Collaborative maps online: does it exist?

July 11, 2007 7:42 AM

What's the best possible way to plan out a series of trips on a map, preferably online, by two people in two different locations?

So let's pretend that I and my lady friend are always coming up with places we want to go, and things we want to see when we get there.

Sure, we could just create a Google doc or spreadsheet, and start a list in that fashion (actually, we've done that already), but what I'd really want to do is be able to collaborate on a shared map, with both of us being able to put points of interest and notes on it.

I feel like I've played around with Google's "My Maps" enough to determine that I don't *think* it's possible there, but, I might also be missing something.

So, HiveMind, does anyone have any solutions to this conundrum? And, for what it's worth, it doesn't necessarily *have* to be online; I'd also love to hear of any off-the-shelf products, if they exist, or even less, uh, technical, ways of doing such a thing.

posted by mrhaydel to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

ZeeMaps was the best I found when I went looking.
posted by anaelith at 7:44 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

You can use Google Earth, select locations and send each other the kmz files.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 7:45 AM on July 11, 2007

When my friends and I recently went on a trip, someone started a Google account just to share for working on Google Maps.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 8:05 AM on July 11, 2007

@TheOnlyCoolTim:

That is something that I had thought of doing too; silly question, but, I'm assuming both people'd be able to be logged in and editing/adding things at the same time without any trouble?
posted by mrhaydel at 8:19 AM on July 11, 2007

I think that Yahoo! Trip Planner does exactly what you're looking for. I don't know if it does it well, though. I used a Google doc and Tagzania maps the last time I planned a trip. Yahoo!'s product looks like it should fit the bill though.

There are too many new travel websites popping up to keep track of. Most of them are social - share opinions about sites and accommodations with others. Or they let you set up a travel blog. I can't remember any others that let you plan an itinerary and let you share it but I'm sure they're out there. I have a nagging feeling that I just saw one a couple weeks ago.
posted by stuart_s at 9:08 AM on July 11, 2007

TripWiser! That's the one I was trying to think of. Unlike Yahoo!, I don't think that you can collaborate on plans but it's much better suited for travel planning then regular Google Maps. Plus you can see what every one else in the world is doing in your destination.
posted by stuart_s at 9:16 AM on July 11, 2007

I haven't used it in a while but I think Wayfaring does all that.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 10:03 AM on July 11, 2007

That is something that I had thought of doing too; silly question, but, I'm assuming both people'd be able to be logged in and editing/adding things at the same time without any trouble?

I never noticed any problem , but I'm not sure we ever got on simultaneously.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:56 AM on July 11, 2007

Thanks AskMeFi for coming to the rescue yet again!

ZeeMaps looks perfect for everything I'm wanting.
posted by mrhaydel at 7:39 PM on July 11, 2007

i've been using Sanoodi for the last couple of weeks. I am getting a phone with GPS soon and want to see what happens with the live bit... not sure if you can have more than one person collaborating on a route though.
posted by papalamour at 4:39 AM on July 14, 2007

You could both share the same login & password, I suppose? As long as it wasn't simultaneous..
posted by papalamour at 4:41 AM on July 14, 2007