• What to Know Before Buying a Smartwatch
  • Are Solar Chargers Worth It?

The 10 Best Road Trip Planner Apps for 2024

Save time, money, and energy with these apps so you can focus on the fun instead

trip planner app for driving

  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
  • Payment Services

We love road trips! Planning them can be fun but, let's be honest, also stressful. The right road trip planner apps can take some of that stress away by helping you plan, organize, and manage travel before and during your trip. We've researched and tested these apps to help give you peace of mind so that you can spend more time enjoying your trip.

The Ultimate Map App for Planning Your Route: Roadtrippers

Access to free and convenient travel guides.

Share-ability so friends can join in on the planning process and suggest places to visit.

The app can use up the battery life of your device quickly. Take a car USB charger with you.

Built for travelers, Roadtrippers helps you create your route while allowing you to discover great places as you plan it out. Add a new place to your itinerary to work it into your trip.

The app features an easy-to-use interface. In addition to covering the U.S., it also covers Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Download For:

Automate Your Trip Planning and Organization: Google Travel

Automatic trip organization via Gmail integration. 

Offline access so you can see your trip information even when you don't have an internet connection.

Limitations with customizing some day trips exactly the way you want.

You can count on Google to make your trip planning a breeze. Pre-constructed day plans are available for hundreds of the world's most popular destinations, which you can customize to your liking.

It's one of the most versatile travel planner apps out there, giving you one convenient place to see your hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings.

Find and Book a Last-Minute Place to Stay: Hotels.com

A fast, easy-to-use booking feature.

For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one night free, provided it's the average daily rate of those 10 nights.

No option to easily cancel if you change your mind.

Whether your road trip itinerary changed, or you haven't decided on a place to stay yet, Hotels.com can help you find a place and book it when you're on the go, even when it's super last-minute. You can sort and filter hotels, see the amenities they have to offer, compare prices, and catch a glimpse of how many rooms are available.

This is the app you'll want to have handy if you want to see in-depth hotel details at a glance and need to find a place to crash ASAP without breaking the bank.

Find Local Restaurants, Read Reviews, and Make Reservations: OpenTable

Lots of great filter options and suggestions.

Access to gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items and informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems and inconveniences with their built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants is more difficult than simply looking at what's around in the area.

Deciding on a place to eat in a new area is quick and hassle-free with OpenTable. See what's nearby, filter restaurants by cuisine, see photos of what's on the menu, make reservations, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.

OpenTable is known to be one of the top  location-based food apps  available, so you know you can trust its information when you're dying for something to eat.

Navigate Like a Local: Waze

Hands-free navigation with voice commands.

Alerts-only mode for road hazards and police.

Share up-to-date ETA with friends.

Spotify and Apple Music widgets get in the way.

Cluttered maps can be confusing.

Higher battery usage than Google Maps.

Waze  is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

The app syncs with your Google Calendar and can tell you when you should leave for appointments based on traffic. There's also a cool option to record your own voice and use it for directions .

Know Exactly When and Where to Make a Pit Stop: iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Access to detailed summaries of what's at the next exit (including gas prices at nearby gas stations).

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

The app can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data plan while you're on the road.

Making a pit stop for food, gas, or a bathroom break is easy when you have the iExit app. Using your device's GPS, the app offers helpful suggestions for when and where to stop based on your location along the highway.

Whether you're looking for well-known franchises like Starbucks and Walmart to convenient amenities like free Wi-Fi and truck or trailer parking, this app has you covered.

Find the Cheapest Fuel Nearby: GasBuddy

An in-app gas payment feature.

Opportunity to save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life as it runs in the background.

GasBuddy is an app specifically designed to find nearby gas stations and save money on gas. Use it to find the cheapest gas in your area and filter gas stations by amenities like car washes, restaurants, and bathrooms.

It's the app you want to have if you're serious about finding the cheapest gas around. Information comes from users like you, so you have the most up-to-date prices.

Download For :

Never Forget an Item: PackPoint Premium Packing List

Access to a built-in library of items to pack with the ability to add or remove items as needed. 

An elegant, intuitive app interface.

Can't input multiple destinations for a single trip.

Not a free app.

PackPoint helps you make sure you have everything you need based on where you're going and what you're doing. In addition, the app takes into consideration the length of your trip and the expected weather conditions. Perhaps best of all, this app turns a mundane chore into something that's actually quite fun.

Find Out Where to Park and How Much It Will Cost: Inrix ParkMe

ParkMe is the only app that also includes street parking and parking meter rates where available, in addition to parking lots.

Real-time updates on available parking spots.

Rates and hours may be inaccurate in some areas.

ParkMe claims to be the world's largest and most accurate parking database. It allows you to purchase your parking spot through the app and compare prices across parking providers to help you save more money.

If you're road tripping around major cities in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, this app can be a huge help. You can even compare parking options and prices so that you always get the best deal.

Automate Your Itinerary: TripIt

Automatically creates itineraries from your inbox.

Widget displays trip details on your home screen.

Annoying amount of alerts by default.

If you're planning a trip, you'll likely have a lot of confirmation emails for hotels, appointments, restaurants, and attractions. TripIt syncs with your inbox and uses that information to compile an itinerary so that you don't have to scramble for it.

The free version is fine for road trips, but if you ever fly, the premium version gives you the option to upgrade seats and track reward miles.

In addition to your phone, laptop, and tablet, other travel tech essentials include chargers, headphones, travel adapters, cameras, luggage trackers, and off-grid communications

Yes. You can use Google Maps as a trip planner through the “Places” and “My Maps” features. Both the Google Maps website and app let you save locations to lists and get directions.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

  • The 9 Best Travel Planner Apps of 2024
  • The 5 Best Ways to Use Google Maps Trip Planner
  • Top 5 Social Travel Sites
  • The 5 Best Motorcycle Apps of 2024
  • The 10 Best Car Apps of 2024
  • The 10 Best Road Trip Podcasts of 2024
  • The 9 Best Travel Apps for 2024
  • The 13 Best Android Auto Apps of 2024
  • The 6 Best Hiking GPS Apps
  • The 7 Best Google Maps Alternatives of 2024
  • The 7 Best Emergency Alert Apps of 2024
  • The 9 Best Summer Apps of 2024
  • The 10 Best Workout Log Apps of 2024
  • The 10 Best Apps for Your High-Schooler
  • The 20 Best Free iPhone Apps of 2024
  • The 8 Best Productivity Apps for iPhone and iPad
  • Search Please fill out this field.
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Newsletters
  • Sweepstakes
  • Travel Tips
  • Mobile Apps

The Best Road Trip Apps That Help You Find Cheap Gas, Avoid Traffic, and More

Download these before you hit the highway.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

trip planner app for driving

Carmen Martínez Torrón/Getty Images

Technology has revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by Google and Apple Maps, old-school CDs by music streaming services, and guidebooks by apps that can notify road-trippers of roadside attractions in real time. One thing is certain: the smartphone has made road trips infinitely easier and, arguably, cheaper.

Whether you need a digital road trip planner to map out your next journey or something to help you avoid traffic jams, here are 11 of the best road trip apps to download ahead of your next adventure.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is one of the most practical and popular road trip planning apps out there. Maybe you want to see national parks or the quirkiest roadside attractions. Perhaps you want to stop for the night at an iconic or underrated hotel. You can plan your stops right in the app, adding up to three waypoints for free or 150 with a Roadtrippers Premium account. There are also Basic and Pro memberships that allot you 20 and 50 waypoints per trip, respectively. The higher-tier memberships allow you to collaborate with friends and family and use navigation. The app features lodging, sights, outdoorsy destinations, restaurants, activities, shopping, fuel, and more all around the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The app is free, but you have to upgrade to a membership plan to enjoy all the bells and whistles. The Basic plan costs $40 a year, the Pro plan $50 a year, and the Premium $60 a year. It's available on iOS and Android .

