8 best apps for family road trips (2024)

A family vacation should be filled with fun and stress-free experiences. Android hosts a variety of fantastic family-oriented apps for traveling. The best part is no additional tech needs to be purchased, as it only requires bringing a trusty companion Android tablet or phone while on the road. Whether you're getting ready to go out on Labor Day weekend or planning a holiday with your family, you will want to download some family-friendly apps to make the trip much more manageable (and fun). We hand-picked the best apps for families looking for a relaxing outing; we've also considered apps that help fill in the downtime you might have with some budget-friendly entertainment.

1 Playground Buddy

Visit a local playground with your kids

Playground Buddy

In-app purchases

✅ Yes $1.49 - $3.99 per item

Subscription

❌ No

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

App Publisher

Birds Eye Technology

Publish date

June 6, 2014

Categories

Travel & Local

See at Play Store

After a lengthy drive, everyone craves fresh air. There's no better pit stop than a playground. The Playground Buddy app helps you locate the closest playgrounds in the area, including reviews (by parents for other parents) and app-specific functions that outline what's on the playground. Whether it's a deal-breaker or not to have swings by a play structure, the app identifies what's available. No more hunting around for a nice playground for your kids to enjoy while you're out and about.

2 Campspot

Book your outdoor stay while on the go

Campspot

In-app purchases

None

Subscription

❌ No

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

App Publisher

Campspot

Publish date

May 25, 2021

Categories

Travel & Local

See at Play Store

If you're planning to travel in an RV or go on a weekend or weeklong camping trip, using an app to find the best campgrounds and RV sites to stay at becomes essential. The Campspot app allows you to book a place well in advance and is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Another huge perk is that the app is free and doesn't cost anything to browse (no subscription is needed). An app like Campspot does a great job of taking the load off finding you a place to stay.

3 GasBuddy

Find the best gas deals

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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

Publish date

August 27, 2010

Categories

Travel & Local

See at Play Store

When you're on the road, you have a tight budget for food, lodging, and travel, and when you're paying a premium for gas, it is easy to go over. This is where you'll appreciate an app that finds the best gas prices for your vehicle. GasBuddy helps you locate all the reported gas prices in an area; you can also view the available gas station amenities like restrooms and convenience stores — so if you need to take a pit stop and buy some ice for your cooler, you know exactly where to go. The app also lets you view the trending gas prices to pick the best time (the cheapest opportunity) to fill up. At the end of the day, nobody wants to blow their entire budget on gas, so we recommend using GasBuddy to help keep some costs under control.

4 Wanderlog

Organize your trip's schedule

Wanderlog

In-app purchases

✅ Yes $1.99 - $79.99 per item

Subscription

$39.99/year (Pro)

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

App Publisher

Wanderlog

Publish date

August 21, 2019

Categories

Travel & Local

See at Play Store

Family road trips can be fun but sometimes chaotic, especially if you're traveling in a larger group (more than four, for example). Wanderlog is a trip-planning app that allows you to create an itinerary, 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 handy. You can record and adjust any schedule changes in Wanderlog without being overwhelmed. You can also use the app offline (it requires Wanderlog Pro) if you need to make more adjustments on the fly.

5 Airbnb

Plan a family stay with ease

Airbnb

In-app purchases

None

Subscription

❌ No

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

App Publisher

Airbnb

Publish date

January 17, 2012

Categories

Travel & Local

See at Play Store

Have you had a change of plans where a camping trip might be put on hold due to bad weather or decided at the last minute to extend your family's stay? Airbnb can be the app you need to organize new accommodations for your family. You can use the app to connect to hosts, pay for lodging, and explore destinations with curated guides. And if you have a large family, staying at an Airbnb might be the best cost-saving solution you can hope for.

6 Spotify

Plenty of road trip tunes to go around

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 AB

Publish date

May 27, 2014

Categories

Music & Audio

See at Play Store

Long drives can seem less tiring when you have prepared a great tracklist. It's essential to save your music, audiobooks, and podcasts in one location, 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 start your travels. You can also use Spotify to listen to podcasts and get recommendations based on your preferred artists. The app seems like an endless pit for entertainment. When you're on a long drive to the next town, you will appreciate having some tunes to get you through it. Spotify is also compatible with Android Auto.

7 Trivia Crack

A classic game of knowledge all rolled into one app

Trivia Crack

In-app purchases

✅ Yes $0.99 - $199.99 per item

Subscription

❌ No

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

Publish date

October 24, 2013

Publisher

etermax

Genre

Multiplayer , Casual

See at Play Store

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 gives the option to play alone. You can play a variety of game modes like triviatopics and triviathon, or keep it simple by spinning a wheel to answer trivia questions within a category. Trivia Crack allows you to play in multiple ways. It's a fun-filled app that remains flexible for how you want to engage. The only downside is that the app has somewhat intrusive ads. You can also unlock an ad-free version by purchasing Trivia Crack Pro.

8 Google Maps

Best navigating app to have on the road

Google Maps

In-app purchases

None

Subscription

❌ No

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

App Publisher

Google LLC

Publish date

September 23, 2008

Categories

Travel & Local

See at Play Store

If you choose only one app to take with you on a family outing, it should always be Google Maps. Google Maps is indispensable for determining routes to nearby cities and landmarks. You can also use it to scope out restaurants, hotels, and shops and drop a pin to save these locations for later. If you're also worried about using data, you can download areas for offline use. No matter where you go, Google Maps is a reliable app that you can use.

Get Android Auto ready for a long road trip

You can't materialize a road trip until you've made the necessary preparations. This includes setting up a vehicle to travel reliably. However, due to the noise many apps bring, you may wonder how to reduce screen time on your phone or tablet during a long drive. You can offload some of the work to your car system's dashboard by transforming your car's dashboard into a smart mobile command center. Android Auto has fantastic apps that enable navigation (and bring entertainment). To get started with Android Auto, connect Android Auto with a USB cable (your device must run Android 8.0 or above) or use a compatible wireless connection.