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You’re always a short detour from an

Extraordinary place.

Our collection of more than 300 Extraordinary Places will take your trip to the next level. Look for the illustrations on our maps and read our takes on what make these places so special. We’ve been there, and we think you should go, too.

Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth, wy.

Salvation Mountain

Walt Disney World

Lake buena vista, fl.

Blue Whale of Catoosa

Catoosa, ok.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Keystone, sd.

Graceland Mansion

Memphis, tn.

Glacier National Park

West glacier, mt.

World's Largest Buffalo Monument

Jamestown, nd.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite valley, ca.

Cadillac Ranch

Amarillo, tx.

Acadia National Park

Bar harbor, me.

Mothman Statue

Point pleasant, wv.

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand canyon village, az.

Statue of Liberty

Liberty island, ny.

Las Vegas Strip

Paradise, nv.

The Fremont Troll

Seattle, wa, build your perfect road trip.

Tell us where you want to go and what you'd like to see and do. Roadtrippers will help you find all the best stops along the way.

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On all your devices

Any trips you've saved or places you love will sync automatically across devices.

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Hit the road with safety and ease by using turn-by-turn directions, designed specifically for your RV. Simply enter your rig’s size and propane restrictions, and we’ll find the best routes to your next destination.

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Trip Planner AI

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Your Next Journey, Optimized

Build, personalize, and optimize your itineraries with our free AI trip planner. Designed for vacations, workations, and everyday adventures.

Your AI-Powered Trip

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Craft your perfect itinerary with Trip Planner AI. Our advanced algorithms take into account your selected explore-sights, dining, and lodging preferences to create the optimal travel plan tailored just for you.

Get Inspired

Extract valuable travel insights from Instagram reels and TikToks, explore the mentioned explore-sights, and effortlessly include them in your own adventure with Trip Planner AI.

TRIP PLANNER AI

The only tool youll ever need.

Say goodbye to the stress of planning and hello to personalized recommendations, efficient itineraries, and seamless dining experiences.

Optimal Route Planning

Our AI algorithms analyze your preferences to craft the most efficient route, saving you time and effort.

Personalize Your Adventure

Shape your journey by freely adding, editing, or deleting activities from your itinerary.

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Discover local cuisines and hidden gems recommended by our AI, tailored to your taste buds.

Dont take our word for it

See what our users have to say about revolutionizing their travel experiences with Trip Planner AI.

Trip Planner AI saves time and stress by aiding travel planning, relieving indecision or uncertainty.

Trip Planner AI offers diverse planning options in a user-friendly interface. Simplifies travel planning for enthusiasts.

I love traveling but hate planning. This app quickly organizes trip agendas, reducing decision fatigue.

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Dive into unique trip itineraries crafted by our global travelers. Find your next adventure and share your own journey with fellow explorers.

Trip to Tokyo

Join me on an exciting 10-day journey through Tokyo, where we'll visit iconic landmarks, indulge in delicious cuisine, and immerse ourselves in the vibrant culture of Japan's capital city.

Trip to Dubai

Embark on a thrilling 6-day journey through Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Explore vibrant souks, iconic landmarks, world-class shopping, and enchanting attractions. Join us as we uncover the hidden gems and unforgettable experiences that Dubai has to offer.

Trip to New York

Experience the best of New York City in just 7 days! Explore iconic landmarks, indulge in delicious meals, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of the city that never sleeps.

Trip to Rome

Join me on a thrilling 5-day adventure in Rome, where we'll explore ancient ruins, marvel at stunning architecture, and indulge in mouthwatering pizza. Get ready for an unforgettable experience!

Customized Itineraries for Every Travel Dream

Trip Planner AI is your ultimate companion for any travel scenario. Whether it's a solo adventure, a family vacation, or a group expedition, our app tailors every aspect of your journey. Experience the convenience of:

AI-Powered Route Optimization

Utilize AI for optimal travel routes. Our app ensures a seamless journey, calculating the best paths, travel times, and distances for city tours or cross-country road trips.

All-in-One Travel Organizer

Simplify travel planning with our all-in-one platform. Trip Planner AI consolidates hotel and flight details, manages bookings, and imports tips and guides. Organize all trip details in one place.

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The Trippy road trip planner automatically calculates the optimal itinerary including stops recommended by Trippy members, favorite restaurants and hotels, local attractions and things to do based on what people who live in the area have suggested, and more.

Once you have a quick trip planned, you can customize every detail, adding or removing stops, or changing what time you leave in the morning or how long you stay at each stop. Then you can save your custom trip and share it with friends and family.

Let us know if you have requests for more features you'd like to see in the trip planner!

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Create custom day trips, weekend getaways, and cross country adventures worldwide

Powerful features for planning your epic road trips (and the shorter adventures in between)

Unlimited stops.

Add unlimited stops and sub-stops. Combine your own stops with our pre-planned routes and recommended places of interest.

