BBQ invites are rolling in, plans for road trips are being made, and the smell of SPF is everywhere. You know what that means: SUMMERTIME! We assembled our top eight seasonally app-ropriate apps that can cool you down, help plan your trips, and keep kids’ brains engaged and entertained during the summer months.
P.S. Enjoy the tunes (first link in each entry) while you scroll!
Cool for the summer – Whether you’re at the amusement park, on the beach, or hiking your favorite spot chances are it’s hot. Enter: Embr. This is a wearable device that instantly cools or warms the body through thermal waveforms. Their app allows users to personalize a cooling or warming session – there’s even a sleep mode!
Price: Free app download; Device varies
Compatibility: Smartphone, tablet
Category: Health and Fitness
Fine, famous BBQ – Nothing says summerlike cracking open a cold one, firing up the grill, and… launching an app? The Pit Pal BBQ app is a summer essential for any grill master – it sends users notifications to check on their meats based on the type of food and temperature, allows users to track history for multiple foods during a cook, and so much more. Pit Pal BBQ is also compatible with a variety of temperature control devices.
Price: Free app download; Device varies
Compatibility: Smartphone
Category: Food & Drink
Well, I’m on my way – It’s summertime, and the living should be easy, right? Don’t stress on your next summer stroll and use Mapless Walking Directions! Mapless is an app that uses location services to help users get to their destination, but not by using turn-by-turn directions. Instead, Mapless lets strollers enjoy the flaneur by guiding users in the right direction and allowing pedestrians to take in their surroundings while they walk, instead of constantly looking at their phones.
Price: $4.99
Compatibility: Smartphone
Category: Travel
Bored in the USA – Gone are the days of “Are we there yet?!” thanks to Geography Drive Arcade. Geography Drive is a map-traveling trivia game for ages 8 and up. With several mini-games and trivia questions and no ads or in-app purchases, the kiddos can entertain themselves (and you) though nearly any road trip.
Price: $0.99
Compatibility: Smartphone, tablet
Category: Education
Rollin’ on the river (or lake) – If you’re traveling this summer and need to find a place to take a dip look no further than Swim Guide. It helps users locate beaches, lakes, and rivers that are near and even gives water quality reports. Users can also access info about parking, amenities, and lifeguards.
Price: Free
Compatibility: Smartphone, tablet
Category: Reference
Find drops of Jupiter – Now that the kids are back in parents’ atmosphere 24/7, some backup in the educational summer entertainment might be necessary. That’s where Star Walk 2 comes in. Star Walk 2 is an educational app that is perfect for stargazers of all ages. Just point the device to the sky and the app enables users to explore stars, comets, constellations, planets, and more!
Price: $2.99
Compatibility: Smartphone, tablet
Category: Education
Don’t blister in the sun – Avoid the aloe and stay on track with your sunscreen application this summer with the help of Sunscreen Reminder. This app’s easy interface allows users to record when sunscreen has been applied and set reminders for the whole crew.
Price: Free
Compatibility: Smartphone, tablet
Category: Health & Fitness
Road trippin’ with my favorite app – Planning a road trip can be overwhelming, to say the least, and while getting recommendations from friends and family is helpful, information overload is real. Thanks to Yonder, users can plan and organize their next trip with ease. Travelers can discover dozens of different activities, share adventures through pictures and videos, and connect with other travelers all while keeping a comprehensive list of their favorite experiences.
Price: Free
Compatibility: Smartphone, tablet
Category: Social Networking