In Boston for the Fourth of July? Have a smartphone? Here is our list of the top 10 apps you need to keep on hand to make the most of the holiday in our city of rich, American history. From bathroom finder to independence day trivia, these apps are sure to be go tos:
Sit Or Squat
There’s nothing worse than not being able to find a bathroom when there are crowd of people. If you have a port-a-potty fear or simply a full bladder, this bathroom finding app is for you. You can view locations on a map, sorted by distance, see which are open now, and even details like if the bathroom has changing tables or handicap accessibility. The apps database consists of 65,097 toilets worldwide, and Boston is one of their top cities in terms of users.
Weber’s On the Grill
Yes, there are a bajillion recipe and cooking apps out there. However, the Fourth of July is all about grilling. Get after it with Weber’s branded app, featuring 280 recipes plus 40 recipes for rubs, marinades and sauces (and including video tips and instructions). The app features a handy timer for your grill master, and a neat feature that pulls together an itemized grocery list based on multiple recipes you plan to grill around. Mmmmmm. I’m hungry already.
Catch the T, NextTime, & Next Train T
There will undoubtedly be MBTA train delays this weekend. Bus delays, too. Here’s a big plug for three different apps that leverage the MBTA’s open data initiative to deliver real time updates and alerts. Catch the T is my go to for Subway riding, featuring an easy to navigate interface that shows you when the next train is coming. NextTime is a fabulously designed app, specific to the bus system in Boston. The app allows you to set notifications for when you need to head to leave wherever your location is to make it to the bus stop in time to catch it, even taking into consideration your walking speed. Next Train T is another Subway focused app, incorporating augmented reality, which makes it easy to find the nearest station even if you’re lost. We recommend this one in particular for people not familiar with Boston or from out of state.
Free Wi-Fi Finder
With hundreds of thousands of people in the city, the data network used to connect to the internet on your phones and tablets are going to be hard to find. This app uses your iPhone’s GPS and network triangulation to locate free Wi-Fi Internet access around you, even allowing you to filter by venue type. The apps database includes over 145,000 free wi-fi locations worldwide, so this app will absolutely come in handy after the Fourth’s festivities pass.
The Weather Channel
A weather app, although basic, has to be on your list for the weekend. We prefer The Weather Channel’s app since it “takes your weather experience to the next level” and automatically displays weather information based on your location. It features full screen maps, extended forecasts, hour-by-hour forecasts, severe weather alerts, and videos of a weathermen telling you the forecast in your location. The app leverages Google Mobile Maps, which means faster zooming and navigation than other weather apps.
Pocket Trivia: US History
Family, friends, colleagues. Whomever you are celebrating with, this pocket trivia app can be filler to any boring or awkward moments. This US History edition can be your go to, featuring 250 questions about America’s history. It’s sure to test your knowledge and help you have some fun. And hey, it also makes for a great base to a creative drinking game (just saying).
We couldn’t not include a social photo app in this list. Instagram is our go to, allowing you to follow feeds of your friends and family’s photos and them to follow yours. This app lets you snap photos, apply filters like “Gotham” and “1977”, tag a location, add a caption, and then share to your social networks (Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr, Twitter, and even Foursquare).
Fireworks Arcade
This list wouldn’t be complete without a game app specific to Independence Day. We chose this app because fireworks are simply the main event of the holiday. Fireworks Arcade is a touch-based game that allows you to create brilliant fireworks displays — complete with both colors and sound. You can even compete with the apps three different game modes if playing solo bores you.
