Tips/apps/resources for keeping track of itinerary

Google sheets are the easiest and best way.

I just use a spreadsheet (workbook w/ spreadsheet tabs), but the person reading it better have a computer monitor. Phone screens are too tiny to see all the details.

I have a page for each place I'm staying, with addresses, and a page of each day of travel, with train/bus schedules and alternatives. Plus, the first two pages are an index with links to the pages and an itinerary, also with links to the pages.

I open the spreadsheet when I start to plan, and in the beginning each venue page shows places I've identified as possibles, so I use that page when I start to write for reservations, then eliminate those properties not used. I take the spreadsheet with me on my pad (with a usable screen and a real keyboard).

I also have a second copy saved on a thumb drive and carried separately.

I use TripIt on my iPhone to keep track of all my personal reservations and formalized itinerary stuff (flights, trains, ferries, hotels, tours, etc.). Anything that sends me a confirmation, I forward to TripIt, and it does a nice job of (usually), inserting it in the correct itinerary, in chronological order. This is really helpful when I jump into a cab, and need to get to my hotel, or get to a tour meeting spot, or find a restaurant. Just pull that item up on TripIt, and show the driver the name/address that's right there in the app. Also captures reservation details and confirmation numbers, so all that stuff is in one place when it's time to check-in.

I use Google Sheets on my laptop for generalized trip info and to provide a visual line-by-line synopsis of the entire trip (which day we'll be where, when we're on-the-move, ideas for non-formalized activities, restaurants, etc.) with all the travelers in my group. That way, we can all see that on Monday, the plan is to travel from town A to town B, and check into X hotel for Y days, etc. It's a great tool for planning BEFORE the trip, to make sure everyone is on the same page. I also use tabs in that doc to keep track of costs that we'll share, ideas that haven't been formalized or nailed down, to-do lists, etc.

Help me understand what privacy issues you're concerned about? Seems like the exposure with using any 3rd party app (including Google Sheets) or a "website" would be roughly the same.

I've used TripIt for several years. It is my all-time favorite app. It stores all of your trips from the past and I use it to reference prior trips when planning new and upcoming trips. It is perfect for an itinerary and can easily be shared with both travelers and non-travelers. There are a lot of things I love about it, but one of my favorite features is it gives you the total cost of the trip. It is really interesting to see how much different trips cost and how close the final tab is on every trip I take. I could go on and on. Has just been the best travel tool I've ever used.

I’m a little old fashioned and never figured out spreadsheets. So I make my itinerary on a word doc. Not only does it have daily plans, it has a to do list and cost list. The list starts as rough ideas and gets narrowed down to what is manageable and my must do’s. I can email the doc as an attachment.

I also put my my itinerary in my iPhone with approximate times. This helps me know that I’m not overbooked, allowing for meals, travel/walking time and relax time.

I don’t use a budget app. After my big expenses are paid and I’ve booked museums, trains and entertainment, I don’t worry about about the little costs. Food and souvenirs are built in to the overall trip expense.

I create my itinerary in a google doc using a very basic table similar to the example in RS ETBD book. This has worked for me for years! This year I am going to experiment with adding some reservations (timed museum entry, hotels, restaurants etc) into my google calendar for an upcoming trip to France.

I've been using tripit for over 12 years - its nice to have the record of previous trips - but the utility of having an record of what is booked (or not) for trips is very useful. I've been planning our 4 month trip this year literally for years - its too easy to book something twice or not all all and tripit has never let me down. Almost all of it is automatically uploaded from my email to - the only (annoying) exception i cruises.

For tracking expenses/budges I use a brilliant app (unfortunately only on iPhone) called Trail Wallet

Like Lizzie, I use TripIt and Trail Wallet.

To those who use Trip it, do you use the pay version? I tried the free version this summer and thought it was worthless. It organized my hotels in Crete by areas by not by the name of the city. I didn’t even recognize the organizational scheme. And then it did not insert emails like car rentals into the itinerary.

Or maybe it is me???

We have used One Note, it’s pretty good, add and subtract as needed, add restaurants, tours, hotels, transportation, it has been a good app for planning.

I think the specific tool that you use is less important than it is that you put everything in it. MS Word, OneNote, Google Docs, Excel spreadsheet, whatever you are most comfortable working in, as long as you are very disciplined about adding every detail to it as you plan your trip. And, that whatever the result is, it's ALWAYS immediately at hand.

Personally, I assemble a long document in InDesign (a fairly sophisticated publishing application -- I'd guess that as a tool it would be complete overkill for most people, but I'm comfortable and familiar using it, and it provides a huge range of layout and organizational options...for me, neatness counts). The most critical thing (for me at least) is that every detail (daily plan, flight details, websites, subway maps, hotel confirmation numbers, car rental vouchers, ferry and helicopter timetables, whatever we prepaid in advance with price/payment details, etc.), every bit must go into this document as they are accumulated (I often spend more than a year planning a trip, so a lot of stuff goes in there). My goal is to have every single detail about the trip available quickly and easily any time, so you never have to go searching for stuff, it's always in a single place and you know exactly where that place is...I find this reduces the stress of travel tremendously knowing that every detail is always right at hand.