Smart Scheduling

By the minute, hour, or overnight, set preferences for each stop. Export your trip to your own Calendar.

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Car, RV, camper trailer, truck, motorcycle, pulling a boat? Get a realistic estimate of driving time. Adjust travel speed by percentages for each unique situation.

Divide Trips Into Days

Divide your trips into manageable driving days based on your custom settings by time or distance. And of course you can customize each day differently.

Route Preferences

Configure route preferences such as avoiding highways or tolls for each day or any segment of your trip.

Use Any Device

Plan trips from your desktop computer, iPad, Android tablet, and mobile phone with the same easy-to-use interface. No app to download or software to install.

Automated To Do List guides you through the road trip planning process.

Manage Your Budget

Track expenditures before you go and along the way. See a summary of expenses for entrance fees, activities, restaurants, and lodging, etc.

Gas Calculator

See the estimated fuel cost for your vehicle type.

EV Charging

Find EV charging stations along your route. Get reminders to recharge. Use Charging Ranges to display icons on the map where your vehicle will require recharging.

Export Options

We support Google Earth (KML), Garmin Communicator, BaseCamp and MapSource (GPX), Co-Pilot Live (TRP), Microsoft Streets and Trips, TomTom itineraries (ITN), TomTom Places of Interest (OV2), Comma Separated Files (CSV), and Tab Separated Files (TSV).

Directions on paper come in handy. Print your road trip with turn-by-turn maps and full directions, divided into your day-by-day itinerary.

Is This Really Free?

Yes! It is free to use our Scenic Drive Itineraries and Road Trip Planner. Please consider purchasing your National Park or National Forest passes on myscenicdrives.com.

Why Do I Need An Account?

A free account is only required for the Road Trip Planner, enabling you to create, edit, and save your trips. Your account is secure. We never share your information.

Do I Need to Download An App or Install Software?

No app or software is needed. myscenicdrives.com works in any browser. Simply go to myscenicdrives.com

More Resources

Documentation, myscenicdrives.com, how it works.

Roadtrippers - Trip Planner 4+

Planner, map, & travel guides, roadtrippers.

• #193 in Travel
• 4.6 • 59.2K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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Description.

DISCOVER THE OPEN ROAD AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH EASE Roadtrippers, the #1 road trip planning app, now includes the patent-pending AI-powered trip wizard: Roadtrippers Autopilot™. Whether you’re RVing on your annual campground trip, or planning a weekend trip at a boutique hotel, Roadtrippers Autopilot™ uses the knowledge of over 38 million trips to help get you there. And, with the newly added features from Campendium, Roadtrippers will be your go-to app for planning epic road trips and finding the perfect camping spots. ENHANCED CAMPING AND RV FEATURES ∙ Campground Reviews and Insights: Dive into over 150,000 campground reviews, offering perspectives for RVers and campers alike. Discover the best spots, from swanky RV parks to serene, free remote destinations. ∙ Comprehensive Map Overlays: Find the perfect campgrounds with ease using overlays for public land, cell coverage, and wildfire smoke, ensuring you’re always informed and prepared. ∙ Advanced Filtering Options: Tailor your search with new filtering capabilities, including cell service and elevation, to find your ideal campsite every time. EXPLORE AND PLAN WITH EASE ∙ Epic Routes and Places: Uncover millions of unique places, from quirky roadside attractions to breathtaking national parks. Get inspired by pre-made trip guides for once-in-a-lifetime routes. ∙ Customizable Planning: Start with up to three stops or upgrade to add up to 150 stops per trip with our Premium membership. Enjoy RV-friendly GPS navigation, offline maps, trip collaboration, and more. ∙ Seamless Syncing and Navigation: Your saved trips and favorite places sync across devices. Hit the road with confidence using CarPlay for easy navigation. JOIN THE ROADTRIPPERS COMMUNITY Merging the spirit of Campendium with Roadtrippers, we invite you to embark on road trips and camping adventures that you’ll cherish forever. Whether you’re mapping out a weekend getaway or a cross-country journey, Roadtrippers is here to guide you every mile and every campsite along the way. Download Roadtrippers today and transform your travel dreams into reality. Your next epic adventure awaits! Terms of use: https://roadtrippers.com/tos Privacy policy: https://roadtrippers.com/privacy-policy

Version 5.9.3

Roadtrippers is excited to introduce their brand-new, AI-powered trip planning tool: Roadtrippers Autopilot™, just in time for all your summer road tripping plans! Whether you’re RVing on your annual campground trip, or planning a weekend trip at a boutique hotel, Roadtrippers Autopilot™ uses the knowledge of over 38 million trips to help get you there. Get started with a free trial, or sign in with your Premium account, and check out Autopilot today! Happy travels :)

Ratings and Reviews

59.2K Ratings

Never have I ever...

