"Never leave home without your apps!" from Colleen at Flee Fly Flown

Day 3 of our "We {heart} iPhones Week!" welcomes my friend Colleen from Flee Fly Flown who is popping by to share her favorite travel apps. Colleen is a vetran globe trotter and I love her point about which apps are useful even without a cell phone signal. Great suggestions, Colleen! 

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A good chunk of the population can’t get through a single “normal” day without the apps on their smart phone, I’m no exception. What about on the special days? When you’re traveling somewhere new, exploring another corner of the world? Even if your phone plan doesn’t work in your destination, chances are, there’s a few apps that can help you on your journey using your wireless connection or no connection at all.

Besides the entertainment factor (I can’t tell you how many hours in the airport I’ve spent playing Angry Birds), here’s a few of my go to “on the road” apps.

- Taking a plane, train then automobile? Consolidate all of your travel details within the TripIt app which allows you to sync all of your vacation elements into one organized list.

- Don’t speak the language? Try using Google Translate to help you communicate. Better yet, try Jibbigo which works entirely on your phone, so you don’t need to worry about a wireless connection wherever you are. Both apps work on iPhone and Android.



In the same vein, if you need help reading or interpreting a menu, use Google Goggles to snap a photo of a menu, and it will translate either the words or characters and help explain what it is you might be ordering. It’s great for signs, landmarks, and more while you’re at it.



- For the Foodies, be sure to download the Zagat On the Go app to find the best restaurants while traveling. Yelp also has a great app for your local and on the go food discoveries, however, for now, you’ll find the most restaurants and recommendations domestically, vs. internationally. I have a feeling that will change eventually!



- Math not your forte? Make sure to bring along your handy dandy XE Currency Converter app. This one requires wireless connectivity, but these days, it’s relatively easy to find a signal.

- History Buff? Explore the streets you walk along with History Pin. You’ll see photos of the same place from times gone by.



- Speaking of exploring, many tour companies now offer apps that help enhance your in person tours or supplement them. CitySightseeing is one such example. Their app helps you find the nearest pick-ups among other great features. If you already know what you want to do, but don’t quite know how to get there, have Google Maps tell you how to get there. They’re usually pretty efficient.

And of course, there are many more helpful apps for travel, this is the tip of the iceburg! Feel free to share your favorites in the comment section below!

Bon voyage!
 

P.S. Don’t forget to bring along your power adapter / converter for your phone charger!