A family vacation should be full of fun and stress-free experiences. Android has a variety of fantastic family-focused apps for traveling. The best part is that there’s no need to buy any extra tech, as all you need to bring along on the road is a reliable Android tablet or phone. Whether you’re gearing up for a Labor Day weekend trip or planning a vacation with your family, you’ll want to download some family-friendly apps to make the trip much more manageable (and fun). We’ve picked out the best apps for families looking for a relaxing trip. We’ve also considered apps that will help you fill the free time with some inexpensive entertainment.
1 Playground buddy
Visit a local playground with your children
Playground buddy
- In-app purchases
- ✅ Yes $1.49 – $3.99 per item
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- App Publisher
- Birds Eye technology
- Release date
- 6 June 2014
- Categories
- Travel & Local
After a long drive, everyone craves some fresh air. There’s no better pit stop than a playground. The Playground Buddy app helps you find the closest playgrounds in the area, including reviews (from parents for other parents) and app-specific features that describe what’s available at the playground. Whether swings on a piece of playground equipment are a deal breaker or not, the app will show what’s available. No more searching for a nice playground for your kids to have fun at while you’re on the road.
2 campsite
Book your outdoor stay on the go
campsite
- In-app purchases
- None
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- App Publisher
- campsite
- Release date
- 25 May 2021
- Categories
- Travel & Local
If you’re traveling by RV or planning a weekend or week-long camping trip, an app to find the best campsites and RV parks is a must. The Campspot app lets you book a spot well in advance. It’s user-friendly and easy to navigate. Another great advantage is that the app is free and doesn’t cost anything to browse (no subscription required). An app like Campspot makes your search for accommodation a lot easier.
3 GasBuddy
Find the best gas deals
GasBuddy
- In-app purchases
- ✅ Yes $4.99 – $9.99 per item
- subscription
-
$7.99/month or $89.00/year (Plus membership), $9.99/month or $99.00/year (Premium membership)
- ChromeOS support
- ❌ No
- App Publisher
- GasBuddy
- Release date
- 27 August 2010
- Categories
- Travel & Local
When you’re on the road, you’re on a tight budget for food, accommodation, and travel, and if you’re paying extra for gas, it’s easy to go over your budget. This is where you’ll appreciate an app that finds the best gas prices for your vehicle. GasBuddy helps you find all the reported gas prices in an area. It can also display the available gas station amenities, such as restrooms and convenience stores, so if you need to make a pit stop and buy ice for your cooler, you’ll know exactly where to go. The app also lets you view current gas prices to help you choose the best time (cheapest opportunity) to fill up. Ultimately, no one wants to spend their entire budget on gas, so we recommend using GasBuddy to keep some costs under control.
4 Hiking log
Organize your travel plan
Hiking log
- In-app purchases
- ✅ Yes $1.99 – $79.99 per item
- subscription
-
$39.99/year (Pro)
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- App Publisher
- Hiking log
- Release date
- 21 August 2019
- Categories
- Travel & Local
Family road trips can be fun but sometimes chaotic, especially if you’re traveling in a larger group (more than four people, for example). Wanderlog is a trip planning app that helps you create a trip plan, optimize your route, and organize your travel plans. Road trips require careful planning, but you also need apps that help you accommodate sudden changes; that’s where Wanderlog comes in. You can record and adjust any plan changes in Wanderlog without being overwhelmed. You can also use the app offline (Wanderlog Pro is required for this) if you need to make further adjustments on the fly.
5 Airbnb
Easily plan a family stay
Airbnb
- In-app purchases
- None
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- App Publisher
- Airbnb
- Release date
- 17 January 2012
- Categories
- Travel & Local
Have you had a change of plans and had to postpone a camping trip due to bad weather, or have you decided at the last minute to extend your family’s stay? Airbnb can be the app you need to organize a new place to stay for your family. You can use the app to connect with hosts, pay for accommodation, and explore destinations with curated travel guides. And if you have a large family, staying on Airbnb may be the best cost-saving solution you could ask for.
6 Spotify
Lots of road trip songs for on the go
Spotify
- In-app purchases
- ✅ Yes $5.99 – $400.00 per item
- subscription
-
$11.99/month (individual); $19.99/month (family)
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- App Publisher
- Spotify
- Release date
- 27 May 2014
- Categories
- Music & Audio
Long drives can be less tiring when you have a great tracklist prepared. It’s important to keep your music, audiobooks, and podcasts in one place, and Spotify is perfect for that. You can use Spotify Premium to download and create a playlist for offline listening; putting together a playlist is also a fun activity to work on before you set off on your journey. You can also use Spotify to listen to podcasts and get recommendations based on your favorite artists. The app seems to be an endless source of entertainment. If you’re on a long drive to the next town, you’ll appreciate having a few tunes to get you through. Spotify is also compatible with Android Auto.
Related
How to use Spotify parental controls
Protect your children from inappropriate content
7 Trivia Crack
A classic knowledge game, all in one app
Trivia Crack
- In-app purchases
-
✅ Yes $0.99 – $199.99 per item
- subscription
- ❌ No
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- Release date
- 24 October 2013
- editor
- etermax
A great way to pass the time is to play a family-friendly game like Trivia. Trivia Crack lets you play against family and friends, but also on your own. You can play different game modes like Triviatopics and Triviathon, or keep it simple by spinning a wheel to answer trivia questions within a category. Trivia Crack gives you multiple ways to play. It’s a fun app that remains flexible in terms of how you participate. The only downside is that the app contains somewhat intrusive advertising. You can also unlock an ad-free version by purchasing Trivia Crack Pro.
8 Google Maps
The best navigation app for on the go
Google Maps
- In-app purchases
- None
- ChromeOS support
- ✅ Yes
- App Publisher
- Google LLC
- Release date
- 23 September 2008
- Categories
- Travel & Local
If you only take one app for a family trip, it should always be Google Maps. Google Maps is indispensable for finding routes to nearby cities and attractions. You can also use it to scout out restaurants, hotels, and shops and drop a pin to save those places for later. If you’re also concerned about data usage, you can download areas for offline use. No matter where you go, Google Maps is a reliable app you can use.
Related
The 10 best navigation and map apps for Android 2024
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Get Android Auto ready for a long car ride
You can’t make a road trip a reality until you’ve made the necessary preparations, including setting up a vehicle for reliable trips. But with all the noise that many apps create, you may be wondering how to reduce your phone or tablet’s screen time during a long drive. You can offload some of the work to your car’s dashboard system by turning your car’s dashboard into a smart mobile command center. Android Auto has fantastic apps that provide navigation (and keep you entertained). To get started with Android Auto, connect Android Auto with a USB cable (your device must be running Android 8.0 or higher) or use a compatible wireless connection.
