LOCALLY CHEAPER

I posted about the best local deals when travelling a while back and I mentioned a site called ScoutMob. They are a fantastic site that give 50% off, or so, coupons to dine at local restaurants. Not too shabby of a deal.

Then I found out this piece of information that has ScoutMob taking the cake. ScoutMob is one of the only, if not THE only discount site where you can redeem your discount right on your iPhone or Android. I can't tell you how great this is. There have been numerous times where I've gotten a Restaurant.com coupon for $50 off only to forget it at home and simply have no way to prove to the restaurant that I've purchased. Come on! Sheesh!

So all you have to do is download the ScoutMob app for your phone and voila! Chose your city, chose your restaurant and immediately start supporting local eateries all while keeping the ol checkbook in tact. All you have to do is show your waiter the screen of your phone and they can immediately apply the discount. No printing, no trees cut down, no dirty ink everywhere. You can even click the "Nearby" option and simply find places around you with discounts!

Simple, clean, local. Let's eat. I SAID LET'S EAT!

-Justin

TRACKING AND LAST MINUTE APPS

We wrote a piece a while back on our favorite iPhone apps. We included TripIt and Worldmate...basically a run down of what organizes your travel best. Who doesn't like organized travel? Who?!

So here is an "updated" list of some of our new favorite apps. Don't worry previous winners, we still love you and you're still our favorite. Calm down.

Hotel Tonight:

I'm sure you all have heard of this one. It's been featured on quite a few online magazines and definitely a Thrillist.com email or two. Basically, Hotel Tonight is an app to find....you...a hotel....tonight. Get it? They are only in a few select cities, but they are expanding more and more. The great thing about this app is that it doesn't just give you the number of the hotel but it books it for you. All in one. Perfect.

 

AirBNB:

A fantastic online website to find locals who are renting out apartments, houses, couches and rooms. This massive database will find you a townhouse in San Francisco's Union Square that will probably be just over what you would have paid for a hotel room. Plus you are staying in your own SF apartment. What could be better. The people who rent out their living quarters tend to run them like Bed and Breakfasts, so you have all the linens and usually toiletries that you would need. You have nothing to lose. Oh and the best part, say you need a place to stay, tonight, but you don't want to or can't afford a hotel, there is a section in the app to look up places to stay tonight.  Genius.

FlightBoard:

This is my personal favorite, but then again, I'm obsessed with airports and planes. This app takes it's cue from the old split-flap display boards that used to be in tons of airports. It is a list of all the information you need on a flight. Is it en route? What gate is it at? Is it cancelled? Departure and arrival times. It's all there in one slick app. You can search any airport, any airline, any time. It has all air traffic, essentially. Even cargo planes are on the FlightBoard. Did you know that there is a 20 minute cargo flight from Burbank to LAX? It's just one big 757 full of cargo. See? Traffic in LA is that bad.

FlightTrack Pro:

When you get FlightBoard you should also get FlightTrack Pro. The two go together. Literally. With a swipe of your finger on Flight Board you can take the flight you've selected and track it on FlightTrack Pro. The interface is incredible It shows you everything you need from flight paths, altitude, speed, estimated time of arrival, weather, on-time performance. You name it. They've got it. The app will also notify you of any changes and not only that, but it also includes the SeatGuru map of the seating arrangements on your particular plane. That way you can make sure you're not in a seat that doesn't recline.

Get both apps.

I do have to say that Mobiata, the company behind FlightBoard and FlightTrack Pro, is an incredible travel app company. I have almost all of their apps and they're all worth it. Check them out here.

-Justin