Apps ease summer vacation plans, connect travelers

Junior Kate Maier sunbathes on roof of the UV Albenga garage on Monday afternoon. Photo Illustration. Monica Herndon // Assistant Photo Editor
Junior Kate Maier sunbathes on roof of the UV Albenga garage on Monday afternoon. Photo Illustration. Monica Herndon // Assistant Photo Editor
Junior Kate Maier sunbathes on roof of the UV Albenga garage on Monday afternoon. Photo Illustration. Monica Herndon // Assistant Photo Editor

Summer, the glorious end to the semester, has finally arrived and students can practically feel the sand between their toes. Before taking off, it’s important to pack all the essentials, including the right apps that can make or break your vacation.

Break the Ice!

Meeting people can be awkward. Break the Ice! helps users find nearby people to hang out with, because no one wants to spend summer alone. Two people will only be matched if they have a mutual interest, which means no more awkward encounters.

AroundMe

The most exciting part of going away for summer is finding somewhere awesome to hang out, but where do students even begin to look? AroundMe locates points of interest near users, including restaurants, bars, hospitals, ATMs and many more categories to make for an exciting trip.

Google Translate

Google Translate is a must for going abroad. The last thing students want is to be stuck in a country trying to interpret foreign signs. The simplicity of the app means getting over the language barrier and getting onto the fun faster.

Taxi Magic

It’s the end of the night, and the phrase “party hard” has been taken to the extreme. But, what happens now? Taxi magic works, well, just like magic to summon a taxi and get students back to their hotels without much fuss.

TripAdvisor

It’s like a travel agent in your pocket. Trip Advisor offers helpful hotel and flight information. It also displays nearby restaurants and activities and includes price ranges and user reviews. The app provides local city guides so students can take a free, app-guided walking or driving tour.

Urbanspoon

After a full day of fun in the sun or partying in the club, nobody wants to stand around trying to decide where to eat. Urbanspoon simplifies the process by selecting a random location based on the price range, location or type of cuisine.

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Ashley Martinez
Ashley Martinez is a senior majoring in journalism and psychology, which have sharpened her people-watching skills. She has worked as a staff writer, copy editor, assistant editor and is now the Edge arts and entertainment editor at The Miami Hurricane. She serves as the president of UM's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Her work has been featured in The Hurricane, Distraction Magazine, The Communique, Gables Home Page and The Miami Herald. When she's not working on a story, she loves going to the theatre and singing show tunes.