Is this Spring taking you somewhere new and exciting? If you have some exciting trips in your future now that the weather is warming up a bit (knock wood), make sure you’re prepared with all the relevant maps and information on where to go and what to see. No, I’m not talking about lugging around tons of pamphlets and travel books, I’m talking about taking your own personal cartographer with you — The Cartographer that is. Let the fact that this app has been consistently featured and rated among the best travel apps there is be a testament to its greatness. The Cartographer lets you customize maps according to your plans, so can plot out all your travel details by using travel markers and an array of icons as well as by adding any and all relevant notes. Furthermore, you can download your trips and maps for use offline, ensuring that you can access them no matter where you are or what your coverage is (and without pesky roaming fees). The Cartographer also enables you to record the places and landmarks that were notable parts of your adventures, and also access others’ recommendations — again, without needing online access. Finally, the app allows you to share all the juicy details and relive the excitement with friends and family via e-mail, Twitter, and even by embedding your maps on your travel blog! And all of this comes on the backdrop of gorgeous graphics that are romantically reminiscent of the times when you would actually need a cartographer to chart your journey (but don’t fear, the interface is not so archaic). So, if you’re embarking on adventures any time in the near or far future, The Cartographer is your perfect travel companion.

Augmented reality apps have taken many forms, enabling users to alter the way they experience and live in their surroundings. Virtual Tags is one such app that is brand new to the App Store, and literally lets you supplement your surroundings with thoughts, feelings, reactions, and ideas. You can add notes and tags to everything you see around you, which other Virtual Tags users can than access using the app. You can literally see whose footsteps you’ve followed and what comments others have had in the spaces and places you visit, and you can make your voice heard long after you’ve left. Not only is this a cool way to leave your mark and document your experiences in new and old places, but it has practical uses as well. For example, if you leave or lose something in a place, then you can help others help you by leaving a note detailing what it is and how to return it to you. Furthermore, the best part about Virtual Tags, is even if you do not have internet connection in your location, you can still leave a tag — once WiFi is re-engaged, the tag will be posted to the place you intended it. From parks to landmarks, there are no limits to Virtual Tags!

If you only just remembered that a certain holiday is today, don’t fret: there’s still a way to show your honey some sweetness without planning a thing. Spontaneous dates are not only sexy, they are the forté of Movie Night Out, and hot little app that plans your romantic (or otherwise) excursions for you. Based on Citysearch local information, Movie Night Out lets you put minimal thought into your night out, as you slide and drag categories to suit the occasion, your mood, and your schedule. You can select what kind of night it is, find movies based on categories, times, and locations, look up theaters, plan where to go and/or what to eat after, and finally share the awesome details with friends. Furthermore, you can use it to make plans as spur-of-the-moment or far in advance as you need. It’s particularly helpful when you are feeling helplessly indecisive and want the app gods to decide, when you’ve forgotten to plan a date, when you’re looking for fun at night in a new town, or when you have some specific ideas in mind that you need help materializing. Movie Night Out is the perfect app for your Valentine’s night…or any other!

If you have a smartphone, why rely on standard SMS? Pinch iMessenger takes texting to the next level. Not only will it save you on SMS-related fees (even internationally), but it also enables a previously unheard of experience: location-based texting. This means you can communicate with friends while finding out where they are and how to meet up with them, keep track of where you’ve been and how many places you’ve Pinched, all while earning the points and rewards associated with location-based technology (many people have earned iTunes credit and even iPads just by texting through the app!). Furthermore, the app includes hundreds of emoticons and animations to make the experience even more expressive and provides unlimited storage so you can keep your dialogues forever. While the app only works between Pinch users, it enables a whole new form of smartphone-to-smartphone communication; your friends don’t even need to have an iPhone for you to be able to Pinch them! Pinch iMessenger takes all the fun of texting to a more entertaining and rewarding realm.

OpenTable.com has revolutionized the way we make restaurant reservations, turning the process into an infinitely easier, more accessible, and rewarding one(and not just because of the Dining Rewards Points). While you previously needed computer access to take advantage of its offerings, OpenTable is now dominating the iPhone and iPad domain, making meals out a breeze to plan from anywhere at any time. Furthermore, OpenTable is a perfect app to download as we come upon the holiday season — with all the traveling and time spent visiting people, the last thing you want to worry about is wasting hours trying to make reservations for a nice dinner out, especially in a place that might not be completely familiar. With OpenTable to guide you, it will be easy to plan meals with friends and family that are guaranteed to be enjoyable (since you can determine price range, cuisine, and place, see reviews and menus before you go, and even use the provided map and directions to get there). While OpenTable does reward you for dining at the 15,000+ restaurants they support, the biggest rewards are the time you saved, the people you were with, and the wonderful meal you shared.