When I'm done assembling this document, I print a paper booklet. For most recent trips, it typically runs 20-30 pages, and has every single detail about every day, every place we hope to go (including optional/aspirational places), every move we make, every reservation detail, and more. That's the detailed, "Day By Day" document. I also create a single-page, high-level "Calendar" document that shows each day with a summary of the most critical details for each day. Everything gets 2 copies printed on paper (one for me, one for my spouse/travel partner). Everything also goes in to an electronic version (PDF), copies go on my + her phone + iPad. So every trip detail is immediately accessible on all our devices, plus paper copies if/when needed. It may sound like a lot of work (and I guess it is, though it's spread out over months) but I enjoy putting it together, and I think it makes our trips better. It certainly simplifies things to know exactly where to find (for example) the phone number of the BnB we're staying at or the check-in time for our flight or suggested restaurants or the GPS coordinates of some weird little monument or ruined windmill that looked interesting but may be obscure to more rational people with more mainstream tastes.

I know plenty of people completely recoil at the idea of investing that much effort in planning. I embrace it. You do what works best for you, this works for me.

Love these!!!!!
I quit Facebook for their changes 2-3 years ago- yep, I read all 200 pages- it became very apparent they could use anything they wanted of your info- same with TripIt- many of these apps are tools to gather as much information and sell it- I put a lot of details into our trip- frequent flyer numbers, confirmation codes- so many identifiers - we just had someone use our cc to buy $1500 of copper wire at HD- when we called Sapphire Chase they said it’s become worse due to just these things.
Here is what I want to do: create a trifold that I can laminate and carry for quick reference, then a pdf that has all the maps in case we lose wifi in the Isle of Skye and more remote areas we are traveling- I have options listed for each day depending on weather. I’ve planned this trip for over a year and now just found out our daughter is expecting- doc gave her okay to go- but we may need different options for her to keep her rested and ready 👍.
So grateful for the ideas!! I’ll pull this together with a Word document most likely- then save as pdf..and goodness no- I want know app keeping track of costs 😂 We used miles for airfare and 2 nights lodging- but we’re covering 6 adults- it’s going to be more money than I care to see- but it’s our 30th anniversary- it’s cheaper than bow renewals 😁 Thanks all!! Y’all’s are savvy travelers!!

Wanderlog is a newer app. Its popular with younger folks. It pulls info from google maps - so u can directly search for attractions, reataurants etc and create a daily itinerary. It will show the map, distances and travel times. The user interface is quite good.

Besides tripit, used Google Travel but the functionality is basic and it only works in the browser

Excel spreadsheet. I don't have to worry about phone dying (I use all day for photos and videos). I send it to my sister in laws so they know exactly where we are supposed to be when, in case we go missing. I also reference it later when we are organizing photos from 4 different devices ( 2 phones, a camera and a video recorder) 3 months later when trying to recall if we went to the Lourve before the catacombs the spreadsheet is invaluable. My spreadsheet has tabs from initial ideas, budget, daily, master daily, packing lists, month before, week before, day before...all in one place.

I use Tripit Pro. I use it as my itinerary. I put in no personal information and I can decide who has access.

There's no reason to put your credit card information into Tripit. I have been using it for years and never had any issues or even solicitation emails.

I use TripIt. I don't store sensitive information in it, other than my travel plans, so it's not a concern for me.

Only posting the following to help others see how these apps exist to obtain as much personal data on you as possible…you may not think you’ve ‘given’ info- but by accepting their standards- you give them ample leeway to take it:
“TripIt" or "us" or "we") collect, use, and share the information you provide to us or we gather from you while you access or use www.tripit.com (the "Site")…

We collect and process personal information about you with your consent and/or as necessary to provide the products you use, operate our business, meet our contractual and legal obligations, protect the security of our systems and our customers, or fulfill other legitimate interests…

We may also collect Personal Data from other sources and combine that with Personal Data we collect from you through the TripIt Services…

These connected third-party applications may enable Personal Data about you to be transferred into the TripIt Services…

Our App utilizes tracking technologies from third-party service providers we have engaged to provide services on our behalf. In some cases, these are analytics providers that provide services such as application analytics and crash reporting. In other cases, these are advertising or campaign measurement providers…

These providers may also automatically collect some of the information described above, including, for example, usage information, IP address, access times, browser type and language, device type, device identifiers, and Wi-Fi information. These providers may also automatically collect the above information about you through the App and on other sites and services, including personally identifiable information about your online activities over time and across different websites, devices, online services, and applications when you use our App…

It may not always be possible to disable cookies in the App, and disabling cookies on the Site will not disable tracking technologies on the App…

Using the TripIt Services may result in the transfer, use, processing, or storage of Personal Data in the United States or any other country/region where TripIt operates or maintains facilities or service centers, including jurisdictions that may not have data privacy laws that provide protections equivalent to those provided in your home country/region. ..

By providing your information to us through your use of the TripIt Services, you agree to that transfer, storage, and By providing your information to us through your use of the TripIt Services, you agree to that transfer, storage, and processing of your Personal Data in the United States. of your Personal Datha in the United States.”

You know the old saying: If it's "free", the product is you.

Shucks. I just use a single page of paper from a 'legal pad.' 7 columns, three rows for a 21 day trip.

Usually do it two or three times in preparing. Take the one, final version with us, along with various tix and confirmations, of course. And just put down one or at most two things a day ... so we can follow our noses to the restaurants that smell good or go on-line and find out what music might be playing that night, or the next. I'm old fashioned and I like having paper in case I run into an internet connectivity issue, since I refuse to pay through the nose for an international roaming plan.

I put my itinerary on an excel spreadsheet and keep it in my phone. My columns (from memory) are day number, day of week, date, city/town where I'm staying. Reservation information (includes flight, car and lodging). Sight information (including hours and days of week from Google maps).

I probably have a few more columns than that. If I need one, I add one and make it comfortably wide for the information I'm putting in. I have the entry wrap to the column rather than overlap/disappear under another column.