Never have I ever felt it necessary to review an app, be it good or bad. However, this app is so incredible that I felt obligated to tell everyone. I've told all my friends to download it and I'm telling all you strangers to download it. It's SOOOO helpful. I did a road trip from CT to TN to TX to Nola to NC back to CT.. and I used it everyday for the entire trip. It offers so many things to do... everything from museums to abandoned houses that make for fun photo ops. If you're someone trying to take funny pictures of random side of the road things this is your app. The only thing I wish is that there was a way to like mark things off the list that you've completed. BUT.... it really added to the fun of the trip and the ease of the trip. Everything I needed was in this one app. It is trustworthy and never steered me wrong. Pun intended.... you can trust the "navigation" button and whatever address is provided. Just be sure to read the reviews of each location before going there. Just because it's on the app doesn't mean it's everything you're thinking it'll be, so read the reviews. If you're going on a road trip.. USE THIS APP. It will really add to your trip. Thank you for existing.

Good app, not great

This is a really good app. Definitely recommend it. Mostly an easy way to put a trip together, plan stops, construct a map. I would give it 5 stars except for a few very frustrating things that drag this app down. And could easily be fixed. I do understand that maybe it’s user error, but … When you are on a trip, you open the trip and it goes to your current location in Map View. However, when you open the List View for that trip, why doesn’t it go to your current location instead of starting from day one and you have to scroll all the way down until you find what you’re looking for. The way dates are managed is a complete nightmare. Changing the dates of an entire trip is such a hassle. And you cannot plan a trip without dates as once you add your first date, the app puts every single waypoint on a separate date!! Who thought that was a good idea?! You can add things that are not on the map already, but you can only add an address, you cannot label the address as to what it is. There are a lot of things that are not included on the map that I would like to add to my trips. And label with a name. This app is not a standalone app. You need other sources to complete the picture. Especially because there is a blue line indicating your route that completely covers up the highway numbers. Highway numbers are essential to trip planning. Also, can you update the gas pricing? It’s no where near accurate. And organize the trips into past and upcoming/future?

Developer Response ,

We appreciate your detailed feedback, and appreciate that you think it's a really good app - even if you only gave us 3 stars. We understand the frustration with current location display and the challenges with managing trip dates and have documented that feedback. The route line issue you are reporting has been fixed - so please do make sure you are using the most recent version of Roadtrippers if you're still experiencing this! We're constantly working to enhance user experiences and will share your insights with our team.

The most troublesome travel app.

As we travel using this app we must re-enter cookie preferences each time the app opened. We must re-enter our vehicle information (all of it) each time we opened the app. I tried contacting the company but it allowed no contact info other than e-mail and their response time may be days later which by then we were many hundreds of miles further into the trip and when there was a response it was a friendly response but there was no help at all. No one could ever tell me why I must re-enter all the information as though it’s the first time using the app. There was no help. Just friendly responses. They had no phone number to call for technical assistance. No help at all. Just lip service by email. It became very frustrating. I couldn’t trust that the map was taking us on roads that allowed clearance for our vehicle. I quit using the app during our first trip. I tried again on our next trip. Same problems. Same Customer Service system. I informed them that their app was a real waste of money. They could care less. As my membership grew close to the end I sent an email asking for confirmation to my request NOT TO RENEW. I never got a response. I tried contacting them today and haven’t gotten a response. Note: I initially joined the Roadpass Pro membership based on an ad by Jason Esperson. I used to watch his videos. Now I have nothing to do with TOGO RV.

Hi again Sam - we're sorry to hear again that you're disappointed that you must select vehicle preferences when navigating a trip on Roadtrippers. We offer the option to select your vehicle on each trip as we realize that you may use different vehicles for different trips. We have conversed with you multiple times through our support email system ([email protected] and [email protected]) and I can see that we have followed up with you on each request. I do see we recently responded to an email you sent to us this week but we have not heard back from you. Please do check the spam inboxes for both of the email accounts you have used to email us - our helpful responses may be there!

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The developer, Roadtrippers , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
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The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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• Roadtrippers Basic - Annual $35.99
• Roadtrippers Premium - Annual $59.99
• Roadtrippers Pro - Annual $49.99
• Developer Website
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The world's first online maps designed for travelers.

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Discover top attractions as well as hidden gems and plan your trips day-by-day. Your trips can be synced with the Sygic Travel app to guide you on your travels.

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The Sygic Travel Maps mobile app displays the best tourist attractions, museums, restaurants, shops and more. Discover top places as well as hidden gems sourced from travel editors and fellow travelers and create your day-by-day trip plan directly in the app.

Download offline maps and guides for your destination to keep on track even in the most remote areas. Your trips can be seamlessly synced with the Sygic Travel Maps web.

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Looking for premium VR videos of the world's most famous attractions or relaxing nature footage? Explore our 360˚ video stock library and find the perfect VR content for your project. Instant video download.

Under the brand of Orbitian Media, we bring you the world's largest collection of original VR footage from over 60 destinations across 5 continents.

