’Appy Driving: 5 Apps to Ease Your Long Holiday Drive
You’ve been warned time and again.
If you’re driving this holiday season, don’t expect to get anywhere fast. Luckily, we have our smartphones to ease the pain.
But with all the travel apps available, you’re probably wondering which apps are worth your downloading time. Consider these five travel apps, which have landed on several reputable recommended lists this year.
For those traveling with a carload of kids:
Road Trip Scavenger Hunt (99 cents, iOS)
If you’re traveling with a carload of kids, this might be the best 99 cents you’ll spend. Reviewers say it has kept kids happy and content in the backseat for hours.
Keep the kids occupied with this scavenger hunt game.
Kids race to find items or words along your route. The app keeps track of kids’ scores, which is sure to minimize the bickering over who saw that grazing cow first. You can even skip an item if, say, you are driving through the city and there’s no cow in sight. This app is recommended by family-oriented websites such as babble.com and education.com.
For the bargain hunter
GasBuddy (free, iOS, Android)
We are seeing the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2007, but you’re a bargain hunter by nature so that doesn’t stop you from seeking out the lowest of the low.
Sure, gas prices are low. But you are on a mission.
Find the cheapest prices along your route with GasBuddy. This app is a mainstay on many travel app recommendation lists.
For the traffic obsessed
Trapster (free, iOS).
Combine forces with other travelers to stay one step ahead of traffic.
Avoid speed traps and roadblocks with info from fellow drivers.
A worldwide community of more than 21 million drivers work together to alert each other by reporting traffic jams, speed traps, accidents, construction zones, and more. This app was ranked among the five best car apps by autoworldnews.com.
For the hungry traveler:
Viator (free, iOS, Android).
Hungry? Foodies are loving Viator, which offers a database of more than 1,300 culinary outings around the world, along with exclusive deals, low-price guarantees, and more than 600,000 user reviews and photos.
After you book, you can access a paperless voucher from the app or add it directly to your iPhone’s Passbook. But this app is about more than food. Find recommended tour and activity providers, get VIP treatment at venues, and more.Travel + Leisure listed this app on its list of “Best New Food Apps and Websites’’ this year.
For those who need to find a rest area, like, NOW
RoadNinja (free, iOS and Android).
Driving on an unfamiliar road and longing to make a pit stop? RoadNinja gives you a detailed list of the amenities at each exit on the highway.
You can filter to do a custom search for, say, gas, lodging, or food. This app was named among Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best Apps for Road Trips’’ this year.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com