14 Essential Apps for VR Travelers
Are you ready for an RV adventure or are you diving into RV life full-time? Whether you're a newbie embarking on your initial journey or a veteran of the open road, having the right apps can dramatically improve your experience.
We have what you need! This article lists essential apps for every RV traveler, covering everything from trip planning and campsite reservations to navigation and trail tips.
Get ready to get rid of stress and enjoy a hassle-free RV trip. Let’s explore these apps.
Are you ready for an RV adventure or full-time RV living? Whether you're a novice heading out on your first trip or an expert on the road, having the right apps can dramatically improve your experience.
We have what you need ! This article lists essential apps for every RV traveler, covering everything from trip planning and campsite reservations to navigation and trail finding.
Get ready to ditch the stress and embrace smooth, hassle-free RV travel. Let’s discover these applications together.
1. Allstays
Start with Allstays, a helpful camping app that helps RV owners and campers find campgrounds across the United States and America. The app features a map-based interface that lets you add filters based on the type of campground you're looking for.
You can use the app to find anything from public lands and rest areas to RV resorts and free campgrounds. The app features over 34,000 campgrounds and over 500,000 map pins across North America.
To top it all off, when you click on a campsite, you'll see user reviews, trip reports, and photos.
2. Sekr
In our opinion, Sekr is the most comprehensive VR app on the app store. Formerly known as the Vanlife app, it has almost all the information you need on the road.
The main purpose of this app is to connect RV owners to each other and to nearby amenities such as free WiFi, free camping, and national parks. However, we mostly like the community functionality.
This feature allows like-minded travelers to chat, ask for advice, and even meet up. Since WiFi is sometimes hard to find, Sekr also has downloadable maps that you can use without a wireless connection.
3. iOverlander
iOverlander is another app that van lifers can use to find nearby campsites and amenities. This is a handy app to use if you enjoy wild camping.
Some amenities you can find on the app include gas stations, showers, and recycling centers, which is important if you're planning an off-grid trip. iOverlander also offers filters that users can use to refine their search.
For wild camping, you can enter “Wild camping” as a filter. All nearby options will then appear on a map. This app is conveniently available on both iOS and Android devices.
4. AllTrails
This next app isn't just for RV owners. It’s for anyone who loves nature and wants to explore their current location. AllTrails is a hiking, biking, and running app that shows all the best trails in a particular area.
You can use filters to find results based on your preferences. Things you might filter for include difficulty, dog-friendly trails, and amenities.
Trails on the AllTrails app come with all the information you need to try them. This includes a mapped route, incline, distance, amenities, and reviews from people who have already hiked the trail.
5. Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers is a popular app for planning the perfect road trip. It allows you to create and share your dream road trip with your friends.
On the app, you can find and add attractions, national parks, viewpoints, hotels, and more to your itinerary. Since you'll be traveling in a campervan, you probably won't need to use the hotel functionality, but it can be handy if you want to treat yourself to a luxury night.
The only downside to Roadtrippers is that you won't find convenient amenities like dump stations and overnight parking in the app. This app is more suited to finding fun activities and attractions.
6. FreeRoam
If you like to save money by finding a free place to stay overnight, you should download FreeRoam. This camping app allows RV owners to search for free campsites and private campsites.
Users can apply numerous map filters to narrow their search and find the perfect place to stay. You can apply filters for things like weather, length of site, how far you want to go, and where you want to stop before you get there.
Before committing to a campsite, campers can look at user reviews and photographs to make sure the camp is right for them.
7. Gaia GPS
Available on iOS and Android, Gaia GPS is the essential application for detailed navigation. Popular with thousands of campers around the world, this app is easy to use and can be downloaded for offline use.
Gaia GPS is primarily designed for off-road exploration and hiking. It provides a route planning tool and an exhaustive list of trails. You can plan your trip, save it, set landmarks, and even add photos from your adventure.
This app is free to use, but the Premium membership gives you access to expanded maps, illustrated maps from National Geographic, and more.
8. Google Maps
In my opinion, Google Maps is the best navigation app in the app store. It's so good that most smartphones and tablets already have it preinstalled.
In fact, it's probably safe to assume that you've used Google Maps at some point. If not, let me explain!
Google Maps is a dedicated real-time GPS mapping system that makes navigating the world easier and faster. Impressively, it covers almost the entire planet and can provide traffic information in real time.
You can use it to plan a road trip, avoid road closures, record your previous journeys, and as a satellite navigation system. Google Maps can also find local amenities, food establishments, and accommodations.
9. Dyrt
Dyrt is a handy app to download to your phone if you want to find nearby campgrounds, reserve your spot, read reviews, and see photos. You can also use the trip planning feature to plan your trip if you prefer to have a tailor-made itinerary each evening.
The free version is great, but it's the Pro version that makes this app useful. The Pro version includes discounts on campsites, which comes in handy when you can't find a free camping spot.
10. Upside
Upside is another discount app that RV owners can use to save money while traveling. This app lets you get cashback and discounts from many local brands and retailers.
The app works in partnership with businesses to help them reach a wider audience. In exchange for discounts and cash rebates, businesses gain exposure. A win-win situation for all.
For van lifers, Upside can help you save money on fuel, groceries, and meals at chain restaurants.
11. Chimani National Parks
If you want to make the most of America's national parks, download Chimani National Parks. This awesome app provides explorers with detailed information on history, points of interest, recreation areas, and trails.
Plus, each national park has its own app that you can download if you want even more information. The free version is excellent, but you should opt for the Premium version if you frequent national parks regularly.
The Premium version includes more detailed travel guides, discounts on camping, recreation, and dining, and offline functionality.
12. GasBuddy
Upside is a great app to use if you want to get cash back on fuel purchases, but GasBuddy is the best app for finding cheap fuel prices. It helps motorhome owners find the cheapest fuel nearby.
Gas Buddy's interface presents a map with all gas stations in your area. You can organize gas stations using different filters to find the best option.
The app will also show average fuel prices in the current region so you know what to expect. This can help you plan your refueling stops in cheaper locations.
13. AccuWeather
One of the best apps for tracking the weather while traveling is AccuWeather. The accuracy of this application and its wide range of features make it an incredibly useful and reliable tool.
AccuWeather provides the information you need to prepare for the weather, whether you're planning to visit a nearby attraction or a long day of hiking. Key features include minute-by-minute forecasts, severe weather warnings, lifestyle-based forecasts, and interactive weather maps.
This beautiful combination of tools will help you become the ultimate master of the elements!
14. Netflix
Not all of the best RV travel apps should help you get around or find the best campsite. Some can help you relax and unwind after a busy day.
For us, Netflix is one of the best. You could also download Disney+ and Prime Video, but we like how Netflix lets users download movies. This is super useful if you want to watch something but don't have WiFi.
Another benefit of Netflix is that you can share your viewing history with family and friends. It's a great way to find new shows to watch.
Now that you know more about all of these apps, it should be much easier to plan the perfect RV trip, troubleshoot problems on the road, and save money while traveling. So, what are you waiting for? Download some of the apps and try them for yourself!
Article based on information from www.thewaywardhome.com .
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