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From saving on gas to driving with kids, here's your ultimate road trip planner

"Easy Travel” is a 10-part series focusing on how to reduce bumps during vacations, anticipate roadblocks and be ready when things aren’t going your way. If you'd like to contribute to our future reporting and share your experience as a source, you can click here to fill out this quick form .

Ina Daly has spent most of her life on the road.

“My dad was a truck driver and that led me to becoming a truck driver,” she said. “What we do in a day, on a daily job would be like a long road trip to most people.”

With nearly 40 years of driving for freight transportation services provider XPO and numerous industry accolades under her belt, including grand champion at this year’s Arizona Truck Driving Championship , Daly is a pro. She’s also a mom and a grandmother who’s happy to share her experiences to make everyone’s road trips better.

“Some of the things I'm telling you are what we truckers tell our family members,” she said. “I've had a lot of accomplishments in my career and going to the National Truck Driving Championships (this month) is a reward, but the bigger reward is being able to share some things … that have the potential to save lives.”

What to do before a long drive

“Make sure that your vehicle’s road trip ready,” Daly said. ”Really pay close attention to your tires, your coolant, your fan belt.”

She notes tire dealers often offer free inspections to ensure tires are properly inflated and undamaged.

AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz advises getting the whole car serviced before hitting the road.

“If you're a car person and you can, do that yourself at home, by all means,” she said. Otherwise, she recommends getting the oil changed and battery and tires checked professionally. 

To save time and avoid stress, Diaz also suggests filling up on gas the night before leaving and making hotel reservations well in advance, noting that many hotels allow cancellations without penalty up until the day beforehand. 

What do you need before a road trip?

It’s always good to keep an emergency kit with supplies like first aid, a flashlight and extra batteries, and basic tools in the vehicle.

“You want to make sure that if you do have a tire issue, you have the proper tools and jacks in your vehicle to be able to change it,” Daly said. She said warning signals like reflective triangles can also warn other drivers to steer clear in the event of a breakdown.

For road trips, both she and Diaz recommend shelf-stable snacks like protein bars that won’t melt and plenty of water. “Don't think that a bottle or two for everybody is enough,” Daly said. “You've got to have, you know, five or six bottles for everyone.” 

Diaz also recommends wet wipes, blankets during the winter, and any time-sensitive medication or pet food that might be needed in the event of an extended delay.

“These things ideally wouldn't take up too much room in your trunk but they're just good to have in case of an emergency,” Diaz said. “Just think, ‘If I were stuck for a long time, what would keep me comfortable until I was able to (get) help?’”  

A printed map and a general sense of the route can also help in case there GPS hiccups or a phone dies.  AAA’s free TripTik planner can help travelers plot their trips in advance and find rest stops, lodging, food and gas along the way. And its free Gas Cost Calculator can help locate the cheapest average gas prices for drivers when it’s time to refuel.

'Get out there': This mom is using a never-ending road trip to inspire Black family travel

What I should know before a road trip?

“Everything can be a distraction in the car – the radio, the kids, etc. But the phone is a big one,” Daly advised. “When you’re driving, that thing should not ever be in your hand.”

More than 3,500 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2021 because of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . 

Daly also recommends watching out for distracted drivers.

“You can tell a distracted driver by their fluctuating speed,” she warned. “They're drifting in their lane. Their head is looking down instead of focusing on the road. You want to give those people a wide berth.”

How long will a road trip take?

Road trips always take longer than expected because of traffic, construction and other things that arise en route.

Diaz says to expect at least an hour longer than whatever the GPS predicts. Daly recommends leaving at least two hours early.

“You don't want that stressful drive,” Daly said. “You’re hurrying. That lends to bad driving behaviors like tailgating and speeding, which leads to accidents. Don’t put yourself in that situation.”

How many hours a day should you drive on a road trip?

“It just varies so much from person to person, how long they’re comfortable driving,” Diaz said. “We want to err on the side of safety. We want people to be safe on the roads and drive the speed limit and not rush it, but everybody's different.”

Switching out drivers can lighten the load, but no matter who is driving, Daly said, “If you're starting to feel a little, less attentive, maybe a little fatigued, it’s time to take a break.”

What time is best to drive?

“We always recommend, especially during the holidays, leave early in the morning,” Diaz said. “The later you leave in the day, the worse it's going to be because a lot of times during the week … you're going to mix with those commuters on the road.”

“Some people enjoy night driving,” she added. “Once you get to like 8 p.m., 9 p.m. traffic comes down a lot.” 

However, she noted drivers who leave in the evening should watch out for fatigue and plan to drive less than if they started fresh in the morning.

How do you take a good road trip with kids? 

When possible, Daly recommends having a designated passenger to help with kids so the driver can focus on the road.  

Another important thing is to keep seatbelts on the whole way.

“Kids have a tendency to take those off,” Daly said. “Make sure they stay buckled up. I've seen some horrible things out there.”

'I just want to see more of us': The importance of seeing people like you while traveling

What do kids need on a road trip?

