Spring Break drives a mass exodus out of the snowy regions, giving millions of young adults cause for endless partying and vacation-induced adventure. When it comes to travel and entertainment this time of year, your iPhone or iPad can keep the most wide-eyed 19 year-olds in line. Price comparison tools, city guides and SPF alerts make Spring Break fun and safe.
On the way
Kayak can help plan a trip from the very beginning, with search and comparison tools for flights, hotels and car rentals. This travel assistant has booking, flight-tracking and itinerary tools, aiding you from search to show time. This free app centralizes important travel docs, filters results with helpful visual aids, and makes for quick access and use.
GasBuddy keeps road warriors on budget, with cheap gas locations as you drive. Locate the nearest low-priced gas station, and report others you find along the way. Driven by a community of discerning drivers, this free iPhone app filters results by distance and price, and maps out locations for easy reference.
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In the mix
There are a handful of BlackBook City Guides for several U.S. metropolises, including Spring Break hot spots like Miami. Get recommendations and editorials on hotels, restaurants and nightlife, with local search finding the best of nearby hot spots. The free city guides are perfect for Spring Breakers, as they’re cost-conscious and socially driven, with Foursquare integration for check-ins.
UrbanQ is a local search tool, guiding you to restaurants, coffee bars, events and activities. Whether you need a family-friendly attraction, concert schedules or outdoor fun, this app has it all. Save your favorites, share “likes,” check-ins and tweets, and send items to your iPhone calendar. This newer app is currently free, just in time for the Spring Break rush.
Once you’ve chosen a club, you’ve got to make your way there. The budget-friendly HopStop offers detailed public transit directions and information for nearly every travel mechanism possible. Whether you’re cabbing it, riding the bus, looping the subway or walking, this free iPhone app can help get your there. With a growing list of supported cities, your Spring Break location is bound to make the cut.
Splitting hotel rooms and meals with friends? Keep tabs with Trip Splitter Lite. Color-code contributors for easy reference, with settings allowing everyone to add details and notes to the pooled account. Splits can be evenly distributed or manually allotted, with running totals always a finger-flick away. Spring for the full version, priced at $1.99.
Share pictures of your Spring Break escapades with Instagram. This free app creates custom images with themed perks, locking-in important details like your location and time. Add artistic effects, including retro style sheets and funky filters. Share snapshots directly with friends, or across the whole of your social media scene. You can even check into Foursquare, and view photos of other world travelers.
At the beach
If it’s the waves you’re after during Spring Break, MSW Surf Forecast is full of pertinent details. Check a number of global locations for wind speed, charts and location popularity, along with safety information and time data on swells, tides and weather. Add favorites, view photos and plan accordingly.
Basking in the sun during Spring Break can be a dangerous leisure in the long run, but the SPF app can also block you from UV rays. This mobile tool calculates the optimal time for sun-bathing based on skin type and local UV index, using location-awareness to keep you healthy, even as you earn your vacation bragging rights. The SPF app is free.
Download the free Appolicious iPhone app
