No matter what kind of travel adventure you seek, doing it solo can pose certain difficulties. Unless you’re the sort of person who pursues solo travel regularly, there is usually a point in time where you might miss the company of others. Regardless of whether you are looking for a friend to go clubbing, someone to eat dinner with at that pop-up restaurant, or hoping to get lucky (insert winking face here), we’ve rounded up the best travel friendship apps that won’t leave you stranded.
Don’t sit alone! Use an app, make a friend. Photo by Alexander Rentsch CC BY
Skout
Skout is still one of the best travel friendship apps. The app has a premium paid feature, Skout Travel, that allows you to make instant connections in cities you’ll be visiting in the future. Since your connections are location based, you’ll have to turn on the premium feature if you want to connect before your trip to Los Angeles, but with a wide community of users, chances are high that you’ll meet someone appealing, for whatever reason you’re seeking out new friends.
Citizen M hotels, located worldwide in places like Amsterdam, Glasgow and New York, make much use of their communal spaces, which both encourages and makes it easy to socialize with other solo travelers.
Cost: Free, with premium paid features.
Ever fall in love while on vacation? Photo by Leo Hidalgo CC BY
Tripr
Looking for a little love on the side of that trip to Austin? Tripr is one the the first apps designed to help you find travel buddies before you take off for the high skies. Alternatively, you can also chat with locals from your next destination to get insights to where the locals hang. That’s not to say it can’t be an app to help you fall in love as well! Add your trip and match up with other travelers who are headed there at the same time as you. While the app’s main intention is mainly friendship, keep it in mind while you’re browsing and creating your profile that there are others who may only be seeking a bit more.
It’s easy to make friends in Austin at the Traavasa Austin Resort where you can join in on activities like hiking, cooking classes, and wine tasting among others.
Cost: Free
Visit the quiet cocktail bar that other tourists dont know about. Photo by Matthias Ripp CC BY
Party With A Local
If you’re looking for a party and want the insider scoop on where the locals converge as well as friend to bring out and introduce you to the crowd, the app Party with a Local was designed for you. We love this one because it’s basically a ‘have a good time app’ in the sense that you set your party status depending on what you’re looking for (Let’s go for a drink’, ‘Go clubbing’ or ‘Give me nightlife tips please!’) and it connects you with locals who want to show you a good time. It effectively helps you avoid all those tourist traps and shows you a more authentic side of the city. You could very well be in for the time of your life.
Want that local feel from your hotel? In Milwaukee you can stay at the Iron Horse Hotel for a taste of the local life with local bands and microbrews right at the hotel.
Cost: Free
Travel with someone and you might be friends for life. Photo by Hieronimus Agung CC BY
Travel Buddies
The super simple Travel Buddies app makes it easy to find fellow travelers in new cities, whether you’re looking to plan an entire trip with a stranger or just wanting to join up with someone new in a city you’re already visiting. You can browse through member profiles and itineraries for people who share similar interests before you start your journey or you can connect by proximity once you’ve reached your destination. This app is less for hookups and more for the comfort of having friends while you tour the world.
Looking for somewhere cozy to stay where you won’t feel lonely? Try the Jane Hotel in New York city with a vibe straight out of a Wes Anderson movie.
Cost: Free
Get back to the days of collection passport stamps with this app. Photo by Ian Mackenzie CC BY
Backpackr
The days of getting your passport stamped once you’ve entered a new country are not behind us. Get Backpackr and meet up with like-minded people for everything from shopping, eating and drinking to partying by setting filters and trivago magazineg out other peoples’ travel plans. Results can be filtered by location, age, and sex. You can organize meet-ups and get notifications for when someone new matches with your travel plans. And, best of all, every time you enter a new country, you get a stamp on your virtual passport — real authentic stamps from over 195 countries worldwide! How satisfying is that?
Check into the Pod hotel in New York City with legions of other solo and single travelers.
Cost: Free
Coming Soon
Here’s to meeting pals on a plane. Photo by Nick Harris CC BY
WINGMAN
Finally out of BETA, the public launch of WINGMAN app will come later this summer. This could quickly become one of the ultimate travel friendship apps (read: hook-up) app by letting you meet people at the airport, on your flight and at your destination who have something similar in mind to you: simply put, this app could grant you easy access to a membership in the mile high club.
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