7 Travel Apps to Use On Vacation

Top 7 Apps to use During Your Vacation Pin
Pin it for Later!

It is such a magical moment when you step off the plane in a new destination and start your adventure! But even a perfectly planned, tailor-made adventure has some things you need to keep track of. And a few to figure out along the way (like where to grab a delicious gelato!) There are lots of tips, tricks, and apps out there about what to pack, how to plan, and where to go. But what about when you’re actually on the vacation? Whether you’re discovering a new destination or exploring an old favorite, here are our top 7 travel apps to take your vacation to the next level. 


Wanderlog 

Screenshot of the Wanderlog Travel App

This is the perfect all-in-one app to organize your travels. Wanderlog offers you a one-stop spot to keep track of your reservations, itinerary, and wishlists for each destination on your trip! You can input all of your flight, hotel, and transportation reservations automatically from your emails. The app will compile the most important information from the email into an easy-to-read summary and pinpoint it on their map. You can also attach files for any museum or tour reservations.

Screenshot of Wanderlog Travel Apps

Once the details of your itinerary are in, you can begin the exploration process. Wanderlog brings all the “top spots” from thousands of blogs across the web into one app and then- the best part- it will put them on a map for you! No more switching between blogs and google maps to try to figure out if the site you want to see is close to that café you want to try! Once you’ve saved your wish list of destinations, you can add personal notes. And finally, put them into a day-by-day itinerary with one simple click! It’s a great way to keep all your inspiration, planned adventures, and confirmation details in one spot. You can even add other travelers and track expenses so you’re all on the same page.

WhatsApp

Although most of Europe uses WhatsApp as its main messaging app, it’s not as popular in the U.S. However, we cannot recommend it enough when you travel. The main reason is that it uses WiFi. So you don’t need a local SIM card to send messages and connect with your friends and family all around the world. You can send texts and make phone and video calls with any other WhatsApp user. Because it utilizes your Wifi you won’t have any of those pesky international charges. 

CityMapper

If you are visiting one of the 80+ cities this app covers, CityMapper is a perfect app for getting around. It combines thoughtful route planning and real-time data. It is especially helpful if you’ll be taking public transportation. It not only provides the best route but also information on arrivals, departures, delays, and costs. It has options to customize your route to help you stay out of the rain or use a particular type of transportation. And you can download routes to use offline. Right now Citymapper covers most of the major US and European cities and a handful in Asia and Canada. 

Komoot

This is a route planner for the outdoorsy traveler. Whether you’re cycling, backpacking or hiking, Komoot is an incredibly useful trail tool. You can easily discover new trails nearby, plan out your route and use the app to navigate while on the trail. With a very advanced routing system, it’s extremely customizable. You can filter by elevation, surface type, and difficulty. Share the trails with your friends or on social media. The only drawback of so many features is that it takes some time to figure out how best to use them all.

TravelSpend

 

Screenshot of TravelSpend Travel App

If you have a specific budget, or just love keeping track of expenses this is a great lightweight app. It is easy to use with a simple, intuitive design. TravelSpend lets you input every purchase, spread expenses across multiple days, and even split costs between travelers. It allows you to track your overall budget and your daily budget, with automatic currency conversion. Use the statistics page to visualize which category you’re spending the most money on. It also works offline, so need to worry about using up data!

Snapseed

This is our favorite photo editing app. It’s easy to use with a lot of different features. WIth more than just filters, this app allows you to edit all the details of your photos. We like to think of it as a little lightweight Photoshop app. It’s perfect for really making your vacation photos pop and showing off sites with the detail and vibrance of how they looked in person. 

GoogleTranslate

 Certainly the most well-known translation app. It’s Google’s seemingly unending features that have marked it as a top translation app for travelers. Our favorite travel feature is the camera scan, which allows you to instantly scan and translate text like menus, signs, or instructions. And the ability to download language packs for offline use is a huge bonus. The main drawback of GoogleTranslate is the quality of translations. They tend to be more literal and lose some of the intentions behind carefully chosen words. However, for quick questions, like asking directions or ordering a meal, GoogleTranslate will ensure communication. 

