What is the best app or website for plotting out a road trip? We want to be able to enter mileage targets and also find interesting places to stop. -Danielle
Thanks for the great question, Danielle! Tis the season for the family road trip and it’s definitely worth a little extra prep and planning in advance of a road trip to make the ride a little smoother. Here are some great websites and apps to help. -Jeana
Roadtrippers (above) is a fantastic website or try the free Roadtrippers mobile app for iOS so you can plot out your course and see everything along the way, including hotels, attractions, dining options, historical stops, shopping and more. You can designate what you want pulled up along your route and plan out the entire trip online. You can also use the complementary mobile app to sync all your data from the website so you have all that saved information on the road from your iPhone.
You’re driving along and all of a sudden, a voice from the backseat calls out, “I have to go to the bathroom!” iExit comes to the rescue as an instant go-to for the nearest restaurants, rest stops, hotels and more on every upcoming exit on your route. So handy for those urgent bathroom requests. Oh, and the “I’m hungry” requests, too. ($0.99 for iOS and Android)
With gas prices at a high, long road trips can certainly cost a pretty penny when it comes to filling up the tank. Gas Buddy is a handy app that lets you see the least expensive gas stations along your route, so you can pick and choose where you’ll stop to refuel. And while the differences between the gas stations may amount to just a few dollars, it certainly adds up over the whole road trip. (Free for iOS and Android)
This app lets you specifically search for rest stops along the way, even letting you search by state and highway so you can plan ahead. In addition to listing traditional rest stops, it also tells you which offer more amenities, what the hours are and how far you are from the location. If you are traveling with a pet, this is also handy for planning out where you’ll stop and let the dog out to run around. (Free for Android)
Finally…On a long road trip, who can forget about music? With so many great free mobile music options, your entire road trip can be accompanied by any kind of music you desire. Whether it’s Songza, iHeartRadio or Spotify, there should always be music playing when on any kind of road trip.
And if you are road-tripping with kids in tow (bless you), make sure to download our round-up of best road trip apps for kids. We’ve broken them out by age range and categorized entertainment and educational apps to keep those kids busy in the backseat.
Safe travels!
