11 mobile apps to enhance your travel experience

EveryTrail Pro

GlobalMotion Media

Price: $3.99. The free version has ads and lacks sync, video, and offline features.

OS reviewed: iOS

Other OSes: Android

EveryTrail is a GPS-enabled app that allows you to map your trip and share it. Using the app to map a trip is easy: You simply hit the "Start Tracking" button as you start walking/biking/whatever, and the app will automatically start tracking your path on a map. You can add photos and waypoints along the way.

The app can be used in urban and rural environments alike, and both city dwellers and hikers can appreciate viewing the map in satellite, hybrid, terrain or street mode. You can stop and resume tracking whenever you wish, and add text tips to your trip later on. In fact, EveryTrail has an entire community where you can upload your trips for others to consult.

You can also search for established walking trails near you or at a destination you plan to travel to. Each route comes with detailed descriptions and maps, as well as points of interest (POIs) and audio. The best part: You can download single routes so that they are available offline while you're on the road.

Bottom line

Travelers who like remembering and sharing their itineraries -- complete with maps, photos, descriptions and more -- will have fun with this app.

-- Isabel Eva Bohrer

FlightTrack

Mobiata

Price: $4.99; $9.98 Pro version adds flight updates, FAA airport delays and closures, terminal maps (iOS only), weather forecast. $3.99 FlightBoard add-on shows arrivals/departure board.

OSes reviewed: iOS, Android

Other OSes: BlackBerry, Windows Phone

FlightTrack offers real-time updates of flights on a global map, which is useful if you're waiting for another delayed flight to come in before yours can take off, as well as if you're picking up a traveler at the airport. It also provides information about delays, cancellations and gates, and can sync with your device's calendar, if you're the type who forgets when you're supposed to be at the airport.

The Pro version adds alerts, TripIt integration, terminal maps, FAA airport delay information and airport weather forecasts; the FlightBoard add-on lets you look at a pretty electronic version of arrival and departure boards for numerous airports around the world.

I bought FlightTrack Pro and FlightBoard primarily for some visually appealing, geek amusement on my iPad, but it's turned out to be more useful than I expected. For instance, when I was catching a connecting flight at New York's JFK airport and there was no information in my arrival terminal about which was the departing terminal, it was comforting to see that info on my phone -- even if 20 or so minutes later we were finally directed to an agent who had the necessary info.

Bottom line

If you enjoy geeky ways to keep track of information surrounding air travel, FlightTrack's worth a look.

-- Sharon Machlis

Fodor's Mobile Apps for Travel

Fodor's Travel

Price: Free for iOS, $1.99 for Nokia

OS reviewed: iOS

Other OSes: Nokia

I stumbled upon these apps after buying a Fodor's guidebook and was pleasantly surprised to discover how information-packed they are.

The Paris app, which is the one I tested, offers suggestions for what's closest to your current position, as well as descriptions of a dozen city neighborhoods and advice on attractions, eating, shopping and hotels. There are also city-specific travel tips, including things like Paris etiquette ("offer a hearty bonjour when walking into a shop or cafe and an au revoir when leaving, even if nobody seems to be listening"); a subway map; and the ability to download maps for offline use. (I didn't use the maps since I had some great paper ones and storage space was an issue once I started downloading vacation photos to my iPad.)

Attractions are plotted on a map within the app so you can see what's near you or figure out whether you can easily visit several sites in one neighborhood. Plus, the attractions include detailed enough write-ups to help you decide whether you want to go. "Fodor's choice" top attractions are noted, just as they are in Fodor's guidebooks, and you can sort by category, rating and location.

Fodor's travel apps are available for Barcelona, London, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rome and San Francisco.

Bottom line

Fodor's travel apps are well designed and filled with useful information. I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want to download one before heading to one of the cities where an app has been published. Highly recommended.

-- Sharon Machlis