Staying in touch with family and friends back home can sometimes be challenging when going on vacation. We’ve partnered with family traveler Erin Bender of Explore With Erin to reveal the 5 best locations to find Wi-Fi while traveling.
We all dream of that vacation where you can unplug and get away from it all. But then there are those times when we still want to upload a picture to Instagram, or call our Mom or maybe find ourselves needing to transfer just a little bit more money. Yes, while Wi-Fi is sometimes the very thing we attempt to escape from, it’s also still one of life’s necessities. Even while sitting on the beach.
Photo: Josh Bender – Travel With Bender
So if you are headed on vacation, what are the 5 best places you can always find the connection you are craving?
1. Where You Stay
Most hotels these days have a Wi-Fi connection. Depending on which country you are in and the cost of your hotel, you may find it included in your room rate or at other times you may need to spend a pretty penny.
Paying for Wi-Fi is a great way to limit your time online, but still have access to the online world when you need it.
Always check for the Wi-Fi terms before booking your accommodation, especially if staying connected is something you need to do.
Photo: Josh Bender – Travel With Bender
2. Where You Eat
The majority of restaurants throughout the US allow you to connect to their Wi-Fi. This may be a little more difficult in places like Australia.
But there are two places worldwide that you can always generally find good, free Wi-Fi: McDonald’s and Starbucks. A simple login that rarely requires the need to obtain a password. I can’t even tell you the number of times my Google maps has restarted and McDonald’s saved the day, enabling me to reload my map.
And if you are equally lucky, Dunkin Donuts can often come to the rescue. For 2 months I worked out of a Dunkin Donuts in Bali, Indonesia, as it was the only place with a decent Wi-Fi connection.
3. Where You Fly
Generally speaking, most airports provide you with at least 30 mins of Wi-Fi, the best come with unlimited.
This is great for checking connections and departure times or just uploading that Snapchat of you stepping onto the plane for your dream vacation.
Photo: Josh Bender – Travel With Bender
4. Bring Your Own
If you are going to be in one place for a longer period of time, you might like to invest in a local Sim card. This is a cost-effective way to ensure you remain connected at all times. Being connected on vacation gives you an opportunity to use your maps, check your local currency exchange or even grab Google translate to help when needed.
Alternatively, if you are flitting through several different countries, a Wi-Fi Hotspot will probably be more economical. We used TEP Wireless during our travels for trips that took us from Canada to Japan to Mexico, and it always managed to keep us online. The benefit of a Hotspot is that you can also have several family members using it at the same time.
Photo: Josh Bender – Travel With Bender
5. Where You Go
Lastly, many cities these days offer public spots as places for tourists and locals to connect. Whether it’s your local library, the shopping mall or even while sitting in the city park watching your kids on the swings.
Erin Holmes
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