Google Maps

Every road-tripper needs a trusty navigation app in their arsenal, and Google Maps is consistently one of the most — if not the most — downloaded in the U.S. every year. Its dominance can be attributed to how comprehensive its data is, which allows it to generate the very best directions based on distance, road conditions, and traffic patterns.

Google Maps gives you route options and provides accurate estimates of how long it takes to get from A to B. Plus, you can plot several waypoints along your route — be it a mid-morning coffee stop or a hotel for overnighting (you can see reviews right in the app).

Google Maps is free and available on iOS and Android .

Waze is another one of the top navigation apps. With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, it will have you navigating new cities and unfamiliar streets like a seasoned local. It's perhaps a little more proactive than Google Maps in changing up a route when problems arise, and that means Waze users should prepare for their drive to be a little unpredictable.

No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so the fact that Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline the driving experience is a huge help. The app is free and available on iOS and Android .

Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations around the U.S. and Canada. The app also tells you how recent the submission is so you know whether it's outdated.

GasBuddy is not just helpful for finding cheap gas but also for finding gas stations in general (and parking), which can be difficult in foreign territory. The app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android . While using it, be a good road-tripper and submit gas prices you see as you travel.

Roadside America

Barry Winiker/Getty Images

The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the U.S. are often some of the most delightful parts of a road trip. The Roadside America app helps you find the most unique attractions worth stopping for, like the large sculpture of a cartoon mouse holding a cheese platter in Plain, Wisconsin — where else? — or the decidedly odd larger-than-life-sized three-way electrical plug that rests on a lawn in Philadelphia. The app features museums, murals, tours, quirky restaurants, and photo ops.

Roadside America costs $3 to download, which gets you access to one region in the app. You can purchase more regions for $2 or get access to all of the U.S. and Canada for an extra $7. The app is available only on iOS .

iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Knowing where to stop for road trip snacks, a drive-through latte, or a public restroom can be challenging with all the exit signs whizzing by at 70 mph, but iExit Interstate Exit Guide takes the guesswork out of it. The app will list which exits are coming up on your route, what's there, and what they offer — including food, lodging, fuel, and even hospitals. It pulls fuel prices from OPIS (the Oil Price Information Service) and displays Yelp reviews for businesses.

The app is free to download. Find it on both iOS and Android .

HotelTonight

Even if you've planned out all your stops ahead of time, you might find that you need to pull over for a night unexpectedly. Driving is tiring, and unplanned naps can be life-saving. HotelTonight can help you find accommodations in a pinch. The app offers day-of deals on unsold rooms, and the user-friendly interface means you can book a discounted room in minutes. There are well over 1,000 properties to choose from in cities all over the world, from Mexico City to Jakarta (in case you happen to take your road-tripping global).

It's free to download and available on iOS and Android .

If staying in a tucked-away A-frame cabin, a yurt, or a private guest house in someone's garden is more your travel style than bouncing between hotels, then Airbnb is the ticket. On the Airbnb app, you can search properties (millions in the U.S. alone) on a map and read reviews before you book, which you can do in advance or at the last minute.

The app features not just vacation homes but also activities, so if you're keen to experience a city like a local you can do so via a pottery class or a guided walking tour, for example.

The Airbnb app is free. You can download it on iOS or Android .

Patchareeporn Sakoolchai/Getty Images

Travelers who dream of camping out under the stars should download The Dyrt , a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the U.S. One of the top camping apps on iOS and Android , it has more than a million registered users who submit reviews, pictures, and tips. On The Dyrt, you get real intel on campsites and a built-in community that makes camping on a road trip especially fun and safe. You can even book some of the campsites right on app.

The app is free, but there's a premium version for $36 a year that allows you to plan trips and search campsites while offline — convenient for remote regions.

What is a road trip without a perfect playlist? Whether you're keen to create a soundtrack of nostalgic singalongs, modern pop songs, or music inspired by your destination, you'll find even the most obscure tunes on Spotify , a catalog of more than 100 million tracks. When you tire of Taylor Swift, you can turn to podcasts or an audiobook to keep you company. Road trips are a great opportunity to delve into a docuseries like "Serial," an all-time favorite.

Spotify is free to download and listen to, but the ad breaks are annoying and streaming can chew through your phone data. A better option is to purchase a premium membership for $11 a month. It's ad-free and you can download music to listen to offline. The Spotify app is available on iOS and Android .

Electric vehicles are increasingly commonplace and great for more environmentally friendly road-tripping. The problem is often finding charging stations, as most EVs can go 100 to 300 miles before they need to be plugged in. PlugShare lists 700,000 charging stations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Users share their reviews of the stations, helping to guide EV drivers to the best, fastest, and most reliable charging spots.

PlugShare is free and available to download on iOS and Android .

Related Articles

AFAR Logo - Main

The Best Apps for Planning a Road Trip

This arsenal of apps will upgrade any road trip. easily find hotels, restaurants, secret swimming holes, day spas, restrooms, and gas stations so you can fully enjoy the freedom of the open road..

  • Copy Link copied

The Best Apps for Planning a Road Trip

Paper maps are classic, but with these apps, you can plan your best road trip yet.

Courtesy of Unsplash.com

Remember when planning a road trip meant busting out your best paper maps and highlighting various routes with multicolored pens? Today, road trips still bring out the old-school adventurer in all of us—whether it’s a winter or fall foliage trip or a cross-country or EV-charged drive—but planning them has certainly become more streamlined. Thanks to these travel apps, there are more ways than ever to maximize planning for your next long drive.

1. Google Maps

  • Download : Apple App Store | Google Play

Let’s begin with the free Google Maps app. It’s the most multifunctional road trip map app out there, whether you’re looking for directions, the quickest route, a nearby hotel or restaurant, grocery stores, pharmacies, ATMs, gas stations, or EV charging stations. You can type or talk a term in the search bar, or filter by the categories just underneath that field (scroll over to the “More” button to see dozens of additional options).

Once you’ve put in your search term, additional filters are offered. For example, to find a place to eat, you can narrow your search using options such as cozy restaurants, group-friendly dining, new restaurants, and cheap eats. When you search for nearby gas stations, the app will tell you how much gas costs at each place, allowing you to select the cheapest fuel. And when you search for EV charging stations, the app will tell you how many chargers each has, how fast they are, and if they’re compatible with your car. (Pro tip: Learn these other secrets to using Google Maps for travel too.)

Google Maps gives you so much more than directions.

Google Maps gives you so much more than directions.

Photo by AngieYeoh/Shutterstock.com

But while Google Maps is incredibly convenient, it doesn’t do everything. Add these fun, functional, and free road trip planning apps to your collection for your best road trip yet.

2. Drive Weather

Weather can make or break your road trip adventure. While you can’t control Mother Nature, you can stay safe by downloading the Drive Weather app to anticipate when and where inclement weather is expected to strike and adjust your plans accordingly—whether that means planning to stop for a few hours until a storm abates or altering your route. The free version of the app allows you to compare weather forecasts along different routes and offers up to two days of National Weather Service forecasts, so you can plan for snow, rain, thunderstorms, haze, and other natural phenomena that could affect road conditions. Upgrade to the paid pro version for up to seven days of forecasts and an icy pavement indicator.

3. Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is a do-it-all, know-it-all website and app that asks you to enter your destinations and calculates the best route. It shows you everything you can see and do along the way, including parks, restaurants, and hotels. Essentially, this road trip planner deals in logistics—making it a perfect option for those who need a plan but hate doing the legwork.

