Best Apps to Use For Your Next Roadtrip

Whether it's a trip back home or exploring the Wild West, make sure your smartphone is riding shotgun. Smartphones have revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Long gone are the days where you have to print out directions prior to hitting your necessary drive-through for snacks. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by our iPhones and Androids, making road trips infinitely easier. Whether you need a road trip planner to map out your next journey or an app to find a way around a traffic jam, we’ve got you covered. The Edge has rounded up eight of the niftiest road trip apps that will make your next adventure a whole lot easier. 

Road trip apps help ensure you don’t let the views pass you by along the way. Photo by Claudia Hedrick.

1. Roadtrippers

One of the most essential apps for any road trip, Roadtrippers is the ultimate travel planning resource for anyone embarking on a driving vacation. It's especially useful for travelers who have a clear starting point and ending point, but aren't quite sure what routes to take, which cities to stop in, and what to see along the way. You just punch in point A and point B, and Roadtrippers will give you all of the best options for getting from one to the other along with recommendations of hotels, restaurants, roadside attractions, national parks and more. The app is free, but to enjoy all the bells and whistles, you’ll want to upgrade to Roadtrippers Plus for $29.99 a year. Available on iOS and Android.

2. Waze

While this might seem like a given, Waze will be your best friend on the road. With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, Waze will have you navigating new cities like a local. No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline your experience while helping you get to where you want to go. 

3. GasBuddy

If you've ever been on a road trip, you already know the story: You've been driving for hours, you're in an unfamiliar area miles away from a big city, and you suddenly realize the gas indicator is dangerously close to empty. Do you veer off to the first rest stop you see, or wait it out and hope for something less expensive a few miles ahead? Thanks to Gas Buddy, you can make a decision without any internal dilemma. The free app helps drivers find the cheapest gas stations, so you never pay more than you have to when filling up your tank. You can also help other drivers by entering gas prices as you travel, or use the app to find the closest gas station and nearby parking.

4. Roadside America

From the Prada Marfa to Salvation Mountain, what’s a road trip without quirky stops along the way? Roadside America enhances your road trip by mapping out all of the bizarre, and one-of-a-kind attractions along the route. The app costs $2.99 and includes full field reports of hundreds of attractions organized by city, state, province, and category. Don’t miss out; a fun attraction could be a short detour away.

5. Spotify

Some of the most memorable road trip moments likely involve turning the music up and belting out to your favorite song with the open road in front of you. The Spotify app will let you enjoy all your favorite songs and artists. The app is free to download and use if you don't mind the occasional ad, but you can also upgrade to a premium version for uninterrupted tunes. This music streaming service is ideal when your playlist runs out, you’ll be gifted with tunes curated from the current selection, meaning you don’t have to stick to shuffle or tamper with your phone on the move. 

6. HotelTonight

Even if you’ve planned out all your stops, some nights, you might just need an unanticipated night off, obviously requiring a place to crash.  HotelTonight is a free app that allows you to make same-day reservations by finding nearby deals for rooms that would otherwise be empty. The options range from luxury resorts to boutique bed and breakfasts. With HotelTonight, you’ll spend less time planning and more time living.

7. The Dryt

If camping under the stars is more your speed, you’ll want to download The Dyrt, a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the United States. Campers post reviews and photos of the sites, so you can always choose the prime places to stay.

8. Tripit

Tripit is a free and easy-to-use travel planning and itinerary organizing app typically used more by frequent fliers. But road trippers can use the Tripit app or website to plan a trip complete with hotel, dining, and shopping stops. Whenever you book a hotel, dinner reservation, car rental, or some type of transit, just forward the confirmation email to Tripit and it will automatically be stored inside the app, so your entire itinerary is easily accessible in one location. What a treat to avoid frantically searching a cluttered inbox for all the necessities.

Let us know @theedgemag if you use any of these apps on your next roadtrip!