The Best Apps for Traveling Abroad
If you land in a foreign city and have to rent a car could you find your way from the airport to your hotel? Once you get there could you speak the language of the natives? Order the right dishes in your restaurant of choice? The good news is that even if you don’t know how to do these things right now, there’s a good chance that a mobile app exists that will help. From the apps that provide us with the maps to get around to the apps that help us speak in a foreign language, traveling abroad has never been easier. Here are some of the best apps that I found are helpful if you’re planning to travel abroad.
Google Maps
Part of traveling is getting lost. It’s part of the adventure. However, at a certain point, you need to get to where you want to go. When it’s time for that, pull up the Google Maps app. This handy app lays out the terrain no matter where you go. This app is valuable because of its various features, which includes traffic updates and 360-degree street views. Don’t navigate the world without it.
SayHi Translate
When traveling abroad, it sometimes feels like your ears don’t work and your eyes can’t read. If you are not multilingual, then it makes sense to get a translation app. With SayHi Translate, all you need to do is to speak into your phone and your words get translated back to you in your language of choice. It may not make you sound like a native, but it can help communicate when it’s needed.
Peace of Mind in the Car
If there’s one thing you don’t want as a result of traveling abroad, it’s for your auto insurance coverage to go up. Concentrating on foreign roads and foreign signs is stressful. In some countries, like Great Britain, you don’t even drive on the same side of the road, opening up the possibility that you could be doing a lot of swerving and avoiding. So if you’re planning to rent a car in a foreign country it’s best to become familiar with the driving laws for that region.
One of the best apps, specific to Europe, is the Driving in Europe app. This app keeps you informed of possible toll roads, regulations concerning speed limits, and other information that’s specific to the region you may be traveling through. With this app, you can navigate without fear of violating the law, which will significantly decrease your transportation stress.
Amount
Another consideration to think about when traveling is that units of measurements are not the same across the globe. It can be especially difficult when dealing with money. You don’t want to misinterpret prices or sizes. Thankfully, the Amount app is designed to answer currency and unit conversion questions at the push of a button, so to speak. Convert currency, cooking times and temperatures, clothing, and other units with this app, that way you can avoid any major mishaps.
Seat Alerts
When traveling, it’s important to be comfortable. For me, this especially applies to the airplane situation. However, you may not always be able to get your ideal seat on the plane. That’s why I like this app, that’s a little more specific to selective traveler. Seat Alerts will give you a heads up when the seat that you want opens up on your flight. This allows you notification when you can call your Airline and ask for the switch. This can help ensure that your seating situation is enjoyable and that you can meet whatever transportation needs you may have.
Like a Local and Foodspotting
If your big goal is to go native when you travel, you’ll want to download these two apps. Foodspotting connects you with real reviews from real customers. If you really want to know if that chicken dish in that small restaurant in Italy is delicious, there’s a good chance this app has a review of it done by someone who’s actually eaten the dish.
Think Like a Local is the app you want if you want to hit some of the local hot spots around town. The reviews of these places come from the locals. If it’s a cool nightclub you want to dance in or an interesting place to shop, try this app.
Final Thoughts on Travel Apps
Mobile technology and mobile apps, specifically, have changed the way people travel, it’s certainly changed that way that I travel. These are just a few apps that I’ve used in my travels that combine all the handiest features needed to make traveling abroad as stress free as possible.
They cover a variety of traveling needs, like navigating foreign towns, finding suitable restaurants, and communicating in foreign languages. Traveling should be a enjoyable experience, and chance for discovery and growth. Technology can help in that experience. Next time you’re planning to travel, I’d highly recommend looking into these traveling apps to help you on your journey.
