Holidays are supposed to be relaxing, not stressful. While you may think you have everything set up to enjoy a stress-free vacation, events don’t always go as planned. Maybe you miss your flight, your hotel cancels your booking at the last minute, or you have to avoid bad weather.
Many vacation stresses are out of your hands, but there are some great apps available to make your vacation go as smoothly as possible (and adapt quickly in case one part of the trip goes wrong).
1. AirBnB
Having safe and secure accommodation takes a lot of the stress out of traveling. With the app, it’s easy to find an Airbnb for the vacation you need. It doesn’t matter if you’re headed to a tropical locale or the North Pole, chances are Airbnb has a listing you’ll love.
Booking is easy from the app or web browser. All you have to do is select your dream location, add a date, and specify the number of guests, and Airbnb will bring up everything that matches your criteria in the area you select. There are remote cabins, convenient apartments in bustling city centers, off-the-grid properties, and even mansions in the desert.
An important aspect of Airbnb is the ability to communicate directly with your host from within the app by writing them an email. Airbnb has a personalized experience that allows travelers to quickly find a place. And if your host cancels, you can find something else (depending on where you’re watching) within minutes. This app takes a huge amount of stress out of anxious travelers.
2. Google Translate
If you land up in a city where you don’t speak a language, chances are you’ll feel like a fish out of water. Even if you have a trusty handbook or dictionary with you, the app has many other benefits. For example, the Google Translate app allows you to quickly type what you want to say in your own language and have it translated into any of the languages listed.
Another advantage of this app is that it allows you to scan any text you see and translate it on the spot. So if you’re sitting in a restaurant and have no idea what the menu says, you can hold your phone over the text to translate it quickly. The screen will use augmented reality to show your language on the native language.
3. Google Maps
Not knowing where to go ahead of time is a recipe for a stressful vacation. Luckily, Google Maps allows you to not only see where you are, but also get walking, driving, biking, or public transportation directions to where you need to go.
You can type in street names, hotels, restaurants, and landmarks relatively easily. You can also download the app to your phone or tablet and save a region while you’re offline. That way, if you’re afraid of no Wi-Fi or if you’re in a location where you can’t access cellular data, you’ll still be able to find your way around.
4. Flightradar 24
If you’re an anxious traveler, the Flightradar24 app will help calm your nerves. This app is designed to give you information about any flight in the world. You can search for individual flights using flight number, airport or airline. The app allows you to view arrival and departure boards, flight status, aircraft on the ground, delay statistics and weather conditions.
If you’re afraid of flying and need some reassurance, the app also allows you to view historical data and watch playbacks of previous flights. That way you can check the plane you’re about to board is for extra reassurance. Another interesting feature of the app is that when you see a flying plane it allows you to point your phone at the sky to get information about it.
5. Uber
Once you reach a country and people are flocking to taxi stands to reach your destination, you can download Uber to take the stress out of your day. With so many rideshare scams out there, it’s important to protect yourself while traveling. Whether you need to get to a hotel or go sightseeing, use the Uber app to enter your destination and choose your mode of transportation.
Depending on where you are, you can also rent an Uber bike or scooter. Using the app is easy. Once you enter your details, its map clearly shows you how many vehicles you have. You can also see in advance how much you should expect to pay.
If you choose a bike or scooter, all you have to do is find it on the map, scan its QR code and book it. The app makes getting around easy and accessible, especially if you’re on a tight schedule or have high transportation demands.