If you’re like most 21st century travelers, you keep a range of helpful apps in your smartphone. You may have game apps and apps that play your favorite music. What about travel apps? If you plan to visit a new city, you’ll want a few of those, too. In the interest of enlightened explorations, we are pleased to tell you about a few must-have travel apps that deserve to be on your device.
Getting around a new town
Whether you are traveling for business or strictly for fun, you’ll probably want to know about interesting things to do and see in any new city. A tidy little app called Nearify can offer good advice about what to do, how to get there, and things to notice along the way. Browse local events, or tell the app the sort of activities that interest you. Nearify can send you to a comedy show, a music concert, or a delicious dining experience. Program the app to send you alerts, and you’ll never miss an event, says the Gizmodo field guide.
Once you’ve determined your destination, use travel apps to find out which venues are nearby. You’ll want to make up your own mind, of course, but customer reviews such as those found on Yelp can be quite helpful when it comes to choosing restaurants, nightclubs, and tours.
Live like a local
Don’t overlook the free apps that came with your Apple or Windows smartphone. iOS and Android each offer savvy navigation and worthwhile to-do recommendations, as well. Say you’re staying at the Marriott Conference Hotel in Towson. Input your location and ask your friendly digital navigator to show you what’s happening nearby.
Curated by residents in dozens of cities, SpottedByLocals is designed to keep you away from tourist traps. Download a guide to the city you wish to explore, and use it to find local nightspots, underground entertainment, offbeat eateries, and other hidden gems. SpottedByLocals costs a few bucks for each city guide, but once it’s installed, you can use it offline. This feature can spare you plenty in roaming charges, advises Mashable.
Stay fit in any city you visit
Say you want to go for a run on your first morning in a new place. Great idea, but finding a great path can be complicated. Download and install the RunGo app, and it will tell you about nearby running routes that offer scenery along with your morning jog. If you find a path that pleases, you may upload the news and share your secret with the rest of the running world. Free for Android and iOS, RunGo is a must-have for health conscious travelers.
Before you go, read several issues of the newspaper in the city you intend to visit. The more you understand about a metropolitan area, the better your explorations will be. Find out what the people who live there are up to, and plan your itinerary accordingly.
