Google recently announced that it was partnering with seven cities (six in America and one in Canada) to produce 3-D virtual maps of each city. This takes Google maps, already the best on the web, to another level.

Google already allows you to “walk” through many cities in the world but only if someone has photographed the area. Now you will be able to walk around any street in these cities regardless of that fact. You’ll also be able to see structural dimensions, which will afford a more realistic feel for areas and distances. Not only will this have practical applications for towns, but it’s a phenomenal tool for tourism purposes.

With this technology, a traveler will now be able to “walk” through a city to a get a sense of its streets and buildings before even arriving. It will make it easier to find locations and know distances between attractions of interest. You’ll know what landmarks to look for on your walk and even where to stop for a bite to eat in between. Before you get to a city replete with attractions – such as Washington D.C. for example - you can explore the monument-laden streets and minimize your chances of getting lost beforehand.

With the growth of PDAs and iPhones, this information will be readily available at your fingertips. As Google expands this service (with their ambitious designs, they will make a 3D map of the world), this technology will become more useful as more cities are mapped. It remains to be seen whether improvements over time will make paper maps obsolete in the future.

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