The 9 Best Summer Apps You Should Download Right Now
Every app you need to survive and thrive this summer
The days are longer, day drinking is in abundance and you can't seem to get the smell of sweat out of your clothes: It must be summer. Whether you're spending your days at the beach or in an air-conditioned office, the summer months can prove to be some of the best of the year, and you should spend them accordingly.
This year, we thought we'd bring in some extra help in the summer fun department in the form of that genius little device you're probably reading this on right now. Here are the nine best mobile apps you need to survive and thrive this summer, from eating and drinking to road tripping and adventuring.
Now, just remember to put your phone down every once in a while and enjoy everything summer has to offer.
Beautiful in its simplicity, this app does exactly what you'd think. Described as "your grilling sidekick," it allows you to select your meat, its thickness and the level of doneness you prefer, then automatically offers the perfect grilling time, even telling you precisely when to flip. For those of us who aren't yet masters of the charcoal, this app is a true summer lifesaver.
② Musement
Musement is the travel app for anyone who hates feeling like a tourist. Your ultimate guide to "living like a local," the app curates recommendations for restaurants, bars, concerts and attractions in the city you're traveling to, allowing you to get the most out of your vacation experience. It's currently available in 350 destinations around the world to make summer travels a lot more fun.
We've all watched enough teen movies to know that piling your friends into a car, rolling down the windows and blasting some electro-pop is the ultimate way to spend summer vacay. But this year, why not make it further than the mall? Roadtrippers lets you plan trips, discover local gems and save road trip guides for the perfect summer adventure. It even allows you to share itineraries with friends, so they can add their own suggestions into the mix. All you have to do is pick the playlist.
④ Handpick
Though there's no shortage of food discovery and recipe apps out there, some of them are just unique enough to stand out. Handpick catches our eye not only because it stores millions of trending recipes from food sites and blogs, but also because it offers suggestions for how to use up the ingredients you already have on hand. On hot summer days when the nearest grocery store seems light-years away, this feature could be a blessing.
On those nights when cooking dinner feels like way too much effort, picking the perfect restaurant can be just as difficult. DINE is here to help. Available in nine cities across the U.S., DINE is a curated restaurant finder that helps you discover the perfect spot for your preferences, from outdoor drinking with friends to a quiet dinner with the parents. Featuring handpicked recommendations for sunset rooftop dining or the ultimate summer seafood spots, it's the only restaurant finder you'll need for the summer months. Plus, it pulls in reviews from some of the most trusted sources out there, so you'll always know you're making the right decision.
⑥ Minibar
Summer = alcohol delivery. There's just no arguing with that. Minibar delivers wine, beer and liquor to your door in 30 to 60 minutes, and that's a beautiful thing when it comes to summer parties. Minibar is available in almost 20 cities in the U.S. and offers a wide variety of your favorite summer booze, so you can skip the liquor store lines and get straight to the fun. (And in case you need a great batchable cocktail recipe to use up all your merchandise, we've got you covered.)
For those dog lovers out there who aren't able to own furry friends of their own, this canine matchmaking app is a dream come true. Bark N Borrow matches willing and able dog sitters with dog owners who need a little part-time help with their pups. That's right: After a simple application process, users are actually able to borrow adorable dogs for hours of petting, walking and cuddling. We honestly can't think of a better way to spend the summer.
Yes, there's an app for that. Although the concept of finding and eating the plants in your own backyard does make us a little nervous, this app offers those brave foraging souls the tools they need to do it right. Allowing you to filter by region of the country, season and plant attributes, the app includes pictures of each plant to help identify what you've found and lets you know if it's safe to eat. So if the call of the wild strikes you this summer, just make sure to proceed with caution.
⑨ Yonder
This is the app you need for summer adventure. From backyard hikes to climbing or biking around the world, Yonder's got you covered. The app lets you discover tons of destinations and activities around the world, and helps you share photos and videos of your adventures with the Yonder community. For those users who want to do more than just lounge by the pool this summer, this app is for you.