The best free apps for your next summer vacation

Summer’s here and not a moment too soon. While you're planning your next summertime adventure, download these apps and get ready for some fun in the sun:

Find it

Google Maps (iOS, Android)

If you've seen any horror movie ever, you know it's a good idea to know where you’re going when you hit the road. That’s why Google Maps is a necessity. Google Maps will not only show you where you’re going, but also gives you the current traffic news and alerts so you can spend less time in a car and more time at the beach.

Eat it

Restaurant Roulette (iOS only)

Pop in the kind of cuisine you’re looking for, plus a price range, and spin the wheel! Restaurant Roulette will choose a restaurant close to you based on your parameters - such a simple concept that we love. It also displays restaurant ratings, food types, distance, price, and more, and you'll even get the link to the Yelp web page for each restaurant. It's a great way to find your new favorite place in your hometown or when you’re off on your adventures.

Rock it

Bandsintown Concerts (iOS, Android)  

For music fans, the summer means outdoor concerts, music festivals, and all manner of ways to rock out. (Arguably too many ways as loads of bands are hitting the road this year after being forced off stage for the past couple of years due to Covid.) Luckily there’s an app to help you stay on top of all the cool concerts and shows happening: Bandsintown Concerts. Both the app and the website let you follow your favorite musicians and venues to stay on top of upcoming concerts – a perfect way to plan a music festival summer road trip.

Predict it

Accuweather (iOS, Android)

Of course, you don’t ever really count on the weather because nature is fickle, even in the summer. That’s why Accuweather should be a key component for any summer adventure kit, especially if you’re using an app like Bandsintown to find an outdoor concert. You really don’t want to be at a festival in the rain. (Watch old footage from Woodstock if you're not convinced.) Use Accuweather to mitigate getting trapped in a mosh pit made of mud.

Share it

TextNow (iOS, Android)

It’s not much of a summer adventure if you can’t share it! With TextNow, you can talk and text as much as you want to any phone number – for free! And when you make a one-time purchase of a TextNow SIM Card for only 99¢ and pop it in your phone, you can use TextNow off of WiFi and on all your summer trips. Our wireless phone service runs on the nation's largest 5G/4G network so you can have the same great coverage without the bill. (We cover the cost of service with simple ads.) TextNow keeps you connected anywhere in the US and even includes free roaming in Canada and Mexico – if you're having the time of your life, you have to share it with friends!

Get more phone safety tips for summer and learn all about how TextNow can help you get rid of your phone bill for good.