Since July this year Foursquare has moved from an app that allows you to check-in to an app that “learns what you like and leads you to places you’ll love.” Which is great for travellers I say. So far I’ve been using it on my travels and it’s been great and here’s why:
Always get the best coffee
As a coffee lover, I’m always on the lookout for the best cuppa in each city I visit. And with Foursquare this is easier than ever to discover. That said, for some reason there’s always a whole bunch of Starbucks listed as top hits (because of all the people voting Starbucks as ‘good’ coffee), but you can easily ignore that in favor for the eclectic cafe with a delicious roast.
Never ask for the WIFI password again
I hate having to awkwardly ask for the wifi password at cafes, restaurant or bars. It always makes me feel like I’m only there to use the free wifi – which I usually am – but I don’t want them to know that! On Foursquare not only does it list which places have free wifi, someone will almost always leave a ‘tip’ with the wifi password, meaning you’ll never have to ask for it again.
Never eat crap food again
One of the sucky things about travelling to a new city is that you always get suckered into eating crappy tourist food because, as a tourist, you don’t know any better. Now Foursquare scans your surrounding and gives you a list of rated places that you can go to. I’ve been using this and it’s been great. Sure every once in a while you’ll find a place with lower ratings that taste great (funnily enough the opposite doesn’t apply with restaurants – good food is good food) so every once in a while I’ll try out a place that is rated between 7-8 just to see if I’m missing out.
Learn about non-tourist locations
Because Foursquare is powered by locals checking-in and/or leaving reviews, you get a taste of what locals like and where they frequent. This includes nightclubs, events, sights – not to mention restaurants and cafes. I can’t tell you the amount of awesome restaurants I’ve ‘discovered’ with delicious food or bars that I’ve been to that aren’t filled with tourists.
Discoverer things nearby
This has always been a pain point because sure you want to go some place nice but sometimes as a tourist without a car, you can’t be bothered to make the trek. So it’s nice to discover things that are nearby. Thanks to Foursquare, you can pick how far out or how close you want to discover.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, no I don’t work for Foursquare nor am I affiliated with them in any way. I just really like the app! Be sure to download it for your next adventure!
