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Options needed

Two things: First, you need to have a pause button on Google Maps so that when somebody wants to go to the restroom, Miss Yip Yap isn’t busy telling them to go north, south, east, and west within 30 seconds trying to get them back on the track. Second, for heaven sake‘s, quit rerouting me without my permission. The selection needs to be “tap to accept,” not “accept unless I tell you no thanks.” At least 10 times in the last 10,000 miles, I have had to backtrack 20 or 30 miles to get to where I wanted to go instead of where you decided I should go. I’m hearing impaired; I don’t always hear Miss Yip Yap asking if I want to reroute, and I shouldn’t have to constantly go back and tell you that I want to go on the route I selected, and not the one you think I should use. If you don’t want to change the way the switches work, put in a selection in the settings that says “tap to accept” or “tap to decline.” I am beyond frustrated with having to hunt down on a map where I really want to be and how to get there, because invariably when I figure out Miss Yip Yap has rerouted me, I am in an area of no phone service, so I can’t reroute on Google Maps, because it says, “Off-line: touch to retry.”

What’s Changed?

I used to love google maps and thought their integration of Waze data was great several years ago. Lately this app has been getting worse. It’s either not updated with the latest mapping, or my biggest issue is major problems with the navigation. 1. It changes routes automatically after I’ve manually selected a different route than the primary one suggested. It will do this mid-navigation without asking so I have no idea. 2. It typically does this with toll routes. It will always reroute you to the most expensive toll route even if there’s a non-toll route that is similar ETA or significantly shorter (sometimes 30min). 3. When it does prompt a confirmation to change routes mid-navigation, I’m unable to see what the new route is before accepting. I’ve had it suggest a shorter route and accepted the change only for it to be 15-20 min longer. 4. I’ve had issues lately with it dropping the destination pin in the wrong location. Most notably, it dropped me on the wrong side of a water canal where’s there’s no access to the other side by foot. 5. I continue to have issues with the audio speaking incorrect directions (I.e. the voice says turn right but the map shows a left turn). It’s been a frustrating user experience especially on long road trips. I like the layout of google maps better than Apple, but if this poor navigation continues, I’ll be forced to switch.
Don’t guys rely on google maps app. I am using it for years without any complaints. But today, google maps made my day as a nightmare. We went to Grand Canyon by car from Las Vegas. It’s was alright and took us about 4 and half hours, but when we were going back it’s showed me two routes 7 and 8 hours. I was confused because we only drove 4… but I was completely sure everything will be alright, that’s my buddy google maps I can rely on. And then… it took us in the middle of nowhere inside of different canyon with all forests and deserts everywhere and then it was a turn on some kind of road wHICH IS NOT ROAD AT ALL. Even horse can’t pass it. We stacked into the mud or grease and all of us didn’t have ANY SIGNAL TO CALL FOR HELP. It was 3 adults and 2 kids. We spent hours there pushing cars back to normal road. We got so much stress, fear, hopeless. I was like: “it can’t be true..” And then we figure out how to get back on free way and I open my app again, I though that it’s ok if that time it’s confused but when google maps see us on highway driving in right direction it will restart and finally works! But no… it tried to take us back to the woods. The road there even called “lost canyon road” so I just want to say that google maps isn’t always right and it’s not an app you can be sure about. You guys better fix this, we saw couple people going there back and force and even stacked like us with no signal. Thanks for attention, but I am still pretty upset.

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How to Make a Travel Itinerary with Google Maps

Last Updated: March 14, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Nihal Shetty . Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 80,435 times.

If you’re planning a trip, you might be wondering how to figure out where to go and in what order. Luckily, Google has a free tool that you can use in order to get a better sense of your travel plans. We’ll walk you through how to make a travel itinerary with Google Maps through its My Maps feature. In a few easy steps, you can master an excellent organizational tool that’ll help you plan the best trip possible.

Setting Up Your Map

Step 1 Sign in to My Maps on your web browser.

  • Unfortunately, as of October 2021, Google no longer supports the “My Maps” app on phones. If you’re on mobile, you’ll have to use your phone’s web browser to access the site while on the go. [2] X Research source
  • If you don’t already have a Google account, setting one up is a quick process. A Google account gives you a number of benefits, including a new gmail address. Check out this link to start the set-up process: https://accounts.google.com/signup/v2/webcreateaccount?flowName=GlifWebSignIn&flowEntry=SignUp

Step 2 Create a new map through the home screen.

  • For instance, your might name your map something like “California Summer Trip 2022,” and you could enter a description like, “Places to see and eat during two-week California road trip.”

Step 4 Search for places to visit on your trip.

  • For example, for a California road trip, you might enter “Golden Gate Bridge” into the search box. My Maps will automatically direct you to its location.

Step 5 Add the locations of any places you want to visit to your map.

  • For instance, if you’ve searched for “Golden Gate Bridge,” there will be a white box that offers some information on the location, and even a rating from other users. Click on the “Add to map” button to send it to your saved locations.

Step 6 Add descriptions to your saved locations.

  • For example, you might fill in the description to the “Golden Gate Bridge” box with something like, “Spend at least 1 hour here—must-see location.”

Step 7 Color-code your locations for convenience.

  • You might consider changing the colors of your pins to match how important each location is to your trip. For example, must-see locations could be red pins, your housing spots could be green pins, and optional places to visit could remain as blue pins.

Creating an Itinerary and Planning Routes

Step 1 Organize your selected places with the “layers” function.

  • For example, you might have a layer titled “Places to see,” one titled “Places to eat,” and one titled “Places to sleep.” You can then put sightseeing destinations, restaurants, and hotels you want to stay at in their respective layers.

Step 2 Plan your travel routes using your Google Map.

  • You can add more than one location to a single route. For example, if you wanted to plot a route from Big Sur to the Golden Gate Bridge, and then to Palo Alto, you can add all three locations to your route layer and create a multi-stop path. [11] X Research source
  • By clicking on the three dots next to the layer with your travel route, then selecting “Step-by-step directions,” My Maps will create a set of directions for your travel. Handy!

Step 3 Use your map to create a daily schedule.

  • For example, by using My Maps, you might notice that seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, walking around San Francisco, and eating at a restaurant in Berkeley are close enough to all be doable in one day, while visiting Big Sur might be better saved for another afternoon. My Maps can help you plan out the most efficient trip possible, so you can enjoy your travels even more.

Step 4 Use the “Share” option to loop your friends in on travel plans.

  • When sharing your map, you can also choose the option that allows others to edit the map as well. With this option selected, your friends can pick places that they’re interested in as well, so you can have them all on the same document. [13] X Research source

Step 5 Print your map for offline use.

  • Although My Maps can’t be viewed offline, you can download an offline map of any areas you’re interested in on your phone. Using the Google Maps app, type in a location into the search bar, tap the name of the location, then navigate to the option “Download offline map.” [15] X Research source

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

Disappear Completely

  • ↑ https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3024925?visit_id=637744367666134651-2428484219&p=lite_addplaces&rd=1
  • ↑ https://9to5google.com/2021/07/20/google-my-maps-android-shutdown/
  • ↑ https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3024454?hl=en&ref_topic=3024924
  • ↑ https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3024925?visit_id=637744500327517491-717751493&p=lite_addplaces&rd=1
  • ↑ https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3024925?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
  • ↑ https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3502610?hl=en&ref_topic=3024924
  • ↑ https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3109452?hl=en
  • ↑ https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS

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How to Use Google My Maps to Plan a Trip (Ultimate Guide)

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google travel maps route

I love a good map. I’ve got maps hanging on my walls. I go to the bookstore to read maps. Whenever I navigate my way home using only a map, I feel like I must have some innate bushcraft skills. And if you’ve read my posts about traveling in Maine , you’re probably sick of me talking about the DeLorme Atlas by now.

But while reading paper maps will always inspire a sense of get-up-and-go adventure for me, I’m not totally opposed to using tech for planning my trips and navigating on the ground.

And one of my favorite techy solutions? A secret little trip planner called Google My Maps, buried inside of everyone’s favorite map tool.

Google My Maps lets you create shareable custom maps with multiple layers, plus location pins with icons and notes. It’s a great way to brainstorm travel plans or create a trip itinerary from a desktop. And since the map can be viewed in the Google Maps app, you can use it to navigate on the go. 

To give you an example of what this post will show you how to do, here’s one of the custom Google Maps I’ve created for a trip.

Keep reading for an overview of how to use Google My Maps to plan a trip, plus a video tutorial of how to set it up—all updated in 2023. I’ll also share answers to commonly asked questions and some lesser known tips to help you get the most out of this tool. 

A quick note: Creating a custom map in Google My Maps is distinct from Google Lists of saved places. Check out our Google My Maps vs Lists comparison to see all the differences and our full guide to using Google Maps Lists .

8 Top Google My Maps Features

(AKA Why It’s Awesome)

Google My Maps allows you to see your trip itinerary. 

This is so helpful, especially if you’re a visual person or enjoy using maps. But even if you’re not, it’s still really useful to see where everything is in relation to each other as you plan your trip, vacation, or holiday because it helps you be realistic about your plans.

It connects with other Google apps. 

Setting aside my (ahem, very rational) fear that they may take over the world soon, I love all things Google. My Maps stores a copy of the map in whatever Google Drive account you’re using. (Am I the only one who has six of these?) So if you like to create Google Docs or folders to store trip planning information, documents, photos, or itineraries, it’s nice to have your map easily accessible in the same folder.

You get additional location information since it’s part of Google Maps. 

If a location is on Google, you can see their website, phone number, address, reviews, and website when you add it to your custom map. (Note that you can’t see this information when clicking on your saved pin from the Google Maps app, but you can from desktop.)

You can add your own extra notes and photos.

Customize your map even more by adding notes, photos, or videos. Use the notes during planning to add website, hours, or tips. If I hear about the location from a particular website, I usually add that link and what was noted in the article about the location (e.g., it’s a great sunset spot, which dish on the menu is recommended) so I can reference it later.

You can view your route by creating a layer with directions. 

When I traveled to Burlington, Vermont, I wanted to see the length of the bike trail on the map, so I used the directions feature to show the whole route. (Check out the Burlington travel guide for an example of the travel map I created that includes the bike path route.) And while I haven’t done this yet, you could also use Google My Maps to plan a road trip itinerary for a longer adventure. 

Caveat: As I’ll discuss later, you can’t use directions layers to get turn-by-turn directions (but I mention an alternative below). For this reason, I only use these layers to visualize my route.

It’s highly customizable. 

Don’t mind me while I swoon over the color coding and organization options over here. Use custom icons, layers, and colors so it’s easy to see what things are at a glance. For example, you can give different locations individual styles: a coffee cup icon for cafes, a bed icon for hotels, and a swimming icon for beaches. You can also use layers in many different ways, such as one layer for each day of your trip or one layer for each category (like dining, lodging, and things to do).

In-depth planning on your computer. Easy, on-the-go access from your phone. 

While you can’t edit the maps from the Google Maps app on iPhone or Android, you (and anyone you’ve shared them with) can view them. You can click on icons and see your notes, as well as navigate to those locations. 

Note that there used to be a dedicated My Maps app on Android, but this has been deprecated. 

It’s easy to share it with a friend or with the world. 

If you’re planning a trip with other people, it’s easy to share the map with others . And if it’s something you want to make available to everyone (like I do on my travel guide posts), just change the privacy setting and share the link or embed it on a website.

3 Ways to Use Google My Maps

Brainstorm and store ideas for future “maybe” trips. 

I often come across a really interesting hotel, restaurant, or fun thing to do in destinations I want to travel to in the future, and I want to make sure I don’t forget about them. I have so many bookmarks in so many places (Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram), but Google My Maps is the place I’ve started storing ideas for future trips.

Plan your trip itinerary. 

Want to use Google Maps for route planning? When you’re ready to plan an upcoming trip, plot it out visually by using Google My Maps to create your itinerary. If you like structured itineraries, you can easily create a detailed day-to-day plan. 

Or, you can use a looser itinerary structure like we usually do by adding all the places you might like to go. 

For example, on a day trip to NYC, we added tons of places to eat on the map (thank you, Tiktok). As we were walking around doing other activities and started to get hungry, we were able to easily see which saved restaurants were closest to us. 

Navigate on the go.

Whether you’re using your map loosely for ideas or for a structured itinerary, you can pull it up on your phone anytime and get directions to your next location. 

Not sure what you want to do today, or want to see what the closest restaurant from your list is for dinner? Pop into your custom map to jog your memory from the notes you made or to get directions to your next location.

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How to Use Google My Maps to Plan a Trip

How to create a new custom map.

Go to Google My Maps from your desktop browser . Check the Google icon in the top right corner to make sure you’re using the Google account you want to. Click “Create A New Map” and a window will open with a blank map. To give your map a name and description , click the map name (“Untitled Map”).

Google My Maps Create New Map

You can also change the color and style of the base map if desired. At the bottom of the layer panel on the left, click the arrow next to “Base Map.” You’ll get a window with nine options, including terrain, light political (a very light version of the standard Google Maps), satellite, and some different colored versions. Note that changing the base map style on desktop won’t change anything when viewing on mobile in Google Maps.

How to Add and Edit Layers

When you create a new map, the first layer will already be created, so you’ll probably want to rename it. To give your first layer a title , click directly on the title name like you did with the map name, or click the 3 dots next to “Untitled Layer” and then click “Rename Layer.” Clicking these 3 dots next to a layer title is also how you can delete a layer if you add one accidentally or change your mind. In this example, I’m changing my first layer to “dining” and will add all restaurants to this layer.

You can use layers any way you want to, or simply stick to one layer if you don’t need multiple. To add new layers , simply click “Add Layer” in the gray section below the map title and description.

To move a pin between layers , click the pin on the layer and hold down the mouse, and then drag it to the desired layer.

Google My Maps Create New Map

How to Add Location Pins

There are various ways to add location pins to a layer. First, make sure the correct layer is chosen by clicking anywhere in the white area on the layer. You’ll see which layer is selected by looking for the blue bar on the left of the layer.

  • In the map search bar, type either a place name or an address. Click “Add to Map” to add a pin for this location . This is how I add most pins.
  • If you don’t need an exact location or don’t have an address , you can click the pin marker button below the map search bar (“Add Marker”). It will turn your mouse into a T and you can click anywhere on the map to add a blank pin. You’ll immediately be prompted to add the pin title and description.
  • If you’re dealing with very remote locations (or you just like geeky map stuff), you can also use latitude and longitude coordinates in the search bar.

To delete a pin , simply click on it and click the trash icon.

Google My Maps selected layer

A few tips and best practices for adding pins:

  • If the place you’re searching for does not have a listing on Google, you’ll have to use an address. One thing to note is that sometimes Google Maps listings aren’t correct or don’t take you to the right place, so you may want to double check the location if you’re not using a street address to add the pin (especially if it’s a small business without a website).
  • I have also found that hiking trail heads are frequently on Google Maps, but they’re not always correct in terms of navigating there by car. I usually add them to my map to get a basic idea of where they are while planning, but I use a paper map or atlas to find them while traveling.

How to Customize Location Pins

To change the title and add notes to your listing, click on the pin on the map, and then click the pencil icon (“Edit”).

To change the color and icon of the pin , click the paint bucket icon (from the pin itself or directly in the layer). Click “More Icons” to view all the icon options. You can color code by type of activity, by layer, or any way that makes sense to you.

To add photos or videos to a pin , click on the pin on the map, and then click the camera icon (“Add Image or Video”). This is another way to make your map interactive, especially after you’ve visited a location and want to share it with others.

Google My Maps Change Title & Notes

How to Add A Directions Layer

I find that directions layers are helpful for showing the route of a walking tour, bike path, or road trip you want to take, but I don’t find them useful for directions while traveling since I can simply use the maps app to navigate. 

I use directions layers whenever I want to show an entire route on a map , rather than a specific location. Think of this as the 2024 version of mapping out a trip with AAA paper maps and a highlighter (if you’re old enough to remember).

Click the arrow icon underneath the search bar, which will create a new directions layer. On the legend, click “Driving” if you want to change this to walking or biking directions. Add a location name or address to Points A and B in the legend. If you find that the pins are not exactly where they should be, you can drag the points on the map.

Continue adding points by clicking “Add Destination” on the map. You can either type the information into the legend or hover your mouse to a spot on the map and double click it. (This is especially useful if you’re tracing a route on something like a bike path or hiking trail that won’t have an address.)

Rearrange the order by dragging the items around in the legend. Just like altering directions on Google Maps navigation, you can click on part of the route and drag it to a different road if you want to change part of the route after it is complete.

If you need to access the directions so you can see the distance of your route or the time it will take, click the three dots on the layer and click “Step-by-Step Directions.” Note that you can’t actually use this to get turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.

Google My Maps Add Directions

How to Share A Google My Map

There are several options for sharing your Google Maps trip plan.

Open up your map, then click the share button in the gray bar above your layers. To allow others to view your map (which includes embedding on your website), click “change” under the section “Who has access.” For embedding, you will need to make this setting public.

Otherwise, if you want to allow others to edit your map, add their email address in the “invite people” section.

Google My Maps Trip Planner - Sharing a Map

How to View Your Custom Map in Google Maps (iPhone or Android)

Open Google Maps and go to the Saved icon at the bottom. Scroll to the bottom of this screen and click “Maps.” Choose the My Map you want to view. The layers with your custom icons will now be visible on your Google Map. You can click on any pin to view your details (such as description or photos), as well as to navigate there. 

To close a map, click on a pin and then click “View Map Legend.” There, you can click the Close icon.

From the Map Legend, you can also toggle layers on and off, and then backing out to the main map (don’t click Close—just the back arrow or back button).

How to Navigate with a Custom My Map (iPhone or Android)

To navigate to one of your pins, open your map, find the pin for where you want to go, click it, and then click “directions.” When you do this, you won’t see your custom map anymore but will be looking at the regular navigation of Google Maps.

You can’t use a My Maps “directions layer” for navigation. If you’re looking for that functionality, I recommend just creating a route in Google Maps and sending it to your phone (or sharing with others). See here for more details. 

How to Import Locations from Google Sheets, CSV, or Excel

Importing locations to a My Maps layer can be helpful in a few scenarios:

  • You have a significant amount of locations to add to your layer
  • Your data is already in the form of a spreadsheet
  • You want additional fields included besides the default Name and Description
  • You want to create groupings of pins (for example, a list of 50 restaurants could have a column for “Cuisine,” which will give you the option to group and style the pins by cuisine)

The process is simple, and you can import a variety of file types, including CSV, Excel (XLSX), or directly from Google Sheets. There are also special file formats that import map data from other programs, but this section is focused on spreadsheet-type files that you create and format.

Create a spreadsheet with the desired column headers. At a minimum, you need place names and either addresses or latitude-longitude information . 

If you want to group your pins by some type of categorization, you should include that as a column. Other columns you could include: website, phone number, description, or notes. While Google Sheets allows you to include photos in a cell, Google My Maps will not import photos in this way (it will include the column as a field, but will be blank). 

Once your spreadsheet file is ready, click “Import” on a blank layer (if your map already has layers, you will need to add a new layer to see this option). If uploading a CSV or XLSX, do this from the Upload tab. If using a Google Sheet, click the Google Drive tab and choose your file. 

Choose which column has location data (address or latitude-longitude) and click “Continue.” Choose the location name column next and click “Finish.” 

To change the icons individually, click “Uniform Style” next to the paintbrush on your layer. Under “Group Places By,” choose “Individual Styles.”

To change styles by a category column (such as Cuisine), click the link next to the paintbrush and choose to group places by the desired column. You can then give each category its own color or icon.

You can manually add new pins to this layer, and they will include all the fields you imported from the spreadsheet columns. 

You can also add more items to your spreadsheet, and import this new data. Click the three dots on your layer. Under “Reimport and Merge,” click “Add More Items” and choose your file. It will add the new rows to your layer.

How to Import a Route from Google Maps Timeline History (KML) or GPS Data From a Fitness App (GPX)

Google My Maps can import routes and locations you’ve already traveled to via special file types that are very easy to download from certain apps. This could be useful if you want to share a walking, biking, or driving route that you’ve taken without having to recreate it on a directions layer. 

Note that this only works as well as the GPS satellites were able to track your location while you were traveling.

If there are a lot of clouds, dense forest, buildings, or anything else blocking the GPS signal, your tracked route will be much less precise. I’ve noticed that Google Maps sometimes has my route showing somewhere I couldn’t have walked or driven. 

If you have your location history turned on in Google Maps, you can download a KML file from a trip, which will include the route traveled and location pins for any stops. Sometimes it misses a location name or adds a pin in the wrong place, but overall it’s pretty good.

Go to your Google Maps Timeline and locate the day you want to export. Click on it, and you should now see your route highlighted along with any stops you made. Now click the gear icon on the bottom of your map, and click “Export this day to KML.” Go to your My Map and on a new layer, click “Import.” Choose the KML file you just downloaded. You can now edit each portion as needed—changing the color and thickness of the route line, changing the location icons, as well as adjusting the route where desired.

If you have other apps that track your location, such as fitness apps, you may be able to download a GPX file that shows the route you took. The instructions for doing this will vary from app to app, but I was able to easily find it in Samsung Health by looking at the detail of a particular workout/walk and clicking the three dots to download a GPX. The import process to Google My Maps is the same as above.

With both methods, you can make adjustments to points/stops along the way or even add more pins. With the Google Maps KML file, you can also adjust your route by moving the small white dots.

Google My Maps Tutorial

Here’s a walk through video to show you how to use Google Maps to plan a trip, along with several of my own Google My Maps itinerary examples. Coming soon: a 2024 update!

Google My Maps Examples

Here are a few more examples of My Maps I’ve created for sharing recommendations, trip ideas, and actual vacation planning.

Screen shot of desktop view of a custom My Map for Hawai'i

Google My Maps FAQs and Tips

As great as Google My Maps is for planning a trip, there are some limitations to using it. Lots of questions have also come up about more specific uses and ways to use its features. Thanks to all the readers who have asked or shared tips in the comments as I’m always looking to make this a more robust guide. I’ve organized the questions and tips here since it makes it easier than scrolling through the comments.

How many layers can you add to a map?

Google My Maps limits you to 10 layers. If you are planning a longer road trip and want to create a layer for each day, this limitation may prove frustrating. 

Here are a couple of workaround ideas: You can create 2 maps, and have the entire master route as 1 layer on each (showing the very basic route for all 12 days—say from city to city) as a reference. Then build individual layers for each day. As a second option, you could add multiple days to 1 layer and change the titles to start with the day they correspond to (so it would be “1 – Name of Place” instead of just “Name of Place.”) However, this option may not be ideal since you can’t see the titles until you click when you’re on the phone.

How many location pins can you add to each layer?

You can add up to 2,000 pins per layer, and the entire map cannot exceed 10,000 lines, shapes, or places total. I haven’t tested the limits, and it’s possible adding this amount of items could slow things down. My guess is that most travelers wouldn’t need anything so large, but it is possible according to Google . 

Are custom Google My Maps available offline?

No, but keep reading for a workaround and alternative. 

One of the biggest complaints about Google My Maps is that you can’t download your custom map and pins to use offline, unlike the rest of Google Maps. 

However, I have been able to use it in areas with spotty reception. I pulled the map up when I did have reception, and I left it running in the background. It would stay loaded in the app and I was able to pull it up to look at it later when I was out of reception. I’m not sure I would rely on this as a surefire workaround, but it can work in a pinch.

Another alternative, especially if you’ll be traveling in another country where you’ll be completely offline, is to use Google Maps Lists, which can be edited from desktop or your phone but don’t offer the option for separate layers, unique icons, or adding photos. 

Is there an app for Google My Maps?

There is no separate Google My Maps app, but you can view your maps within Google Maps. Just make sure you’re signed into the same account, and all your maps will sync. 

(There used to be a dedicated My Maps app on Android, but this was deprecated in 2021.)

Can you create or edit maps from your phone?

No, the maps cannot be edited from the Google Maps app. Google My Maps can only be created or edited from the desktop version of the site. This is another huge advantage Google Lists has over Google My Maps because Lists allow you to add new places or entire lists from any device—iPhone, Android, tablet, laptop, or desktop.

Is there a bridge height filter?

No. For RVers and others who need to plan ahead for height limitations, there is no bridge height filter available in Google Maps. Since I haven’t had to use this feature myself, I am not confident in an alternative to recommend. However, from a bit of digging around, there are some apps and GPS units for truckers that may be a good place to start looking if you have an oversize vehicle.

What is the difference between Google Maps Lists and Google My Maps?

They both allow you to create custom maps with pins, but there are some key differences, such as offline access, layer capabilities, customizable pins, and creating/editing within the app. Check out the details on how Google My Maps compares to Lists (including a features comparison table).

How many stops can you add on a directions layer?

You can only add 10 stops per directions layer. This is also the maximum number of stops you can add for navigation in Google Maps. As some readers have pointed out, this can be limiting when you want to use this feature for a long road trip.

Can you use the directions layers on your phone for navigation purposes?

No, you cannot create a directions layer and then access those turn-by-turn directions for navigation in the Google Maps app. 

So…are directions layers totally useless? What’s the point of having a Driving Directions layer in My Maps?

Personally, I still like to use these layers, but only to show a route for my very visual brain, rather than to actually create custom directions. 

Can you send a custom created route (layer) to someone else so that the other person will take that specific driving route on google maps?

No, you can’t do this from My Maps, but there’s a workaround I can suggest.

Forget My Maps, and use Google Maps from desktop or mobile to plot a route. You can add up to 10 stops, and then you will be able to share your custom directions. 

From desktop, there’s an extra step in first sending the directions to your phone. If you’ve created the directions in the mobile app or once you have them pulled up there, you can share them with anyone by clicking the 3 dots next to your list of locations (sharing must be done before clicking “Start”—if you’re already in the navigation, you need to back out of it to share). When you share, it will list all the steps as well as send a link for the other person to open the directions in Google Maps directly. 

An important caveat to sharing custom routes: Google Maps will reroute the directions as it normally does according to current traffic at the time of driving, so this method cannot be relied upon if you’ve mapped a specific route for bridge clearances. As a workaround, you can add “stops” on the desired interstate (zoom in and add this literally on the road itself so navigation doesn’t try to take you off an exit), which will force Google Maps to take the driver that way. This is what I do when driving south from Connecticut to PA because Google Maps always wants me to take its beloved George Washington Bridge and I always don’t want to. I add a stop to force my route across the Tappan Zee Bridge. However, I’m not sure I would rely on this workaround as a sole method for RVs or truckers.

Can you see how much time the directions will take?

Yes, on desktop you can view the details if you want to know the distance or how long a route will take. To view distance and time for a directions layer, click the 3 dots on the laye, then click Step-by-Step Directions. 

Of course, this doesn’t really help when you want to get this information on your phone or use the directions for navigation. As mentioned elsewhere, the “directions” layer functions best as a way to visualize a route. If you need turn-by-turn directions, see the steps mentioned above to save and send directions in Google Maps. 

This post was originally published on July 27, 2017 and has been updated in May 2023.

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How to get ready for a road trip using Google’s travel site and Maps

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Due to the pandemic, travel has been slow this past year, and you might be a little rusty when it comes to picking up and traveling somewhere to visit friends and family or just planning a getaway. Whatever the case, Google has a few helpful tools in Google Maps and Google’s travel site to help you get started on making those plans and staying safe along the way.

Table of contents

Getting started with google’s travel website, using google map’s road trip feature, planning a trip around covid-19 restrictions.

Google’s travel website is meant to be a companion site that can help you plan all of the details of your trip. You can use it to book flights, make an itinerary, and even explore interesting places to visit at your destination. If you have a Gmail account , there’s a good chance that any flight reservation you make will automatically appear the next time you use Google’s travel site, making it that much easier to plan the trip’s details. If not, Google Travel may suggest locations based on your search history and interests. While that may be a little creepy, it can also be pretty helpful.

If no destination has been chosen yet, Google will suggest locations in the “Explore” tab. You can filter these locations based on flight and hotel cost, giving you a pretty good idea of where a nice place to go would be. After choosing a destination, Google gives you a few options as far as what you’d want to know. There’s a “Discover” section that will break down various points of interest. In bigger cities, you may find the number of things to do or see endless. Fortunately, you can filter out locations and activities based on your personal interest.

If there are a few places that pique your curiosity, or you already know you want to go there, Google allows you to save them to the trip and pin them to the trip’s detail page. This serves as a sort of to-do list when you get where you’re going.

Google Travel bookmarks

If you don’t plan on flying and want to avoid certain COVID-19 hotspots, Google Maps is probably the way to go. Just this year, Google added a feature to the Maps website that allows you to add stops along the route when planning the trip. Previously this was possible on mobile, but it didn’t lend itself well to planning out a road trip to be shared with friends and family. Adding stops along the way with Google Maps on mobile was best for impromptu stops.

Once you’ve defined a starting point and destination, you can add stops along the way. You can add anything from a city to rest stops and gas stations. You can do this by either manually entering a stop you already know you would like to pause at, or by choosing one of the criteria towards the top of the screen. Google Maps lets you narrow down your search by these criteria:

When selecting from one of these criteria, Google will also suggest a few filters. For instance, choosing hotels will bring up a “Guest rating” filter, as well as an “Amenities” filter, so you make sure that you’re getting free wifi. Of course, if none of these fit the bill, you can always just search for what you want. The nice thing is that these suggestions can add a little flare to the trip by suggesting something you would have never thought about, making the road trip that much more exciting.

Once you find a point of interest, hit add stop , and Google Maps will automatically insert it in the right spot on the planned route. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a way to define how much time you plan on spending at that stop, so the trip time might have to be calculated manually. Besides that, Google Maps has become a handy road trip planner with enough tools to get you where you’re going and let you have some fun along the way.

google travel maps route

The major caveat to traveling right now is the looming risk of COVID-19. Fortunately, the travel website by Google and Maps both supply some great tools for managing risk and assessing where you plan to go.

On the travel website, you can find up-to-date COVID-19 information for your destination pretty easily. You can access this information by searching for and clicking on the destination . Under the main card that lists the date of your trip, area name, and weather, there will be a COVID information section. This section has useful information like the CDC’s travel advisory website, COVID-19 stats for that specific area, and the number of local cases.

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Clicking on the “Travel advisory” button brings you to the CDC’s COVID-19 map. This map is a risk assessment of most destinations in the world, color-coded depending on how risky it is to travel there. The second button will search Google for COVID-19 information on the location you’re traveling to, detailing data like news, statistics, and testing locations. The “Local cases” button will show even more detailed information about active cases, vaccines administered, and deaths in the area. All of this is fantastic information to have when traveling and comes in handy when planning your trip.

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How to Create a Custom Route on Google Maps

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What to Know

  • Desktop: Open Google My Maps > Add directions > Transportation mode > Departure point > Destination point . Click and drag route line to customize route.
  • Add a marker to map : Open Google My Maps and click Add layer > Add marker > click location and select Save .
  • Android and iOS (view only): In the Google Maps app, tap Saved > Maps . Select the saved custom route you'd like to view.

With the Google My Maps tool, you can build custom routes for any upcoming trip. This lets you plan the route exactly how you want, and you can even share your custom routes with others.

You can only create custom routes with My Maps from a desktop browser. However, you can view the routes you’ve made on both Android and iOS devices.

How Do I Create a Custom Route in Google Maps?

Creating a custom route in Google Maps is a two-step process. First, you'll need to create a new map in My Maps and add a custom route. Below, you'll find instructions for both tasks:

Navigate to Google Maps and make sure you’re signed in to your Google Account.

Click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top-left corner.

Select Your places from the drop-down menu.

Select Maps in the top row and then click Create Map . Your custom map will open in a new window.

Click Untitled Map in the top-left to enter a name and description for your map.

Click Save to confirm.

One downside to My Maps is it doesn’t let you navigate your custom route in real-time in Google Maps. Instead, it’s more valuable as an offline map tool you can use as a reference while navigating to your destination.

Customize Your Route on Google Maps

Now that you have your map, it’s time to plan a route.

To begin, select Add directions under the search bar. This will create a new directions layer in the menu located on the left side of the screen.

You can add up to 10 layers on a custom map. Having additional layers is useful if you want to create multiple custom routes for a single trip.

Select your transportation mode by clicking the Driving icon under the new map layer.

Google’s custom routes do not support transit. You can only select driving, cycling, or walking.

Enter your departure point in the A text box.

Enter your destination point in the B text box.

You can add multiple stops along your route in Google Maps , up to a maximum of 10.

Google will automatically plot a route. Then, to customize it, click and drag the destination line to the desired point.

Your custom route will be saved to your Google Drive automatically.

How to Access Custom Routes on Mobile

Once you’ve finished a custom route, you’ll be able to access it on the go with your mobile device. While you won't be able to edit your maps, you can still view custom routes on any Android or iOS device using Google Maps.

The screenshots below were taken on an iPhone, but the process is identical on Android.

Open the Google Maps app.

Tap the Saved icon from the menu at the bottom of the screen.

Open the map you’d like to view. You should see your custom route displayed.

Can You Draw a Route on Google Maps?

In addition to directions, you can add markers, lines, and shapes to your custom route in My Maps. 

