These Are My 8 Essential Apps for Summer

Summer's just around the corner, and I'm already prepping for outdoor adventures and the scorching heat. Plenty of third-party apps can help you plan your summer activities, depending on your interests. Beyond hydration trackers like Waterllama, many outdoor-focused apps are worth exploring. Here are eight indispensable apps I use every summer, along with their features and why they're essential.

8. Komoot: Your Hiking, Running, and Biking Companion

Summer offers a wealth of outdoor activities. For me, hiking and discovering new trails has become a passion. Komoot is my go-to app for all outdoor fitness pursuits, including hiking, running, and cycling.

After customizing your preferred activities, Komoot helps you find nearby trails. You can filter by distance (5-100km), activity type, difficulty, duration, elevation, surface, and accessibility. I save favorite trails to my profile for easy weekend access. Komoot also records your activity, tracking time, distance, and speed. Bluetooth connectivity with Apple Health, Garmin Connect, or other fitness devices simplifies tracking.

Komoot proved invaluable when I moved to a new city last year, helping me uncover hidden gems. It tracks my fitness stats for each trail, allowing me to monitor progress over time. While Apple Health provides fitness data, Komoot's trail discovery and progress tracking features are a significant advantage.

Download Komoot from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Related: I Never Go Hiking Without This Free App (Never get lost again!)

7. AllTrails: Enhanced Trail Navigation and Discovery

AllTrails complements Komoot. While Komoot offers navigation, AllTrails boasts a cleaner, more user-friendly interface. It's excellent for discovering nearby trails, including those suitable for dogs.

With map and trail navigation, you can track routes, time hikes, and share your location for safety. I use AllTrails' trail lists as a summer bucket list.

AllTrails unlocks 3D maps, offline maps, and full park route downloads—ideal for larger parks and longer trails. Filters help you find kid-friendly trails, those near water features, trails with stunning views, hidden gems, or highly-rated options. iPhone users will appreciate the Control Center widgets for "Trails Near Me" and "Favorites."

Download AllTrails from the App Store or Google Play Store.

6. AccuWeather: Precise Weather Forecasting for Outdoor Planning

Accurate weather information is crucial for outdoor adventures. AccuWeather delivers precise forecasts.

It provides minute-by-minute updates, hourly and weekly forecasts, and an impressive 45-day outlook with a calendar view. Summer features like "RealFeel Shade," indoor humidity, cloud cover, and cloud ceiling enhance planning and preparation for extreme weather.

Hyper-local radar, cloud, and temperature maps, along with satellite views of weather events and a 5-day precipitation map, make it incredibly useful. The sleek interface simplifies navigation between forecast views. I use notifications for thunderstorm, heatwave, and snowstorm warnings.

Download AccuWeather from the App Store or Google Play Store.

5. UVLens: Personalized UV Index Monitoring and Sun Protection Guidance

Beyond temperature and clouds, the UV index is paramount during summer. UVLens provides a detailed UV forecast.

It shows the UV index for two days, including nighttime, with hourly breakdowns. It indicates low, moderate, or high UV levels and displays weather information for better planning.

Its personalized analysis is a key feature. By inputting complexion, eye color, skin sensitivity, and sunburn susceptibility, UVLens estimates your sunburn time under current conditions and offers sun protection tips. Adding sunscreen details refines the time estimate, and reapplication reminders ensure consistent protection.

Download UVLens from the App Store or Google Play Store.

4. What3Words: Precise Location Sharing for Outdoor Meetups

What3Words offers a unique approach to location sharing. It assigns a unique three-word combination to each 3-meter square.

While useful for emergencies, it's perfect for outdoor meetups, picnics, and hikes. It's a fun and accurate alternative to sharing your phone's location. A satellite view aids location identification. You can save locations with custom word combinations for important events or memories.

Download What3Words from the App Store or Google Play Store.

3. Merlin Bird ID: Your Birdwatching Companion

Birdwatching is a rewarding summer hobby. Merlin Bird ID helps identify birds by sound, photo, or a step-by-step process.

Its simple interface is perfect for beginners. It lists birds likely to be seen in your area and maintains a life list of spotted birds. The daily bird trivia enhances your birding knowledge.

Download Merlin Bird ID from the App Store or Google Play Store.

2. Dice: Discovering and Managing Live Music Events

Live shows are a summer highlight. Dice helps discover local music events.

Connect your Spotify or Apple Music account for personalized recommendations. It finds concerts, festivals, operas, and more, allowing purchases (where applicable) directly through the app. You can follow venues or artists, manage tickets, and change your location to find events elsewhere. Filters help refine searches by budget and date.

Download Dice from the App Store or Google Play Store.

1. OpenTable: Restaurant Reservations and Discovery

Summer isn't complete without great food. OpenTable simplifies restaurant reservations and discovery.

Beyond online booking and reservation management, it helps explore new restaurants and cuisines. I used it extensively last year to find hidden gems. Filter by ratings, cuisine, dining type, and features like kid-friendly or pet-friendly options. View menus with prices and read reviews.

Download OpenTable from the App Store or Google Play Store.

These third-party apps enhance your summer experience beyond native phone apps, catering to specific needs and activities. Many other fitness and outdoor apps can help you beat the summer heat.

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