Apps You'll Want To Take On Vacation

Here are some apps that can make your travels smoother, safer and more fun

- JULIE WEED

You can whip together a weekend outfit or fit a fortnight's worth of outfits into a rolling suitcase, but does your status as 'packing guru' extend to your phone or tablet? Think of your device as a carry-on, with its own packing list of apps that are essential for entertainment, getting around, safety and more. Everyone talks about making the super app—the one place for everything you need—but no one has done it yet.

Until that super travel app exists, here are some suggested downloads before you go.

Safety and security

Public Wi-Fi networks like those in airports and hotels may not be secure, so to prevent criminals from intercepting passwords, credit card numbers and emails, it's better to encrypt your internet activity," said Ott. One method to keep data secure is to download and use virtual private networks like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, which encrypt your web doings.

It may be tempting to store copies of important documents like passports, health insurance cards and prescriptions on your phone as photos, but it's more secure to use apps that encrypt that information, like 1Password and Microsoft OneDrive Personal Vault (included with a $99.99-per-year Microsoft 365 subscription or, for nonsubscribers, three files free storage).

Getting around