I’m back in Chicago now and realized a post on the apps I used heavily while on vacation would be a perfect way to wrap-up this leg of summer vacation. There are so many apps out there, it can be hard to weed through them. I’ve tried a lot of different ones over the years and I find these are the best apps for travel. And honestly, my friends in Boston were constantly teasing me for my use of an app for everything. But really, why stress about any situation when an app can simply solve it? No thank you.

The Best Apps for Travel:

AccuWeather - When on vacation you need to know what the day’s weather is going to be. Often you need an hour-by-hour to figure out if it is a beach day, a touring day, or a stay in and read kind of day. I think this weather app the best because it gives an hour-by-hour forecast, which I’ve found to be really accurate. (Accurate down to the minute the rain will begin.) Not only can you get the actual temperature but you can also get the RealFeel temp, which personally I find so much more important, as well as the chance for precipitation. It also gives the forecast for 10 days at a glance.

Yelp - I use this exclusively for finding great restaurants on the go. Last week, for example, I went hiking in New Hampshire. After the climb up and down Mt. Monadnock we wanted to find someplace with great burgers and crisp cold beer. As we loaded into the car, I pulled out the app, pulled up the local burger joints and we ended up at Lab & Lager, a small local pub that had some excellent sweet potato fries and really great beer. Just driving around would never have landed us there. (You can check out my Yelp account and reviews, if you’re so inclined. LOL)

Oyster - A friend of mine brought 15 books along with her on vacation. Her suitcase contained mostly books and a couple pieces of clothing. While I’m determined to read a lot on vacation too, I only brought one actual book with me. All the rest of the books I’m reading on Oyster. Yes, there are many reading apps you can download. I have at least 5 on my phone. But Oyster I like because for a monthly fee you get access to thousands of books. They have best sellers, old classics and everything in between. It doesn’t limit the number of books you can read in a given month - like some book services do. Not every book is free, there are some you can pay for, but there are more than enough free books to keep you busy during the entire summer. (Want a month free? Use this Oyster referral code.)

Waze - This is hands down the best map app I’ve tried. Each and every time it gives you the best and fastest route to your final destination. If you hit a traffic snag and there is a shorter way it will automatically reroute you. Plus, it warns you of police cars, traffic cameras, speed traps, construction, stalled cars, etc… The information is powered by fellow Waze users and I’ve yet to find a place in the USA that it doesn’t work really well. It’s worked even along the backroads of Cape Cod and in the foothills of VA.

CNN - Maybe it’s the journalist in me, but I need to stay up on the most important news items of the day, even while on vacation. While I have a lot of news apps on my phone I like this one the best because it sends push notifications only for the most pertinent news stories of the day. It also has a world-wide scope. And while it sends push notifications it does not blow up my phone with them, which I also appreciate on vacation. I want the basics but not to be overwhelmed.

Uber - When I don’t have a car, this is the only way I get around a city while on vacation. It is so much more reliable than so many taxi companies (at least that is true in NYC, Chicago and Boston). Plus it is nice not to have to worry about paying anyone. No need to swipe a card and work the awkward taxi payment methods. No need to worry about tips and the appropriate amount to leave your driver. It’s all done for you from the comfort of the app. Simple, easy - which is perfect for vacation. (Never used Uber before? Use the code katieh4253ue to get $20 off your first ride!)

Swarm - Okay, maybe this won’t help you have a better vacation but it will show your friends where you are and it will help you remember all the places you visited on your trip. This is the new generation of FourSquare - so you check in to the places you are at. This also gives you the chance to read short reviews by others who have visited the place. So if the bar has great fried pickles, you’ll learn that from fellow swarmers.