Please note that some of the links below are affiliates, this means that if you purchase a product, book a stay or hire a service, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Finding Our Adventure.

We remember our first solo trip and the feeling of overwhelm when trying to figure out where to go, the best recommendations, car hire, best flight deals, what were the best tours and places to stay.

Our experience over the past 10 years has allowed us to put together a comprehensive list of apps, tools and websites that we use regularly for our adventures. These tools make travel planning a much more enjoyable experience, spending less time searching for the best deals, focusing more on being immersed in the travel experience.

Thank you for your support and if you’re interested in exclusive discounts and updates from the road, sign up for our newsletter.

ACCOMMODATION

BOOKING.COM | We love using booking.com for booking hotels with the option to cancel in advance if we need some flexibility in our plans. Another great thing about booking.com is that after several bookings you will earn loyalty rewards saving you money on future bookings.

AIRBNB | Airbnb is a home away from home, where you can book a property with everything that you would have at home. There are many unique stays to find on this platform from tree houses to boats and many things in between.

TRUSTED HOUSE SITTERS | If you love pets or have pets similar to us then Trusted House Sitters is ideal for frequent travellers. Connect with like-minded individuals who can either house-sit for you whilst you’re away or look after people’s pets in exchange for a place to stay.

VRBO | A popular holiday rental platform that offers luxury and unique places to stay for your trip. Similar to Airbnb the main difference with VRBO is that you will only find homes without any shared spaces for the ultimate privacy, feeling like a home away from home.

INTERNET

HOLAFLY | As digital nomads, working on the go is a priority for us but we know this won’t be for everyone. You may need the internet to stay connected online with friends and family without the need for uploading and streaming services.

We would highly recommend an eSIM for trips where you would need internet to stay online without the hassle of buying a local SIM. Read our review of the Holafly eSIM we have used and share the pros and cons of using an eSIM.

CONNECT PLS | If you’re looking for more substantial internet with unlimited data across the world, we’ve used Connect Pls travelling in our campervan allowing us to upload YouTube videos, social media content and publish travel guides.

Connect Pls offers a mobile route option which is a box allowing you to connect multiple devices. We’ve been impressed with their customer service team who were quick to respond and connect us when we experienced issues with connectivity when arriving at a new country.

cars & vans

CAR RENTAL | When searching online for car rentals it can be time-consuming searching for the best deal in your destination. At car rentals.com they compare the best deals over multiple websites saving you lots of time searching for the cheapest and best deals. They also cover you for any issues you may have with your rental purchase. rentalcars.com

CAMPERVAN HIRE | As one of our preferred ways of getting around a country, a campervan is the ultimate adventure forcing you to slow down exploring more hidden spots and the chance to save money by cooking your own food and having your hotel and car rental in one!

PLACES TO EAT

TRIPADVISOR | TripAdvisor is the ultimate tool for reading real reviews about destinations that people have visited and gives useful tips on what to avoid. You can also read reviews on hotels and accommodation, discuss travel topics and share stories.

It is also a great way to read reviews on restaurants and provides a search engine for flights. The platform has a travel planning tool where you can save your recommended things to do for each trip

TOURS

GET YOUR GUIDE | Sometimes the best way to explore a country and get a real local experience is by booking a tour to a cooking class, city tour or ultimate adventure you wouldn’t be able to do by yourself. Get Your Guide offers tours across multiple destinations, offering the service of local providers and showing real reviews helping you choose the best tour for you.

RESPONSIBLE TOUR OPERATORS | Other reputable tour companies we’d recommend checking out are Intrepid Travel and G Adventures who provide authentic, responsible, eco-tours with the destination and its locals in mind when planning itineraries as it should be.

FLIGHTS & public Transport

EXPEDIA | Searching for flights can take a lot of time, save time with Expedia as they search the web for the best deals across multiple airlines allowing you to customise your preferences including direct flights, baggage allowance and more!

SKYSCANNER | Skyscanner allows you to search for flights, hotels and car hire options. It also has a useful feature that shows current travel restrictions to the country through a map and highlights current cases and what is required. We would recommend that you check this directly with advice from the government.

TRAINLINE | The Trainline is a quick and easy platform to search for train and coach options across 40 countries. Their app makes it great to find transport options on the go and search for the best deals.

NAVIGATION

MAPSME | Maps Me is a free map service that allows you to download maps online using OpenStreetMap data. The app displays footpaths, points of interest and natural features, allowing you to navigate easily in unfamiliar places.

One of the great features of this app is that it allows you to download the data offline, so when you have no signal or internet it will use GPS to track your location.

GOOGLE MAPS | If you plan on driving abroad, navigating new roads, cities and places you’ve never been to before can be stressful. Google Maps makes life much easier showing you the quickest route to your destination, updating with current traffic.

To save your data, a great tip is to download offline maps before arriving at your destination, you will be able to use the map without the Google review function but will show you the best route for driving and doesn’t work for any of the other options i.e. such as walking and cycling. Save locations before your trip on Google by creating pins, which you can organise into different categories.

Travel accessories

AMAZON | Travel essential gadgets are vital for a smooth trip, from portable battery chargers, reusable water bottles and packing cubes. We’ve put together a list of our best travel accessories that we’ve used over the years.

Money

REVOLUT | Absolutely free to use, Revolut has been our go-to when spending money abroad, avoiding fees for spending abroad through standard banks, no payment fees and no charges for withdrawing money (although this depends on the ATM).

Insurance

TRUE TRAVELLER | Originally a travel company, True Traveller gives great value for insurance coverage when travelling. Choose from single trips to annual multi-trip cover with benefits such as 24/7 medical assistance and outdoor activities such as winter sports. Always make sure you have the right level of cover before any trip. Other benefits include coverage of personal belongings.

WORLD NOMADS | Options available to those travelling from the UK and Europe with single trips and multi-trip annual cover. There is flexibility to purchase insurance if you plan to stay longer on your trip, help with medical assistance and coverage for outdoor sports including skiing and snowboarding.