Best Travel Apps for New York City

The following is a guest post by Hannah Story.

The Big Apple may be a small island, but it’s packed to the brim with exciting opportunities for any kind of traveller. Whether you want to see art at the MoMA, catch a Broadway play, see a Yankees game or run around Coney Island, there are endless possibilities.

But with so many choices to get your head around, New York City can, in fact, be a headache. Before you take a bite out of the Big Apple, take a look at these apps to help improve or enhance your trip.

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is a must-have app for any newbie or veteran traveller to NYC. Download this app for fun in the city. It’s absolutely free! Use the app to find all the nearby restaurants and attractions, and check out reviews from your fellow travellers. You’ll never have a bad meal in a new town ever again.

Jetsetter

Are you the type to leave everything to the very last minute? You’re in a brand new city and haven’t even booked all your hotels. Not a problem, thanks to Jetsetter. Jetsetter offers exclusive travel deals. 50% off 5-star and boutique hotels? Yes please! You want to head on a spur of the moment day-trip to Long Island? Got you covered. They’ve even got suggestions for future getaways. The best part- it’s free.

Groupon

Want access to the best deals while you’re on vacation? Try hand-picked daily deals from Groupon. They’re offering discounts of 50-90% on all the best places to visit, the best food, and the best shopping. Yes, you need this app when you hit New York’s infamous shopping districts. It’s completely free. And let’s say you want to head a little off the beaten track (maybe catch a quick train to Boston), Groupon Getaways is just for you.

8mm Vintage Camera

And our absolute favourite, the 8mm Vintage Camera. Although you’ve got some of your best shots from the top of the Empire State Building on your DSLR, it’s handy to have a smartphone on hand- just in case you run out of batteries! This app offers 25 retro camera effects, to instantly add a little charm to all your typical tourist shots. It’s easy to use and only $1.99. That’s much cheaper than your run of the mill disposable.

More Apps of Note

• New York Subway ($0.99) — Get to your destination with this subway map and journey planner for NYC.
• Coovents (FREE) — Track happy hours across the city.
• Lonely Planet NYC Guide ($15.99) — Not cheap but chock full of information!

Now all that’s left to do is get prepared for your trip: packing, planning, collecting plenty of reading materials for the flight over. And remember not to over schedule! Give yourself time to soak up the sites at a leisurely pace. This is a holiday after all!

>> Check out the article on what to pack for a NYC getaway and what to pack for NYC in summer.

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About the author: Hannah Story is a wannabe jetsetter. These apps saved her when she headed to New York City last year! Guest post brought to you by Rentsmart.