Who needs a travel agent these days when we have social media readily available everywhere we go. It’s on our phones, in airports, even in Internet cafes on exotic islands. Wherever your travels take you, social media will be there every step of the way. Download these before jumping on a place or hopping in the car, and summer vacation will be a breeze.
Planning:
Whether the plan is to travel somewhere fabulous and exotic, or just explore your own backyard, check out TripAdvisor before making any solid plans. TripAdvisor now connects to your Facebook account, pulling information on you and your friends. The homepage is a map filled with pins indicating where your Facebook friends have been. This way it is easy to ask how their trip was, what they might suggest, and gain a general idea of how your trip could take course. In addition, a side bar ranks your friend’s most popular destinations, along with recent locations.
FourSquare:
This tool will prove to be incredibly helpful when planning the perfect day at your new destination. Download the App to your SmartPhone and choose the Explore Tab. This will provide a list of places to find local entertainment, nightlife, food, and shops. Spend a day at the critically acclaimed museum down the street, or wear your new dress to the club everyone is raving about on FourSquare.
Twitter:
Send out a Tweet with the Hashtag of the city you are exploring and see who responds (#Miami). Maybe you want to know where the best burger is or where a peaceful landmark rests. Twitter also offers a cool way to search exactly what you may be looking for. Type in a word such as Barcelona in the search bar and see what others are saying about the beautiful city.
Before embarking on your journey, follow a few key voices on Twitter from that area. If a trip to Disney World is in the cards, follow @DisneyParks to see wait times for rides, events happening around the parks, even learn some fun trivia along the way.
Dining:
Eating local cuisine is one of the most exciting parts of any trip. It’s an adventure in itself, and with so many options these days it can be difficult finding the one that is worth the visit. Foodspotting will lead you in the right direction. Check out restaurants other Foodspotters have visited, along with pictures of their favorite meals. It is a great way to see menu items, and read a great recommendation. 
Photos:
What trip is complete without memorable photographs? We all know we can take photos with our SmartPhones and upload them directly to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, but there are Apps that can add that special touch. Instagram makes photos even more social. It is a creative way to share photos, your location, and allow others to tweet or like the post. Let your friends back at home know exactly where you are and what unique things you are experiencing while away.