Entertainment helps pass the time, but it doesn’t have to be digital. There are all sorts of screen-free road trip games . 

Diaz recommends printing a map or list of sites or cities for kids to watch for along the way.

“You know, yell it out or mark it on your sheet,” she said. “Have some crayons in the car with them so they're following along on the trip, and they feel like they're part of it.”

“Point out historical landmarks and scenery; enjoy nature,” Daly echoed. “That's one of the things that we truck drivers love about our jobs is we get to see the country and nature.”

Stop at points of interest every few hours or simply for everyone to stretch their legs.

And for those times when kids are on screens, make sure to pack car chargers.

What is the best way to save gas?

Don’t speed. 

“Fuel economy peaks at around 50 miles per hour on most cars, and then it drops off as the speeds increase,” Diaz said. “You think, ‘OK, if I just go 70, I'm going to get there faster, and it'll be better,’ but essentially, you're just wasting gas at that point." Fuel economy can be increased by as much as 15% by reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 miles per hour, she said.

Don’t idle unnecessarily either, like at rest stops.

“Your car engine consumes about a quarter to a half a gallon of fuel per hour while it's idling,” she said. “But a warm engine only takes about 10 seconds’ worth of fuel to restart, so if it's safe to do so, just shut off your engine.”

Story continues below.

What happens if my tire blows out?

“When you blow a tire, kaboom, it freaks you out. Do not panic,” Daly said. “Don't slow down abruptly or brake hard or jerk the wheel because that will cause you to lose control and have an accident.”

“Just focus on steering,” she added. “Slow very gradually, off to the side of the road in a safe area, and you won’t have any issue from your blown tire.”

How do you drive around semitrucks?

“Be aware of our needs and limitations,” Daly said. “You know we’re big. We need a lot of space around us. We have big blind spots. … If you can’t see the truck driver’s face in the mirrors of the truck, the truck driver can’t see you.”

She advised against passing on the right. 

“If you have to pass quickly, don’t linger over there. We see people driving over there for the shade (and it) puts us in a very dangerous situation,” she said. “And don’t cut in front of us and then hit your breaks. People don’t like to follow a truck because they can’t see around us, so they pass us and then cut in front of us.”

“It takes away that safety cushion we leave in front of us,” she added. “When you see all that space in front of a truck, that's not for your convenience so that you can pass us and cut into it. That’s for our safety and yours.”

By the same token, she advised fellow drivers to leave plenty of space in front of their own vehicles, so they have enough room to stop quickly in an emergency. If another driver cuts into that space, she suggested, “Take a break. Slow down again. Recreate that space. Bite your tongue and think pure thoughts.”

That last tip may not be so easy.

What has been your best or worst road trip experience?

16 Best Road Trip Apps to Plan Your Adventures 2024

F rom before you go to when you’re on the road, there are tons of road trip planning tools to help you get the most out of your adventure.

The number of tools can be overwhelming, so I’ve narrowed it down to the best road trip apps.

These are the best apps that I personally use to plan road trips, to save money, to book hotels, to find trails and activities, and more.

I’m an Android user, and I’ve only included the best road trip planner apps available on both Apple’s app store and Android’s Google Play.

Visit the respective stores to download these apps to your device.

If you’re ready to plan your next road trip, check out these amazing tools.

Want more road trip tips? Download Planning Your Perfect Road Trip, a Step-by-Step Guide to Hittin’ the Road

16 Best Road Trip Apps

1. alltrails, 3. gasbuddy, 4. google maps, 5. hoteltonight, 7. nps (national park service) app, 8. priceline, 9. rainy days, 10. recreation.gov, 11. restaurant.com, 12. roadtrippers.com, 13. tollguru.com, 14. triptik by aaa.

Like to hike? Bike? Go for a walk? AllTrails is a great app to help you discover hiking and biking trails based on where you’re located.

You can read reviews, store trails you’d like to explore, and record the hikes you do take. You can choose to make your hikes public, or keep them private.

The basic app is free. Upgrade to the pro version for access to these premium features:

• Download offline maps to stay on track without service
• Never miss a turn with off-route notifications
• Keep friends and family informed with Lifeline
• Know what to expect with real-time map overlays
• Offset your environmental impact; 1% of every subscription goes back to the planet.

Expedia is an aggregator app that makes it easy to search for and compare prices on rental cars, hotels, and activities along your route. Rates are often discounted, and you have the opportunity to earn rewards.

When you sign up for an Expedia Rewards account, which is free, you also get access to member prices.

Their hotel search function is robust, making it easy to find a hotel that fits your budget and preferences.

You can filter your search by location and price, of course, but you can also search specifically for places that include breakfast, which is a way to save money on your road trip.

Related: how to budget a road trip

You can also search for pet friendly accommodations, hotels with hot tubs, and places where parking is included.

One of my personal favorites is the ability to search for places that “pledge to make all guests feel safe, welcome, and respected.”

