Any time is a good time for a road trip, but there’s no better time than autumn to see the colours of the Australian countryside. So if you’re itching to hit the road, then our seven essential apps for road trips will make the long drive much more enjoyable and fuss-free.
Visit By Road
Okay, so the first one is not technically an app: it’s a new website that claims to be the best online road trip planner in the world. Visit By Road allows you to plan your trip, share your itinerary and find accommodation along the way that best suits your needs. It also lets you discover any events that you may come across, or may want to go out of your way to see, and it uncovers many destinations and hidden gems that you may not have known existed.
Visit www.visitbyroad.net.au
There’s Nothing Like Australia
This well-designed app gives users inspiration for fantastic road trips, as illustrated in its multimedia journeys, showing video, interactive imagery and real-life travel stories. It not only features well-known destinations, such as Melbourne and Sydney, but also off-the-beaten-track tours, such as Uluru and El Questro.
But the app also has a more useful side apart from inspirational scenery. With it, you can find places to stay, and details about towns you can visit.It even allows you to build and export an itinerary that you can save or share with your friends.
Appy Travels
Appy Travels is not one app, but an app ‘series’ thatis constantly presenting updated information on destinations, including Australian capital cities as well as regional ports of call, such as Byron Bay, Yarra Valley, Goulbourn Valley, the Kimberley and the Blue Mountains.
There’s an impressive list of features that includes interactive maps, news, image and video galleries, weather and daily deals specific to the areas you are visiting. It also allows users to post their own reviews, comments and recommendations.
Free on iPad, iPhone and Android
Australia On The Cheap
Our favourite road tripper, Lee Atkinson has created this handy app for anyone who wants to save a bit of cash when travelling.Australia on the Cheap is packed with money-saving tips, and features over 450 free or inexpensive attractions, as well as advice on great places to camp and stay. And you can trust every review, because Lee Atkinson has made them all herself.
You can use the app to plan your trip, and all the maps and photos are included in the initial download – which is handy if you’re in the middle of nowhere and don’t have access to wifi.
Australia Bushwalking
If spending all your time in the car is not your idea of the perfect road trip, then Australia Bushwalking can give you the inspiration for the best places to get out and stretch your legs on some of the many awesome walking tracks Australia has to offer.
Although not intended as a tour guide, the app features 90 bushwalks from all around this great southern land, including coastal strolls right through to epic trail walks. Walks are divided into categories such as overnight, guided, full and half day, desert, river and coastal, and are further broken down by state.
Yelp
Yelp is a fantastic directory app that can help you find restaurants, places to stay, petrol stations, pubs or any other types of businesses that are listed in its massive archive. The app is review based, meaning you can make your decisions on whether or not to stay in a hotel based on other people’s recommendations. See our article for more information about Yelp, as well as other handy directory apps.
Free on iPad, iPhone and Android
Stayz
The Stayz app allows users to search and book accommodation from over 45,000 listed properties in 2000 locations. These listings include user reviews, rates, descriptions and image galleries to help you make your decision.
Free on iPhone
