Get There
Know when your ferry to Bremerton will arrive, whether there’s time for ice cream or if you’ll be aboard the next sailing with NW Ferry ($3.99, iPhone). Seattle-area bus riders use OneBusAway (iPhone, Android, Windows) to find local stops and arrival times for nearby routes, while WSDOT (iPhone, Android) will tell you whether the Cascade passes are clear, if there’s a line at the Canadian border or traffic is heavy on I-90.
Know the History
Learn the local lore as you travel with PastMapWA (iPhone); use GPS to explain the terrain and geology around you with Geograph WA/OR ($4.99, iPhone); or download a narrated audio guide of places between Seattle and Spokane with the Interstate 90 East Heritage Audio Tour from Washington Folk Arts ($12).
Go Offline
Where’s the powder? OnTheSnow.com’s Ski & Snow Report (iPhone, Android) tracks the freshies, though Windows phone users shouldn’t miss the locally made Cascade Skier ($1.99). Facing an avalanche? FitClimb's Avalanche Safety ($.99, Android) features a built-in clinometer to measure slopes and vertical angles, critical calculations in determining avalanche risk. The Washington Fishing Map ($1.99, Android) has links to more than 13,500 Washington fishing lakes, rivers and reservoirs, and for those looking to tee it up, Golf Washington (iPhone, Android) locates both courses and discounts by GPS.
Savor the State
Seattle's Best Dining ($2.99, Android) offers restaurant recommendations based on budget, location and mood, plus interactive maps to nearby eateries. For DIYers, Locavore (iPhone, Android) tells what’s in season and which farmers' market is nearby and open. To shake down the nearest happy hour, check out Happy Hours from GoTime (iPhone, Android) and Cocktail Compass (iPhone, Android). Map your tour and find tasting room hours with WineTrails of Walla Walla ($2.99, iPhone, Android) or Woodinville Wine Tours ($.99, iPhone).
—Julie H. Case