4. GasBuddy

  • Download: Apple App Store | Google Play

Gas prices inevitably spike every summer as travel demand increases. Fortunately, GasBuddy is a great way to stay on top of your road trip budget and take advantage of the best gasoline deals in your area, wherever you might be. The app provides real-time price information for more than 150,000 gas stations in the United States and Canada. GasBuddy also has a function that allows you to estimate how much gas you’ll need on your travels based on your planned destination and make and model of your car, making it one of the most convenient and practical road trip gas calculators out there.

5. PlugShare

If you’re cruising around in an electric vehicle, you know all too well that finding a charging station can be a source of stress. Eliminate the uncertainty by downloading the PlugShare app, which displays public charging stations across North America and Europe that are compatible with your car brand and model. Use this free app ahead of your departure to identify charging stations along your expected route, or reference it during your trip to locate nearby stations. PlugShare’s filter allows you to tailor your search results based on criteria such as connector type and charging speed, as well as additional amenities like food or bathroom availability.

This is the traffic app to beat all traffic apps. While other route-planning apps like Apple Maps and Google Maps can tell you when traffic is about to get bad, the community-sourced Waze provides more of-the-moment information. Users give and receive real-time updates on accidents, speed limits, hidden police cars, and road conditions. The app also provides a variety of navigation routes, which can be especially handy when you need to take back roads to avoid a brutal traffic jam.

7. HotelTonight

If, after a long day of driving, you suddenly hit a (figurative) wall and need to stop and rest, this is the service for you. HotelTonight specializes in same-day booking at quality boutique hotels. You can reserve rooms in advance, but because hotel prices often drop as it gets closer to your stay, you’ll likely end up saving money when you book at the last minute. If you use the app instead of the website, you’ll save even more with exclusive mobile deals.

8. Flush Toilet Finder

As any seasoned traveler knows, a good, clean restroom can be hard to find on the road. But with a database of more than 200,000 bathroom options across the world, the Flush app can take some of the edge off of the nail-biting urgency of finding a toilet in an unfamiliar place. Flush also makes it easy to see whether restrooms are accessible to people with disabilities, require a fee to use, or need a key to access. Simply open the app and Flush will search for nearby restrooms using GPS, providing directions using Apple Maps or Google Maps. Users can also add newly discovered toilets to the app and rate washrooms they come across on their travels.

9. The Dyrt: Tent and RV Camping

As anyone who’s tried to orchestrate a camping trip knows, finding a decent place to camp can be one of the most difficult parts to plan. The Dyrt app gives campers a way to research potential campgrounds in depth without the guesswork of solely using traditional park websites, all from the comfort and convenience of a phone. You can browse reviews of potential campgrounds you’d like to visit, use the app’s “near me” function to find nearby places to hunker down when you’re on the go, or even connect with other campers for tips and feedback on campgrounds you’re thinking of visiting. Though the app is available to download for free, the premium version ($35.99 per year) will also give you access to downloadable maps, a trip planner, and big discounts on gear and campgrounds.

The Outbound app allows road trippers to find outdoor activities along their route.

The Outbound app allows road trippers to find outdoor activities along their route.

Courtesy of Outbound

10. The Outbound: Hike, Camp, Roadtrip

Being cooped up in a car for hours on end can often be the worst part of a road trip. One solution? Consult this GPS-based, crowd-sourced app that gives local recommendations for nearby outdoorsy activities. The app will point you to national parks , good hiking trails , secret swimming holes , and more—and the user reviews are fact checked by the Outbound Collective staff, so you can trust the advice (especially important if you’re hiking in an area you don’t know well).

11. DayPass

Similar to the Outbound, DayPass helps you find activities when you absolutely can’t be in the car any longer. However, it’s not a hiking app —instead, DayPass focuses on pools, beach clubs, gyms, and spas at hotels and resorts around the world. Just type in the destination (or let the app pull up a current location based on your GPS), and you can see all of the hotels and gyms that offer day passes to their facilities. Some properties don’t allow booking through the app, so you may have to call instead.

12. Psych! Outwit Your Friends

Can you even call a road trip a road trip if you don’t spend hours playing pointless games ? From the creators of Ellen DeGeneres’s popular Heads Up! , this game app tests your ability to pick real answers to trivia questions—and avoid the fake answers made up by the other players. There are four styles of play: the word game “Word Up!” the classic trivia game “Is That a Fact?,” the truth-telling game “The Truth Comes Out,” and the movie trivia game “Movie Bluff!”

Part of the fun is trying to guess who wrote which answer based on everyone’s sense of humor. There’s even an option to “play with Ellen,” which means an Ellen bot will also contribute hilarious answers. The game requires some screen time, so it’s not driver friendly—but if you read the questions and answers out loud, whoever is behind the wheel can certainly join in on the laughs. (It’s another reason to regularly rotate drivers, too.)

13. Magic Hour

  • Download : Apple App Store

One perk of a road trip is that you can pull over somewhere beautiful for Magic Hour, or Golden Hour: the term professional photographers use to describe the hour after sunrise or before sunset when the light is at its prettiest for taking pictures or video. This app lets you know exactly when Magic Hour begins and ends each day based on your location, helping you time your stop—and your cinematography—just right. If you pay $0.99, you can add locations, allowing you to plan for future Magic Hours, too. (Magic Hour is only available for Apple devices, but Google Play offers similar apps for Android users.)

14. SoundHound

Although there are many ways to find and stream new music, turning on the radio during a road trip adds an element of fun. Not only is it nostalgic, but listening to what the local DJ has to say and play also helps you get a feel for the local culture. When you hear a song you like but don’t know, open up SoundHound, hit the orange circle, and the app will tell you its name. Bonus: The app keeps a dated history of the tunes you identify.

If you have Spotify or Apple Music, you can even sync your accounts with SoundHound, and all of your discoveries will automatically show up in a playlist called “SoundHound.” By the end of the trip—especially if it’s a road trip to a famed music destination —you’ll have a curated playlist of your song discoveries that you can enjoy long after you’ve returned home.

Mr. D's Diner, an old Route 66 staple that has been open since 1978, serves homey American cuisine.

Mr. D’s Diner, an old Route 66 staple that has been open since 1978, serves homey American cuisine.

Photo by Heidi Kaden on Unsplash

15. Roadside America

Sometimes the best part of a road trip isn’t even the final destination but the stops made along the way. The Roadside America app can help you find all of the kitschy highway attractions the country has to offer. Giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox? Sure, why not. The world’s largest garden gnome or a museum dedicated entirely to hammers? Yes, please. A clown motel in Nevada ? Well…maybe. Available on the Apple App Store (starting at $2.99), the app points users to hundreds of quirky locations across the United States and Canada organized by city, state, or province. Users can plot their route in the Roadside America app to learn about all the fun stops that might be worthy of a pit stop on their journey.

16. Star Walk

To catch some truly spectacular, au natural nocturnal sights, download the free Star Walk app. The Star Walk app gives users an easy way to see what constellations will make an appearance whenever and wherever they are. This astronomy program is simple to use—just point your phone at the sky and see which stars, constellations, and planets drift above you.

This story was originally published in 2019 and was most recently updated on April 30, 2024, with new information. Mae Hamilton and Nathalie Alonso contributed original reporting.

A spectacular Sanibel beach

  • © Roadtrippers
  • © Mapbox
  • © OpenStreetMap
  • Improve this map

trip planner app for driving

A travel planner for everyone

Organize flights & hotels and map your trips in a free travel app designed for vacation planning & road trips, powered by ai and google maps..

trip planner app for driving

Your itinerary and your map in one view

No more switching between different apps, tabs, and tools to keep track of your travel plans.

What travelers are raving about

Features to replace all your other tools, add places from guides with 1 click, collaborate with friends in real time, import flight and hotel reservations, expense tracking and splitting, checklists for anything, get personalized suggestions, plan like a pro.