Deepl [honorable mention]

Deepl is a newer translation app that we’re giving an honorable mention. Like GoogleTranslate it also has a website, app, and voice-to-voice translations for conversations. But its high-quality translations are what really shine. If you want to communicate more accurately or send a message with the same intention you had when you wrote it in English, this is the best app. The reason it’s only getting an honorable mention is that, while the translations are better, it doesn’t work offline and the camera scanner is currently only available on iOS. It’s an app to keep an eye on as its list of features grows. 

Navigating Post-Covid-19 Travel

four maps to help you navigate post covid-19 travel pin
[Pin it for later!]

Navigating the world of travel post-COVID-19 can be confusing. The world is slowly opening up but where can you actually travel right now? What is your risk once you arrive, and what checkpoints and procedures will you have to go through? Every country has different rules, and it can be a full-time job just trying to stay on top of the most current information. Fortunately, there are some very user-friendly tools available to help you plan your next trip safely. Below you’ll find our top four sites for post-COVID-19 travel information and what each one provides you with.


CDC

[Screenshot of the COVID-19 map on cdc.gov]

The CDC website is one we have all probably become familiar with in the past months. In addition to providing sanitation and containment tips, you can see case-count data for every state on the CDC map . It will tell you the number of cases in a given state within the last seven days. They also provide advice on how to stay safe during road-trips and suggestions for domestic travel safety. This is the first website to check when you are considering a road-trip or other domestic travel. 

Sitata

covid-19 sitata world map
[Sitata’s covid-checker world map]

Sitata is both an online map and an app. It’s been around since before the pandemic but I think we can all appreciate its usefulness just a little bit more right now. On the Sitata website, they have an interactive COVID-19 map. The map not only shows the active case density per 100,000 but also gives their own risk rating. It’s especially helpful to have their interpretation of the case-count data and an objective, quantifiable risk rating for each country you’re considering. 

The app itself was developed by Dr. Ronald St. John, who was Canada’s first director-general of emergency preparedness, and that background is evident. It uses computer algorithms and a 24/7 news feed to monitor outbreaks and other safety concerns. You can you store your entire itinerary and the app will update you on health concerns, safety issues, and even transit strikes for the specific areas you’re visiting. Additionally, it provides quick-access emergency numbers and doctors’ information should you need it. If you pay to upgrade to the pro version, the app also offers to notify your friends and family when you’ve landed, gives you real-time flight updates, and provides terminal or gate changes. As we start to travel again and are more conscious of what could happen, this app is a great tool to keep our minds at peace.

Kayak

[travel entry restrictions map by country on kayak.com]

You may only think of Kayak.com as a search engine, but their entire COVID-19 section is a great resource. The most helpful piece, which provides up-to-date information about travel restrictions around the world, is their interactive COVID-19 map . The map shows you the different “phases” each country is in, their current active case-count, and any specific travel restrictions or quarantines in place. A few of the countries have a whole page dedicated to their quarantine and border policies. Kayak is a user-friendly resource for an at-a-glance color-coded update on which countries are available for travel. When you’re starting to consider traveling internationally, the Kayak map is a great place to start.

IATA TRAVEL CENTRE

[IATA’s travel regulations map]

The IATA Travel Centre is a great centralized source of information about international travel restrictions and regulations. They have a travel regulations map, which provides you with detailed information from each of the countries’ own governments. It doesn’t focus on case count or risk factor — it just gives you the facts about the restrictions, listing the overall rules and all the exceptions. The language is a bit more technical, but it covers each type of traveler and all the possible exceptions. IATA Travel Centre provides a quick, easy tool to check your passport and visa requirements. You can also check the customs and pet information for each country. This is a simpler way to check up on the regulations for other countries without trying to slog through each government’s website. They update the information regularly — just keep in mind when you’re looking at it that the “date published” is written in the European fashion — day/month/year.


The travel restrictions are ever-evolving, and if you are making travel plans the burden is on you to stay updated. Using these sites will empower you to decide when and where you feel most comfortable traveling in the new post-pandemic world. And contacting Annie’s Escapes will help you make it happen!

You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

Carli (Italy and Spain)