Planning a road trip? Here’s a great way to find out what you might be needing on the way.
On the Way [EDITORS NOTE: Now seems to be called Along the Way] is a free and handy web-based app allows you to plug in your trip’s starting point and end point, so it can finds restaurants, stores, and attractions along your route, using Google Places and Foursquare.
For each point of interest, you can add it to your trip–or just check out how many people are checked in, and browse comments and tips others have left behind. Does that fast food restaurant have a super fast drive-thru or a really nasty bathroom? Is there a local diner that you’d hate to miss? Does that coffee shop have good wi-fi? It totally beats relying on the search function on your car’s GPS.
As far as caveats, it would seem helpful if the app included things you might really need, like the next clean gas station or hotel. There’s no visible FAQ, so you’re basically stuck with whatever pops up, and I had trouble backing up along the route. Still, when you’re on a long stretch of empty highway, this could be the way to find just the right place to stop and satisfy some pressing need. Or you know, the desire to check out Zombieland.~Delilah

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