Erin Doman on July 15, 2015 16 Comments Cruising the country in your mobile palace is one of the best ways to see the unique sites that each state has to offer, and advances in technology have made this type of living easier than ever. There are several smartphone apps that can guide your way, whether you’re looking to find the nearest national park or the closest Walmart parking lot to stay overnight. You’re bound to find use of one of these apps on your RV excursion! Check out this list for the best apps that will make your next road trip smooth and simple. 1. Google Maps It’s very likely you already have this app on all of your phones and tablets, but if not, be sure you have it before your next trip. You’ll be able to plan your entire route including stop overs and be alerted of things like traffic delays and road construction. You can also use the app to search for places like parks and restaurants anywhere along your route and add them into your itinerary. Google maps is an endlessly useful app. I guarantee that you will find yourself using this app–whether you’re on a great RV excursion or running errands back at home. Features: Maps supported in over 220 countries Voice guided GPS Live traffic conditions Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 2. Oh, Ranger! Park Finder If you’re interested in seeing some of the nation’s natural treasures or you need a break to let your kids run around, the Oh, Ranger! Park Finder app can help. With the option of searching around either your current area or your destination, the app allows users to search for local, federal and state parks. A short description and recreation possibilities are listed, as well as the distance from your destination. If you enjoy camping, this app can also help you locate parks that feature campgrounds. Additional campground search apps that we love are We Camp Here Campground Search, ReserveAmerica, Passport America, Campgrounds Plus, RV Parky and RV Camps Locator. Features: Complete database of every national and state park in the U.S. Includes information about each park as well as recommended activities Shows directions, contact information and more for each park Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 3. Allstays Truck and Travel If this is your first time driving an RV or you’re taking a new route, you’ll want to download this app. Knowing facts like which roads have low clearances and pull-outs for runaway trucks can be crucial to your safety. Also, travel centers and truck stops are listed in this app, making refueling easier for RVs and trailers. This app helps you make the most informed decisions possible when planning your next trip. Features: Has the longest running data system on the truck-stop app market Filter search system including ATM finder, parking, etc. Turn-by-turn directions available Download: $9.99 on Google Play | $9.99 on iTunes 4. Roadtrippers This app accesses your location and provides you with a list of nearby attractions you may be interested in. Places are organized into sections such as hotels, restaurants, shopping, history, services and more, making this app useful whether you’re on a road trip or a night on the town. This app also features details about your destinations, such as ratings, photos, reviews, and contact information. Features: Sophisticated route-planning ability Interactive trip guides Travel blog platform Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 5. GasBuddy GasBuddy is a free app that encourages savings by way of cutting your gas expenditures. This app shows you the cheapest gas options around you, so you don’t end up wasting more money than you really need to. This app is as useful on the road as it is back at home. GasBuddy relies on user-generated data reporting for the most recent gas prices. It offers incentives for users to continue reporting the most up-to-date prices. Features: Find cheap gas by GPS or by entering zip/city Offers chance to win gas money by giving accurate gas information Uses user-generated data Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 6. Walmart Parking App Did you know some stores will let you park overnight in their parking lot? This little-known app lets you know where every Walmart on your route is and whether or not they allow overnight parking. If that’s not enough, it also provides you with their address and phone number so that you can call ahead, just to be sure. We have provided two separate but comparable apps for this purpose. Features: GPS to locate any Walmart that offers free overnight parking Offers turn-by-turn directions RedBox movie rental finder Download: Free on Google Play | $2.99 on iTunes (Allstays LLC Equivalent) 7. Sanidumps RV Dump Station Locator When your waste tanks are full and you need to empty them, the last thing you want to do is drive all over looking for a sanitary dump. With the Sanidumps RV Dump Station Locator app, you’ll be quickly directed to the nearest dump station, making waste management simple and efficient. This is a handy app that you might not initially think about needing, but you’ll be thankful for it when you really do need it. Features: Search by GPS or by entering zip/city All results displayed on Google Maps Offers offline browsing of favorited dump sites Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 8. TV Antenna Helper This app will show you nearby TV towers that you can direct your antenna toward. While road trips are packed full of fun things to do and see, there are also times when you may want to relax and enjoy your favorite show. Use this app to find free TV and HDTV signals while you’re on the go. Features: A compass that shows signal headings Interactive map with locations of nearby TV signals Sorts TV signals from strongest to weakest Download: Free on Google Play | Not Available on iTunes 9. WeatherBug One of the quickest ways to ruin a trip you’ve been planning for months is to throw some nasty weather into the mix. Use this app to access the largest network