Unlock premium features like offline access, unlimited attachments, flight deals, export to Google maps, and much more

Offline access

Unlimited attachments, optimize your route.

4.9 on App Store, 4.7 on Google Play

Discover your next favorite destination

Get inspired from guides around the world — with expert tips and recommendations from the Wanderlog community. See all Wanderlog travel guides.

Have tips of your own? Write a guide to share with other travelers like you!

Ready to plan your trip in half the time?

For every kind of trip and every destination, the best road trip planner, the best vacation planner, the best group itinerary planner.

Best road trip planner apps: 5 apps to map out your adventure

How to plan your roadtrip with apps in the driver's seat

trip planner app for driving

Regardless of your destination, planning your trip is an integral part of the adventure. Otherwise, you’ll spend way more than you need to and, chances are, you won’t get to see everything on your wishlist. 

We live in a golden age of technology that we often take for granted. But, in all the time we spend playing our ‘Spin Addicts’ and our ‘Cat Quests’, very rarely do we think about the utility that our smart devices can provide on the open road. 

As such, we’ve gone out of our way to do the thinking for you.

That’s right, to help you out with your next big outing we’ve assimilated five of the best road trip planner apps for your lengthy expedition below. Above all else, we imagine you’ll be enticed by the fact that they’re all free to download, even if you may or may not be tempted later on to shell out some cash for a monthly subscription fee. (You’ll know what we mean when you see it.)

Best road trip planner

1. Roadtrippers 

As its name and slogan suggests, this is the only map built for travelers. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but this app will help you find virtually everything you could ever need along the way. 

Open Roadtrippers and you’ll find millions of locations, including local diners and roadside attractions that, admittedly, Google Maps is prone to miss. Then, once you’ve outlined your road trip plan, you can share it with your travel buddies so that they can make suggestions. 

Download it now on iOS | Download it now on Android

Best road trip planner

2. Waze 

Like Roadtrippers, Waze hones in on social interaction, but it does so by letting the community decide which routes are the best to take. Users can report nearby collisions, police radar and traffic jams so that you can safely avoid those routes in favor of arriving on time. What’s more, you’ll find the cheapest gas prices around, as gathered by the community. Regardless of whether you set out to save time or money, Waze is the best way to do both.

Best road trip planner

3. GasBuddy 

Unlike our previous mentions which can potentially save time or money, GasBuddy promises a specific amount of money you’ll save by using it.

Similar to Waze, GasBuddy is a community-driven platform that helps you locate the most affordable gas prices around so that you never have to pay full price for fossil fuels again. The difference is that, with this app, you can subscribe to GasBuddy Pay for additional savings of 15 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon on every fill-up after that. 

Download it now on iOS | Download it now on Android  

Best road trip planner

4. Hotel Tonight 

We’ve all been in that position. The one where we get too tired to continue driving and we need to find a hotel quickly and cheaply, else suffer the wrath of sleepy driving with the windows rolled down and the music turned all the way up. (Pro tip: don't do that, ever. It's super dangerous.) 

But if that sounds like a horror story that you’ve experienced before, Hotel Tonight is the app for you. Specializing in last-minute hotel deals, Hotel Tonight makes it possible to book a room in three easy taps and one seamless swipe. 

trip planner app for driving

5. Spotify  

Close your eyes. Now imagine you can listen to any song you want, including but not limited to “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers. Now open them. 

Though it seems jokingly obvious now, Spotify would have been a dream come true in the days when top 40 radio hits triumphed over all else. Finally, you don’t have to listen to the same handful of songs on repeat. 

Instead, you can hand-pick your own playlists, choosing between over 30 million songs in the Spotify catalog. Of course, if Spotify isn't your music scene, both Apple Music and Google's own Play Music streaming service are also good travel companions.

  TechRadar’s The Road to the Show 2018 sees our intrepid writers braving a cross-country trip across the US, using the best gadgets to bring you their daily travel blog and offering the best tips for a tech-based roadtrip. The journey is brought to you in association with ZTE and the ZTE Axon M, with car transportation provided by Genesis.  

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Balsamiq review

UXPin review

Optery data removal service review

Most Popular

  • 2 5 Netflix thriller movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes you can't miss
  • 3 Everything new on Max in July 2024
  • 4 My fake company was hit by a ransomware attack — here’s what I learned to do, and what not to do
  • 5 I'm writing this because I know my Gen Z offspring will never read it – and that's OK
  • 2 Microsoft pauses Windows 11 update as it’s sending some PCs into an infinite reboot hell
  • 3 Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PCs aren't all that special right now, but there's one major reason why that's about to change
  • 4 This One Million Checkbox game is sparking an internet war – and it's taken hours of our life we'll never get back
  • 5 Geekom unveils new AX8 Pro mini PC with either Intel or AMD processors

trip planner app for driving

myscenicdrives.com: Find your next Scenic Drive

  • Scenic Drives
  • Road Trip Planner

Road Trip Planning Made Easy

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.

Set Vehicle Type

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.

myscenicdrives.com BBB Business Review

Road Trip Planner Compass Maps 4+

Scenic routes for roadtrippers, toni peinoit, designed for ipad.

  • 5.0 • 3 Ratings
  • Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Must-Have for RoadTrippers! Explore top 2024 spots on your drives this summer with the updated Compass Maps. Plan epic road trips with Compass Maps. Whether you’re heading on a long road trip or just to the grocery store, our app turns every journey into a scenic experience. Explore stunning local gems, from beaches and parks to scenic overlooks and national treasures. With Compass Maps, you do more than just reach your destination—you discover millions of must-see spots along the way. Make each trip a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with routes you'll want to revisit time and again. HEAD TO YOUR DESTINATION THE MOST SCENIC WAY Get from point A to point B the most scenic way and discover millions of scenic routes in over 100 countries. Whether you're driving a car, guiding an RV, or zipping along on a moped, our expansive library of over 3 million routes ensures there’s always a beautiful road that’s perfect for your travel style. DISCOVER THE BEST SPOTS ALONG YOUR WAY Simply enter your destination, and let Compass Maps do the rest! Our app uses Artificial Intelligence to automatically curate the best spots along your route, ensuring each journey is perfectly tailored to you. Unlike Roadtrippers, Roadie or TripIt, no planning is required—just start your adventure and enjoy the discoveries! NAVIGATE SAFELY WHILE RIDING YOUR CAR Navigate confidently from point A to point B with planned stopovers. All directions are powered by Google Maps to ensure a safe and reliable navigation experience for you and your loved ones. SAVE TIME AND HAVE FUN Transform any trip, whether a vacation or your daily commute, into an epic adventure with Compass Maps. No planning needed—discover incredible places as you go. You’re always just minutes away from something extraordinary! Start for free and let Compass Maps pinpoint essential waypoints for you. Ready for more? Upgrade to Compass PRO for premium routes, unlimited curated travel tips, and seamless turn-by-turn navigation with your preferred GPS app! COMPASS MAPS IN SHORT: 1. World's first GPS for Scenic Drives. 2. Easy-to-use: Pick a DESTINATION and you're good to go! 3. Google Maps best friend: Compass Maps works with your favorite Navigation app. 4. AI-driven: Compass Maps uses a proprietary machine learning algorithm to learn over time and ensure the most unique experience. 5. Safety first! All routes and directions are safe for you and your love ones. Any question, feedback? Please send us an email at [email protected] Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Version 2.0.0

Explore the best 2024 summer spots! This update loads the most scenic and must-visit locations for your summer adventures. Whether you’re planning road trips, scenic drives, or quick getaways, our latest version ensures you have the top recommendations at your fingertips. Dive into summer with the best routes and destinations pre-loaded for your journey!

Ratings and Reviews

Highly recommend 😎🤙🏽.

