Ipad for phone calls need help

Hi there
We are heading down into the US in the morning, trying to do some pier fishing @ Myrtle Beach... :)
Instead of me using my Samsung Acer phone (with rogers) I heard that I can use my wife's ipad as a phone. Download some App? Can anyone guide me in the right direction so I am not downloading something harmful/useless..
Thanks
We basically would like to use the ipad to keep in touch with family and friends as our resort/hotel has free Wi-Fi..

Iphone Ipad....use facetime....we used it in Jamaica to talk to our granddaughter on her birthday at no cost to anyone!

Thanks.....got my son to figure it out for me... all good now... :)

Use facetime if calling from one apple user to another.

Otherwise use skype, download the app, and you can basically call anyone that is on skype.

In case you need another option. There is a free app called magic jack... It allows free North America wide long distance calls through Internet/wifi.