Whether setting off on holiday abroad or kicking back at the beach, a vacation is the perfect opportunity to recharge and feel rejuvenated. But for something meant to be relaxing, vacation planning can often feel stressful. From sorting out itineraries to panicking over a packing list, even a simple trip out of town can feel overwhelming. We’ve compiled a list of helpful digital tools to help you have a stress-free vacation no matter the destination.
Planning for Success
Proactive planning is the first step toward a stress-free vacation– these tools make packing your luggage and planning daily itineraries a breeze.
Tripit: A one-stop-shop for planning every aspect of your next vacation, Tripit allows you to centralize reservations, transport tickets, and event registrations in one place. The service also provides real-time updates about flight changes, hotel bookings, and more.
Packing Pro: Have you ever found yourself staring at a half-full suitcase without knowing what else to pack for an upcoming trip? Ever boarded a plane only to realize the one thing you needed was sitting on your dresser at home? Packing Pro allows you to create unlimited customized checklists to keep track of which items to pack, and includes a “packing expert” feature that can recommend items based on factors like temperature, number of travelers, whether there are children traveling with you, destination, and more.
Communicating with Confidence
Traveling abroad can be one of the most incredible and enriching experiences. But vacationing in another country brings its own set of challenges, including a possible language barrier. Use these tools to communicate with confidence.
Google Translate: Tried and true, Google Translate is already at the top of many travelers’ lists for translation assistance on the go. But the app offers even more functionality than the simple text translation offered in the web browser. With the app, you can use your phone’s camera to hover over signs or other text displays and translate real-time to your native language.
Babbel: There’s no shortage of language tutoring services, but none as robust (and as fun!) to use as Babbel. Created by a team of expert language teachers, Babbel uses high-energy 10-minute lessons to teach you essential words and phrases. To increase language immersion, Babbel also provides in-app access to live classes, original podcasts, games, videos, and more, all in your chosen language.
Managing your Money
With these apps, you can find great deals on last-minute lodging and keep track of your spending while on vacation.
HotelTonight: Found a last-minute deal on a flight that’s just too good to pass up? Book with confidence knowing HotelTonight can find you a place to stay wherever you go. The service gives you access to same-day hotel reservations in any area, many of which are heavily discounted, so you can plan a spontaneous trip without worry.
TravelSpend: This financial tracker app helps you plan out expenses, log costs in real-time, and visualize spending data to understand better which travel categories are most and least expensive. TravelSpend can also split costs between multiple people or even assign trip expenses to certain users, ensuring everyone stays on budget.
With the right digital tools in your toolkit, taking a vacation doesn’t have to turn into just another item on your to-do list. Use these online apps and services to plan your next trip so you can spend less time stressing and more decompressing.
