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5 apps for planning and sharing your travels

3/27/2012

Posted by Gio Palatucci

It’s hard to go a day without reading about the launch of another travel app or site to make planning, taking, or sharing a trip easier. I love the outpouring of travel apps especially ones with a social component, because I think connecting with like-minded travelers helps you make local discoveries and have authentic experiences.

Only time (and the best user interface) will tell which of the many travel apps will survive. For now, I continue to be a bit of a purist when it comes to travel planning, using general social networking sites-- Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare-- to plan my trips. However, I do use a few select apps to help me get where I want to go.

Here are fives apps I use to plan and share my trips:

Flights
Despite Hipmunk's adorable mascot, my go-to flight search engine is Kayak. I like the interface: how easy it is to sort and filter flights, enter flex dates, and sign up for fare alerts. I know these functions are available on many other booking sites, but I simply trust Kayak to get me the best deal. When I find a fare I like, I try to book on Wednesdays between 12 a.m. and 10 a.m. because that's when airlines post the best fares. Kayak also fuels my wanderlust. On days when I feel like I have to get away, it's fun to fire up the Kayak app for a bit of travel roulette. If that flight to Rome is a steal, how could I say no?
Trip Research
For me, planning my trip is almost as fun as taking it. I don't set up a strict or structured itinerary, rather I research a laundry list of places to visit, stay, and eat to give my trip a loose framework. For example, I like to be familiar with a few great restaurants, the destination's signature dish, and which cocktail or craft brew best compliments the local cuisine, so no matter where I end up for dinner, I can have a few authentic bites.

I do 90 percent of my research online and keeping track of all the links, articles, and addresses used to be a major headache until I discovered Duffel. I love Duffel. I've sung its praises on Nat Geo Traveler's Intelligent Travel blog and gush about it to all my friends. Which is why I rather hate to admit that, over time, Duffel's interface has become rather sub-par (not sure the last time they updated the website or app). Regardless, the bulletin board feature still functions as a great way to organize all your trip research in one single place. I continue find it extremely useful as a trip planning tool.

A yet-to-launch app called Dcovery might have the chops to surpass Duffel as my favorite trip planning tool. It functions similar to Duffel as a way to save online trip research with a click of a button, but takes a lot of work out of the process by scanning travel articles to generate places, addresses, and websites. I can't wait to see more of this app.
Hotels
I’ve also professed my love to HotelTonight on Intelligent Travel but it's worth another mention. HotelTonight is a last-minute hotel booking site that allows users to secure discounted rates at select properties across the U.S. It's the perfect tool for the spontaneous traveler, business traveler, or instances when your flight gets canceled. For longer trips, I feel more comfortable having lodging secured before I depart, therefore I'll often use HT for research. The creators behind the app do a great job of scouting and vetting unique and fun properties for the app. I often book hotels featured in the app because someone I trust has given the property their stamp of approval.
Photos
I love using Instagram to capture and share my travels while I'm on the road, but the app restricts me from sharing those photos with family or friends who are not online or use the app (read: grandparents). Postagram solves that problem by turning Instagram photos into postcards and mailing them for only 99 cents. (Yes. Real mail!)
Inspiration
I couldn’t go too long before mentioning Pinterest on this blog. Although I still haven’t figured out how I’d like to use the new rockstar social network for myself, I do enjoy browsing other users' pins for travel inspiration. Pins of gorgeous travel photos by my friends @MalloryOnTravel and @EverywhereTrip ignite my wanderlust, as does the creative team over at @GAdventures who pin images of their amazing group tours. I also love the way destinations and CVBs are getting into the Pinterest game to entice visitors to their city or state... but more on that later.

What apps do you use to plan and share your travels?

GP

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How to use Foursquare to plan your trip

3/21/2012

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Posted by Gio Palatucci

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about how to plan a trip using Twitter, which was inspired by a new report that found more travelers are turning to social media and community review sites to plan their trips. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I fall into that social-travel-planning group. I love crowd sourcing, which is why, after the success of leveraging Twitter to plan my upcoming trip to Portland, I decided to use Foursquare next.

