Best Apps for Road Trip Planning

Planning a road trip often involves time dedicated to researching routes, planning stops and figuring out how to pass the time for endless hours on the highway. Thankfully, technology comes to the rescue with a handful of mobile apps that can help in the road trip planning process.

Google Maps

Using Google Maps to help you navigate is a no-brainer, whether you’re traveling by foot or car. Let the app suggest the best route, help you find nearby attractions and even speak to you with turn-by-turn directions.

Roadtrippers

As evidenced by the obvious name, Roadtrippers is an app for road trips, but is a better choice for travelers who aren’t as focused on planning and prefer to let the road take them where it may. Roadtrippers does the planning for you: When you enter your point of origin and your destination, it suggests numerous routes and clues travelers into what to see and do along each route.

Waze

Instead of simply seeing how to get from A to B and where the nearest restaurants are located, Waze keeps you informed of unexpected incidents on your route, such as traffic conditions, upcoming accidents on the road, where cops are hiding, road conditions and changes in speed limits. Data are gathered by fellow drivers on the road at the same time as you, which ensures accuracy, and if something isn’t correct on the app, you can simply report it as such to remove it from the map.

SitorSquat

Having this app downloaded pre-trip is a wise decision as it provides information on the nearest restroom facilities nearly anywhere in the United States. SitorSquat comes from toilet paper company Charmin and uses GPS data to help you find the nearest public toilet, as well as whether there is a fee required to use the facility.