In a world brimming with travel apps, finding the perfect guide to uncover new destinations in 2025 requires expert insights. A marketing consultant suggests Google Maps for discovering hidden gems while a travel writer recommends Wanderlog for efficient planning. This blog post compiles a total of five insights from industry experts. Begin your journey with an app that isn’t even considered a travel app and end with the perfect tool for efficient travel planning.
- Use Google Maps for Hidden Gems
- Discover Hidden Gems with TripAdvisor
- Rely on Guides by Lonely Planet
- Explore Trails with AllTrails
- Plan Efficiently with Wanderlog
Use Google Maps for Hidden Gems
The single best travel-guide app in 2025 isn’t even marketed as a travel app—it’s Google Maps.
Here’s the trick: most people only use it for directions, but the real gold lies in the Reviews and Explore tabs.
Locals and seasoned travelers leave brutally honest reviews of restaurants, attractions, and hidden spots that no glossy guidebook will tell you about.
If you search for a coffee shop or food joint, check the “Popular times” graph—it shows not just foot traffic but when locals are hanging out, which gives you a sense of when to blend in and experience things authentically.
And that List feature? It’s a game-changer.
Create your itinerary by saving spots you want to hit, and the app automatically plots them on the map, letting you build the most efficient routes.
Plus, offline maps mean no roaming fees, and the app’s live translation for street signs is just clutch.
It’s like having a pocket tour guide that evolves with every review and update—without any fluff or paid recommendations.
Austin Benton, Marketing Consultant, Gotham Artists
Discover Hidden Gems with TripAdvisor
For 2025, TripAdvisor remains the best travel-guide app for exploring new destinations. It offers a comprehensive database of reviews, attractions, restaurants, and accommodations—all contributed by a global community of travelers. I’ve used it to find hidden gems in cities worldwide, thanks to its detailed traveler tips and photos. One standout feature is its “Near Me” option, which lets you discover top-rated spots nearby in real-time. You can also create personalised itineraries based on your interests. With its blend of user-generated content and expert recommendations, TripAdvisor is perfect for both planning and spontaneous adventures.
Liga Rudzite, Content Editor, The Traveler
Rely on Guides by Lonely Planet
In 2025, the best travel guide app for exploring new destinations has to be Guides by Lonely Planet. I’ve used a lot of different travel apps over the years, but this one consistently stands out when I want reliable, curated advice and in-depth information on places I’m visiting for the first time. Whether I’m planning a trip or already on the ground, Lonely Planet’s Guides app is like having a knowledgeable local guide in my pocket.
The Guides by Lonely Planet app offers detailed travel information for over 8,000 cities across the globe, and it’s loaded with tips, maps, and suggestions from expert travelers who really know these places. One of the reasons I love it is that it goes beyond the generic info you get from other apps. Every guide is packed with insider recommendations for the best restaurants, hidden gems, cultural experiences, and off-the-beaten-path spots that you might not find on Google.
Sometimes planning every detail of a trip can feel overwhelming, especially in a new place. The app offers pre-made itineraries for all types of travelers—whether you’re there for 24 hours or a full week.
The guides provide cultural etiquette tips and local insights, which I’ve found super helpful for navigating unfamiliar customs, especially in countries where traditions or norms are quite different from home.
For non-English-speaking countries, the built-in audio phrasebooks are so handy. I’ve used this feature in places like Thailand and Spain, and it’s saved me from a lot of awkward interactions!
With so many people eager to explore new destinations post-pandemic, Guides by Lonely Planet is the perfect tool for both first-time visitors and seasoned travelers. The offline accessibility, combined with detailed itineraries and local insights, makes it incredibly useful when you’re on the go.
It’s also regularly updated, so you’re getting fresh recommendations, not outdated tourist traps. In 2025, travel is more about authentic experiences and really immersing yourself in a place, and this app helps you do that by offering recommendations that go beyond the typical tourist spots.
For me, the Lonely Planet Guides app has become an essential part of my travel toolkit. Whether I’m planning months ahead or exploring spontaneously while abroad, it always has the detailed, trustworthy information I need to make the most of my trip. It’s like traveling with a guidebook, but way more flexible and modern.
Stephanie Webb, Travel Expert, Tripshepherd
Explore Trails with AllTrails
As an avid explorer, I can’t recommend AllTrails enough for outdoor enthusiasts looking to discover new destinations in 2025. It’s not just a hiking app; it’s a community-driven platform that offers detailed trail maps, reviews, and difficulty ratings for over 300,000 trails worldwide, making it invaluable for planning team-building retreats or personal adventures in nature.
Hanna Kanabiajeuskaja, Founder, Spaciously
Plan Efficiently with Wanderlog
First, I like researching destinations on my browser, but once I have chosen where to go, I like using Wanderlog. This app allows me to plan my trips in one place, saving time and helping me be organised. I love that you can create an optimised route according to your travel style and budget, and share it with others you travel with.
It also has other good features like offline access, collaboration with friends in real-time to plan your trip, and live flight updates. Keeping my flight and hotel confirmations together and tracking my expenses is challenging, but I love that I can do all this in the app. Lastly, if you aren’t sure what to do in that destination, the app also suggests the best places to explore.
Cristina Reina, Travel Writer, My Little World of Travelling
