Favorite Travel Apps: Tips for Life on the Road

By Dana Carpenter

Whether your life on the open road finds you looking for traditional campsites, dispersed camping options, dump stations and potable water, or cell coverage availability, a handful of essential apps can make the journey easier. Taking a break from modern technology can be a perk of RV life, but that same technology is a huge help when it comes to successfully arriving at your destination. These are the top five apps and sites we’ve found along the way that we can’t live without.

HARVEST HOSTS

Small businesses across the country welcome all classes of RVs for a unique overnight experience on their properties. With an annual Harvest Hosts membership, you can park at a variety of venues, including vineyards, farms, distilleries, and breweries, and an upgraded membership includes access to golf courses as well. RVs must be self contained and guests are expected, but not required, to spend some money at the business in exchange for their stay. We have stayed at a bison farm in southern Idaho, a beautiful wedding venue in northwest Montana, and a gorgeous golf course in Mesa, Arizona. All of our hosts have been hospitable, and we liked each location so much that we would definitely visit again.

OUTLY

This free app is the best resource we’ve found for exploring dispersed camping choices. Their maps feature layers with tons of information. For instance, they’re color coded to indicate what type of public land you’re looking at—national forests are green, state land is blue, and Bureau of Land Management properties, which are usually best for boondocking, are yellow. You can also search the maps for campgrounds, swimming holes, hiking trails, and wildlife.

THE DYRT

You can search for a campground and read honest reviews from local campers using The Dyrt app, which has more than a million members and 500,000-plus campsites. Under the camping section, you’ll find a breakdown of costs, photos, and amenities, plus the opinions of previous guests. You get access to all campsite listings, including national parks, state parks, county parks, private parks, and KOA and Good Sam campgrounds, and you can also book your site directly from the app. There’s a free version, and dispersed camping options are included, but you get much more detail if you spring for the paid membership. The review feature is accurate and easy to use, and has saved us endless last-minute searching.

SANIDUMP

Keeping those gray and black tanks from reaching capacity has to be one of the most unglamorous and frustrating parts of RV life. Sanidump is the most thorough and accurate site out there for finding a full-service disposal option. They don’t currently have an app, but I recommend bookmarking the website as it definitely comes in handy. A word to the wise—gas station facilities can often be out of order, so a phone call prior to pulling in can save you some time.

OPEN SIGNAL

In today’s world, an active cell signal is a must-have for most everyone. Whether you are working from the road, want to stream a movie, or need to download a large document, this free app will help test the real-time speed of your mobile or Wi-Fi connection. When searching for a campsite, another helpful feature is the ability to view signal maps to determine the coverage availability for all the major carriers in that particular area. ■

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