If you’re a member of travel loyalty programs, add your account numbers to your Expedia account, and not only can you earn rewards with Expedia, you can also earn them with the other travel companies.

You can also purchase tickets to attractions directly through the app. For example, in San Diego you can book a hop-on, hop-off trolley tour, a harbor cruise, and get tickets to the San Diego Zoo .

Booking in advance can be especially useful if you’re planning a road trip to a popular tourist destination and want to make sure you don’t miss out on any must-see sights or experiences.

The app is easy to use and keeps an itinerary with your confirmation numbers.

Until electric cars have battery life that will take you through the country’s most remote stretches, gas is a necessary evil of the road trip.

It’s a big expense. On one of our epic road trips, we spent more than $600 filling up a vehicle that averaged 27MPG. Fortunately, we had GasBuddy or we would have spent even more.

GasBuddy uses crowd-sourced data to provide real-time information on gas prices at different stations.

With GasBuddy, you can easily find the cheapest gas prices near you, as well as see which gas stations have the best deals on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day.

The prices are updated by users and in the years I’ve been using it I’ve come across incorrect information infrequently (which I promptly correct).

Seeing prices means you can skip the station by the interstate that’s charging fifteen cents more than its counterpart a quarter mile away.

You can search for the best gas prices by location by entering your current location or a specific address and see a list of gas stations near you, along with their current prices for regular, mid-grade, and premium gas.

You can also filter your search results by brand or location type.

One of the ways GasBuddy is particularly useful for road trips is that it allows you to see the location of rest areas, truck stops, and other services, such as restaurants and parking areas, on the map.

This can be particularly useful if you’re driving on a long trip and need to take a break or find a place to refuel.

In addition to displaying fuel prices, you can also save when you sign up for Pay with GasBuddy.

To do this, you’ll add your bank account information to your GasBuddy account. They’ll mail you a card for use at the pump.

Swipe it and enter your access code, and you’ll save a few cents per gallon.

Pay with GasBuddy also gives you access to Deal Alerts, which knock the price down even more. Pay with GasBuddy doesn’t work at warehouse clubs or stations on reservation land.

But, it works with most major brands and we save an average of five cents a gallon by using our card.

I’m such a fan I’ve written a full guide on how to use GasBuddy .

I almost feel like this goes without saying—but I’ll say it anyway (obviously): if you have just one road trip app, make it Google maps.

There are many, many reasons it’s the most popular navigation app.

Not only can you get directions, but because it’s tied into Google you can find anything around you, too.

With Google Maps, you can easily plan the best route, get turn-by-turn directions, and see real-time traffic updates.

The map will also show you the location of gas stations, rest areas, and other points of interest along your route, so you can plan for pit stops or find things to do.

The real-time traffic updates are a life-saver. If you’re about to run into some heavy traffic, the app will offer to reroute you, if a faster route is available.

If you prefer two-lanes, you can set it to avoid Highways. You can also choose to avoid tolls, but if that’s unavoidable, Google Maps will show you how much those tolls are.

And if you’ve got a toll pass, it’ll display those prices, which are often discounted from cash.

One of the route options you can choose is which is most fuel-efficient, and you can even select the type of fuel: Gas, Diesel, Electric, and Hybrid.

Another great feature of Google Maps is the ability to download maps for offline use. This is particularly useful if you’re planning a road trip to a rural area or somewhere with limited cell service.

By downloading the maps in advance, you can still access them and navigate even if you don’t have an internet connection.

Google Maps can also be used as a road trip trip planner .

When you find great places and quirky roadside attractions that look interesting or you know you want to include on your itinerary, you can save them.

For example, search for Rocky Mountain National Park. Then tap the “Save” icon. From there, you can add it to Favorites, Want to go, Travel plans, or Starred places.

You can also create your own lists, which will make it easier to plan a whole trip.

Once you add these amazing places to a list, you can add a note. Maybe Aunt Sue recommended the peach pie at a diner. Write it down in the notes. Then when you’re planning your itinerary, you’ll know why you added that diner to your list.

You can keep your list Private or you can choose to share it. This comes in handy when there are multiple people planning the trip.

BONUS: Google Maps shows you how much tolls will cost.

If you’re looking for a last minute hotel room, HotelTonight wants to help. Primarily in larger towns and cities, the website and app can help you find same-day and next-day hotel stays at discounted rates.

The app will find accommodations near you, and you can also search for hotels by location. You can filter your search by price, star rating, and neighborhood.

Frequent users can take advantage of HT Perks, HotelTonight’s rewards system. The more you spend, the more you save. HT Perks are available only from participating hotels.

One cool feature is if you see a deal but don’t want to use it immediately, you can choose to save it for later credit. You’ll then have a year to use it.

Taking the interstates? iExit is a free travel app that shows you what’s available at each exit, including dining, shopping, restrooms, and attractions. It also pulls up gas stations and gas prices.

