I think we can all agree that we yearn for travel more than ever before. Even if you were not the biggest fan of holiday adventures, now that we are deprived of such an opportunity we want it more than ever. But there is no need to get frustrated about the things that are out of our power (well, mostly) and start whining. I can share one sure way to spend time wisely while waiting for the quarantine measures to drop.
Well, first of all, can you answer the question: “What is better than a long dreamed holiday?” “Nothing” you might answer. But the truth is that sometimes planning your holiday can be as good as the trip itself (or even better).
And what do we do to plan our travel?
Book the hotel?
No, before that.
Apologize to the cat for leaving?
No, but that’s a good idea (even though it wouldn’t be fully appreciated on the cat’s side).
Download some apps on your phone?
Bingo!
Yeah, actually downloading travel apps beforehand might not only be useful, but it can also be lifesaving. So I have chosen 15 to save you the trouble of going through hundreds of them to choose the ones that are worth the space on your phone.
1. AwardWallet
AwardWallet tracks all your loyalty points (hotels, airlines, and others) and helps you find the best way to save money. It also manages your travel itinerary (that came as a surprise to me but it can actually transform booking confirmation emails into a personal travel plan).
2. Booking
Probably one of the most well-known apps to book hotels, but it doesn’t make it any worse. With the app, you can choose the property, filter the results and confirm the booking. Nothing jaw-dropping you would say, but I like the variety of filters/amount of offers ratio. So even if you are really picky, you will find something.
3. Airbnb
Airbnb is a booking service as well, but it is probably the one to go to when you want to find something unusual like a treehouse in the middle of the woods or, say, a church (why not?).
4. Travelzoo
Travelzoo helps you find the best deals on package tours, excursions, dinners, events, and other things. What I really like about it is that all these discounts are found by real people (you can actually see their names). Makes it more personal, you know.
5. Couchsurfing
If your purse strings are tied but the desire to visit new places is as strong as ever, Couchsurfing might be the way to go. It allows you to live rent-free at your host’s house. But everything comes at a price, and the price for free accommodation is apparently communication. So if you are an introvert, give it a second thought.
6. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a good flight search aggregator with a very friendly user interface and a lot of searching options. It is supposed to have the biggest choice of tickets available and I believe it.
7. Skiplagged
Skiplagged is yet another flight searching app, but it is renowned for its special flight searching algorithm which allows you to use layovers as final destination points, thus significantly reducing the price.
8. Tiqets
The app helps you get tickets to museums, galleries, events, and what not from the comfort of your own home.
9. Omio
Omio is a nice app to use for searching for bus and train tickets. The road map covers most parts of Western Europe and North America.
10. WiFi Map
I think the app becomes essential the minute you step out of your coverage zone. Because let’s face it, most apps will be simply useless without the internet connection and the roaming options might be complicated or blatantly expensive. So the Wi-Fi map can save the day (and it works offline, just in case you wonder).
11. Yelp
Good old Yelp needs no introduction I suppose. Being famous for the variety of its restaurant reviews, it takes it up a notch and provides you with info about a range of services from plumbing to law counseling.
12. Uber
You probably already have it on your phone, but if not, take your time to download it. It works in 85 countries, so there is a good chance that even when you are abroad you will get the service that you got used to at home.
13. HappyCow
It’s not easy being green, it’s not easy being a vegetarian. HappyCow takes care of the right restaurant choice for people who keep to a plant-based diet.
14. Meetup
If you feel lonely while on holiday why not meet some other like-minded people. Maybe you’ll make lifelong friends, maybe you’ll fall in love or just find a date for the evening.
15. Google Maps
Ok, I am not trying to reinvent the wheel and just stating the obvious but Google Maps is a must-have on your phone. It has so much information that I am not going to describe it. In case you have it, you already know it, in case you don’t, check out the app.