travel tips: favorite travel sites + apps

the holidays are around the corner, and while 

you are planning trips and looking for new apps, 

these favorite travel sites & apps will help you make 

the most of your travel and devices. we are so lucky 

to have the internet and technology to connect us to 

places before we visit them and while we are there. here 

are some favorites that we use while traveling.. 
and they're just in time for thanksgiving travels. enjoy! 

{apps}

1. tripadvisor 

{offline city guides}

we love this app! i know tripadvisor itself is obvious and many of you may 

have it, but the offline city guides part is key...chase first found it last year 

when we were visiting paris and rome. i mostly led the way around paris 

since it's my favorite, but when we got to rome we were a little less 

in-the-know. since we didn't bring phones or have access to 

internet when we were out and about, we downloaded the 

offline city guides beforehand, and then we could pull up 

maps, attractions, and any info we wanted because we had 

already downloaded it and needed no wifi to get to them. 

it even helps with public transit! just make sure to get the app, 

then download whichever city guide{s} you need for your trip. 

they are big, so download them when you have internet 

and leave some time to download, and then 

you have them right in your pocket!

2. flightview // airline apps

at some airports, the gate and departure times change multiple times. 

like we talked about in our tips for flying smart, we usually use 

our airline app to check flight status and gate, but you can also use 

flightview which has info for ALL flights leaving from your airport. 

it helps ease some stress and keeps you informed!

3. tripit

sometimes people are overwhelmed with all the organization and info that comes 

with planning a trip. you have the flight itineraries and confirmation numbers, 

hotel reservations, cars, museum tickets, transportation, it can get crazy fast! this 

app gets all of that info from your email {once you connect it} and keeps it 

ALL in one place. i have my own systems with this and haven't used this as 

much, but for some it may be a great way to manage all your trip info! 

i like to use passbook for my flights as well.

4. XE currency

i feel like i am good at math, but for some reason i always get confused with 

currency exchange. i don't know if it's the jet lag, or the denial at how the 

dollar does against some currencies...but i am always at a loss while shopping 

in other countries. this app works offline so you don't need internet, and it 

stores updated currency rates so that you can convert prices wherever you are. 

it has helped me many times, especially in the china markets when 

i needed to see how much, exactly, i was bartering for! :)

5. listmaster

use this, your notes app, your reminders app, or some organization app on your phone 

to create a packing list and check it off. it sounds simple, but when i have an upcoming 

trip i will think of random things i need at all different times. someone will suggest 

something, i'll read about something i need, or i'll just think of it. if you have your 

packing list in your pocket, you can add to it at anytime and then make sure 

that you have all you need when departure day comes!

6. triposo

this is a fun app with trip guides for all different cities. it's really good in europe, 

i recommend using the map to find info about tourist attractions. 

we always like to know the history and details 

of what we're seeing, and this has some great info. 

7. translation app

speakeasy and google translate are my favorite apps to help with translation. 

they are basically phrasebooks on your phone. sometimes you need a 

simple phrase or word when traveling, and you can 

just pull this out and quickly translate!

8. google maps

yes, we are a google family, but i am not biased sharing this one. 

google really is making improvements to their maps that will 

be even more helpful for travel. see these improvements here.

also check these apps out that i have 
yet to try but have heard great things about: 
free wifi finder, heywire, hotel tonight, iexit, pocket, jetpac, and uber.

{sites}

1. trippy

this gorgeous site is kind of like pinterest for travel. 

you can connect to friends on social media, 

and you get amazing ideas from others. i love it.

2. vayable

this is the most incredible idea for a travel site. i'm in love with it. 

basically you go on and type in a city, and locals have posted 

offers you can buy. this is a way to really connect with 

a place and get a local experience. options range from 

a personal local guide through a neighborhood, 

to pasta making classes, to an authentic dinner 

in a local home. i cannot wait to use this site for 

something memorable! you could even use this 

for something unique in your own city!

3. gogobot

helps you plan trips, keep track of them, and document 

trips you've already done! i LOVE that you can 

enter every place you've ever been!

4. afar

unique and different things to do in 

cities all around the world.

5. triptease

save ideas for your next trip, create gorgeous reviews, 

and hear about new places from other travelers. 

6. airfare watchdog

this site and others like it help you track the best deals on flights and travel. 

we also like kayak, travelocity, and bing travel {when you search a flight, 

it tells you whether fares will drop in the next week, so you know 

whether to wait to buy.} see more travel budget tips here.

7. treat

lastly, i have a unique site that i love to use while traveling. 

because we are out of town a lot and we live away from family, 

this website is my favorite. it's important to me to remember 

special occasions and birthdays, and let loved ones know 

that we're thinking of them despite not being there in person. 

this cute website {a sister company of shutterfly and tinyprints} 

allows you to go online and personalize a greeting card 

for someone special. then, it will mail to you or straight to the 

person! it is so much better than getting a generic greeting card, 

and this is one case where the card would mean more 

than the gift. you can even schedule cards ahead of time, up to a year 

in advance..wow. that makes my organizer heart so happy! these cards are so 

thoughtful and unique...the only kind of greeting card you don't end up 

throwing away! there is one i love that looks like a magazine cover 
announcing someone's birthday..i am ordering it for my dad because we will 

be in europe at the time of his birthday, and it's something he'd get a kick out of! 
they are easier and usually less expensive than greeting cards.. and 

with the holidays coming i can't wait to use treat more! see the site here.

so, check these out for your next trip, 

and see all of our travel tips by clicking here.
happy trip planning!
xo