Four Top Travel Apps for Families

Travel to a destination 50 miles or more away increases by 54% over Thanksgiving and 23% during the December holidays, and if you will be traveling with kids, you may already be wondering how to keep them entertained and mesmerized during your stay. If, just a decade or two ago, you would probably be stocking up on travel guide books focusing on your chosen destination, today, to make the most of your travels, all you need to do is download an app. Read on to discover a curated list of four top Apple apps for families wishing to avoid having to deal with the dreaded question, “Are we there yet?” emanating from the back seat.

TripIt: Travel Planner

If you don’t want your children to relive Macauley Culkin’s adventures in Home Alone! keep things organized with a trip and vacation organizing app. TripIt compiles and arranges all your travel plans together, creating master trip itineraries that show everything from your flight details right through to where you need to pick up a rental car, dine and stay the night. The app allows you to access key information, even when you are offline. For instance, it informs you of alternate flights. and lets you know what gate your flight is leaving from as soon as this data becomes available.

Allergy Pollen Count

If you are traveling with children with allergies, and their condition is related to pollen and mold, then this app is a Godsend. It provides pollen and mold counts based on actual air samplings provided by the National Allergy Bureau. It also posts informational videos with allergy specialists, letting users know of new information and studies on the subject. An app like this is key because different species have different patterns, and pollen emissions are highly variable, depending on weather parameters and individual plant behavior in response to conditions such as rain.

Packing Pro

We all like to think we don’t need help with packing – that is, until we arrive at a chosen destination and discover that a toothbrush or vital medication has been forgotten. Packing Pro is an old school classic, but it is still one of the best and most thorough. It offers pre-departure planning tools, crucial lists, reminders and sharing tools. Most kids have mobile phones these days, so parents can freely share reminders and items on a list that kids may overlook when drafting their own.

Roadtrippers App

Road trips represent a whopping 39% of all vacations taken in the United States. For many, they are the ultimate way to take each day as it comes, without the pressure of having to board, pack stoically, or leave kids’ toys and games behind. They even allow you to bring the family pet! This app takes the organizational work out of your journey, planning out your route and letting you know of interesting ‘secret spots’ along the way. The app also recommends hotels (including pet-friendly ones) and good restaurants serving local cuisine.

When traveling with family, it helps to take advantage of the information that apps can offer. From packing to route planning, apps can help you travel in a more organized fashion. They can also be useful if anyone in the family has allergies or other conditions that can be affected by the environment outside.

If you liked this article, please consider sharing it with your friends and leaving a comment below. Also, don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook, “Follow Us” on Twitter and add the Apple Tech Talk channel to your Apple News app.

And if you haven’t subscribed to Apple Tech Talk, now would be a great time to do it so. Just scroll down to the form below and enter your name and email address. Then you’ll receive a notification whenever we post new articles. Don’t worry, we never sell or share your information. While you’re at it, check out our YouTube channel (here) where you will find video on interesting products any Apple enthusiast would love.

Jacqueline Cowell

Working as a motoring writer gave Jacqueline Cowell the chance to put her past experience as a mechanic to good use, once she became a mother and decided to stay at home with her two young children. She now puts together pieces for a range of different motoring websites, but in her free time restores classic vehicles with her husband.