Don't leave home without them.
By Christina Tynan-Wood, FamilyCircle
It used to be that traveling almost always meant consulting the
concierge at my hotel—whether to deal with logistics or for inside info
about how to make the most of limited time. Now he or she gets a smile,
maybe a quick wave, but I breeze right by the desk. I know where I’m
headed and what to do when I get there, because my smartphone is loaded
with apps that can capably find clean, well-priced accommodations,
coordinate transportation and help me live like a clever local. In other
words, I’m sure that concierge is a hardworking individual. But I’m all
good.
Tripit: The gratis version syncs with your
calendar and stores travel documents all in one place, both helpful. But
a $49 upgrade (billed annually) significantly ups the ante, with
real-time flight alerts, fare refund notifications and an ad-free app
experience, for starters. In a word: invaluable. Android, iOS and
Windows Phone, free. Tripit.com
Glympse: When parents and teenagers have different
travel agendas, they can track each other via an onscreen map and then
reconnect at will. Android, iOS and Windows Phone, free. Glympse.com
Hopper: It’s the Big Question that plagues anyone
looking to book a flight: Bite the bullet and buy now or wait a day, or a
week, in hopes of scoring a better deal? Stop stressing. Just input
your plans and this app will tell you exactly when to book to get the
best price, based on more data than any one person could compute. iOS,
free. Hopper.com
HotelTonight: Hit the road now, worry about where to
sleep later. You’ll get the best price—at the last minute, exactly
where you are—with this app. If a specific property you have an eye on
seems too spendy, use the Track It feature to receive an instant alert
when the price goes down. Android, iOS and Windows Phone, free. Hoteltonight.com
KOA: Skip the tent—many of the 485 privately owned
Kampgrounds of America in the U.S. and Canada offer cabins or Airstream
trailers that fit an entire family and even a pet. Search availability
and book at your convenience. Android and iOS, free. Koa.com
Roadtrippers: Plug
in your trip details to get apprised of local hot spots and happenings,
without ever having to pore through a freebie area newspaper. Android
and iOS, free. Roadtrippers.com
My Disney Experience: The future is now at Walt
Disney World parks, where web-based tool My Magic+ allows for seamless
vacation planning. Colorful MagicBands (worn at the wrist) with embedded
radio-frequency technology sync with the app to let you enter the
parks, redeem FastPasses, pay for meals and much more. Android and iOS,
free. Disneyworld.disney.go .com/plan/my-disney- experience/mobile-apps
Zipcar: For urban destinations, the conventional
wisdom is to skip the rental car and take public transport. Sign up for
Zipcar anyway and download the app. If you do need an auto, tap to
locate one nearby, take care of the details, then unlock it with your
phone. Membership starts at $7 per month. Android and iOS, free. Zipcar.com
Lyft: Instead of walking aimlessly to find a cab,
locate nearby background-checked drivers using the app’s map on your
phone. Hail with a tap. Android and iOS, free. Lyft.com
Ship Mate Cruise App: Among numerous cool
features, cruisers can connect with fellow passengers—and their shared
photos—through social media. Hooked in with lines including Disney,
Royal Caribbean, Princess, Carnival and Norwegian. Android and iOS,
free. Shipmateapp.com
