10 Best Travel Apps for Visiting California - California Travel Tips

Hey everyone! I'm Veronica Hill with California Travel Tips and today I'm sharing my picks for the 10 best travel apps for visiting California. There are a few others worth mentioning, which I'll share with you guys in another episode. I hope you have a chance to check out these California travel apps. They are sure to be your friends next time you visit California!

1. If you're going to Disneyland, the Disneyland Wait Times Walkee app is worth a look. It features up-to-the-minute wait times, along with restaurant menus, park maps and a daily calendar.

2. If you want to spice up your visit, check out the Hidden Mickeys app, which sends you on a hunt for hidden surprises throughout the park.

3. Another favorite is EveryTrail Pro. This app allows you to search for hiking trails near your location, or download GPS-enabled sightseeing tours in big cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. What's best? You can download the maps so you don't need cell service to follow the map.

4. Most of you are likely going to hit the beach at some time during your visit. For the latest surf reports, I like the free Surf Report by Oakley app. Powered by Surfline, this app shares the latest surf conditions in Southern and Northern California, updated several times daily. You can add your favorite surf spots to a list so they're always available at a glance.

5. Are you renting a car? Then iExit is a must. This app is great for road trips, telling you exactly what gas stations, restaurants and coffee shops are at your next freeway exit. Unlike Google and Apple Maps, it only suggests places that are in the direction you're heading.

6. Want to check out some great restaurants? Yelp is an old favorite. This is one of my favorite apps for discovering nearby restaurants and bars. Each listing has photos, phone numbers and customer reviews. You can add your own photos and reviews straight from the phone.

7. Open Table is another good choice. This app allows you to view restaurant menus near your GPS-enabled location, or search by restaurant name. Browse the menu, then make the reservation right from your phone.

8. Want to find out where the star chefs eat locally? Check out Chef's Feed.

9. Tipulator is another one of my favorites — just because I'm terrible at math. This app allows you to calculate the tip at a restaurant, or split the bill between several people. It's great for people like me who have trouble figuring these things out.

10. If you aren't picky about your activities, set up a Groupon for the cities you'll be traveling to. I've found deep discounts for skydiving in San Diego, wine tasting in Temecula, and winter whale watching cruises off Newport Beach. Why pay full price at the door?

Finally, for all you light sleepers out there, check out Sleep Pillow. I've tried about 10 white noise apps, and this one is my favorite — perfect for hotels with thin walls and noisy neighbors. And if you get a good night's sleep, your trip is going to be much more enjoyable.

Honorable mentions!
TripIt is a great way to organize your trip into one master itinerary, which is available at a glance. You can set it up so hotel and flight reservations are automatically entered into the app.

What are your top travel apps? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for watching!!!

STAY IN TOUCH WITH ME!

[askthebuilder]

Very very nice Veronica. The magic of being in a studio with great lighting, audio and other magic! You looked superb - no nervousness at all. But I'd expect that from a pro!

[CookingAndCrafting]

I'll have to look up some of these apps. Believe it or not, I am fairly new to "smart phones" .. I have just refused to have one until recently, when I was forced to get one. I know there are tons of things out there, but I like that Open Table app. It sounds like something I could use when in Los Angeles :)

[RedroomStudios]

I still dont own a smart phone but I am going to pass this along to my sister and mother... thanks!  I don't know if that airplane cabin sound would help me sleep.  I can never sleep on a flight!