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Hi Reader,

Is it just me, or is there an app for everything these days?

Trip planning. Maps. Packing. Weather. Currency. Translation. Finding bathrooms. (Okay, maybe that last one isn't a bad idea. 😂)

I've tried a lot of apps over the years.

Some lasted exactly one trip before I forgot they existed.

But the ones below have survived years of wine trips because they actually save me time, help me stay organized, and make planning a whole lot easier.

✈️ Finding Flights

I've found Google Flights to be one of the easiest ways to compare flights and prices in one place.

Turn on price tracking so Google emails you when fares drop. And if your dates are flexible, try the new AI planning tool. You can ask for something like "a week-long trip to Santa Barbara this fall," and it'll suggest flight options and dates.

🗺️ Mapping the Trip

Once I know where I'm going, I start mapping everything out in Google Maps: wineries, hotels, restaurants, viewpoints. It's also one of my favorite tools for finding wineries that may not show up on your typical "best of" lists.

I love creating custom trip maps with Google My Maps. It's a great way to see all your stops in one place, and you can even color code them by type. (This is exactly what I include with my itineraries.)

🍷 Researching & Booking Wineries

For winery reservations, I've found Tock super useful. Set the reservation type to Wineries, add your location, date, and party size, and it pulls up wineries in the area along with their available time slots. It's so much faster than checking each winery's site one by one.

I also like CellarPass for finding unique winery experiences, especially for California trips.

And if a winery's website is light on info about their wines, Vivino is a good app for looking up more details.

🚗 Booking Transportation & Tours

Once I have my winery plan, it's time to figure out how I'm getting around.

I use Discover Cars to compare rental car options in one place, and Viator to book wine tours and other experiences. If you're looking for ideas, I set up a Viator shop with all my favorite wine tours.

📋 Keeping Everything Organized

This is probably my least exciting recommendation... but also one of the most useful.

I keep all of my reservations, confirmation numbers, addresses, and daily plans in one Google Sheet. Then I use my iPhone Notes app for tasting notes, favorite wines, and recommendations I pick up during the trip.

You definitely don't need every app on this list.

But if even one of these saves you an hour of planning or helps you discover a great winery, I'd call that a win. 🙌

Cheers,

Laura

P.S. If you have a favorite wine travel app I should try, hit reply and let me know. I'm always looking for ways to make planning a little easier.

P.O. Box 44, Pinehurst, MA 01866
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