This article was originally published in December 2021 and has been updated.
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Here’s our rundown of the apps you can use to help plan your next adventure with ease.
Did you know Australia’s total estimated paved road length is over 420,000kms? From the scenic Red Centre Way to the famous Great Ocean Road, there’s a whole lot of adventure calling your name. But while road trips such as these offer amazing opportunities to escape the grid and explore, planning them out can be a challenge. That’s where we come in. We’ve pulled together 7 apps to help you plan your trip with ease and keep the good times rolling.
This app certainly lives up to its name! With over 1 million downloads and 38 million trips planned so far, Roadtrippers promises to help people discover the world around them with ease.
Roadtrippers’ unique database houses thousands of interesting locations around Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, allowing you to map out your trip and find your way to your ultimate destination. Not only does it help you plan your way from point A to point B, it also highlights attractions, accommodation and food and drink spots that have all been endorsed by trail blazers before you.
Ideal for: Route planning and plotting stops.
Cost: The app does have a few free features, but to get the most out of it, you may need to consider signing up to one of their membership plans.
One of the world’s largest travel platforms, TripAdvisor allows globe-trotters to explore and review experiences, restaurants, accommodations, and more. In fact, it has more than 859 million reviews so far. Not only can you browse through people’s travel stories and photographs, you can also create an account for greater functionality, including the ability to plan your next trip buy saving locations and attractions to create your very own itinerary.
Ideal for: Finding the best-rated destinations to narrow down your itinerary.
Cost: Free
All about drivers helping other drives, Waze allows users to share and get real-time alerts about traffic conditions, accidents, construction, and other bumps on the road.
Waze also calculates your exact arrival time, constantly updating for any delays ahead. If your chosen route becomes closed or heavily congested, it will automatically divert you to a faster route. This feature has saved some motorists days on their journey!
Ideal for: Saving time and avoiding traffic.
Cost: Free
Sometimes, it’s better to have an app and not need it, than need an app and not have it. Such is the case with Emergency+, a national app developed by Australia’s emergency services and government industry partners.
There to help you make the right call at the right time, Emergency+ uses your smartphone’s GPS and what3words functionality so callers can quickly and accurately provide emergency call takers with their correct location.
Ideal for: Feeling in control no matter what occurs.
Cost: Free
Whether you’re collaborating on a playlist with your fellow road trippers, or you’re in the mood for a true crime story, Spotify can help with countless albums, singles and access to the world’s best podcasts and audio books.
Ideal for: Swapping out ‘I spy’ for good vibes and a round of carpool karaoke.
Cost: Free option, but for a larger selection of playlists and no ads, you can subscribe.
Want to know whether rain, hail or shine is predicted? Look no further than the BOM Weather app. It provides you with the current temperature, forecast high and low, wind speed and expected rainfall.
The radar function is particularly helpful for planning whether you have enough time to head for a walk before some rain hits, or whether it’s best to head to cafe for a coffee instead.
Another very handy feature, particularly as it affects driving conditions, is a weather warning notification. You will be alerted to any hazardous weather events such as hail, snow, heavy rain and high winds that could make driving dangerous.
Ideal for: Planning beach days... and when to hang out the washing.
Cost: Free
If you fancy a few nights under the stars, this app is as helpful as its name suggests.
Campermate shows you what campgrounds are available along your route, nearby facilities and the price you can expect to pay.
Like many travel apps, Campermate relies on users to provide comments, recommendations and uploading photos.
Ideal for: Caravan holidays and enjoying nature’s gifts.
Cost: Free
All content on the NRMA Insurance Blog is intended to be general in nature and does not constitute and is not intended to be professional advice.
