It’s easy to think that a cross- country road trip or life on the road can be pretty expensive. I mean, constant gas fill ups that inevitably pair with the snacks from inside, campsites that charge like crazy, and hiking in the coolest places that usually have a hefty entrance fee. Although this is may be exactly what your road trips look like, it doesn’t have to be. Thankfully these days, there are tons of apps to make life on the road or even a weekend trip way easier and so much cheaper than you may think.
These are personally my favorite apps for any road trip. They all offer something different whether it’s saving money or just making life so much more convenient.
#1
Even if you aren’t planning a road trip, I don’t know what you’re doing if you don’t have this one! I cannot tell you how many times we save at least .50 cents per gallon by looking at this! The gas stations with the huge lit up signs along the interstate are always more expensive than the ones 1 or 2 miles off the highway. It takes 2 extra minutes to get there and you walk away saving $5 – $10 per fill up. This app lets you know all the gas stations near you, how to get there, and what the price is for each grade of gas. I recommend this to anyone, road trip or not. (and it’s free!)
#2
This app finds where you are on the interstate and tells you all of the upcoming exits along with everything at each exit (i.e. gas stations, restaurants, rest stops, etc.). I use this one whenever I want to pull over for lunch or to stop for pretty much anything on a long driving day. It can get frustrating pulling off the highway to find that there is only one food choice and the only gas station doesn’t have diesel or is 10x the price it should be. So this thing comes in handy to know how far each exit is and what to expect when I get there. Also, free!
#3
This is one that could be in the running for my favorite road trip app ever. AllTrails basically just tells you every single trail that you are near at all times. This includes national parks, monuments, small trails, local park trails, everything. It helps with directions, provides maps of the trail, and gives details and info that are needed before and during the hike. I love hiking and this is a God send when you are in a really cool area but aren’t sure where the best hiking is at or want to find something a little off the beaten trail. (’tis free)
#4
If you’re a fellow van lifer, I don’t know how you survive without this! I use this app almost everyday to find where I’m going to sleep that night. I will admit that I don’t use this if I want to stay at a free campsite. But I always do if I’m just driving through and want to sleep at a business such as Walmart or a truck stop. You can click in the top right corner of the app to choose your filters. Mine are always “Cabelas, Walmart Ask To Park, Cracker Barrel, Overnight Parking”. It then displays all of those particular businesses anywhere in the country so you can plan where to sleep. They even have directions, reviews, and phone numbers in case you need to call ahead. This does cost $10 but downloads all the info onto your phone so you can use it even when you don’t have service/wifi.
#5
If I’m being totally honest, I don’t use this one all the time. BUT, it does come in handy when I’m out of ideas and just want something fun to do for the day or upcoming days. Basically, you put in where you’re starting from and where you will end up. The app will ask what types of things you like to do and then tells you everything in between your Point A and Point B that you may be interested in doing. So definitely give it a try if you are like me and sometimes get tired of researching all the time for the best places! (free, free)
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Final Notes
I hope you enjoy these apps as much as I do! If you have any of your own that you recommend, please let me know in the comments so I can try it out too! Although living on the road can have it’s inconveniences at times, someone has usually beat you to it and thought of a prevention method. So research what is out there and figure out the best ways for you to explore and save money!
Im gonna try them!
Do you have “park4night”?
Very cool we live in Wrightwood ca and heard about your site from a friend! Great info cause I drive about 75 miles one way to work and we have a trailer we’d like to tow!