Cities are amazing playgrounds waiting to be discovered by adventurous souls. Whether you are a lifelong resident or just visiting, there are countless nooks and crannies to investigate on foot or wheels. The right tools and apps can supercharge your urban adventures.
Navigation Apps
Getting around unfamiliar areas is a lot easier when you have a good navigation app on your phone. Google Maps and Apple Maps are the most popular, providing turn-by-turn directions for walking, driving, or public transit. They can also show you nearby points of interest.
Public Transit Trackers
If you are taking buses or trains, apps like Transit can show real-time arrivals and departures for all modes of public transportation in your city. CityMapper is another great app for trip planning on transit.
Finding Food and Fun
Exploring always works up an appetite. Apps like Yelp allow you to read reviews and find the best local restaurants, cafes, food trucks and more based on your tastes and budget. You can even make reservations through some apps.
Bike Sharing
According to the good folk over at Canyon Sports based out of Salt Lake City, bike rental or bike-share systems are perfect for urban adventuring. Apps like Citibike show nearby bike stations and allow you to easily rent a bike for a few hours of two-wheeled exploring.
Photography Tools
What is an adventure without photos to commemorate it? Apps like Instagram, VSCO and Snapseed give you fun filters and tools to capture and edit amazing images of your urban explorations to share with friends.
Urban Hiking Guides
Apps such as AllTrails and EveryTrail are handy for finding interesting urban hikes and walks around your city, complete with reviews and photos from other users. You can download GPS maps to ensure you do not get lost on the trails.
Roadtrippers is another cool app for plotting longer scenic road trips and city-to-city adventures. It can also point out offbeat attractions along your route.
Augmented Reality
Want to see your city in augmented reality? Wikalife allows you to point your phone’s camera at buildings, landmarks, and businesses to get information and historical details overlaid right on your screen. It blends the physical and digital worlds for a uniquely modern way to explore urban spaces.
Voice Translators
If you will be adventuring in areas where English isn’t widely spoken, voice translator apps like iTranslate and Google Translate can help you communicate more easily with locals.
Just speak into the app in your language and it will provide an audio translation in the other language of your choice.
Special Interest Apps
Whether you are an architecture buff, street art fan, craft beer connoisseur or have other niche interests, there are likely apps to help you find places related to your passions while urban exploring.
Apps like Architizer, Untappd, and Streetography can be awesome tools for these kinds of modern urban adventures.
Conclusion
With so many powerful apps and digital tools at your fingertips, there is no excuse not to get out and embark on amazing urban adventures. Whether you prefer exploring on foot or wheels, these apps can help you navigate your city like a local.
They will allow you to discover the best food, events, and hidden gems that might otherwise go unnoticed. You can blaze new trails, both physical and digital. Best of all, apps make it easy to capture and share your urban explorations with friends near and far.
So charge up your phone and get ready for some epic urban quests, aided by modern technology. Who knows what amazing sights, sounds and experiences await you just around the corner?