The following post is from Lauren Rothlisberger of Get Me Geeky: 5 Apps That Will Make Your Summer Vacations Rock
It’s that time of year. Summer vacations are about to start. Whether you have a planned big trip or a more low-key family “stay-cation” in the works, hundreds of apps help make a vacation more fun.
Take a look at five of my favorites.
Table of Contents
1. Passbook
What the heck is a passbook? Passbook is Apple’s wallet for your iPhone. Within Passbook, you can store boarding passes, tickets, store cards (think Target), or coupons. Once you are in Passbook, you determine which cards/information you want to link to your Passbook. You will need to go into the App Store to load the apps from the different airlines, stores, or ticket providers.
Not only does this help keep track of travel information, a lot of the store cards you can add offer discounts found only on your iPhone.
2. WeatherBug
Alright, this may seem a little obvious, but be sure to download one of the more high-end weather apps. Not only do you want the forecast, but an app with radar information is really useful when you are sitting on the beach or driving long distances. Mostly it saves you from getting poured on at the beach or stuck driving through a terrible storm!
3. iMovie for iPhone
Vacation is full of memories, hopefully some of which you can capture on video. iMovie for iPhone allows you to easily compile your photos and videos into a fun little compilation video. You simply choose the media (your video clips) you want to use, clip the portion you want, and add a title, transitions, and music. Put it all together, and you get a professional-looking video. Bonus that it is easy to send to family and friends or upload to a social media site. (Mashable has a good tutorial here.)
This is an easy and fun way to put all the good times in one spot so you can revisit them over and over again!
4. Coppertone
Depending on the time of year or what part of the country you vacation, it may be hard to tell when you need sunscreen. Those UV rays can still get you on a cloudy day. Keep the Coppertone app handy to check on the UV index. It uses GPS to determine your location and gets you up-to-date information.
Why does this make your vacation rock? Have you ever had a bad sunburn on a trip? There is nothing fun about spending your time in an aloe bath instead of enjoying a cold beverage and a good book.
Editor’s note: I love the sound of this app, but be sure to read my thoughts about sunscreen and skin cancer before you buy one of the conventional brands to protect you from sunburn!
5. Airbnb
Airbnb is like a cross between a hotel and a bed and breakfast. It is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world. Airbnb is an opportunity for your family to book a whole house without having to stay for a week like a normal vacation rental. It is also a great way to stay in local neighborhoods instead of the touristy parts of town. There is a great iPhone app or check out Airbnb.com!
A good trip has a lot to do with your initial landing spot, and there is nothing worse than seeing your hard-earned money go into a place that wasn’t quite what you imagined. With Airbnb, you can browse past vacationers’ reviews before making your decision.
What apps do you recommend for summer vacation?
| Lauren Rothlisberger blogs and consults over at Get Me Geeky. As a military wife and mom of three girls and one new baby boy, she loves focusing on technology and productivity and finding new ways to simplify her life. She recently started putting together MacMinis, which are easy-to-follow videos for Mac users and also wrote an ebook, Evernote for Moms. | |
