Traveling can take a lot out of a person. Especially if you're like me, a list junkie. I end up with ten thousand lists in twenty different places. Here are some FREE apps that can help take the stress out of traveling and keep everything in one place!

Inspiration and Packing:

1. Expedia

I think that Expedia is the best over all app to have for travel, because it gives you ideas. If you're not sure where you're headed next, or what you think is financially possible for you, you can visit Expedia and get some travel inspiration. I also love this app because you can book your hotel and flight (if needed) at the same time. That way everything is all in one place. Expedia also features travel deals for some amazing places, so it makes it feel like traveling is really possible for broke twenty-somethings like myself.

2. Triplist

Triplist is a struggling packer's best friend. This app has you select categories like clothes, documents and electronics from an items catelog and puts them on a checklist for you. Tripit also has a family option so that you can pack for other people, and a "tasks" category to add things like charge the camera batteries and download road trip music.

Transportation

1. Your airline/train/bus app

Most of the methods of transportation you'll be using will have their own app. This is super helpful. With flights you can check in at the airport an hour early on your phone. It can also give you options to save time at the airport, and wait in less lines. You can also turn your notifications on and get any delays or schedule changes sent directly to your phone. Most apps also give you your tickets online. This way you're not printing and losing your travel info. All you have to do is keep your phone charged, and they can scan everything from there.

2. Roadtrippers

If you're planning to drive instead of using public transportation, this app is awesome. Not only can it log your trip and give you maps with cool rest stops along the way, but there are also trips already planned and ready for you to take. "The Ultimate Rout 66 Road Trip" is already set up, you just have to click on it and find your way. You can connect with other users and see their road trips, too.

Lodging

(Remember, I do recommend Expedia for booking hotels!)

1. VRBO & AirBnb

Both VRBO and AIRBNB list beach houses and condos that real people are renting out to vacationers. This way you can converse with a real person about the quirks and perks of your get away house, along with restaurant and entertainment recommendations. The rates are often lower than hotels, and it supplies a more homey feel that is really settling. This is also a much better option if you are planning a large group vacation because you'll get more bang for your buck (a whole house for half the price of the two hotel rooms it would take to house all of your guests).

2. Hotel Tonight

I learned about Hotel Tonight through my dad, who does a lot of business out of state and often at a moment's notice. If you find yourself down the path of a more spontaneous trip, or just don't feel like driving back home after that day beach trip, this app works wonders. You just type in your desired location, and it shows you all of the hotels that are putting up discounted rates for rooms that night, and within the next week. Hotels would rather rent out a room for super cheap then not make any money at all, so they post their last minute openings here! I've seen hotels in Vegas go down to $25 a night. This app is wild.

Activities

1. Trip It

Tripit is an amazing app that not only helps you find cool things to do in the area, but a lets you log your activities into an itinerary to keep organized. The entire trip from parking to hotels to what you're having for dinner on Saturday night can be logged on Tripit so that you don't miss anything. I know that my mom would have loved this for family vacations, even though she somehow magically kept everyone's schedule organized in her brain.

2. Goby

Goby is your event guru when you're on vacation. If you find yourself with nothing to do or if the weather is not at its best, the app pinpoints all of the local hot spots. This is how you can find sports games, theaters, movies, clubs and more. It pinpoints your location and points you in the direction of fun.

3. Yonder

Yonder is awesome for the outdoorsy type. It takes in your location and then finds you all of the local hiking trails, bike trails, lakes and big rocks to climb out there in the wilderness. This is also the app for backpackers. Hundreds of backpackers log their trips into Yonder and post updates along the way.

Helpful Extras

1. Free Wi-Fi Finder

Free Wi-fi Finder is exactly what you'd think it is. It takes in your location and then finds all of the free wifi hotspots around you. This is an awesome way to find cafes and restaurants if you're traveling for business or need to still put in some work time while on vacation. This may also help those outdoorsy types and road trippers if you want to find a good place to send an email to a friend or update a travel blog.

2. OANDA

This app is for the international traveler. It is a currency converter app. It also converts tips for restaurant goers, cab fare, etc. This way you're not typing things into google a million times a day.

3. GasBuddy

Gasbuddy finds the cheapest and closest gas to you. This really comes in handy when you're trying to save money on road trips or trying to make sure your tank is going to make it to the next checkpoint.

I hope that these apps help you to reach all of your adventurous potential.
Go travel!