Six MUST HAVE Travel Apps

By Dapper Life

Written by Val White

Traveling can be one of the best ways to refuel, reset, and recharge yourself; taking a break from the monotony of your daily life and responsibilities is the reason holidays were invented isn’t it?

But, traveling can also be unpredictable and stressful when you factor in all of the variables that our beyond your control.

Being proactive about your comfort and making feeling good your main priority is the best self-care while traveling that you can do to ensure ease and grace into your travel experience, even if you do encounter some hiccups along your journey.

We’ve compiled a few of our favorite travel apps to make traveling a cinch and put more control at your fingertips.

TripIt - If you’re someone who likes to have an itinerary and to have everyone all in one place TripIt is a must. All you have to do is forward your flight info, hotel info, and car rental info to TripIt and they do the rest.
Download the app to whichever airline you’ll be flying (ie Delta, Southwest, American Airlines..etc). You’ll be able to track your flight if there are delays, check-in easily on your phone, or make any adjustments to your flight without having to stand in line at a ticket kiosk or spend precious moments of your life on hold waiting to talk to a (usually not that helpful) agent on the phone.
LoungeBuddy - Even if you’re traveling an economy airline or seated in coach, there are select lounges in most airports that are free or offer an option to purchase a day pass. LoungeBuddy is your go to resource for discovering which lounges are available. This one app will make your layovers much more comfortable and less stressful.
Just like it’s important to have the app of your airline on your phone..it’s equally important to have your hotel’s app. Many hotels have contactless check in up to 24 hours before you arrive and have digital keys so that all you need to do is walk to your room and use your phone to open the door!
TripAdvisor - There’s nothing more time consuming than trying to figure out where to eat, what to do, or how to spend your time in a city that you’ve never been to and know nothing about. TripAdvisor is the go to app for finding local restaurants, things to do, and points of interest.
Uber/Lyft - Even if you’re traveling by car, it’s sometimes easier to get around locally by letting someone who knows the area drive you. It’s less stressful and keeps your options open to enjoy a serendipitous cocktail!

So, next time you’re traveling, make sure to plan for the ease and comfort you can control in advance so that you have more free time to enjoy yourself.

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5 Tips For The Perfect mini Holiday DURING THE PANDEMIC

By DAPPER LIFE

WRITTEN BY VAL WHITE

Those of us who love to travel, who feed on the excitement of new and unfamiliar places, and revel in glory of the weekend getaway have felt an undeniable blow from the itinerary that COVID-19 has handed us.

Sure, flights are really inexpensive right now, and hotels are booking reservations at extremely unheard of rates, but it’s scary for a lot of us to think of the risks we may encounter by traveling in conventional and familiar ways.

The untamed spirit of the traveler has been facing nightmarish restrictions on our freedom to spread our wings and explore new terrains. But don’t you fret my little travel junkie, we have a solution that just may scratch that itch in your overnight bag with our 5 tips for the perfect mini-holiday during the pandemic!

By following our 5 tips, you’ll be feeling like your wandering self in no time.

1) Stay Within Driving Distance - The best place to start is a good ol’ google search. It’s as simple as searching for ‘best day trips near me’. After taking inventory on the places you’ve driven through but never stopped, head over to trip advisor and check out their ‘things to do’ in your potential ‘drive to’ destinations. We’re pretty sure that this first step alone will get your juices flowing.

2) Find the Hidden Gems - Once you’ve pinpointed where you’ll be driving to for your mini-vacay, take some time to look for the hidden gems of Historic Inns, Bed & Breakfasts, Boutique Hotels, or Cabin Rentals. By adding this unique flare to your stay, you’ll add a certain je ne sais quoi to your getaway that will make your time feel more special and memorable than by choosing your usual corporate hotel stays.

3) Do Your Research - Once you’ve found some gems to sort through, make sure to do your due diligence by calling each establishment to inquire about their compliance with CDC regulations regarding Covid-19.

4) Order Room Service - A lot! So, you’ve found a place that is within driving distance, is special & unique, and is compliant with regulations…but what about the restaurants? Aren’t they a little iffy too? Listen, this is a GETAWAY….pamper yourself by lounging in your robe, day drinking champagne with strawberries, and allowing someone to cater to your culinary whims. Order room service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

5) Play Outside - Check out the activities in your getaway area that will allow your exploring little heart to play to its content while breathing the fresh air and making it easy to observe social distancing. Sure, we all love shopping and all of the wonderful indoor excitement that retail therapy provides, but let’s stay mindful of the fact that, by now, we are all experts at online shopping anyway. Rent a boat, take a hike, or explore a local park; And for God’s sake, be sure to take copious amounts of selfies so that your instagram followers are sure to know that you’re living your best life.

The best part about the mini holiday is, that by staying more local, eliminating the costly expenses of air travel and corporate resort stays and fees, and by keeping your getaway to a few days at a time, you’ll be able to milk your budget for quite a few MORE weekend trips for the same amount of money that you’d spend on one big yearly vacation.

So, there you have it - you can get your travel rocks off in a safe, yet satisfying and fun new way EVEN within the parameters of restriction we are facing during the pandemic. Now get your self to googling. You’ve got places to go!

Photos: Lake Lure Inn, Lake Lure North carolina