Navigate an Unfamiliar City With Technology

It used to be that when you first arrived in a new city, whether you were moving there or just visiting, you only had two potential sources of information -- guide books and friends or family already familiar with the area. But thanks to the Internet and smart phones, it's much easier to find your way around and figure out where to go.

Google Maps -- Google Maps not only provides driving directions, but walking directions, and even public transportation info in some major cities. Google maps will also link you to reviews and websites for businesses and attractions, and users can share custom made maps including points of interest. You can even take it with you thanks to the mobile version available for most smart phones.

Where -- Available on most carriers and on most smart phones Where uses GPS to track down restaurants, ATMs, Starbucks, and even movie times near you. It's handy not only when visiting, but to help you get acquainted with a new hometown.

Urban Spoon -- It's built specifically for helping you find someplace to eat. You can look up things by price, cuisine, or location, or you can just have the app pick out something random nearby. The iPhone app will also provide pricing info and reviews of any search results, and where applicable will let you call right from the app to place a reservation. But non-iPhone users aren't left out in the cold. You can browse from the Web site or use the stripped down mobile version at this address.

Eventful -- Eventful helps you find out about concerts, festivals, and other events in your neighborhood. There is a fancy iPhone app that takes advantage of the built in GPS, but the standard Web site can still help you find something to do before you leave your apartment or hotel for the night. It's probably best to plan ahead anyway.

Dedicated transit apps -- There are tons of applications and web sites out there dedicated to helping you find taxis and navigate the local public transportation system, such as Taxi Magic, CityTransit, and HopStop. Using one of these can help make sense of the labyrinth of that is the New York City subway system or ensure that you don't miss the last London Underground train back to your hotel.