The app uses real-time data to provide information on the services and amenities available at upcoming exits on the highway, making it an ideal tool for planning rest stops, gas fill-ups and meals.

You’ll see a list of services such as restaurants, hotels, gas stations and rest areas along with their distance from the exit. You can also filter your search results by categories such as fast food, lodging, and gas stations.

iExit also allows you to search for specific chain of restaurants or hotels, which can be helpful if you have a loyalty program with a particular brand.

It also provides pricing information on gas prices so that you can plan your fill-ups to save money. Fuel prices are updated in real-time by OPIS.

Another feature that makes iExit a useful app for road trips is that it allows you to see the location of rest areas, truck stops, and other services, such as parking areas and restrooms, on the map.

One more feature that iExit offers is the ability to save your favorite exits, so you can quickly access them later. This can be especially useful if you frequently travel the same route and want to quickly find your favorite rest stop or gas station.

With its real-time information on services and amenities, search filters, and other helpful features, iExit can help you plan your route more efficiently and find the services you need while on the road.

It also displays gas stations, and a premium version includes gas prices. Don’t let the word premium fool you: it’s only $1.99.

Not only does the official app of the National Park Service show you where to find National Parks, it helps you discover every site in their system.

It’s free to use and you can explore by topic, by activity, by state, or near your location.

The app provides information on park hours, fees, and regulations, as well as maps, trail guides, and other resources to help you make the most of your visit.

You can save sites to your favorites and make the information available offline. That way when you’re in Yellowstone National Park and you’re blissfully disconnected, you can still access the information.

It’s downloaded to your phone, so make sure you have storage space.

Features of the NPS App include:

• Interactive maps
• Amenities, like food, shopping, and restrooms
• Accessibility, including audio descriptions
• Things to do
• News, alerts, and events

You can also keep a list of all the National Park Service sites you’ve visited.

Related: Don’t miss these National Park tips and printable checklist .

If I had a dime for every dollar Priceline has saved me I could start booking three- and four-star hotels.

The commercials ain’t lyin’—their Express Deals are amazing. What’s the catch? You have no idea where you’ll end up. You can see a general area and a star level, but that’s it.

When a glitch caused our camping plans to fall through (nobody wants to set up camp at 8:30 at night—I’ve done it, and it’s not fun), I found an Express Deal in Jamestown, ND, for $41.

Once the transaction completed, I learned what hotel we’d booked. It was clean and offered free Wi-Fi. We had a refrigerator and microwave, breakfast was included, and I could even register the stay with my rewards account.

While they no longer give you the option to Name Your Own Price, in addition to Express Deals, they also have pricebreakers. They pick from one of three different hotels.

While you won’t know which one you’re getting until you pay for it, you’ll be able to see in advance what your options are.

Like Expedia, you can search for hotels by location, price, and amenities. You can also search by brand and star level, making it easy to find a hotel that fits your budget and preferences.

Priceline VIP is a rewards program that provides discounts, add-on deals, and Express Deal coupons after your trip is complete.

The app will show you deals on hotels near your location. You can also book rental cars, flights, and cruises.

TLTip: If you use Priceline to book your hotel rooms, it is very important to read the reviews. Sometimes there’s a reason that hotel with free breakfast is only $40.

Related: how to save money on a road trip .

Knowing what’s happening weather-wise is kind of important when you’re on a road trip. My favorite way to see whether I’ll stay dry or will need to break out the slicker is Rainy Days.

This free app has helped my anxiety level frequently, especially while driving in North Central Nebraska. It was good to know we were driving the opposite direction of an intense storm.

Another time, a tornado warning popped up on the navigation system… in Montana. If you’ve never driven through central Montana, let me tell you, this is the reason jerry cans were invented.

Related: unique things to do in Montana

It’s big and beautiful and feels like you’re the only one for miles – and you probably are. The rest area near Musselshell was so quiet I could hear a cow call in the distance.

There were no bridges to hide under, no gullies, no shelter.

Just us, the road, and ominous clouds.

Incredibly, we had cell service, so I pulled up Rainy Days and discovered that the storm and its potential funnel clouds and golf-ball-sized hail were behind us and moving slower than we were. Whew!

Besides, it’s cool to see those weather formations.

Rainy Days doesn’t provide weather forecast. For that, I use the Weather.com app that came pre-installed on my phone.

Recreation.gov is definitely one of the best road trip apps. It’s the official website and app for making reservations for recreational activities and facilities managed by the U.S. federal government.

You can find campgrounds and lodging, tours and activities, sign up for lotteries for the most popular things to do, and find information on what permits are required near you.

Once you do make reservations, they’re stored in the app.

This is the site and app to use when you plan to visit parks that require vehicle registration, like Glacier National Park, or want a permit to hike Angels Landing in Zion National Park .

You can reserve campsites on the website and app. We did, while sitting at the entrance to a campground in Mississippi.

We didn’t realize the park was a NPS site when we drove up, and the kindly gent in the booth directed us to make our reservations through the app.

