9 TECHIE TRAVEL HACKS FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

USE THESE APPS AND TOOLS TO MAKE YOUR VACATION GO EXTRA SMOOTHLY.

- JARED NEWMAN

Whether you're about to take a vacation or just dreaming of one, it's helpful to have the right tech tools at your disposal. I've certainly sampled my fair share, and found that many of them waste more time, energy, money than they purport to save. Below are the apps and tech tips that have become a permanent part of my travel arsenal. Keep these in mind before heading off on your next trip.

1. COZYCOZY FOR HOTEL AND HOME SEARCH

When you're torn between staying at a hotel or in an Airbnb, CozyCozy (fave.co/452rlgr) can search across both at the same time (along with checking VRBO for good measure). Even better, its search results highlight the actual average price per night, including Airbnb's cleaning and service fees.

A couple of suggestions for using it, though: On CozyCozy's results page, uncheck Instant Booking to make sure that you're seeing all possible results, and consider sorting by "price" instead of "price/value" to find the cheapest available options. You can always use the Filters tab to set a minimum rating on top of that or to narrow down specific accommodations.

2. iEXIT TO PLOT YOUR REST STOP STRATEGY

Pop quiz: You're coming up on an exit that advertises a Wendy's, a Taco Bell, and a Dunkin' Donuts. But you're also approaching In-N-Out Burger territory, and if you press on just a little further, maybe you'll strike gold. What do you do? The correct answer is to download iExit (fave.co/3JVJiyF), which lists all the upcoming restaurants, hotels, lodging options, and gas stations (with fuel prices) along U.S. interstates. No more playing rest station roulette for you!

3. WHOBRINGS FOR GROUP PACKING LISTS