Stopping Along the Way

How do you decide where to stop along the way and find fun things to see and do?  For our style of traveling, it's just as much about the journey as it is the destination.  We are 'ramblers' just like the name of our blog.  Rambling has us constantly searching out interesting stops.  Often the best ideas come from talking to 'locals,' but we also rely on some smart phone travel apps.

I've listed eleven of them here and although there's a bit of overlap between some of them, I can honestly say there are enough differences in what they do that I use them all!

Take a look and see if your favorite apps are listed, if not be sure to add them in the comments below!  I'll follow up with another post about apps we use to find campgrounds and overnight parking.  These are more about finding things to see and do; and finding services like gas, restaurants, pet stores, etc.

Google Maps (free) -- is our go-to app for finding stops along the way.  The trick is to put 'near me' in the search box.  So 'pizza near me,' 'gas stations near me' 'rv repair near me,' 'dog parks near me' 'grocery stores near me.'  You get the idea!



Trip Advisor --  (free)  This is a great app to use for planning trips vs. using on the road.  It features the just the most popular things to see and do, restaurants, and lodging which you can filter for campgrounds,  but it's not going to list all of the state or provincial parks--just private ones. Definitely us this for planning, but keep reading if you're looking for some off the beaten path stops.

Roadside America -- ($) There's a fee for this app, but it is TOTALLY worth it if you're into quirky, fun stops! After visiting southern Maine for decades, we didn't discover this "Big Easy Chair" in Kittery Maine until we started using Roadside America--it never disappoints!

 Around Me (free) and iExit (free) -- are both free apps that work well for finding services along the way.  Around Me is super for finding restaurants, banks,  movie theaters, pubs, pharmacies, and more in your general area.

iExit is THE app for Interstate travel.  It identifies gas stations, restaurants, attractions, and more.  iExit finds the Interstate nearest your location.  Simply add the direction you're traveling (for example, North) and iExit lists what's available at the next few exits.  There's some overlap between these two apps, but you really want both!

Google Field Trip (free)  has been around for a few years but I feel it's a best kept secret!  Again we use this one all the time to find interesting stops along the way (maybe some overlap with Roadside America), but Field Trip is super for historical, architectural, and unusual stops.  I don't think Google has updated it recently, but it's still worth a download. Roadtripping Tip:  Go into "select your interests" and delete  the European and Asian sources so it will work faster.

BringFido (free) -- is a MUST for anyone who travels with a furry friend.  Even though the main purpose of this app may seem to be finding pet friendly hotels, we use it all the time to find pet friendly restaurants (usually outdoor seating), activities like dog parks, dog beaches, dog friendly parks and trails.  The app also identifies local dog services like kennels, vets, and pet stores.

AllTrails (free or subscription with ability to download maps) -- We use the free version of this app and love it for identifying hikes to take.  With filters like difficulty level, distance, elevation gain, suitability (dogs friendly, stroller, wheelchair accessible, paved, kid friendly, etc.), it is super simple to find a hike that will work for you.  AllTrails also includes comments and photos from other hikers. 

Roadtrippers (free) -- can be used for both planning and spontaneous stops.  Since Google Maps is our go-to app for planning,  the 'nearby' option is the only feature I've used.  A search of Montpelier Vermont retrieves several restaurants, museums, state forests, theaters, parks, and more.

GasBuddy (free) -- This crowd-sourced app is our go-to app for finding the cheapest gas in a location.  You can filter by type of gas (regular, premium, diesel, E85, etc.).  The app plots the gas stations on a map and lists the most recent price reported.  The map icons also identify the brand of gas, so if you have a Shall credit card, you can easily find that station.

Yelp (free) -- If you're having a yen for Thai food Yelp will help!  It's a great app to identify restaurants that might be a little further off the beaten path than just the fast food restaurants at the exit.  I like that you can filter by cuisine type (Mexican, Chinese, Vegetarian, etc), open hours, outdoor seating, full bar, even good for kids.  There's usually a menu linked or photograph.

Enjoy (and be sure to share you're favorites below)!  And if you haven't already guessed, BringFido is Rosie's favorite app!  Next post--camping apps.