I’ve written a lot about travel apps on LandLopers. Travel apps to help you do everything from keep track of your flights to tell you how much you’re spending overseas. What I haven’t done before is share some fun apps I use when I travel, not to achieve anything in particular but just to have fun and pass the time. I’d love to hear what fun apps you use when you travel.
1. The Night Sky – I first saw this app featured in one of the many amazing Apple commercials and right away I knew I had to download it. In what seems like science fiction, this app is the ultimate personal astronomical assistant. Who doesn’t love to look up at the night sky when they travel; to marvel at new stars and constellations. I especially enjoy being far away from a city where there’s no ambient light and the heavens seem to go on forever. Sadly, I know nothing about astronomy and have no idea which star is which, and that is why I love this app. All you do is hold your mobile device up to the sky and the app displays the names of the stars, planets and other objects. Simply put this is amazing – Jetsons amazing – and is one of the many reasons why I love my phone. Believe me, after using this for the first time you will be hooked forever.
Cost: $0.99 for iPhone or for iPad
2. UNESCO World Heritage – As a full-blown travel geek, I love finding new ways to see the world. One such way is through the lens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 1972 the UN, through the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, began recognizing important sites around the world that they consider vital in order to maintain the cultural and natural heritage we have all inherited. Even though I don’t seek them out when I travel, I’m always thrilled and sometimes surprised when I find a new one. Since there are almost 1,000 designated sites in all corners of the world, there’s a good chance you’ve been to one and may not have even realized it. This app lists all the sites in a variety of ways, provides detailed information and photos for each site and allows you to keep track of which ones you have visited. This is great fun for anyone with even a passing interest in history or travel.
Cost: $2.99 for iPhone or for iPad
3. Vine – This is a new one for me but given how many people have signed up recently, it promises to be the next big thing. Vine is essentially Instagram for video. Users upload brief videos 6 seconds in length showing anything from their kid crawling to a crazy roller coaster ride. At first it’s a little strange seeing these windows into the lives of friends and acquaintances, but it’s also very cool. Vine shares the travel experience like nothing else and even though it’s still in its naissance, it is bound to become a very important social media platform.
Cost: Free
4. Unstuck (iPad) – Ever have a problem, large or small, that you just can’t seem to get around? Well then Unstuck is the app for you. Basically, Unstuck is a personal life coach that travels with you. Combining personalized digital tools with tips and know-how from a community of other people facing stuck moments, Unstuck makes it easy to get on-demand coaching whenever you need it. It can get pretty personal at times, but I suppose that’s the point as well as its great strength. Give it a try and see if this feel-good app works for you.
Cost: Free
5. Mobile Monet – Sometimes it feels like most of my apps are photo related, add to that dilemma the fact that thousands more are introduced every year and it can get a little overwhelming. I have a few photo apps that I use on a daily basis as I detailed in this travel photography post, but there are still others that I just use for fun. The Mobile Monet app takes an existing photo and turns it into an Impressionist work of art. You control the color, level of artsy-ness along with many other details. When you’re finished, the reward is a beautiful piece of virtual art. I would never use this app for professional purposes, but it’s a lot of fun to play around with.
Cost: $0.99 for iPhone or $1.99 for iPad
What apps do you like to use just for fun?
