5 Apple Apps to Make Long Car Rides Easier

While iTunes is likely your go-to Apple app for long car rides, there are other options that are just as fun and if you’re hitting the road for a few days then you’re going to need more than just tunes to help you pass the time and make your journey easier.

Audible

Audible is a great way for drivers and passengers alike to pass time in the car, whether on short or long journeys. With Audible you can download books to be read to you, often by the author. We highly recommend the Harry Potter series read by Stephen Fry if you have kids with you (both young and old). You can get a one-month free trial that includes one free download (so choose wisely) if you’re not committed to keeping up a $14.95 monthly subscription after your next road trip. If you don’t have a smart car or you’re in the market for an older vehicle, the books are downloadable so there’s no need for an internet connection.

Netflix

Netflix is a great way for passengers (only) to pass the time. If you’re on an extended road trip why not take it in turns to switch on a previously downloaded movie (so you don’t eat up all of your mobile data). This is a great way to make a long trip go quicker and of course, is a fantastic solution to keeping kids entertained during a long trip. Amazon, Hulu and other subscription entertainment services can all be used. Just remember to download before your trip. Many downloaded Netflix videos only last 7 days or less so you’ll have to organize a time to download respective of your trip.

Pocket Casts

Just $3.99 in the app store, Pocket Casts is a great way to enjoy podcasts, which are a great entertainment option for drivers and passengers alike. It has a smart playlist feature which helps you to sort and categorize your downloaded content. It also includes video podcast support, auto-downloading and best yet, automatic clean-up of downloaded episodes to save you storage space. Its cross-platform nature enables it to sync between devices and operating systems which is perfect for those with both an iOS and Android device.

DUAL!

DUAL! Is the perfect backseat road trip game. It’s a direct phone-to-phone game you can play with someone sitting next to you. You’ll need to enable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to play. The game combines two phone screens into one, holding the phones together so the tops touch. It’s a vintage Atari-style shooting game so it’s great for younger or older kids, or even adults. Because this game needs to be played right next to the other player, it’s a great backseat gaming option.

Roadtrip Bingo

This is a fantastic game for parents and kids to play together during a road trip. This has been made for kids whose parents want their eyes out the window to enjoy the trip instead of simply being 100% immersed on their device. It’s easy to play and comes with 9 different game boards. The basic board game provides an assortment of bingo tiles of common scenery on road trips, such as cars, traffic lights, cat, shopping cart, etc. Who can spot all the common road trip objects first? This game ensures your kids are paying attention to the journey and scenes outside their window as well as keeping them entertained.

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Maria Taylor is content marketing expert & has contributed on several blogs online. She loves to write for blogs & feel free to connect with here on Twitter & Linkedin.