Let’s be honest… even though you’re excited for your first vacation in what seems ages, you’re not leaving without your technology. In fact, about half of Americans admit to using tech to check email and other work-related messages while “off” from work. While we won’t encourage that type of “all work and no play” behavior when you really, really deserve it, we do encourage you to put that tech to better, more fun use.

Before you pack...Our first piece of advice is to check your tech before you start filling up your suitcase with swimwear and suntan lotion. Is your tablet up to speed to download that novel you’ve been meaning to read for months? Does your laptop have the bandwidth to enjoy a movie and a little wine when the weather turns rainy?

Not sure? Bring it in for a check up, just as you would a vehicle before a road trip. In the right hands, a decision can be made to repair whatever is ailing your computer, especially if it involves the battery. These can swell and cause irreparable damage to everything else within your computer.

If it’s age, it’s likely a simple refresh of the hard drive, RAM or a newer battery will keep your vacation on track and relaxing. Visit a reputable computer refurbisher to give your older device a new lease on life, so it can travel with you reliably.

If the worst news is to replace your device, don’t cancel your plans. The cost of a refurbished computer will not force you into a 1-star motel, but prove to be easy on your pocketbook so you can pack up and go just as you planned. Who knows, you may end up getting a second device to keep the kids happy, too, especially on a road trip.

Pack your device, too!

You’ve thought of everything you’ll need and your luggage is bulging. Now, how about your phones, tablets or other devices? These days there are apps for everything travel-related from the logical to the luxurious. And because you were smart and followed the instructions in the first part of this blog, you should have no problem running anything to help you on your journey!

Great apps for the road (and, yes, we decided to skip over the obvious maps apps available and thought we’d share some of the more obscure):

• Triposo - gives you crowdsourced information on larger destinations and things to see (and to avoid); do download this app and its guides before you leave to make it accessible offline
• Roadtrippers will help you plan your itinerary similar to Triposo, but provides more detail on the more obscure scenic points of interest, like great photo ops with abandoned buildings (Clark Griswold would have loved this app.)
• Sit or Squat - especially if you have kids, knowing where the nearest (and cleanest) restrooms are as you cover the miles is worth its weight in gold; ‘nuf said.
• American Red Cross First Aid - if you’re traveling by car or camping, stuff happens like weird bug bites, rashes from plants or the bad sushi you grabbed at a gas station. This app is your link to great first aid, with step-by-step instructions for dealing with everything, even heart attacks.

Up in the Air? Don’t be! Stay connected with the best resources related to air travel…

• Hopper - perhaps not as well known as Kayak, Expedia, or Orbitz, this app gets high praise for its level of detail in helping you pick the best dates to travel, even months in advance.
• MiFlight - while there are lots of apps out there to keep you informed about flight schedules, MiFlight tells you about the ground game. In other words, the dreaded wait at security. While this won’t help you if you’re running late to zoom through the line, it will give you an idea of what to expect, and that can make the difference between you deciding to do one more errand before the airport and actually making your flight.
• LoungeBuddy - gives you info on the available lounges for a long layover, even offering a day pass if you aren’t already a member through your airline miles club. It certainly beats sitting on your Samsonite in a crowded airport.

Out of this world... or yours, anyway (Foreign travel)

Google Translate - just one of many translation apps, and it’s a popular one that stays current with how we need to communicate when the local language isn’t yours. It’s most distinctive feature is its Word Lens feature, which helps you “read” signs

XE Currency - conversion in your hands, quickly, with comparisons for any of the currency you download. The app can work offline for these currencies, but you must be online when downloading them initially.

WiFi map - phones can drain quickly and connectivity can struggle; keep this app handy to stay online, wherever you go by locating the nearest wifi connections.

Tipster - believe it or not, what you tip the bellhop, waiter or taxi driver in a foreign country could either offend or make you an easy target for overpayment. Customs are different, so this app helps you show your gratitude like a local.

So, embrace the summer of 2021 with a spirit of adventure (and without a mask in most places). Certainly, unplug from your workday grind, and instead turn your tech into a literal compass that leads you seamlessly into a relaxing travel destination. Bon voyage!