How I used Claude AI to plan an entire hiking trip to the Adirondacks in 30 minutes - for free

2 hours ago 5
I utilized  Claude AI to program  a hiking travel   for the summertime  – here's however  it helped
Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

  • Claude AI lets you link to respective third-party services.
  • TripAdvisor, AllTrails, and Spotify are among the newest connectors.
  • I utilized Claude and its connectors to program an upcoming hiking trip.

My woman and I similar to travel, and I often usage AI to assistance maine program a trip. Usually, I simply inquire the chatbot to urge section hotels and attractions. Though I've typically turned to ChatGPT and Gemini for this benignant of planning, different AI I've been utilizing much often is Anthropic's Claude. To assistance with definite requests, Claude offers a diagnostic called Connectors, done which you link to and enactment with third-party services.

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Introduced successful July 2025, Claude Connectors started with specified outer services arsenic Gmail, Slack, and Canva. Since then, the AI has added further services, mostly ones aimed astatine work- and finance-related activities. But connected Thursday, Claude unveiled 15 caller connectors, galore of them directed much toward idiosyncratic tasks. These see AllTrails, Audible, Instacart, Spotify, StubHub, TripAdvisor, and Uber, among others.

Some of the caller additions caught my eye, arsenic I thought they could assistance with question planning. In this case, my woman and I privation to caput up to the Adirondacks this summertime to hike and conscionable bask the area. With that successful mind, I tapped into a fewer of the caller Claude Connectors to spot however they could representation retired our trip.

How to usage Connectors successful Claude

Connectors are disposable with each Claude plans -- escaped and paid. You tin usage them astatine the Claude website oregon done immoderate of the desktop oregon mobile apps.

To get started, motion successful to the Claude website oregon 1 of the apps and commencement a caller chat. Click the positive icon successful the prompt, determination to Connectors, and past prime "Add Connector" from the menu. At the Connectors directory, you tin hunt for a circumstantial service, filter the database by type, oregon benignant it by sanction oregon different attribute. Just click the positive icon for 1 you privation to add. You're past returned to the main chat window.

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To usage a Connector successful a caller chat, conscionable constitute your punctual arsenic you usually would, and Claude volition effort to find which Connector to use. If that doesn't bash the trick, past see the sanction of the Connector successful your request.

How I planned my travel with connectors

For readying my trip, I added TripAdvisor for hotels, AllTrails for hiking trails, Viator for guided tours, and Spotify to walk the clip connected the thrust by playing our favourite music.

First, I consulted TripAdvisor for places to stay. At the prompt, I asked Claude to find edifice rooms adjacent Mount Marcy successful the Adirondacks, which is wherever we planned to hike. Here, the AI asked maine whether I wanted to usage Booking.com oregon TripAdvisor for assistance. I chose TripAdvisor.

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In response, Claude displayed a representation and details for 15 antithetic hotels. Each introduction showed maine the sanction of the hotel, the fig of stars it received, and the mean price. Clicking connected the sanction of a circumstantial edifice gave maine much details. From there, I could publication a edifice country done TripAdvisor.

Claude AI's TripAdvisor Connector
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Second, I started a caller chat and asked Claude to find and representation retired hiking trails astir Mount Marcy. Here, Claude automatically turned to the AllTrails Connector I had added. The effect showed maine the names and details connected respective trails successful the area. Choosing a circumstantial way displayed a larger representation and further details. From there, I could prevention the representation straight successful the AllTrails app to store it for our trip.

Claude AI's AllTrails Connector
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Third, I wanted to spot if determination were immoderate guided hikes oregon tours successful the area. For this, I tapped into Viator, a circuit institution that my woman and I person utilized galore times successful the past. At a caller chat prompt, I asked Claude to amusement maine immoderate guided hikes oregon tours successful the Adirondacks, including but not constricted to the Mount Marcy area.

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Claude initially looked connected the web for the accusation but past consulted Viator. No guided tours appeared connected the database based solely connected Viator's offerings. The AI past segued to section licensed usher services and came up with respective choices that matched what we needed.

Claude AI's Viator Connector
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Finally, I wanted to make a fewer playlists of songs to which we could perceive connected our agelong thrust to the Adirondacks. Here, I specifically told Claude to usage Spotify and asked it to make a playlist of classical stone euphony from the 50s, 60s, and 70s for a agelong car trip. After submitting the prompt, I had to nexus to my Spotify relationship by signing in.

Also: Spotify vs. YouTube Music: I tried some streaming services, and this 1 was the amended deal

Claude past generated respective playlists. From the chat screen, I could preview each playlist and adhd it to my Spotify library. Clicking a circumstantial playlist took maine to Spotify, wherever I could preview each the songs and negociate the list. To afloat usage this feature, you bash request a Spotify Premium account.

Claude AI's Spotify Connector
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Why I similar Claude AI

Claude AI and its interactive Connectors decidedly helped program and representation retired our upcoming trip. ChatGPT offers the aforesaid capability, with entree to specified apps arsenic Booking.com, Coursera, Expedia, and Zillow. But I similar the scope of services disposable done Claude, particularly for travel planning, and volition usage it the adjacent clip my woman and I privation to get away.

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