There’s also a trip planner. Plug in your dates, number of people, your starting location, and your potential destinations.

You can then see all the available options on a map, add them to your itinerary, and then make any necessary reservations.

Eating where the locals eat is a great way to get a real “taste” for a town. If you want to save some dough on your dining, sign up for restaurant.com .

This app provides discounted certificates, and I’ve found participating restaurants in towns with fewer than 10,000 residents.

You’ll have to spend a minimum amount to use your certificate, and it’s usually double the face value. For example, if you get a $10 certificate for $4, you’ll have to spend at least $20 and you’ll save $6.

You can search for restaurants in your current location and by zip code. You can also choose larger cities, including Chicago, Seattle, and Austin.

Once you’ve narrowed down the location, look at the menu and the ratings. I’ve found several real gems using this app, and they’ve been places I never would have known about or tried without it.

The mobile app has been acting pretty wonky lately, and there seem to be fewer selections than in years past. I suggest trying it out at home before taking it on the road.

Roadtrippers.com is one of the best road trip planning tools . It allows you to plug points into a map, but it’s so much more than that.

Once you’ve added your starting point and your destination, the Roadtrippers app displays attractions along your route. The more you zoom in, the more attractions you’ll see.

When you’re on the road, the app will show nearby points of interest, restaurants, and gas stations.

You can add the type of vehicle you’re driving and its estimated fuel efficiency and Roadtrippers will calculate your approximate expenses.

Besides plotting the route itself, there’s a ton of user-generated content offering recommendations for attractions, restaurants, places to stay, and great photo ops. There are also pre-made trip guides.

Previously you could specify whether you wanted to drive interstates or not per segment of your trip. That’s no longer the case, and to choose any routing options you’ll need to upgrade.

Check out our full guide on how to use Roadtrippers .

However, upgrading enables you to collaborate with other users and increases the number of waypoints from three in the free version to up to 150.

There are three levels of membership: Basic, Pro, and Premium with Premium getting you the most benefits with downloadable maps, live traffic, and special discounts.

At time of publication, Roadtrippers membership ranges from $35.99 to $59.99 per year, and there’s a seven day free trial. If you upgrade, you can save $5 off your first year with code BTR5QTP.

I’m an affiliate with Roadtrippers, so any purchase through that link gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Driving highways or in urban areas? Download TollGuru.

This road trip app has detailed information, including pricing, methods of payment accepted at tolls, and which transponders (E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak, TxTag, etc.) are accepted.

It will also give you an estimated fuel cost if you include the type of vehicle you drive and the average gas prices.

While Google Maps now provides toll price information, TollGuru gives you more detail.

One of the best road trip planning apps is AAA’s TripTik .

These have come a long way since the spiral-bound guides of my youth. Today, you can plan your road trip routes online or on your phone.

If you want to plan your perfect road trip , plug in your starting and ending points and add up to 25 stops. Specify how often you’d like to stop and it’ll build breaks into your turn-by-turn directions.

You can choose to display gas stations, attractions, campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, AAA savings, and rest areas.

This road trip planning app is free to use, even if you’re not a AAA member. Joining is recommended, though. Not only do you get roadside assistance, you also get special discounts on hotel rooms and restaurants, as well as paper maps.

Upside is a free app that gives you cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurants. Brands include most of the big fuel chains (Shell, Marathon, Valero, BP, etc.)

Upside works similarly to Pay with GasBuddy in that you get cents off per gallon, but you get it in the form of cash back.

For example, at the Casey’s near me I can get eight cents per gallon cash back. To get the discount, I claim the offer, pay with a credit card, and then check in or take a photo of my receipt to upload it.

Once the cash back processes, which is usually within a couple days, I can transfer it to my bank account or use it to buy gift cards for places like Domino’s, H&M, and Starbucks.

Upside also offers cash back at restaurants and grocery stores. The offers vary, and when you first sign up there’s an increased discount.

The app saves you a few cents here and there, but they add up, especially when you’re on long road trips, making this one of my essential road trip apps.

Sign up for Upside here .

Download Waze for an alternative to Google Maps. One of the key features of Waze is its crowd-sourced traffic information, which allows users to report accidents, road closures, and other incidents in real time.

This helps you stay updated on the latest traffic conditions and avoid any delays on your route.

You can set your type of vehicle for preferred routes, including Motorcycle, Electric, and Taxi. You can also add your Toll and HOV passes, and you can tell it to skip unpaved roads.

(I can think of a few trips I’ve taken where that option would have come in handy.)

In addition to its routing and traffic features, Waze also offers a number of other useful tools for road trips. For example, the app allows you to find the cheapest gas prices along your route, restaurants, and parking at your destination.

If you connect your calendar, the app will tell you when it’s time to leave.

While there are definitely more road trip apps out there, these are the ones I consider essential. If you’re planning a road trip, don’t forget to get my book, Planning Your Perfect Road Trip !