Mobile apps and Wi-Fi are ubiquitous in our daily routines, and this need only increases when we’re on a trip somewhere new. How else do we know what to wear before stepping outside, find a daytime hotel room to recharge in, surf unsecured networks without worry, or communicate in a language that we don’t speak?
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of seven awesome apps that’ll keep your 2018 adventure moving. Bonus: most of these apps are free!
Google Translate
A trusted companion for seasoned travelers, Google Translate is key when you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language. Sure, having an in-depth conversation with someone will likely be a challenge, if not downright taxing, but transactional interactions abound. Whether you’re looking for the best thing to eat on the menu, ordering that latte you’ve been craving all day, or asking for directions to the local flea market, you’ll be able to push through the language barrier. Google Translate also lets you save languages offline, so your newfound communication skills won’t be tied to the nearest Wi-Fi signal.
Weather Live
Is there anything more banal than having a conversation about the weather, especially when it’s undoubtedly gorgeous or painfully frigid? Instead of verbalizing the obvious, prepare for the unknown. Knowing what the weather will be like without having to turn on a television or ask someone else (who may not even be correct) is essential for adventurers in unfamiliar places, particularly ones with unpredictable eco climates.
Weather Live is graphically beautiful, available in 20 languages, and shows detailed 24-hour and 7-day forecasts. It also offers in-depth weather stats, like dew point, “feels like” temperature, wind speed, wind direction, sunrise/sunset, Fahrenheit/Celsius, and more.
Free on Android and iOS w/in-app purchase options
HotelsByDay
Whether you’re a businessperson needing to prep before an important meeting, a spontaneous traveler looking to recharge for an afternoon, or you’re on your way out of town looking to extend checkout before a late flight, HotelsByDay lets you do so in luxury hotels at discounted rates. The best part is that you don’t have to book far in advance. Using the mobile booking app, secure your luxury daytime hotel room with three taps. You don’t even need a credit card upon booking. How easy is that?
Google Trips
If you’re the type who gets as much enjoyment out of planning a trip as you do traveling, a solid itinerary app should most certainly be in your travel arsenal. Google Trips offers a simple interface while integrating with your Gmail account, so you have all your travel information in one place. For those traveling abroad or to remote locations, it also works offline.
XE Currency
Forget about getting gouged at the airport currency exchange or places preying on unaware foreigners needing some local cash. XE currency offers live up-to-the-minute rates for every world currency and even precious metals.
When you don’t have internet but still want to get an idea of the current exchange rates, you can stay in the loop by viewing prices from the last time you had Wi-Fi. XE Currency tracks up to ten currencies at a time with the free version. If you’re a baller and need to keep tabs on more than 10 coinages, there’s a pro version as well.
Free on iOS and Android, XE Currency Pro available for additional features
Journey
We all want records of our adventures. We take pictures, write in journals, and buy souvenirs as a means of recording our travels. But what about merely describing what’s around us, what we’re doing, how we’re feeling, and whom we’re meeting? It’s the granular details that make a trip truly memorable. Sure, we could record audio on our phone, take pictures, jot down some spur-of-the-moment thoughts, but we can’t make them cohesive and beautiful without manual effort. That’s where Journey comes in—integrating your photos, journal entries, and the places you’ve been so you can easily relive all your adventures.
Journey’s also passcode accessible, syncs with the cloud, and is compatible with multiple platforms—so what you documented by phone during the day can be added to with your computer at night. If you want to get a hard copy of your moments, you can export to .zip archive and print to PDF. Can you say instant beautiful travelogue?
Free on iOS and Android w/in-app purchase options
NordVPN
Any on-the-go adventurer is likely using public Wi-Fi while traveling. When that internet surfing turns to personal tasks like checking email, logging into your bank account, and looking at your social media profiles, the last thing you want is to be on a public Wi-Fi network without a VPN. Nord allows you to access over 2,600 remote servers in 60 countries, connect up to six devices at a time and has no bandwidth limit. Pretty neat, eh?
On iOS and Android via various subscription models. 30-day money-back guarantee.
P.S. Per Nord’s website, they’re offering a 2-year subscription for $3.29/mo.
Be sure to keep checking the HotelsByDay blog to get the latest scoop on travel tips, itineraries, and luxury daytime hotel rooms you won’t want to leave!
