Useful Apps For Planning Trips and During Travel

5 min readJan 15, 2018

I wouldn’t call myself a pro traveler. I have learned (and continue to learn) a lot of things the hard way. Seems to be the only way I really learn anything.

Combining my life stumbles with my organizational experience and collaboration tools I use for my career, I’ve developed some different planning habits and gained experience with different apps while traveling that have made my experience easier and better. Below is a list of just some of my favorite go-to’s and tips.

Google Apps

Google Maps

I stumbled upon this feature after taking an online supply chain management course that required students to plot locations of different warehouses and share them with the instructor. Now I use it to plot out restaurants, monuments and other locations of interest.

I usually start off with plotting the airport and accommodations. Google Maps lets you color code and add custom icons (if you are so inclined). Once you get some dots on a map, it’s pretty easy to plan a day based on all the spots in a general area.

Another added bonus, is it is super easy to share with friends if they ever ask you for recommendations!

Google Docs

If you have a travel buddy who loves to plan, Google Docs makes it very easy to work simultaneously. The commenting feature allows you to call out action items and follow ups.

Condensing all your travel info and printing it out before a trip will save you some frustration when you are lost and can’t find a wi-fi spot. Some info I make sure to add to my travel itinerary:

flight numbers and times
accommodation addresses and contact phone numbers
general agenda with phone numbers and addresses
nearest embassy information
contact numbers for loved ones from home (because if my cell ever died I would have zero numbers memorized except for my house land line from high school)

Again, if people ever ask for recommendations, this is an easy document you can share.

Public Transportation

Google Maps

I know I’m really doing the hard sell on Google. But sharing all my personal information and whereabouts in exchange for metro ETAs and walking times is a sacrifice I am willing to make. In big cities like London and Paris, Google Maps tells you the name of the station, what trains to take, train times, etc. Eventually I got the hang of reading the metro maps in the tunnels and trains and didn’t rely on my phone as a crutch every time I needed to get somewhere. Although I may or may not have taken the tube in the wrong direction for like … two stops. Mind the gap.

Another nice feature of Google Maps is it also allows you to save a region locally to your cellphone so it’s not necessary to have wi-fi to get around.

Local Metro Apps

Do a little research ahead of time, to see if the city you are visiting has invested in a metro app. London for example now has an Oyster app that lets you reload your card as well:
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/ways-to-pay/tfl-oyster-app

Feel Out The Ride Share Vibe

Finally, do some research on the ride share vibe if it is available. Some cities have issues with ride sharing apps and strikes can be common. The morning I was supposed to catch a flight back home from Barcelona, I woke up to a taxi strike. Nothing like the panic of scrambling to get to the airport on time along with at least a hundred other angry privileged tourists trying to cram into a bus while accusing each other of cutting.

In the rain.

But that’s a story for a different day.

Language

When I travel somewhere that speaks a different language, even if they do speak English as well, I like to pick up some basics to get around. In general, I find people appreciate that you take the time and make the effort. Before a trip I like to memorize at least the following:

Hello, Good Morning, Good Night
Thank you
Please
I’m sorry
I don’t understand. Do you speak English?

Google Translate

Google Translator let’s you save languages locally to your cell phone so you can still translate without wi-fi. Recently their instant translation feature supports offline translations as well. Hover over a menu item or sign and your phone translates it for you!

Grab An AudioBook From The Library

Our Cleveland public library system uses an app called “Libby”. Hook it up to your library card and branch and you get access to online audio books and ebooks. Our library usually has major languages like French, Spanish and others ready to download with no wait. I personally have found the Mango Passport Audiobooks to be really great.

Instagram For Restaurants

So I’m pretty sure restaurants have caught on to Trip Advisor.

Welcome patrons. Give free shot of Limoncello.
Feed patrons. Give free shot of Limoncello.
Share check. Give free shot of Limoncello.
Drop the “Hey will you give us a good rating on Trip Advisor” while pouring another free shot of Limoncello and handing you the little Trip Advisor branded card with short link.

Now I’m not saying don’t give me free Limoncello.

Just to be clear.

I just have learned to scrutinize the restaurant reviews on that website. Lately what I like to do is look at the tagged photos tab of restaurants I’m interested in. Places always like to put their best foot forward with imagery and messaging. Having other people tag the photos gives you a better feel for what to expect.

Social Media For Safety

When traveling, sh*t happens. I was in London during an attack last year. Although I had an international plan, I couldn’t consistently send or receive messages on my plan for at least a day after it happened.

If you have a wi-fi spot, using social media to share your status can alleviate the worry of loved ones back at home. One nifty feature is located in the messaging app WhatsApp. You can easily share your location to family members if they are concerned or if you get seperated while traveling with your friends.