Apps for that perfect road trip

Traveling and exploring on the open road is a lot of fun. But I have found some  apps that will make your exploring even more fun.

I have really gotten hooked on Roadside America, a web site with a cool  $2.99 iPhone app that shows you what’s nearby, as you travel. Not the normal touristy stuff, mind, you, but weird, unusual and fun paces to see and check out. It knows where you are and what’s nearby and makes any trip super fun, alerting you to must-visit attractions that make for memorable travel.

Then there’s Road Ninja, a free iPhone and Android app aimed at helping cost-conscious travelers save money as they travel the interstate system. Road Ninja knows your location and tells you what’s coming at the next exit. You can search by category or name, locating points of interest and telling you the best exit to take to find what you’re looking for.

One more tool: The Weather Underground Road Trip Planner. Type in your departure location and time and your destination and it will give you a map and the weather report for places along the way so you know what you’re heading to. Very handy.