My sister loved the beaches 🏝 suggested by this app 🤩 when she came to visit Oahu. Yet it’s not an app only for tourists, as a local, I use it to discover hidden gems all over the island 🏞

Excellent informative app

Game changer for traveling. Highly recommend!

App Privacy

The developer, Toni Peinoit , 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 Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

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

Information

  • Developer Website
  • App Support
  • Privacy Policy

You Might Also Like

Backroads App

Kancamagus Scenic Byway Guide

ColletteCompass

Scenic Motorcycle Navigation

Roadie: Road Trip Planner & RV

  • Plan a Road Trip
  • Plan a Flight
  • Find an Airport
  • Where to Stay
  • All Questions

Trippy

Road trip planner

Starting City

Destination City

Or switch to flying

Planning a road trip?

Get advice from people who have done the same trip.

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!

  • Best Whiskey
  • Best Gym Shoes
  • Best Pocket Knives
  • Best Apple Watch
  • Porsche Models

This New iPhone App Could Save Your Summer Road Trip

Wayther is a navigation app for iPhone designed to help travelers plan road trips around the weather.

Wayther app

By Tucker Bowe

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission.  Learn more

When planning a road trip, one of the big unknowns is the weather. It’s unpredictable as is, but as you drive through different parts of the country, the weather obviously changes as well. And it can have a big impact on road conditions, traffic and general time in the driver’s seat. So, how do you plan for it?

That’s the problem that Wayther , a new iPhone app, is attempting to solve.

Road Trip Weather: Wayther

trip planner app for driving

As first reported by TechCrunch , Wayther is a new navigation app specifically designed to help travelers plan road trips around the weather. Its unique forecasting feature gives you weather information along your route, allowing you to plan around it. The app allows you to plan your trip up to 10 days in advance.

Wayther works similarly to Apple Maps or Google Maps in that when you type in a starting point and a destination, it gives you three different routes. There are features to help you avoid tolls and highways, as well as pick the date and time of your road trip, too.

Wayther iPhone app

Where Wayther differs is that it also shows you forecasted weather along those three routes during the times you’re expected to pass each location. In addition to the weather, the app also shares expected visibility and road conditions.

If you want to make sure you’re at a specific location along your route at a specific — say to watch the sunrise or sunset — the app lets you plan around that, too.

Wayther app

Price and Availability

Wayther isn’t a free app, but it does offer a pretty generous free trial period: you can use the app to plan three different trips for free. After that, you’ll have to choose one of the subscription plays: $2/week, $3/month or $15/year.

The app works in all countries where Apple’s Weather app is available.

AirPods-Beats-Headphones

Get more stories like this in your inbox daily.

Related topics.

trip planner app for driving

  • The 9 Best Must-Have RV Travel Apps for Planning Your Next Car or RV Road Trip

The 9 Best RV Travel Apps for Planning Your Next Car or RV Road Trip

When it comes to hitting the open road, having the best RV travel app at your fingertips can make all the difference. Enhancing your journey is just as important as finding the way from point A to B.  And if you’re a car driver rather than an RV driver, don’t worry!  These apps will work for you, too.

The top RV travel app will give you up-to-the-minute information on traffic and weather and data about nearby camping grounds, gas stations, and exciting places. But that’s not all!

This technology can help you plan each day of your trip in detail or even suggest spontaneous detours based on what’s around you. With an RV travel app in hand, exploring becomes a breeze. Whether you’re a seasoned RVer or planning your first adventure on wheels – choosing the right tool is key for effortless travel .

Table of Contents

Trip planning made simple, a friend to your wallet, your personal navigator on-the-go, maintenance – a breeze now, what is the best rv travel app, built-in value with rvlife, free features with togo, allstays has years of development.

  •  The Gist: 

RVParky App

Tripadvisor, hotels dot com, roadside attractions, talking trail, identify your requirements, pore over user reviews and ratings, analyze features & usability, bonus tip: test drive before committing.

  • FAQs in Relation to the Best Rv Travel App

Is there an app for RV routes?

Is rv trip wizard worth it, is there an app like airbnb for camping, how do i plan an rv trip around the us, wrapping it all up, benefits of using an rv travel app.

The joy and freedom of exploring the Midwest and beyond in your RV are much easier when using a travel app. These handy tools, specifically designed for full-time RVers or occasional road trip enthusiasts, offer numerous benefits to women over 40 who love adventure.  Heck – they are great for everyone on the open road!  You don’t need an RV to enjoy these apps.

FREE Weekend Packing Checklist

Enter your email address for your FREE Printable Weekend Packing Checklist

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Please check your e-mail for your free download!

Imagine having your favorite RV navigation apps that offer suggested routes and help you find state and national parks and public campgrounds along the way. That’s precisely what RV trip-planning apps do. With campground reviews from fellow travelers at hand, every decision becomes more manageable as it is based on real experiences.

A road trip doesn’t need to burn a hole in your pocket. The beauty of these awesome apps lies in their ability to guide users towards free camping sites or cheaper alternatives like public campgrounds compared to private RV parks for RV Camping only. Plus, they keep tabs on gas stations en route, ensuring fuel stops don’t become financial nightmares.

No more worrying about unexpected detours or sudden weather changes affecting your journey. With live updates via GPS-based directions right within these simple yet practical applications, a smooth ride throughout is almost guaranteed, irrespective of where you’re headed next – an overnight parking spot or a new city exploration.  RV-specific GPS is a plus for travelers who must avoid low clearances on overpasses or tight turns.

Last but certainly not least are those mundane maintenance tasks that come part and parcel with the fun-filled RV life pro experience. RV Trip Wizard , among other great apps, provides checklists for routine RV maintenance checks so nothing gets missed while living this exciting lifestyle on wheels.

The best RV travel app for your needs can differ based on what you’re looking for in an application. However, a few applications have become popular for their broad selection of features and user-friendly interfaces.  I’ve checked out three of them and studied reviews for you, so you don’t have to!

We’ll compare three widely-used options that make traveling by RV or car a breeze: RV Life Pro , Togo RV , and RV Trip Wizard .

RV Life Trip Wizard – RV GPS and Campgrounds

A favorite among full-time RVers, RV Life , provides an all-in-one solution for planning your RV trip. It offers RV Safe GPS, which means the best route suggestions tailored to the size and weight of your vehicle, ensuring safe travels no matter where you go.  With this app, you won’t have to worry about your route or the time to arrive at your destination.

This handy app covers everything from finding RV parks and gas stations to locating nearby RV dump sites.  No more worrying about whether you fit under that highway overpass!  RV Life handles that!

RV Trip Wizard isn’t just an RV navigation map, either.  One of the reasons it is much loved among full-time RVers is that it has so many features beyond just the map.  One of the most popular features is the Points of Interest Map which includes over 57,000 points of interest for you to scope out before adding them to your route.

One of my favorite features of this app is that it even helps you keep track of maintenance schedules for your vehicle.  We can all use a little help with that fun chore!

And finally, you can find ideal RV parks and campgrounds as you travel.  With over 20,000 campgrounds in the app and the ability to rank your memberships in travel clubs, you’ll know which park will give you the best value after a quick look into the app.  In addition, it conveniently locates dump sites, gas stations, and prices en route.

RVLife comes with a 7-day trial to give you ample opportunity to decide if it’s the right fit for you.  After seven days, the cost is approximately $60 per year.  A few nights at a lower-cost camping sight will quickly take care of that $60, making this a great value if you travel often enough.

A demo version comes with more limited capabilities for those who need more than seven days to decide if this is the right app.

Next up?   Togo RV !  This handy app receives high praise from fellow RVers.  It not only aids with trip planning but also includes maintenance reminders and checklists, ensuring that you are road ready at all times!

