WOT?
I’m going on a road trip. Are there any good apps to take for the ride?
SUMMARY
Navigation software is good for getting you from point A to point B, but my favorite app for finding food and fuel stops along the way is RoadNinja.
WHY?
When you’re in your car driving for hours on the interstate your priorities change. You have a few basic needs:
- A place to eat.
- A gas station.
- A place to sleep.
If you’re going to stop:
- You don’t want to travel far from the highway.
- If you want to know what stores are at the exit before you commit to exiting.
RoadNinja is a huge help when deciding whether to exit the highway. Using your current location, RoadNinja detects which Interstate you’re on and the direction you’re travelling.
It then displays an easy to digest list of exits and shows you what services are at each one. These include gas stations, restaurants, lodging, pharmacies and more.
Google Maps will find a diner for you, but it could be 20 miles from the highway. RoadNinja performs the specialized type of searches needed for road trips.
Roadside signs do show some of the shops that are at the upcoming exit, but the list is usually incomplete. RoadNinja shows all the shops at the upcoming exit to help you decide whether it’s worth veering off. If you’re not hungry but you know you will be soon, you can look ahead to see what restaurants are up ahead. Each exit shows the miles to that exit, the exit name and number so you can make a plan.
In addition, you can search for a particular type of shop and specify its distance from the highway. For instance, you can search for coffee shops less 0.8 miles from the exit.
Selecting a result displays a map with the address, phone number and hours of operation. Press the “Directions” button and you’re on your way.
You can also customize the search to make it easy to search for a specific store, such as Subway, Starbucks, etc.
I just love RoadNinja and never travel the Interstate without it.
