The Best Apps for Traveling in 2016/2017

Bags are packed, flights are booked, and the hotel is reserved. The hard part is done! So how do you make sure your trip is a success? With a few taps on a smartphone, you have an endless supply of resources while traveling. There are thousands of travel apps that include everything from maps to restaurants, from city tours to transportation, from Wi-Fi availability to tipping etiquette… it’s all at your fingertips and most apps are free. Here are ten apps we recommend you download for your travels.

 

 

1. Maps.me This free app offers worldwide maps for all countries and cities with very detailed information, listing thousands of points of interests. It offers a smooth interface and can be used completely offline so it saves you money on roaming charges.

 

 

2. Converter Plus If you’re traveling abroad, Converter Plus is a must! Converter Plus is a unit converter with an extensive list of currencies and units in hundreds of categories, including weight, speed, temperature, volume, and many more. Converter Plus also comes with mortgage, loan, tip, fuel consumption calculators and many others for everyday problems.

Converter Plus app icon

 

 

 3. Google Trips Google Trips makes exploring the world easier by organizing your essential info in one place and making it available even offline. Get activity suggestions based on what’s nearby, customizable day plans, and your travel reservations from Gmail.

google_trips

 

 

4. TripIt Always have a master itinerary for your trip with all your travel plans and confirmations in one place with TripIt. With this app, your itinerary is as close as your smartphone. You can even access your itinerary offline, while in flight or to avoid roaming charges when traveling abroad. View your confirmation number on the way to the airport. Get directions to your hotel when you land. It’s like having a personal assistant who’s one step ahead.

Tripit app icon

 

 

5. Uber While Uber is already a staple for most travelers, we want to make sure you don’t leave home without it. Uber seamlessly connects riders to drivers in over hundreds of cities worldwide. And paying is just as easy too. It’s a safe, reliable and trustworthy resource to have no matter where you are.

Uber app icon

 

 

6. Cities Talking Cities Talking for locals and tourists alike! Looking to really get to know a new place, or to perhaps uncover a new side of your hometown? Cities Talking offers fresh and engaging audio walking tours of a wide variety of European cities, with a brilliant twist!

cities_talking_app

 

 

7. Allpoint Allpoint helps you find 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs around the world. Its geo-locator finds the nearest location without entering addresses or zip codes and provides a list to scroll through. It also has a share feature to email or message the ATM locations.

Allpoint app icon

 

 

8. Yelp is a guide to find good food and coffee. If you’re not already a Yelper, downloading the app for a trip is a great time to start using it. It’s full of recommendations with photos of dishes near you. See what people love at restaurants and coffee shops near your hotel or event. Search the food you’re craving or dietary restrictions you have, and the app will show you the nearest restaurant to find it.

yelp

 

 

9. Wi-Fi Finder With over 650,000 Wi-Fi locations in 144 countries worldwide, quickly and easily find these spots when you travel with Wi-Fi Finder. Download the locations offline so you know how to stay connected when you’re on the road. Using the GPS function on your smartphone, the Wi-Fi finder will tell you exactly where the closest Wi-Fi hotspot is, and how to get there. If you prefer certain providers, you’ll be able to see which hotspots are served by those providers. When you find the location you want to use, you’ll be given a phone number and directions on how to get there.

Wifi finder app icon

 

 

10. Stop Breath and Think Travel can sometimes be high-speed with things to do and places to see,  leaving you feeling like you need time to relax when you get home from vacation. This app is designed to help you create calm and peace throughout your busy day using meditation. The meditation practice it will help you gain more balance in your daily life. allowing you to get the must out of your travels.

stop_breath_think app

 

Other mentionable apps include iExit and GasBuddy. If your journey includes a road trip, these two apps are necessities. iExit tells you what’s ahead when driving on the interstate. Search hundreds of miles ahead and discover great spots at upcoming exits. Whether it’s a restaurant or shops with Wi-Fi, iExit will tell you what exits ahead have exactly what you need. GasBuddy is exactly that – your on-the-road fuel friend. This app saves you time and money by finding the cheapest gas near you. It also has leaderboards to compete against other gasbuddies by reporting good prices and helping others save money on gas.

 

All of these apps should help ease your travel and guarantee lasting memories. Bon voyage and safe travels!

 

 

SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. We specialize in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and several regional offices, we’re able to serve clients and candidates nationwide. Founded in 1999, we have remained focused on our four core values for almost two decades: INTEGRITY, ETHICS, PASSION and RESPECT.

11 Crowd Pleasing Appetizer Recipes for the Holiday Potluck

It’s that time of year again! December is here, and the holidays are quickly approaching. Your calendar is probably filling up with holiday parties, gift exchanges, tree decorating, ugly sweater parties, and of course, many of these get-togethers calls for a potluck!

What can you bring that’s easy to transport, easy to reheat, and still a crowd-pleasing dish? We’ve got 11 tasty recipes that seem to work well for the holiday potluck.

 

1. Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Ring  

Buffalo Chicken Cresent Ring

From Pillsbury.com

 

 

2. Loaded Cheesy Mashed Potato Balls

From Tablespoon.com

From Tablespoon.com

 

3. Goat Cheese Pesto Spread

From SkinnyMs.com

From SkinnyMs.com

 

 

4. Spicy Asian Chicken Meatballs

From ThisGalCooks.com

From ThisGalCooks.com

 

 

5. Skinny Lasagna Rolls  

From SkinnyMs.com

From SkinnyMs.com

 

 

6. Chicken & Zucchini Poppers

From OneLovelyLife.com

 

 

7. Caramelized Pears and Walnut Topped Brie 

From MyDailyRandomness.com

From MyDailyRandomness.com

 

 

8. Crab Salad in Crisp Wonton Cups

From FoodNetwork.com

From FoodNetwork.com

 

 

9. Slow Cooker Chilli Queso Dip  

From lecremedelacrumb.com

From lecremedelacrumb.com

 

10. Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion Toast – Vegan 

sweet-potato-crostini

From SweetPotatoSoul.com

 

 

11. Grinch Kabobs

From NourishingMinimalism.com

From NourishingMinimalism.com

 

 

Wishing everyone a cheerful holiday, and happy grazing!

 

 

 

SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. We specialize in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and several regional offices, we’re able to serve clients and candidates nationwide. Founded in 1999, we have remained focused on our four core values for almost two decades: INTEGRITY, ETHICS, PASSION and RESPECT.