Togo also has an Overnight RV Parking app, so if you love the RV app, you may just love the Overnight Parking app as well.  Take note that Togo RV is not a free app, but it does offer a free 7-day trial, so if you don’t love it, it won’t cost you a penny!

I love that this app provides access to reviews from fellow travelers on various campgrounds, making it easier to choose the right campground for you when you’re busy living out the dream of being a full-time traveler or an “RV life pro.”

Some of the free features included with Togo are  Movile RV Repair Directory, which will help you find someone to repair your RV or car while you travel.  The Tire Finder lets you enter your tire specs and find the best replacements for your budget.  Pre-made RV checklists are available to get you safely on the road without forgetting any vital details!

You can also enter your vehicle specs and receive recall alerts, and maybe my favorite feature and the best part of this app is the Roadpass University, which is excellent for a new RV owner!

Togo RV is an excellent tool with high ratings among travelers.  Of course, besides the above options, it offers a campground search feature, which includes information about state parks and free camping sites throughout North America.

AllStays Camp & RV App

Last but certainly not least is AllStays Camp & RV , known for its comprehensive database covering everything from public campgrounds with RV sites to overnight parking lots for smaller vehicles.  This robust tool becomes indispensable whether one plans to stay at a state park or search out free camping sites and parking lots (Hello Cracker Barrel!) during road trips across the Midwest.

I feel safe in saying that AllStays is worth your time.  This app has been the #1 Selling, #1 Ranked, and #1 Reviewed Camping App for over 144 Months, with 4.5k reviews in the iOS app store and an overall ranking of 4.6 out of 5.

AllStays Camp & RV App is one of my favorite apps because, although it is simple, it is effective.  I love that it allows searches based on specific requirements like pet-friendly sites or overnight parking facilities.

Midwest State Park Adventures makes a great travel companion or gift. Some of the best travel writers in the Midwest collaborated to put this book together, which covers 12 Midwest States and hundreds of state parks.

And I, the Hip Grandma, wrote contributed by writing the Michigan chapter!

You can click on the photo to order on Amazon or click HERE to learn more and order a signed copy directly from me.

After 13 years of use and development, AllStays has the most campgrounds listed (37,000 in the United States and Canada) and includes FREE overnight parking options.  The filters on this app are excellent.  You can filter sites fairly easily by features such as pet-friendly sites, laundry availability, boat launch, toilet styles, swimming pool, and so on!

But my favorite feature of this app is that some of the data is stored on your phone, making it useable even when driving in and out of wifi or service areas.  Nothing is more frustrating than driving out of signal, losing your internet connection, and the ability to search as you travel.

Notice to Android users:  Allstays Camp and RV does not have an app for you.  However, you can open your browser and log in to use the same features, which is a bit of a drawback if you have your heart set on an app. However, it makes this app useable on any device, including your tablet, computer, or laptop!

Consider Your Cost

When considering cost, RV Life Trip Wizard offers a limited-feature free version and a premium subscription. Togo RV comes with an annual fee. Allstays Pro is the least expensive of the three we’ve discussed here at 34.99 per year or 4.99 per month.

Any way you look at it, the ease these apps bring into your car or RV traveling experience often justifies their price tag.

Remember, no single application will meet every need perfectly. So, please look at each app’s features and consider the most important features before purchasing your perfect companion app.

  The Gist: 

Awesome RV travel apps like RV Life Trip Wizard, Togo RV, and Allstays Camp & RV Road Maps offer unique features tailored to your road trip needs. From campground searches to maintenance reminders and route planning, these tools simplify the journey. Consider cost and personal preferences when choosing your perfect digital companion.

Add-on Popular RV Travel Apps

Now that we’ve talked about adding a GPS and Trip planning app, let’s talk about a few apps that don’t do it “all” but do their own thing really well! Here are my favorite stand-alone apps that I wouldn’t travel without!

The user-friendly RV Parky app assists in locating RV dump stations and potential roadside attractions.  It’s FREE, making it a great starter app!

Before I travel, and sometimes even after, you’ll find me cruising through TripAdvisor .  You’ll find places to go, things to do, and places to eat and stay in this handy free app.

TripAdvisor is location-specific, so enter your destination and see lists of all of the great things a destination has to offer and honest, up-to-date user reviews from people who have been there!   TripAdvisor is a great way to get genuine reviews from real people before wasting your time and efforts.

When I need a place to stay, and the car or the RV just isn’t going to cut it, I use Hotels.com .  You can search along your route and see prices at a glance, discounted from the walk-in rate.  This app has come in incredibly handy when I need a room at the last minute.

Be aware, though, if you make a reservation through this app and, for some reason, change your mind on arrival, refunds are not easy.  The hotel will immediately tell you to take it up with Hotels.com, and you may wait more than a week for your refund.

This handy little app called Roadside Attractions is my personal favorite app for finding quirky roadside stops!  I have used it for everything from finding a spooky shoe tree on a back country road to finding the EPIC Headquarters, the most fantastic work campus that seems more like a theme park than a business.

I truly love this great app!  It can turn your RV road trip from meh to magnificent! There is a small one-time cost to use the app, but it has been more than worth it for me!

iExit is a nifty little app and just the thing to help you find a bite to eat, a gallon of gas, or a restroom as you travel.  Simply open the iExit app, which will use GPS to locate you on the Interstate, then give you a list of the upcoming exits and what you’ll find there, including fuel prices, truck stops, rest areas, and fast food restaurants!  I love this little app!

If you like to hear the story behind a story, this app is for you. Download the Talking Trail App , and when you are within a specified distance of a Talking Point, the app will notify you. A quick click on the map will give you a narrated story of the landmark you’re visiting. If you are a leisure traveler with time to learn and hear stories, you’ll LOVE Talking Trail.

Tips for Choosing an RV Travel App

Embarking on your next RV trip with the right app can transform your travel experience. Consider what you want when choosing the perfect app to accompany your RV journey.

The first step is recognizing what you need from an RV travel app. Are you seeking a straightforward navigation tool like Google Maps , or do you require more specific features such as finding RV parks, planning safe routes, locating gas stations, and even providing handy checklists? Knowing what’s essential will help streamline your choices.

User reviews and ratings provide invaluable insights into how well each option performs.  I certainly don’t know it all, and although I have used all of these apps, many others have also and may be able to answer your specific questions in a review.  Quickly browsing feedback on platforms like Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store will give you a balanced perspective.

RV apps come in different pricing models: free versions with optional paid upgrades (like Togo RV), full-featured premium ones (such as RV Trip Wizard), and freemiums that offer limited functionalities unless upgraded – select one that fits your budget constraints and ensures value for what you spend.

Of course, I recommend you try different options and compare their features whenever possible. Many of these apps offer free trial periods that will let you get a hands-on feel for their offerings firsthand and commitment-free. This practical exposure helps determine if a particular software ticks all of your boxes effectively, saving you time and effort.

 When choosing the best RV travel app, identify your needs first. Consider user reviews and ratings for insight into performance. Analyze features and usability to ensure it caters to all aspects of RV life within your budget. Don’t forget a test drive before committing.

FAQs in Relation to Best Rv Travel App

Absolutely! Apps like Roadtrippers and RV Trip Wizard are explicitly designed to help plan your RV route, including stops at campgrounds and attractions.

Yes, the comprehensive features of RV Trip Wizard, such as custom routing, campground information, and cost estimation, make it a valuable tool for any RVer.

Surely. Hipcamp is similar to Airbnb but focuses on unique camping experiences. It lists thousands of campsites across the US.

You can use travel planning apps like The Dyrt or AllStays that provide details about campgrounds, gas stations, and rest stops, along with user reviews to help you plan your journey efficiently.

Exploring the Midwest in an RV just got easier.  As a matter of fact, it just got easier if you travel in a car, too!  Whichever way you travel, the best RV travel app can transform your travels from stressful to effortless.