of weather stations in the country to get alerts, forecasts, radar and current conditions. A big storm does not have to ruin your plans; if you have access to current forecasts, you can arrange plans to avoid surprises in weather. Features: Alerts you of severe incoming weather Live weather cams from over 2,000 locations nationwide Supports multiple languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese) Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 10. Key Ring Traveling is one of the best times to rack up rewards points, and Key Ring is one of the best apps to do it with. No more fumbling through your wallet or purse for rewards cards to different restaurants and grocery stores; all your loyalty cards can be stored in one app. With over 700 programs supported, you should be able to find any establishment you need. In addition to storing your rewards number, the app can also file free coupons from top retailers. If you’re looking to save money and hassle while on the road, the Key Ring app would be a great addition to your collection. Features: Offers approximately 67,000 coupons Advertises weekly sales from over 170 retailers Has customizable grocery lists Download: Free on Google Play | Free on iTunes 11. RV Checklist One of the worst things that can happen is to be on the road, hours from home, and realize you’ve forgotten something. This unfortunate situation can affect anyone and has likely happened to you before, but thanks to the RV Checklist app, you can avoid it in the future. Whether you need to remember to lower the antenna or get a chair back that you loaned to a camping neighbor, the app will allow you to customize your list and store it for future use, making getting out the door easier each time. This simple, intuitive app is one you definitely won’t want to leave home without. Features: Easily move lists to and from your PC AirDrop, Bluetooth, and email accessible Easily organize and prioritize lists Download: Free on Google Play (Adventure Treks LLC Equivalent) | $0.99 on iTunes 12. Free Zone WiFi There are so many businesses that offer free WiFi that you shouldn’t need to use much data while you’re on the road, but finding those places can be difficult. The Free Zone WiFi and other free WiFi finder apps have eliminated that problem, keeping offline records on your phone so you never have to worry about being unable to find service again. Features: Instant access to over 5 million hotspots Uses a map format for easy usability Automatic notifications when in range of WiFi network Download: Free on Google Play | Not Available on iTunes A smartphone app isn’t usually on the list of must-haves for travelers and campers alike, but it can definitely make your trip easier and more enjoyable. Use this list to determine which apps are perfect for you and make your next RV trip the best one yet.
David Gray says July 17, 2015 at 11:38 pm Here’s one for fifth wheel RV owners. An RV weight safety report app. FifthWheelSt.com Learn what your realistic towing capacity is with RVtowCheck.com before you buy that tow vehicle or trailer. Reply
Eileen Gerrish says August 17, 2015 at 10:03 am I have Oh Ranger on my Android smartphone. No problem. Reply
Erin Doman says August 17, 2015 at 10:09 am Hi Eileen, Thanks for the correction! I’ll have that fixed right away. Reply
Karen says August 29, 2015 at 2:28 pm This is a great list of RV apps. And I already use about half of these. Thanks. Reply
Dj says January 19, 2017 at 10:20 pm Fantastic list Erin! Thanks! ???? Rvparky is another one to check out! Reply
Dave says February 3, 2017 at 9:20 pm Number 7 seems to have VERY bad reviews as to it not working or being updated since 2011 Reply
Ken Campbell says May 7, 2018 at 10:36 pm It’s waaaaay out of date. Most in Northern California that I’ve checked into are either closed, the phone number doesn’t work or some other problem. Free for a reason. Reply
Christy says February 7, 2017 at 6:11 pm 2 more that are great apps rv Parky & freecampsites.net Reply
JoAnn says February 11, 2017 at 8:23 pm The Free Zone Wi-Fi states not available in your country. So not available in the USA? Reply
Jim says August 21, 2017 at 8:15 am You should add RVParky to your list. It is the best I have found to find rv parks. Reply
Sherri says November 24, 2017 at 1:18 pm I can’t seem to get the app to come up! How exactly do you type it in. Thanks. Sherri Reply
Julie says March 7, 2018 at 2:21 pm You should update the list to include Gas Guru.It’s much more accurate than Gas Buddy because the prices are not user input and they are updated many times per day. Reply
Karen says April 1, 2018 at 4:59 pm Here’s one I saw on Johnny Jet and was highlighted in Forbes that I downloaded and have found invaluable. Crime and Place (for iPhone) You can run it in compass mode and show the historical safety of your current location, or in map mode where you can enter an address, a key word (hotel, wal-mart for example). Because I drive by myself a lot, and also boondock at WalMarts where permitted I can be certain that I am staying at a WalMart in a safe area rather than a sketchy one. I’ve arrived late at WalMarts en route before this app, only to find that I was NOT comfortable staying, walking dogs, etc, but too tired to drive further. Now I’m prepared with a safe location. My other favorite not listed app is Glympse You can send someone a text of your location and it will allow that person to follow you for a specified period of time. It saves me a ton of phone calls and distractions when my family can just look at the Glympse app and see where I am in my journey. Thanks for your list, I’m always looking for things to make life simpler and safer on the road. Reply
Cathy Sorrells says August 3, 2018 at 4:32 am Unfortunately you cannot get allstay on google anymore. It was one of my favorite apps. Reply
Jill Holt Reese says November 6, 2019 at 8:10 pm Erin, do you have a travel tip blog or can you recommend any? I am new to full time RVing Thanks Jill Reply
