Nextrip

Inspiration

As international students and curious explorers, we often found ourselves juggling tabs, apps, and notes just to plan one trip. We wanted a tool that didn’t just book tickets, but helped imagine the trip, simplify decisions, and even connect with others along the way. Nextrip was born to turn chaotic planning into a seamless experience, with AI-generated itineraries, real-time deals, and collaborative travel tools. We imagined a smarter, friendlier way to plan your next adventure.

What it does

Nextrip lets users: -Discover attractions (map-based exploration in progress) -Select trip duration and interests -Get AI-curated itineraries based on preferences -Compare flights and hotels with direct links to booking -Save personalized itineraries to their dashboard -Collaborate with friends (upcoming feature)

How we built it

-React for the front-end -Firebase + Supabase for auth and itinerary storage -Bolt AI for smart itinerary generation -Netlify for deployment -Tailwind CSS for sleek, responsive UI -Google Maps API (coming soon) for attractions and discovery

Challenges we ran into

-Saving dynamic AI-generated itineraries in a persistent format -Preserving state when switching tabs -Styling and routing issues during Netlify deployment -Implementing collaborative features in time -API limitations and debugging under time pressure

Accomplishments that we're proud of

-Built a working AI-powered travel planner in just a few days From idea to working prototype, we created a fully functional platform that generates trip itineraries, shows flight/hotel options, and stores user selections. -Successfully integrated Bolt AI for real-time trip generation We crafted smart prompts to turn user preferences into helpful, engaging itineraries—on demand. -Implemented cross-tab state preservation We solved the challenge of saving user progress when switching tabs—an important user experience improvement. -Teamwork across time zones and tools We collaborated across continents using GitHub, Bolt, and live design discussions—balancing tech, UX, and content together. -Launched a clean, responsive UI with Tailwind CSS The front-end design feels modern, intuitive, and user-friendly even in its early MVP form. -Learned and implemented Supabase for storing user-selected itineraries It was our first time working with Supabase—and we got it connected and working in time for submission. -Focused on usability over perfection Even with limited time, we chose to prioritize the core experience and polish what matters most to users.

What we learned

-Team communication is everything -AI can greatly improve user experience when integrated smartly -Firebase vs Supabase tradeoffs -Even a basic MVP can make an impact if focused and user-centered -How to iterate quickly and document progress clearly for hackathon delivery

What's next for Nextrip

-Add real-time map attraction selection (Google Places) -Finalize user collaboration and shared trip planning -Add user login and itinerary history -Calendar integrations (Google/Apple) -Polish UI and ship a public beta

Built With

ai
api
bolt
css
firebase
google
maps
netlify
react
supabase
tailwind

Submitted to

World’s Largest Hackathon presented by Bolt

Created by

As a core contributor to Next Trip, an AI-driven travel planning application, I played a key role across multiple layers of the tech stack:

Database & Login Infrastructure: Designed and implemented secure, scalable authentication and user data storage systems. Integrated OAuth and session management to ensure smooth and protected user access.

Backend Development: Built and maintained robust RESTful APIs to support dynamic trip planning features, user preferences, and AI-based recommendations.

Frontend Implementation: Developed intuitive, responsive user interfaces using modern frameworks, ensuring seamless navigation and engaging user experience.

API Integration: Integrated external travel data providers and AI services to power trip suggestions, itineraries, and real-time travel information.

My full-stack involvement helped bring Next Trip from concept to launch, enabling users to effortlessly plan personalized adventures through intelligent automation and sleek design.

solomon Mwanja
I led the design and development of our app NexTrip, a next-generation AI-powered travel planner. My key contributions included:

Ideation & Planning: I helped shape the core idea, an intelligent, user-friendly platform for planning trips with real-time deals and AI-generated itineraries.

Frontend Development: I built several core interfaces using React and integrated Bolt AI for itinerary suggestions, personalized trip planning, and discovery features.

Firebase/Supabase Integration: I implemented user data handling, saving of itineraries, and trip management through Supabase.

UI/UX Design: I designed a clean, mobile-friendly interface to ensure an intuitive experience for travelers, prioritizing clarity and accessibility.

Pitch & Devpost Write-up: I wrote and refined our Devpost submission, including the video script, prize positioning (e.g., Inspirational Story, Most Useful Tool), and challenge alignments.

This hackathon gave me the chance to combine design, development, and storytelling to solve a real travel problem, and ship a working MVP in record time.

Muwanguzi P Solomon

Updates

Muwanguzi P Solomon started this project — Jun 29, 2025 04:42 PM EDT

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