Leave the logistics to pros, apps
Everyone wants their travel to be more about memorable experiences and less about the logistics of getting there. Here are four travel services and apps that could make the going easier.
The pack hack
Why decide what clothes to pack when someone else can do it for you? Enter PlanIt Trek, a startup that puts together a preselected wardrobe for three days (five pieces, $125), a week (10 pieces, $175) and 14 days (13 pieces, $250). Choose your sizes online, and the items arrive in wrinkle-free packing folders you slip into your suitcase. Website launches Sept. 3. Info: planittrek.com
Best time to f ly
No matter where in the world you are traveling, Kayak can tell you the best time to go. The newly released digital Flight Hacker Guide crunches data that will guide you to the least (and most) expensive time to fly to your destination. You also might want to map an itinerary for one of the top 10 stopover cities (Lisbon, Toronto and Reykjavik, Iceland, among them) and get two vacations for the price of one. The guide is free. Info: kayak.com /travelhacker
RVing redef ined
RVers tired of the usual campgrounds can spend a night at a bucolic winery or farm for $49 a year, not a night. That’s what Harvest Hosts charges for an annual membership that allows RVers to stay at 600 locations, including breweries, wineries, dairy farms, botanical gardens, museums and even an alpaca farm. The idea is to have a more authentic experience (don’t expect electrical and water hookups) in an unconventional camping location, which includes many options in California and elsewhere in the West. Info: harvesthosts.com
Room to save
If you love to use last-minute mobile apps to reserve a hotel room, here’s one that has upped its game. HotelTonight has introduced Daily Drop, which features rooms more deeply discounted than the app’s usual prices. Users “unlock” the deal by swiping and have just 15 minutes to decide whether to book it. You are limited to one Daily Drop per day; the app is free. Info: hoteltonight.com