Sherman's Travel

Americans are gearing up for Labor Day weekend. According to AAA, 33 million people will travel 50 miles or more – the highest level for this holiday weekend since the start of the recession in 2007. Cars will be the main mode of transportation for holiday revelers. The AAA survey revealed that 85 percent of travelers plan to drive to their destination. If you’re going to be one of those drivers and are dreading the familiar wails of “Are we there yet?” from your young backseat passengers, these handy apps might be the answer to your headache-free road trip prayers. Keep the kids distracted with these car games for your iPhone and iPod Touch:

1. Road Trip Trivia ($1.99)
With the new school year about to start, prep your kids on the road with some U.S. geography and history trivia. Questions range from past presidents, national landmarks, and state nicknames. Switch between multiple-choice and flash card mode to get the most out of this knowledge-based app.

2. iSpy Game ($0.99)
iSpy with my little eye a game you might remember. Kids’ eyes will be on the road searching for over 200 road signs, animals, objects, historical markers, and landmarks. The app keeps a tally of what’s found. Raise the stakes by downloading the game on multiple iOS devices to create some intra-car competition.

3. Car Fun ($0.99)
Plug in your destination and the app keeps track of how many miles (and hours) are left until you reach your destination. To pass the time, the app comes with iSpy and the Alphabet Game and allows your children to keep track of monuments, animals, and state license plates. They can even take pictures and videos of their finds and share them on Facebook.

4. Tales2Go (Free to download but need monthly or annual subscription after 30 days)
Kids get motion sick? This audiobook app has thousands of children’s books on file so your child can listen to Greg Heffley’s adventures in Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Young Hiccup in How To Train Your Dragon. Download the app right before you hit the road to benefit from the 30-day free trial. Afterwards, a monthly or yearly subscription is needed to gain unlimited access to the library.

5. Road Trip Bingo ($0.99)
This app takes Bingo to the road. Kids shake to create a bingo card and then start spotting different items along the drive and tag them on the board. Once they find five in a row, they win. If they get stuck, your little ones can start a new board whenever they want. With over 40 items to find, the game should keep the kids occupied and curious on the drive.