Comparing different apps helps you find the perfect match for your needs. And once you choose, mastering its use ensures smooth sailing (or driving).

Ready to hit the open road with confidence? Dive deeper into this topic and discover how these best apps can guide you through choosing and using the best RV travel app for unforgettable adventures on the road.

If you liked this article, you’d probably like these, too!

  • The 101 Most Fun Trivia Questions and Answers For Your Next Road Trip
  • The Best Printable List of Packing Essentials for your next Road Trip
  • How To Organize Your Car and The Best Packing Ideas For Your Road Trip
  • The 200 Best Road Trip Questions To Keep Your Car Ride Boredom at Bay
  • 30 Best Things to Do on Day or Weekend Road Trips from Nashville Tennessee
  • The 50 Best Gift Ideas for RV Owners That They Will Love
  • The Top 150+ Captions of Attitude for Your Social Media Posts
  • 75 Inspirational and Funny Quotes About Traveling with Family
  • 75 Promises of God: The Best Free Printable to Encourage You
  • 50 Best Funny Birthday Poems and Rhymes for the Best Card!
  • 75+ Best Beautiful Butterfly Captions and Quotes for Instagram
  • 100 Best Quotes About Family Travel to Inspire You
  • 100 of the Best Spring Captions and Tulip Quotes for Instagram
  • 100 Best Podcasts for Women over 50, Seniors, and Other Adults
  • The 200 Best Beautiful and Inspirational Good Morning Images with Quotes
  • The 50 Best and Most Interesting Trivia and Facts About Independence Day and July
  • 30 Inspiring Bible Verses for Women About Self-Worth and Inner Beauty
  • 150+ Best Instagram Self-Love Quotes and Self-Love Captions For Your Selfies
  • 50 Best Inspirational Quotes for Your Bullet Journal and Planner
  • 163 Best Monday Good Morning Inspirational Quotes with Social Media Images
  • Be Brave and Courageous – 100 Fun Ways to Say No
  • 31 Best Daily Mindfulness Questions To Check in With Yourself

turquoise square with a graphic of a bus driving down a road and the words

Planning a road trip? Stop at one of these 18 uniquely Arizona roadside attractions

trip planner app for driving

While the nearest rest stop or fast-food chain restaurant may be the most convenient place for tired travelers searching for a reprieve from the open road, it would be remiss of road trippers to ignore the unusual roadside attractions scattered along the Arizona highways.

If life-sized cartoon characters near the Grand Canyon or exotic animals on the way to Tucson sound like better pit stops than the local gas station, you're in luck when driving in Arizona.

Here are some of the most notable Arizona roadside attractions you can check out the next time you cross the Grand Canyon state.

Bedrock City at Raptor Ranch

As if Fred Flintstone's prehistoric town had always been set in Arizona, visiting Bedrock City at Raptor Ranch will make baby boomers (and anyone else who watched reruns of the popular '60s cartoon) nostalgic for their childhood. Colorful statues of familiar characters and the iconic brontosaurus slide have been essential roadside attractions off State Route 64 in Valle.

Details: 332 S. State Route 64, Valle. 928-635-3072. www.raptor-ranch.com .

Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park

Less of a roadside attraction and more of a cool fun fact you can share, the Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park recognizes the only place in the U.S. where the borders of four states meet. After visiting, you can finally join many Southwestern residents in saying you have been in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona all at the same time.

Details: 597 NM-597, Teec Nos Pos. 928-206-2540.  www.navajonationparks.org.

Meteor Crater

Over 50,000 years ago, an iron-nickel meteorite approximately 150 feet wide collided with what is now northern Arizona. According to the site's website, the impact hit the Earth with a force 150 times greater than an atomic bomb. The crater this meteor left is now the best-preserved meteorite site on Earth and a historic landmark to visit if you are driving near Flagstaff.

Details: Interstate 40, Exit 233, Winslow. 928-289-5898. www.meteorcrater.com .

Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch

If you are heading south near Picacho Peak, it is hard to miss the billboards advertising Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. Seemingly the only place you can find stingrays, donkeys, deer, parrots and dozens of ostriches in the middle of nowhere, this roadside attraction is a great spot for adults and children to make memories.

Details: 17599 E Peak Lane, Picacho. 520-466-3658.  www.roostercogburn.com .

Take the scenic route: This stunning Arizona roadway was ranked most scenic drive in the US. See why

Standin' on the Corner Park

You don't have to be an Eagles groupie to be familiar with the nod to this Arizona town in one of their most popular songs, "Take it Easy." "Standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona ..." is a line memorialized by Winslow residents at Standin' on the Corner Park. A bronze statue of a young musician is a salute to the troubadours who put Winslow on the classic rock map.

Details: Corner of Kinsley Avenue and Second Street in Winslow. 928-289-2434.  www.visitwinslow.com .

Without spoiling the enigma that can be uncovered in Benson, The Thing is a worthy roadside attraction to consider as you head down the I-10. The various billboards that line the highway are hard to miss as you get closer to the "Mystery of the Desert." Located next to a Dairy Queen and a Shell gas station, you can take care of your hunger, gas tank and curiosity at the same time.

Details: 2631 N. Johnson Road, Benson. 520-586-2581. www.bowlinsthething.com .

Arizona's 'world's largest' roadside wonders

According to a map created by  blog.batchgeo.com , more than 195 roadside attractions in the U.S. consider themselves the “world’s largest” something. These are Arizona's "world's largest" wonders and where they are located.

  • World's Largest Cow Skull, Amado.
  • World's Largest Petrified Tree, Holbrook.
  • World's Largest Map of Old Route 66, Meteor City.
  • World's Largest Kokopelli, Camp Verde.
  • World's Largest Kachina, Carefree.

Find out more: Arizona is home to 5 of the 'World's Largest' things — do you know what they are?

Giganticus Headicus

Art is completely subjective. To Kingman residents, Giganticus Headicus is one of the most iconic art pieces off Route 66. Created by local artist Gregg Arnold, the tiki-style head is 14 feet tall and bright green. If taking a picture isn't enough, you can further memorialize your time with the head with a miniature from the local gift shop.

Details: 9855 AZ-66, Kingman. www.antaersvisitorcenter.com .

Wigwam Village Motel

Need a place to stay overnight? Have you considered a wigwam? This quaint village off Mother Road may be just the eccentric place to spend a night while traveling through the state. Constructed in the 1950s, a night in a wigwam will make you forget why you would want to sleep anywhere else.

Details: 811 W. Hopi Drive, Holbrook. 928-524-3048. sleepinawigwam.com .

Lumberjack muffler man

A familiar face to Northern Arizona University students, the 25-foot-tall muffler man resembles the school's mascot, Louie the Lumberjack. Before being moved outside of the Skydome, the lumberjack was located outside the Lumberjack Cafe and appeared in the background of the 1969 movie "Easy Rider."

Details: 1701 S. San Francisco St., Flagstaff.

Rainbow Rock Shop Dinosaurs

If you're in search of more prehistoric creatures to gape at, stop at the Rainbow Rock Shop as you drive along Route 66. Fans of geodes and other pretty rocks will be able to admire the variety of concrete dinosaurs while searching for their next gem.

Details: 101 Navajo Blvd., Holbrook.

Located near the Mexico border, Dateland is a necessary stop on Interstate 8. A major producer of the Medjool dates, the dry heat provides the perfect climate for cultivating the fruit. Dates are fiber-rich, sweet as candy and contain more potassium than a banana. Try Dateland's world-famous date shake when you visit.

Details: 1737 Ave. 64 E., Dateland. 928-454-2772. www.dateland.com .

