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10 Smartphone Apps to Maximize RVing Memories

Looking to create some lifelong memories on your next RV trip? Then let this collection of mobile-device apps help with the heavy lifting of planning and capturing the good times while in your home-on-the-road

Smartphones are a fact of life these days. It’s a powerful tool that helps us live our daily lives, work more efficiently, keep in touch with family and friends, and create and capture powerful memories.

The latter is true even on the RV trips you and your family will take, whether it’s a two-week long adventure to Yellowstone National Park or a weekend getaway into the woods or at the beach.

Smartphone apps can certainly help make it easier to turn your journeys across North America’s grand countryside into one memorable adventure after another. To make your RVing adventures as successful and memorable as possible, give these smartphone apps some careful consideration.

Mapping apps, specifically designed for RVers, can help find the best route for your home-on-the-road.

1. CoPilot RV Navigation: Since a memory-making RV adventure is different than usual road trips many people take, it stands to reason RV enthusiasts could use a special smartphone app to guide them on their journey. This is where the CoPilot RV Navigation app comes into play, offering routes specifically chosen for RVs, smart-help technology for planning trips, RV-specific safety features like ActiveTraffic and travel alerts, and a massive database containing more than a million miles of worldwide mapping. iTunes and Google Play: $59.99

2. Warmlight: This app is a photo-taking and editing tool that helps turn smartphone photography into top-end, professional-looking images. With focus and exposure controls, manual adjustment of focus, horizon leveling tools, three- or 10-second timers, and a variety of filters and editing tools, this is a memory-making app that takes visual storytelling to the next level. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes: $4.99 | Google Play: $0.99 - $4.99 per item

3. Google Earth: Want to get a look at the lay of the land, where nearby lakes and rivers are, what the contours of a location are, what a place looks like at street level, and much more? Then make sure that you have the latest satellite imagery available on the Google Earth app, something that can help you explore the world more efficiently. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes and Google Play: Free

4. TV Towers USA: Interested in unwinding with some television programming after a long day on the road? This handy app shows a map of digital TV broadcasting towers in the U.S., plus a select number of Canadian stations. It’s a great tool for RVers roaming from region to region. Available for iOS; similar apps are available for Android. iTunes: $1.99 | Google Play: N/A

5. RV Checklist: This nifty app provides checklists to plan successful, safe, and memorable RVing experiences. Standard checklists cover various aspects of a trip, while the master lists aid in selecting items for a trip and schedule maintenance to-dos. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes: $.99 | Google Play: Free

6. The Weather Channel: To learn what the current weather is, as well as the upcoming forecast, the world’s most downloaded weather app can help you make packing easier, assist in planning fun things to do, and make better travel decisions possible, either at home before your trip begins or once you’re on-the-go. If severe weather threatens, alerts can let you know about watches and warnings. With up-to-date conditions, radar screens, and forecast maps, you’ll stay ahead of fast changing weather, even while RVing on the road. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes and Google Play: Free

Photo editing apps such as Warmlight can help you capture your favorite memories from your RVing experience.

7. GasBuddy: With changeable and varying fuel costs, GasBuddy can help your journeys be more enjoyable thanks to quickly finding the most convenient gas stations along your route. From reading user reviews to finding the lowest fuel prices in an area to searching by location, brand, and gas station amenities – think restrooms and food options here – this app is a must-have addition to RV travels. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes and Google Play: Free

8. Yelp: This app doesn’t need much introduction or fanfare since many people across the country, including RVers, already rely on it. But from finding user reviews concerning a good place to eat, to finding a good whitewater rafting ride, to locating a good location to shop, it’s hard to beat the user-friendly experience of Yelp. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes and Google Play: Free

9. TuneIn Radio: When you’re traveling down the road, there are quiet moments where the music, DJ talk, or even the big ball game comes in handy. But in some locations, finding a radio station instead of static can be a chore. Unless you have the TuneIn Radio app, that is, which helps to connect users with more than 100,000 AM and FM radio stations across the country. Never miss that professional baseball or college football game again. Available for iOS and Android. iTunes and Google Play: Free

10. RV Dump Station: It’s not the most enjoyable or glamorous part of RV trips, but finding where to take care of the business of dumping your tanks is an essential part of having comfortable amenities in a home on the road. Being able to use this app’s search function to look for nearby locations makes the RV Dump Stations app very practical. Being able to get Google Map directions to the location makes it a real winner! Available for iOS and Android. iTunes: $.99 | Google Play: N/A

Though not a smartphone app but every bit as helpful, don’t forget to bookmark the Go RVing website on your phone’s Internet browser. The information-packed can help RVers locate campgrounds, identify great places to visit, learn about some great RVing tips and much, much more.