8 Free Travel Apps You Can't Leave the Country Without.

When I'm traveling, my iPhone is one of my favorite companions. It's amazing how you can have all of the information you need right at your fingertips. These are some of my favorite travel apps to have when I'm going international. 
CITY MAPS 2GO This app is like Google Maps, but better. You can download the app for free or pay $2.99 for the paid version which has more maps available. Within the app, you can download maps of the cities that you're traveling to. Once you've downloaded the map, it's on your phone, and you don't need to use WiFi to access it anymore. You can search for places by name or use the map to see what major sites, restaurants, etc. are nearby. Once you choose where you want to go, it has an arrow that you can follow that will point you in the right direction of where you need to go. I used this app when I was in London, and it led me straight to the Sherlock Holmes Pub. It's pretty handy.
Download City Maps 2Go from iOS, Android

WHATSAPP I think most people are pretty familiar with this app. It's perfect when you're going out of town because it allows you to send texts to your friends who also have the app. You can send texts for free as long as you're connected to WiFi. 
Download WhatsApp from iOS, Android

FREE CURRENCY CONVERTER Nothing is more frustrating than shopping or going out to eat in a foreign country and not knowing how much you're actually paying for it in USD. This app is simple to use and you can convert to every currency imaginable. 
Download Free Currency Converter from iOS; comparable app on Android

WORDLENS WordLens is perfect if you're going to a country whose primary language isn't English. You can hold the phone up to a sign, menu, etc. that's in a different language, and it will translate the words for you. It's not perfect, and there are some kinks to work out, but it's really useful when it does work correctly. 
Download WordLens from iOS, Android

TRANSLATE PROFESSIONAL Translate Pro is one of the few apps I've been able to find that doesn't require data to work. If you're looking for a very specific phrase, then you may be out of luck, but if you're looking for regularly used phrases, then Translate Pro is pretty much perfect. They have translations available in several different languages, and all of the translations are categorized with categories ranging from basic 'meeting people,' 'bargaining,' 'accommodations,' 'in the restaurant,' and 'dates' to more specialized categories like 'allergies,' 'emergency,' 'clothing,' 'sports,' 'books,' and so much more. The app gives you the option to either read the phrase or hear it, and with languages like Chinese and Japanese, you may not be able to read it, so hearing it is pretty helpful. 
If you do happen to have access to WiFi, they also have a special feature where you can type in a phrase and read or hear the translation. Unfortunately, not all languages are available offline, but for popular languages like French, Spanish, German, Italian, and many others, this is the perfect translation app if you don't want to use any data. 
Download Translate Professional from iOS; comparable app on Android

AROUND ME This is the ultimate travel app when you're traveling in a place that you've never been to. You simply open the app, and if you're looking for a restaurant, bar, ATM, etc., you can see what's around you. Simple as that. 
Download Around Me from iOS, Android

WIFI FINDER In today's society, so many people are reliant on technology and connections to the rest of the world, so when we're in a foreign country, you want to know that you'll have easy access to WiFi. This app is perfect if you want to stay connected to the people you left behind while you went on your adventure. 
Download WiFi Finder from iOS, Android

SIT OR SQUAT This is a relatively new app, so there aren't reviews for all bathrooms in all areas, but basically, with Sit or Squat, you can look at reviews that other people have left about restrooms in the area. If it's a relatively clean bathroom, people can rate the restroom as a "Sit," but if the bathroom isn't so great, they can rank it as a "Squat." This is perfect if you're looking for a place to do your business, and you want to have a relatively decent experience.    Download Sit Or Squat from iOS, Android

What are your favorite travel apps? 
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