My Favorite On-the-Road Apps

On recent trips, I’ve zipped around Belgium, Israel, and Ireland on foot and behind the wheel of a rented car without getting lost (okay, it happened once in awhile), all because of my phone, or what I like to call my third hand.

When I think back to traveling ten years ago, I can’t even imagine (or remember) how I got around foreign cities. It must have been a combination of maps and the kindness of strangers.

Now, my smartphone is my key to the world — the way I report on my trips and share in the experiences of others. I download guidebooks, novels relating to my destination (Shantaram was a recent download), and podcasts.

I’ve even got a motto when it comes to apps: keep it simple, stupid. It needs to be clean, straightforward, and quick if it’s going to make it into heavy rotation.

Here’s a list of the apps I use the most when I’m on the road and why:

Which apps do you use on the road? Share your favorites with the Intelligent Travel community in the comments section: