I was given an iPhone for work. After I used it for a year, I looked at purchasing my own smart phone and got the Android. I liked the larger screen (iPhone has one now) and I found it easier to use. Having said that, it is a personal choice. You can go to the store and play with both of them or ask your friends to show you how their phone works.
I cannot imagine traveling without a smart phone. I use it a lot for finding places and looking up information. I have a smart phone and my DH has the flip phone. If at least one of us has a smart phone, we are in good shape.