road trip just one part of your holiday adventure, TripIt is our recommendation for consolidating all your travel plans into one place. From hotels to tours to rental car pickups, you won’t miss a beat forwarding along confirmation emails and tickets to their itinerary app.
