Ah, the British summer. Overcast, rain, cold… No! Wait! For once, it actually is sunny!

You may be stuck at work during this recent heatwave, like us, or perhaps you’re heading for the beaches of Brazil, like our boss. But no matter where you are, there’s an app to help you get through the burning days.

We’ve compiled some of the most useful tools to guide your journey into the world of sweat and sunburn. The best thing about all these apps is that they will get you out of the house…. At the very least, you’ll catch more Pokémon.

Check the weather

To check whether there is a strong enough wind for you to surf the waves, or if it’s cool enough to enjoy a day in the park, you should look into AccuWeather. This app gives you very precise and localised minute-by-minute information on the weather in your area, as well as radar and satellite imagery.

 

Weather Underground takes it a step further with more specific information – like air quality or UV risk. There’s also a few neat tools, like comparisons to historical data and local forums, and any meteorology geek will get a kick out of them.

Plan your vacation

Apps like Kayak or TripIt will make booking flights, hotels or rent cars a piece of cake. And if you’re off for an escapade in more southern and sunnier shores, these are all a safe choice.

But perhaps you are a bit more ambitious regarding your holidays. Eventurist will hook you up with events in other cities and will notify you about cheap flights and possible itineraries. This one is for the more adventurous and demanding users, who are willing to attend a festival in a city for a couple of days before heading back to their normal, slightly hungover lives.

For an app that shows you secret and unique spots around your travels, check out FieldTrip. If you’re on a road trip and are the type who loves exploring off the beaten track, this app will show you the route to some interesting places.

A great way to document your trips and experiences is with Esplorio, which will record your progress step by step, making a journal with pictures and dates. And there’s Travelist, which will keep track of places, countries and cities you’ve visited around the globe. A good visual list to tick off countries one by one.

Have you ever had the feeling you’ve forgotten to pack something? Toothbrush, passport, towel, pants… PackPoint has you covered, with customisable lists of essential items to take with you on your travels. It’s a simple and easy-to-use app that may just prevent the trip from coming to a grinding halt at the airport.

Go out and have fun

If you find yourself sitting at home with nothing to do, SideKix finds all interesting events and places around your area, within walking distance. This one is also great if you find yourself in a new city with no plans. Just remember your sunscreen.

For a local’s input on restaurants, bars and other events, LocalMind and Like A Local are a reference and a city map and guide, respectively, for either your own town of the one you’ve rocked up in on holiday.

Alternatively, Bonappetour connects you with restaurants so you can find your own special spot in the city. Most of the places offered always have a specialty that makes them quirky and endearing, and focus on home-made meals.

For after dinner entertainment, how about a personalised concert calendar with gigs by your favourite bands? Songkick will find tickets and venues for you.

Meet new people

Dating apps like Tinder are always a good way to meet people if you’re single and ready to mingle. However, Hinge is a newer spin to the idea with the caveat that you can only talk to friends of friends, so you and the other person are vouched for.

If you need an icebreaker, Tastebuds will connect you with people with similar music tastes, so you can get a buddy or date to go to gigs to.

Lastly, you and a couple of friends can always meet another troublesome trio through Grouper, an app that sets up meetings between bunches of people. This is a great way to create an instant social outing if you’ve gone somewhere with the express intention of hanging out in the sun.

Wait there’s more

If you are out and about in a forest, or a large natural park, catching Pokemon is not the only way to interact with nature. Project Noah is a great educational app for those interested in the fauna and flora of the place they’re visiting. You can document and share your findings and learn more about the world, while contributing to the spread of knowledge.

And finally, when the sun goes down and some welcome cool has descended, SkyView is an excellent guide to stars and constellations. Just lay back somewhere far from the city and point it at the night sky.