It’s no secret that traveling is one of my favorite hobbies – and to that point, I have a slew of my favorite travel apps that actually can make planning trips a whole lot easier!
From visits home to Texas, to backpacking western Europe, these five apps have proven to be incredibly helpful. Sharing in hopes that they can make things a little more convenient for any travel plans you have in the works!
Airbnb // Eric and I love using Airbnb when we travel. It’s an instant way to dive into the culture and local spaces of the place we’re visiting.
If you’re not familiar, Airbnb let’s people across the world put their homes, apartment, or even one of their rooms up for rent as a place for travelers to stay. The accommodations range in uniqueness, interaction with host, and amount of guests that can be accommodated.
We used Airbnb throughout Europe last summer, even twice during our week in Paris! Our first spot had the most beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower, and the second was in the cute little neighborhood of Montmartre. Our host in this second space treated us to some much needed Mexican food at the taco shop he owned. His grandmother’s salsa recipe from Guadalajara served as the main inspiration behind it all.
Find Friends // Now this one is more just for fun. On iPhones you can share your location with family, friends, and vice versa. Find Friends pulls in the locations of those who have shared their location with you and drops it on a big map.
Last summer, when friends were traveling across the globe, it was so cool to see where everyone was. It’s also just a good way to make sure people you’re with get home safe once you split up.
Skyscanner // This app gauges prices for flights to a certain destination, in a specific time frame. You can enter in airports and dates, and it will list prices for flights available in order from cheapest to most expensive. There are filters for flight times, airlines, cost, etc. to help narrow your search.
I never solely go off Skyscanner, because it doesn’t incorporate any deals or sales on the market for the airlines shown. Instead, it serves as a great starting point to feel things out and decide what the next bit of research should be.
Hopper // I love Hopper. It’s like a friend that checks on flight prices every day so you don’t have to.
Hopper shows you a calendar with color coded days, letting you know when flights are the most expensive. You can then select dates you’re interested in flying on, the respective destinations, and Hopper will set up an alert.
These alerts pop up every couple days letting you know the lowest flight prices currently available for your trip, and the direction to purchase now or hang tight since lower prices are predicted. Eric and I have definitely been able to snag some great deals thanks to Hopper’s notifications!
Viber // Viber is a must for any traveler wanting to keep in touch with loved ones back home. Eric and I had our phones in airplane mode for the whole month we were in Europe. This app lets you call, video call, and text for free when connected to wifi abroad.
We used Viber to video call our families from Dublin on the first night in Europe and the night we got engaged in Paris. We texted them daily. Viber has come in handy with friends being abroad too. Basically, this app can help bring peace of mind and means no one has to stop talking just because they’re across the globe!
Man, all this travel talk has me wanting to dash off to plan a couple getaways for next year. Any favorite travel apps of your own I’m missing on this list?? Share ’em in the comments, friends!
