No matter if it’s a road trip, a day down at the beach, a hike in the woods or a week abroad, the key to making the most of your family vacation is good planning and travelling smart.
There are a number of smart phone apps geared to making parents’ lives easier as they help you prepare for a successful family getaway and return home with cherished memories too.
Here’s Gogobot’s pick of the best Travel apps on the market right now.
App: Packing Pro
For: iPhone
Cost: from £1.79
The holiday is booked, the kids are excited and you’ve stocked-up on enough sunscreen to keep the family smothered for the next two summers! Now you just need to pack it into two suitcases without forgetting the passports and other holiday essentials.
This excellent app is perfect for parents that have to remember a hundred and one things. Packing Pro will assist you with what to bring based on the number of adults (males & females), children, days, as well as temperature, destination and clothes washing preferences. With Packing Pro, you’ll never forget something as crucial as nappies or sunscreen again.
App: Red Cross First Aid App 
For: iPhone, Android and Blackberry
Cost: Free
Every parent knows that it’s important to be prepared for anything and everything, and that goes for whilst you’re on vacation too. We all like to think that nothing will go wrong on holiday health-wise, but in case it does this essential first aid app will help.
This free app features simple, easy advice on 18 everyday first aid scenarios including nasty scratches, burns and choking. The information you need is all hosted on the app itself, requiring no internet connection, making it fast and easy to access in a crisis.
App: Currency
For: iPhone and Android
Cost: FREE
Family holidays in the sunshine can mean endless trips to the ice-cream van, poolside snacks, inflatable lilos that the kids just ‘must have’ and a whole lot more - all of which can add up and become quite costly.
This free currency app allows you to check up-to-date currency exchange rates, so you always know how much your money is worth, before you splash out. Currencies are provided for over 180 countries, so you will always be able to find out the value of local money wherever you are travelling.
App: Gogobot
For: iPhone
Cost: Free
Gogobot helps you plan the perfect trip with the help of friends and other like-minded parents. By allowing you to tap into your personal networks, be it on Facebook, Foursquare or Twitter, you can receive personal advice and source reviews from other parents who will understand the needs and necessities for a family holiday.
Its mobile app allows you to remotely plan an entire holiday by browsing more than 60,000 travel destinations and arranging them according to recommendations made by your friends. With the touch of the screen you can search for hotels, family-friendly restaurants, and pre-plan what attractions you would all love to visit, whether it’s in the UK or abroad.
Plus, you can turn your family’s fun holiday snaps into postcards, which can be shared with grandparents, siblings and friends via Facebook, Twitter, SMS or email - letting everyone know that you and the kids are having a great time!
App: Interactive Alphabet
For: iPhone and iPad
Cost: From £1.79
Long car journeys and flights, airport queues and departure lounges can leave little ones feeling bored and restless. The Interactive Alphabet app is perfect for keeping your tot entertained (and quiet) whilst helping them learn. Incorporating letters, music, colours and animation, this clever app will become your best friend! Best of all, it will leave you with some much needed quiet time to finally read that chick or lad-lit.
What are your favourite Travel Apps for parents? Share your recommendations in the comment box below or tweet us @FemaleFirst_UK
FemaleFirst
Shabana Adam @Shabana_FAM
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by Shana McDermot 30th Jun 2012 16:09
I tried Packingpro, I found it hard to use, unintuitive and generally a bad experience. I found a different packing app called Triplist, it is wonderful and I am surprised you didn't r... Read More
by Susan Epstein 30th Jun 2012 18:50
thanks for posting! I downloaded Gogobot and really like it. We are heading to Italy this summer and looks like a great tool!
by Naomi Joynes 07th Dec 2012 13:11
This app is perfect for finding all activities available when you are holidaying in the UK...
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