Sidekicks for pastimes and getaways

If you are planning a break, getting the right apps for your phone and tablet can help you have a great time.

Start with Packpoint, which makes packing for a vacation a breeze. The app is a smart packing adviser that can build a list of necessary toiletries, clothes and other items.

PackPoint starts by asking where you’re going and when. The app then finds the weather forecast for the destination and asks what kind of activities you are planning. Choose among the provided list of activities, including hiking, photography and fancy dinners, or supply your own activity (you’ll need to know what to pack for the custom event).

With selections made, PackPoint generates a list of items you’ll need to suit the weather and activities. For example, you’ll need a camera bag for photography, and men will need a dress shirt for a fancy dinner.

As you pack, you mark off items on the list. The idea is to take the strain out of packing. You can even share your list by instant message or social media with other members of your group to help them plan accordingly. Though the app seems simple, it’s really useful. PackPoint is free for Android and iOS, but access to some features, like custom activities, costs $2 (Rs 127).

Leisure travellers will want to know what’s happening at their destinations. Peek Tours, free on iOS, pulls together lots of information about places, like museums to visit, and activities, from walking tours to more adventurous outdoor sports. You can browse Peek’s recommendations by category (like “sights and landmarks” and the handy “what to do with kids”), by date, location or special points of interest.

All the app’s recommendations have a short description, and the app makes good use of images to sustain interest. You can even book some things to do from inside the app and browse Peek’s recommendations offline, which may save expensive mobile data bills.

A simpler but equally interesting alternative to Peek is Google’s Field Trip app, which is free on iOS and Android. Field Trip pulls together a list of location-based recommendations about a wide variety of things to see and do, including good places to eat, landmarks and local events Tapping on a recommendation on the list reveals more information like a map and hours of operation.

You can customise the recommendations for your interests by limiting the sources the app draws from. For example, you can turn off Art Nerd City Guides as a source if you’re not interested in art.

The app is more sober-looking than Peek, its menus sometimes lack clear explanations, and in some cases the information provided about a place or an event can seem dry. But Field Trip will definitely help you discover what’s going on around you.

Music festivals are popular in the summer, and Bandsintown Concerts, free on iOS and Android, is a fabulous way to find out what performances and festivals are happening near you. Bandsintown can give you events lists for cities, for nearby places or for particular bands, and includes a social media connection so you can invite, say, your Facebook friends to join you.

The app can even scan your musical libraries in services like iTunes and Spotify to more accurately recommend concerts you may prefer, and you can often book tickets from inside the app.

Lastly, if you are planning outdoor cooking, either at home or if you’re camping, you’ll some help. And if you’re used to cooking in the kitchen, you may not be certain if you’re grilling meat properly. Enter Grilltime, which is my new best friend.

The app is a great-looking no-nonsense timer system that can tell you how long to grill anything, including a chicken drumstick or a handful of strawberries. You simply tap on the food you want to cook, read the app’s advice and set up a timer.

You can run a bunch of timers at once, and the app will even tell you how often to flip burgers. There’s also an Apple Watch app, so all the timers appear on your wrist, so you don’t have to tap on your phone with greasy fingers.