Top 10 mobile apps for travel that easy to use

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Earlier this year, we presented you with our picks for the top 10 mobile apps for travel. Now we’re back again with a lot more beneficial on-the-go technology, but this time we’re focusing on apps that are 100 percent free. Unless otherwise noted, apps are offered for all major mobile devices and operating systems (iPhone, Blackberry, Android, etc).

OpenTable – OpenTable’s app is essentially a miniaturized version of its on the web services. That’s not a criticism, obviously. OpenTable lets you make reservations at more than 13,000 restaurants from the U.S., Canada, and abroad, and shows you what reservation times are available just before you put as part of your request. It is possible to also read diner evaluations and view menus, both especially valuable when traveling.

Where – What doesn’t Where do? Want gas prices in your area? Done. Need to find a coffee shop nearby? Easy. Need to find a movie theater and see what’s playing? Check. Basically, Where is an all-encompassing local-area search engine, perfect for travelers just getting acclimated to a new destination. The main drawback to the app is that it’s only for U.S. cities.

Yelp – Speaking of all-encompassing, Yelp has created a name for itself as the one-stop shop for assessments of just about everything, from restaurants to beaches, museums, salons, and auto shops. Need a dentist, pharmacy, or (hopefully not) a doctor? Turn to Yelp to find out which locations get the locals’ approval.

TripAdvisor – Picture it: You’re in a foreign city and you also miss the last bus or train back to wherever you are staying. You have to have a room, and you also have to have 1 now, but even within your desperate state you won’t settle for some low-cost, fleabag motel. Wouldn’t you like to have TripAdvisor’s 35 million (and counting) hotel reviews as part of your pocket? Our sister site’s mobile app (note: link will launch iTunes for those who have it installed) also includes its proprietary flight lookup and access to user evaluations for restaurants and attractions. (iPhone only.)

GateGuru – Long layovers are an inescapable fact of flying, especially if you’re chasing the lowest with the low fares. GateGuru, at least, can assist you prepare. The app comes with maps of 86 airports within the U.S., 12 in Canada, and London’s Heathrow, and indicates you what’s offered in every terminal and wherever you can locate it. GateGuru also functions user testimonials, therefore you know which airport restaurants are (comparatively) very good, which are finest avoided, and wherever to pick up that last-minute souvenir. (IPhone only.)

USAToday AutoPilot – AutoPilot can be a fantastic app for any traveler, but specially frequent flyers who are often heading somewhere. AutoPilot lets you shop all the details for ones trips—flight, hotel, or auto reservations—and then gives you updates on flight status and weather for ones destination. You are able to even store confirmation numbers for your reservations. AutoPilot is designed to sync up with TripIt, a similar service. (iPhone only.)

Urbanspoon – Urbanspoon could be the app for adventurous eaters, or people who know what they want but don’t know where by to obtain it. Say you’re in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood and want cheap Japanese food. Basically tell Urbanspoon whereby you’re and how a lot you desire to spend, then shake your phone (literally). Urbanspoon will recommend a restaurant. Feeling a bit bolder? Just tell it you’re in Seattle and see what it comes up with. All dining places are rated by Urbanspoon users, which means you know what you’re obtaining into. (iPhone, Android only.)

MetrO – The smartphone universe is chock full of public transportation apps for cities across the globe. MetrO (note: link will launch iTunes should you have it installed), on the other hand, covers some 400 cities, and although most individual city apps may possibly be a bit much more comprehensive, MetrO is far more than adequate for most traveler’s wants. Users download the app, and then add the metropolitan areas they want. MetrO can plot routes for you and exhibits your location on a map which means you can see what’s nearby.

Your Airline/Online Travel Agent – Just about each and every airline has an app that, at minimum, lets you store your flight facts. Some, like Southwest, let you book flights, verify in, cancel reservations, and track your flight status. On-line travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Hotels.com also have apps. The OTAs’ apps can be specially convenient if you’ve booked multiple components of the trip, for example a flight and rental automobile, with the same OTA.

UpNext 3-D Maps – UpNext’s 3-D maps are merely the coolest way to navigate a metropolis. The app only consists of five cities—Austin, Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.—but the cities are rendered in 3-D, so the Empire State Constructing actually looks like the Empire State Creating, and isn’t just a dot about the map. Is it the quickest, much more practical option for navigating? Maybe not. But UpNext’s maps give you a fresh, helpful perspective around the metropolis you are visiting. (iPhone only)

Your Turn Readers, which no cost apps have you taken about the road? Any suggestions for useful tools we may have overlooked?