London Bridge

You don't need to travel across the world to experience a little European history. As a result of a strange series of events, the London Bridge , which once crossed the River Thames, was broken down and rebuilt in Lake Havasu City by Robert P. McCulloch. This British import attracts tens of thousands of travelers every year.

Details: 1340 McCulloch Blvd. N., Lake Havasu City. 928-453-3444. www.golakehavasu.com .

Take a break from speeding down the highway by cruising through the ponderosa pine forest. An attraction you don't need to get out of your car to enjoy, Bearizona has over three miles of road surrounded by picturesque nature and North American animals. If your legs need a break from sitting in a cramped car, the park also has a 20-acre walk-through area.

Details: 1500 E Route 66, Williams. 928-635-2289. www.bearizona.com .

COMMENTS

  1. Road Trip Planner

    Road Trip Planner - Build your itinerary and find the best stops. Keep exploring with the Roadtrippers mobile apps. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you when you hit the road! Download from Apple App Store Download from Google Play Store. Plan your next trip, find amazing places, and take fascinating ...

  2. Roadtrippers

    About this app. 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 ...

  3. The 10 Best Road Trip Planner Apps for 2024

    Higher battery usage than Google Maps. Waze is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

  4. 11 Best Road Trip Apps to Help You Plan Your Next Journey

    GasBuddy. Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations ...

  5. ‎Roadtrippers

    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.

  6. The 16 Best Road Trip Apps and Planners to Download

    1. Google Maps. Download: Apple App Store | Google Play. Let's begin with the free Google Maps app. It's the most multifunctional road trip map app out there, whether you're looking for directions, the quickest route, a nearby hotel or restaurant, grocery stores, pharmacies, ATMs, gas stations, or EV charging stations.

  7. Road Trip Planner

    Keep exploring with the Roadtrippers mobile apps. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you when you hit the road! Tall tales, trip guides, and the weird and wonderful. Plan your next trip, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with the #1 trip planner. Every trip is a road trip.

  8. Wanderlog

    About this app. The best app to plan a trip, Wanderlog is the easiest-to-use, completely free travel app for planning every kind of trip, including road trips and group travel! Create a trip itinerary, organize flight, hotel, and car reservations, view places to visit on a map, and collaborate with friends. After your trip, share a travel guide ...

  9. Road Trip Route Planner, Map and Trip Guides

    Did you know: If you use the Roadtrippers mobile app, your trips will instantly auto-sync over... Ready for navigation and good times! Search. The ultimate road trip planner to help you discover extraordinary places, book hotels, and share itineraries all from the map.

  10. Roadie: road trip planner & rv

    You can now add your personal notes to every stop. See distances connecting the road trip waypoints and know the driving times between multiple stops. Easily plan your time on the road and your gas and fuel consumption. Change the order of places to visit with an easy to use drag-and-drop. Use the app offline while you drive on the highway and ...

  11. Wanderlog travel planner: free vacation planner and itinerary app

    The best group itinerary planner. Use Wanderlog to share your itinerary with tripmates, friends, and families and collaborate in real time, so everyone stays in the loop. Plan your road trip or vacation with the best free itinerary and road trip planner. Wanderlog lets you to make itineraries with friends, mark routes, and optimize maps — on ...

  12. Best road trip planner apps: 5 apps to map out your adventure

    2. Waze. Like Roadtrippers, Waze hones in on social interaction, but it does so by letting the community decide which routes are the best to take. Users can report nearby collisions, police radar ...

  13. 15 BEST (FREE) ROAD TRIP PLANNING Tools & Apps 2024

    Roadtrippers App for Planning a Road Trip 2. Roadtrippers App. Price: Free; Link: Roadtrippers Best For: Planner, Maps, Navigation; An increasingly popular app (and website) for mapping and planning a road trip is the aptly named Roadtrippers.

  14. 15 Best Road Trip Apps To Help You Plan A Perfect Adventure

    Spotify. A music app is an absolute must for any road trip. I like Spotify as the playlists are great (Check out the road trip ones) but you can, of course, choose one of their competitors such as apple music. I also like to download podcasts and audiobooks to give alternatives to normal music listening. Key Features.

  15. ‎Wanderlog

    Wanderlog is a free travel app (with an optional Pro subscription) for planning every kind of trip, including road trips and group travel: create a trip itinerary, budget costs, organize flight and hotel reservations, view places to visit on a map, and collaborate with friends. With Pro, you can also export your trip to Google Maps and link ...

  16. Best road trip planner

    6 hours ago someone asked about Mt Rushmore and Cottonwood. "Routes with the Hilton Hotel Chain avoiding Colorado". Plan a better road trip using advice from experienced travelers on Trippy who can help you figure out the best route and places to stop along the way.

  17. Driving directions, live traffic & road conditions updates

    Waze is a community-based navigation app that helps you avoid traffic jams and find the best route to your destination. You can also set your arrival time and get real-time updates from fellow drivers. Try Waze today and join millions of drivers who share the road.

  18. 13 Best Tools & Apps to Plan a Road Trip in 2024

    Google Maps allows you to download maps offline, ensuring you can continue to navigate after you lose cell service. To download a map for your road trip, go to your Google Maps app and select Offline Maps from the menu. Click Custom Map, then select the area you'd like to download offline and click download.

  19. Free Road Trip Planner with Unlimited Stops

    Our free road trip planner is easy to use. Create personalized trips with multiple stops, automatically divide multi-day trips into manageable days, export to GPS or print directions, import from your favorite tools, edit, share and more. ... Android tablet, and mobile phone with the same easy-to-use interface. No app to download or software to ...

  20. Road Trip Apps You Need to Have

    Check out these 10 handy road trip planner apps that will make your next road trip a whole lot easier and more enjoyable. 1 / 11. via apps.apple.com (4) Hitting the open road.

  21. Multi-Stop Route Planning and Optimization Tools

    Provide up to 26 locations and Route Planner will optimize, based on your preferences, to save you time and gas money. Find the shortest routes between multiple stops and get times and distances for your work or a road trip. Easily enter stops on a map or by uploading a file. Save gas and time on your next trip.

  22. Road Trip Planner Compass Maps 4+

    ‎Plan epic road trips with Compass Maps. Whether you're heading on a long road trip or just to the grocery store, our app turns every journey into a scenic experience. Explore stunning local gems, from beaches and parks to scenic overlooks and national treasures. With Compass Maps, you do more than j…

  23. Get Driving Directions, Live Traffic & Road Conditions

    Step by step directions for your drive or walk. Easily add multiple stops, see live traffic and road conditions. Find nearby businesses, restaurants and hotels. Explore!

  24. Road Trip Planner

    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 ...

  25. 22 U.S. Road trips to take before you die

    Planning app for a US road trip. Road trips are the name of our game. In fact, it is our name — Roadtrippers is the go-to app for all things car trip planning.Our recently released Autopilot™ tool makes this even easier by using info from 38 million real-life trips to plan your ideal road trip itinerary for you. Simply answer a few questions about the type of trip you want and Autpilot ...

  26. This New iPhone App Could Save Your Summer Road Trip

    When planning a road trip, one of the big unknowns is the weather. It's unpredictable as is, but as you drive through different parts of the country, the weather obviously changes as well. ... The app allows you to plan your trip up to 10 days in advance. Wayther works similarly to Apple Maps or Google Maps in that when you type in a starting ...

  27. The 9 Best Must-Have RV Travel Apps for Planning Your Next Car or ...

    Explore the best RV travel app to enhance your road trips. Discover features, compare apps and get tips for effortless planning. Make your RV travels a breeze!

  28. 18 uniquely AZ roadside attractions for your summer road trip

    Details: 332 S. State Route 64, Valle. 928-635-3072.www.raptor-ranch.com.. Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park. Less of a roadside attraction and more of a cool fun fact you can share, the ...