Many people fire up this popular social check-in app to earn points and badges or score deals each time they visit a local restaurant, venue, airport, museum, etc. But Foursquare can be a useful tool to plan a trip before you even hit the road. Not only does the app help you discover great places but it organizes all the information in one location, and once you have arrived at your destination, Foursquare will send you to-do list reminders. How great is that?!

Here are few ways to use Foursquare to plan your next trip:

Create your own lists
The secret to great trip planning using Foursquare is lists. Building a list organizes your research and allows the app to ping you when you check into a location that’s close to a spot on your list. Check into a museum? Ping! “Reminder: Restaurant X on ‘Y List’ is only Z blocks away!”

So how do you build a list? Foursquare has a handy bookmarklet that you can drag and drop onto your web browser so if you come across the website of a great bookstore or coffee shop, you can quickly add the place to your Foursquare list with just a few clicks. Also, an increasing number of travel brands and publishers are jumping directly into the social check in game by adding a “Save to Foursquare” button directly to their websites.

I love Foursquare lists because of the address information-- this is a location-based service app after all. I’m working on a list for Portland. Check it out and tell me what it’s missing.
Follow Lists
Don’t have time to do any research? Let the experts do the work for you! Two great sources of Foursquare lists are travel brands and locals. The most social-savvy travel brands are curating their content with Foursquare lists. For example Time Out New York is winning on Foursquare with lists like “Cheap Eats: Fill Up for $15 or Less in NYC.” Or more appropriate for my trip, I’m following Eater’s, “Portland Eater 38,” an “ever-evolving” list of the editors’ 38 favorite restaurants in the city. I can either choose a specific eatery to build into my itinerary or follow the whole list.

Finally, the best recommendations come from locals, so I try to seek these folks out on Foursquare to see where they have recently checked-in or browse lists they have already created. For example my “Portland” search helped me find WhyGoPortland, an indie travel guide to PDX, and their list, “Must-See Portland: The Classics,” which sounds perfect for a first time visitor like me. The same search also helped me find local MLS soccer team, the Portland Timbers’ Foursquare list, “Official Pub Partners,” which will come in handy since I scored two tickets to the team’s match against the Chicago Fire.
Real-Time Search
Get advice from locals by searching the check-ins of folks who have made their Foursquare profiles public-- perhaps foodies, shop owners, or regular residents. The results might help you score great insider recommendations. This type of check-in search is a bit easier during your trip rather than before, but it can work either way. Plus, don’t forget to read the tips section to help you pick the best dish off the menu, find the secret bench in the park, or discover the code word to get $1 off your order.
Return the Favor
After reading all these juicy insider tips to help you unlock the 'best of the best' of the city you’re visiting, don’t forget to return the favor when you get home. I’m often guilty of forgetting to do this, but when checking in at your favorite hometown spots, leave a tip or suggestion to guide future visitors.

Do you use Foursquare to plan your trips? Tell me your tips and tricks in the comments section.

GP

6 Comments

ICYMI: How to Use Social Media to Travel, 10 Rules of Packing, An Eye on London

3/2/2012

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Photo: Gio Palatucci

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI): A weekly digest of interesting news stories about social media, travel, and tech.

Today's #FriFotos theme is "WILD." See a few of my favorite pics on Pinterest:

#FriFotos: Wild via Pinteres

According to a recent report by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, “twenty-eight percent of travelers begin their search with social media, travel opinion websites, and general search engines.” Here's how to plan your trip using social networks:

5 ways to use Twitter to plan your trip via giopalatucci.com
3 Ways to Use Facebook to Travel Smarter via Budget Travel

Seasoned travelers will know that a heavy bag or an additional suitcase will cost them at the airport as more airlines are implementing strict baggage fees. Avoid the extra costs by learning to pack smart:

The 10 Rules of Packing via Intelligent Travel

"I want to go to there," moment of the week:

London Eye 360 Video | 24 Hour Time Lapse High Resolution via Spherical Images

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5 apps for planning and sharing your travels

How to use Foursquare to plan your trip

ICYMI: How to Use Social Media to Travel, 10 Rules of Packing, An Eye on London

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