Reviews of the top 5 travel itinerary apps for todays travel adventures.
1. Google Maps – The main feature with Google Apps is the interactive map. You Simply plug your destination in, choose your method of travel from vehicle, walking or biking and a map populates giving you a time frame and route to your destination . You can also add in additional stops along your route for site seeing. Once your map is created, you have the ability to save it and share with fellow travels. If you need some suggestions for a certain location you can click a list of categories within Food and Drink, Things to Do, Shopping and Services and they will populate on your map, then allowing you to add them as one of your stops. You can also check out the Explore icon to see what other travelers are doing and ranking within your searched area. Google Maps allows you to get to your destination with ease making it predictable and an absolute necessity when traveling.
2. Expedia – In order to get to a destination, Expedia offers top searches for flights, cars, hotels, packages and things to do all in one app. You can search for flights by price, duration or airline. The app works with most major airlines and hotels to get you the best price and path to get you to your destination. It also saves the information inside the app so you don’t have to go searching elsewhere for the details, a necessity on travel day. The user then has the ability to email friends and family their itinerary as well as add on car rentals and things to do such as activities and tours. Not sure where you want to go? Expedia provides inspiration by suggesting ideas for you next trip. You can search by your type of vacation from beach packages to city tours and urban exploration.
3. Daytipper – Once you have your destination set, Daytipper app allows you to custom build an itinerary around your specific interests. You simply enter the city you are visiting or a specific address, site or attraction. You then choose from a list of categories that you would like included in your itinerary for the day such as coffee and tea, dining, shopping, nature and parks, arts and entertainment, breweries, good for kids, nightlife and more. Once your categories are chosen, the app offers suggestions within those categories so you further customize. You can scroll through, read reviews and descriptions and look at downloaded images from other travelers choosing the way point that suits your needs. Points of interest can be set to a specific radius to ensure you stay within a particular section of a city if you are walking; or if you are traveling by car you can pick a milage radius so you don’t veer too far from your route. The user has the ability to rearrange and adjust each stop which then updates the map and timeline accordingly. Daytipper allows you to create customized itineraries personalized to you! The app also allows you to save your itinerary and share with friend. There is no need to pay for the fees of a tour guide when you have DayTrpper app The app is free and at full capabilities once the user is registered.
4. Tripadvisor – Tripadvisor uses ratings and reviews from fellow travelers to give you the highest rankings of hotels, restaurants and things to do in a specific area. Once you know your location, you can enter it and search for dining and points of interest. The app allows you to read reviews, good and bad, from all other travelers who have had an opinion over the years. Images are also loaded by reviewers to give you a visual perspective of the restaurant or site firsthand. In the most recent version, the app added a planning button. You can simply place a heart by each of your top points of interest, save them inside the app and then also share them with friends or family. After entering your location, a map is generated which highlights nearby attractions and restaurants giving you a perspective of where you are and what is in the nearby vicinity for your next stop. Integration with Maps and Google Maps allows the user to choose their preference and get to their destination with ease. The app is a free download making it a great option for travelers.
5. AllTrails – Alltrails is an app for the traveler who is also an outdoor enthusiast. Alltrails allows you to search for trails in a certain area or by using your location services if you choose. Trails encompass a wide range of activities, and the search categories range from hiking, road biking, trail running, off road driving, camping, bird watching, horse back riding, fishing, mountain biking, rock climbing and more. You can see the distance of each trail and the estimated time it takes to complete. Reviews, descriptions, and images are posted by fellow adventurers and if they are recent allow you to read about the current condition of the path. Once you have your trail picked out, you can simply click directions and choose between Maps or Google Maps to get you to your destination. Alltrails is a free app with the feature to upgrade for an annual service fee of $35.99/year. This subscription includes navigation on the trail, the ability to download and print the trail map and then also finding trails by proximity to your location.
Nicole Sennett - Daytrip Expert