Embarking on a road trip through the UK or Ireland is a voyage into diverse landscapes, rich history, and varied cultures. Whether your journey takes you along the windswept cliffs of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, through the rolling hills of the English countryside, past Scotland's lochs and mountains, or navigating the cosmopolitan labyrinth of London, you're in for an unparalleled experience. Like your North American counterparts, tech tools are invaluable companions on this trek, transforming a simple holiday into an adventure steeped in local folklore, culinary delights, and scenic marvels.
We're not talking about the standard fare like Google Maps, Spotify, or Waze—those are givens in today's digitally-connected world. Instead, we're highlighting lesser-known but immensely helpful road trip-specific apps that can make your UK and Ireland escapade truly one for the books. These apps offer help for every leg of your journey: from planning out your exploration of Stonehenge or Edinburgh Castle, to utilizing a petrol cost calculator to maximize your budget, or discovering quaint pubs and off-the-beaten-path attractions that are the heart and soul of these lands.
The Roadtrip app easily shows the cost to drive from A to B in your exact car model. It's super easy to use – just type in your car reg plate – plus it's completely free to see petrol prices, with no ads. What's really clever is that it shows the cheapest petrol stations along a route, and it has a "Cheaper Nearby" function which highlights if there's a cheaper station close by.
myRAC is more than just a petrol price app; it's an all-in-one solution for drivers. While it offers the convenience of checking fuel prices, its main selling point is the integration of roadside assistance services. The app ensures faster rescue times and offers exclusive fuel discounts, making it a valuable asset for drivers who prioritize both savings and safety. Available for both iPhone and Android users, myRAC combines practicality with peace of mind, catering to a broad spectrum of driving needs.
We all know and love Google maps, but Roadtrippers takes things to the next level for road trips! It shows you all the exciting places you might want to stop and see on a road trip, including offline maps.
While apps like Roadtrip are great for splitting the cost of fuel, often there are other expenses like accomodation or dinner that you want to easily split with friends or family. That's where Splitwise comes in – everyone in the group can add expenses and the app with automatically figure out how much everyone owes. Genuis!
Alltrails is an awesome app that caters specifically to those who like to go off the beaten track, with millions of trails all around the world, you can see ratings and reviews from other travellers who have done the walk. It's super useful for seeing the true time to explore some of the great walks across the country!
PetrolPrices is another alternitave, similar to Roadtrip which also shows nearby petrol and diesel prices. It's a good option if you don't mind watching some ads. Just note, prices are crowdsourced, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies. However, it's still a great option because it shows each stations rating and facilities.
We love this lesser-known app because it's super well designed. It's especially perfect for budgeting and packing for a longer road trip. Used in conjunction with apps like Roadtrip for fuel budgeting you can get a great estimate for the trip costs.
Having a typical weather app is great, but it can be really hard to plan what the weather will be like when driving across country. That's where Weather on the way comes in. It cleverly shows you the weather in every town you pass through on your road trip.