5 Best Travel Apps of 2013

Fathom Away (www.fathomaway.com) published a list of the top 24 travel apps for 2013.  Here are the best of the best (IMHO):

• iExit:  $.99.  If you are taking a road trip, you need this.  We recently drove from Chicago to Denver and it was invaluable for planning ahead for rest stops, gas and food.  When used in conjunction with Gas Buddy (free), you can find the best prices to refuel and whether it’s just off or a ways from the interstate.

• Wi-Fi Finder  $Free.  If you are looking  for wi-fi, this is the app for you.  It finds both paid and free wi-fi hotspots.  There is also a sister app Free Wi-Fi Finder Free, which only finds free hotspots.  Download the hotspots and the GPS function will let you know which are nearby. (Yes, checking the wi-fi link in setups will tell you which hotspots are within range, but this app will direct you to ones that may be outside your range.)

• CityMaps2Go.  $1.99. City maps from all over the world and US.  This even includes several suburban maps.  Be careful to plan ahead.  You must download the maps while you still have internet access.

• WalkJogRun.  $4.99. Admission:  I am neither a runner nor a jogger and when I get my knees replaced in the next few months, I will still do neither.  I will play tennis, basketball, baseball and may return to soccer (so I’m not a complete slug).  If I were a runner or jogger, I would be all over this app.  If you’re in a strange city (say New York) and you want to know where to jog safely (if at all) in Central Park and when you should, this app is your guide.  I’m not sure if it lists homeless avoidance routes, but it gives you the best shot at surviving your  morning run.

• Everplaces. $Free. A social media platform for travel. Think Pinterest for travel. Send and see friends and other users’ recommendations. Restaurant, attraction and location information can be saved and shared with friends or posted to your blog. It is your cup of tea? Try it; it’s free.

For those apps that are not free, let me recommend a good way to get them for free.  Periodically, as a promotion, app writers let their apps go free for a limited period of time.  One app that finds these is the app AppsGoneFree.  Every day AppsGoneFree list several apps that are free for a short time.  For example, I downloaded CityMaps2Go for free when it was listed on AppsGoneFree.

Make your travel yours.   You deserve it!