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Planning any kind of vacation can be overwhelming, especially if it involves multiple travelers and endless destinations. With deftly chosen tools, like a personalized journal for jotting down your itinerary and an app that tracks flight prices, you can make trip-organizing not only less stressful but pretty darn fun.
Convertr+ app
The Convertr+ app quickly converts foreign currencies (Image credit: Peter Dazeley / Getty Images)
Convertr+ is “fantastic” for converting currencies, PC Mag said, with a “clear interface” and exchange rate screen that is simple to understand. This is just a taste of what the app is capable of, as it also converts temperature, weight and length, making the app essential both before traveling internationally and while on foreign soil. A calculator to figure out tips and sales tax is the final glorious addition. (Free on the Apple App Store)
Hopper app
Hopper gives insight into when to buy plane tickets and when to wait (Image credit: Hopper)
Saving money on plane tickets means having more to spend on a great hotel or night out. The Hopper app tracks flight prices and “gives you clear advice on the best time to buy,” PC Mag said, plus the date “when the price will likely rise.” Once it is time to book, do so directly through the airline website. (Free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store)
Papier travel journal
A colorful travel journal makes planning fun (Image credit: Papier)
Use this cute personalized Papier journal to write down everything you need to remember about your adventures. Separated into six journey sections, there is room to note organizational details like who is coming on the trip, what you hope to do, and where you are staying, plus the actual itinerary, budget breakdown and packing list. When you get home, fill in the final few pages of each section with memories of your time away. The delightful cover, designed by illustrator Bodil Jane, features colorful stamps from around the world, and will make you smile every time you crack it open. ($38, £29, Papier)
Travel planner checklist
Checklists in this journal include what to pack and what to do before leaving your home (Image credit: Peter Pauper Press)
If you check lists more than Santa does, this planner is for you. It is filled with every type of list you might need while prepping for a vacation, from what to do before leaving (i.e. put the mail on hold, order prescriptions, arrange airport transportation) to all the things you need to remember to pack. It is not all business, though. There are pages where after the trip you can write down funny stories that happened, what you will remember most and what to skip during the next visit. ($7, £5.50, Amazon)
Valante travel document organizer
This organizer keeps all your travel documents secure in one spot (Image credit: Valante)
Save time — and your sanity — by putting all of your family’s important travel documents in one organizer, well before heading to the airport. This secure wallet fits multiple passports and boarding passes, with room for cash and several credit cards. It also comes with a handy wrist strap to “hold onto while going through customs or the TSA security line,” Travel and Leisure said. ($20, £15, Amazon)
Wanderlog app
Wanderlog streamlines trip organizing (Image credit: Tim Robberts / Getty Images)
Consider Wanderlog your virtual travel assistant. As soon as you book anything related to an upcoming vacation — whether it is a flight, hotel room or museum admission — the app automatically pulls information from the confirmation email and puts together an itinerary. Trips can be shared with others, and this “collaborative aspect” is one of Wanderlog’s “standout features,” Explore said. Another is that users can see their itinerary and map in one place, so there is no need to toggle between multiple apps or tabs. For its ease of use, Wanderlog’s design “deserves a standing ovation.” (Wanderlog is free; Wanderlog Pro starts at $39.99 per year)