Add a Marker

If you want to plan stops along your route, you can use a custom marker to indicate those points.

Click Add layer .

Click the Add marker icon under the search bar.

Click the location you’d like to pin. Enter a name for the pin and click Save .

The location will now be pinned to your map. From here, you’ll be able to:

  • Change the font color.
  • Change the pin icon.
  • Edit location name.
  • Add a photo or video to make the location more visible on your map.
  • Add directions to the location.

Add a Line or Shape (Desktop)

You can use lines and shapes to fine-tune the route you're creating on Google Maps. Here's how to add them.

Click Draw a line under the search bar.

Select Add line or shape .

You can also choose to draw a driving, cycling, or walking route with this tool. This is useful if you want to fine-tune your route, but the Add directions tool is more intuitive for plotting an A to B route.

Click the location on your map where you’d like your line or shape to start.

Drag the cursor to another point and click to pin a line. Once you’re finished, double-click to confirm line or shape placement.

Your line or shape will now appear in your map legend on the left-side of the screen. From here, you can edit the color and width, change the name, add a photo or video, or delete.

After adding a starting point and a destination, select Add Destination on the left, below the destinations. Next, enter the destination for the next stop and repeat for all the stops you need to add. Finally, select a route to get the directions.

After you create a custom route, you can send it to someone by selecting the Share button. Google Maps will provide a link that you can copy and send to others. In addition, you can select Let others search for and find this map on the internet if you wish to share it publicly.

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How-To Geek

How to save a route on google maps.

Get directions to your favorite places with fewer taps!

Quick Links

What to know when saving routes in google maps, save a route in google maps on iphone, ipad, and android, save a route to your home screen on android, key takeaways.

  • On your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, open the Google Maps app and tap the directions icon to save your favorite routes. Type in the source and target locations, choose your preferred way of transportation, and tap the "Pin" option at the bottom to add the route to your pinned routes list.
  • You can only save driving and public transport routes, and customize the source location for public transport routes.
  • Easily remove a pinned route by tapping "Pinned" on the directions page. On Android, you can also add a shortcut for a route to your home screen, making it even more convenient to access your favorite route in Google Maps.

By saving a route on Google Maps, you can quickly get directions to your specified destination. You can save routes on your iPhone, iPad, and Android phones, and we'll show you how.

In this guide, we will use the "pin" option to save your route as a pinned item, since it is the most convenient and universal way to save a route.

When saving routes, know that you can only save driving and public transport routes . If you save a driving route, your source location will always be your current location regardless of what you used when you saved the route. For public transport routes, though, you can customize the source location.

On your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, use the Google Maps app to save your favorite routes to your favorite places .

To start, open the Google Maps app on your phone. In the app, on the right side, tap the directions icon.

Tap the directions icon in Google Maps.

At the top of the Maps screen, type both source and target locations for which you want to get directions. Then choose your preferred way to get to your destination (driving or public transport).

Find directions in Google Maps.

On the same page, at the bottom, tap the "Pin" option. This adds your current route to your pinned routes list.

Tap

To view your pinned routes, including the one you just saved, open Google Maps and tap "Go" at the bottom.

Open the

In the "Go" tab, you will see all your pinned routes. Tap a route to open the actual directions.

View pinned routes in Google Maps.

Removing a pinned route is equally easy. To do so, on the directions page, tap "Pinned" at the bottom. This removes the selected route from the pinned routes list.

Tap

And that's how you get directions to your favorite places without manually tapping many buttons. Very useful!

On Android, you can add a shortcut for a route to your home screen . Then, when you tap this shortcut, your route will directly open in Google Maps.

To do so, open Google Maps and search for the directions you want to save.

On the directions screen, in the top-right corner, tap the three dots.

Tap the three dots in the top-right corner of Google Maps.

In the three-dots menu, tap "Add Route to Home Screen."

Select

In the "Add to Home Screen" box, either drag the widget and place it on one of your home screens, or tap "Add Automatically" to add the widget to a vacant place on your home screen.

Add the route shortcut to the Android home screen.

And you are now a tap away from accessing your favorite route in Google Maps. Enjoy!

In addition to routes, you can save your favorite places as well on Google Maps. If you'd like to protect your travel privacy, it's easy to delete your Google Maps movement and search history too.

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Get directions and show routes

You can get directions for driving, public transport, walking, ride sharing, cycling, flights or motorcycling on Google Maps. If there are multiple routes, the best route to your destination is blue, all other routes are grey. Some directions in Google Maps are in development and may have limited availability. 

Important: Stay alert when you use directions on Google Maps. Always be aware of your surroundings to ensure the safety of yourself and others. When in doubt, follow actual traffic regulations and confirm signage from the road or path that you’re on.

  • On your computer, open Google Maps .

Directions

  • Click points on the map, type an address or add a place name.
  • Choose your mode of transportation.

Tip: To choose another route in any transportation mode, select it on the map. Each route shows the estimated travel time on the map.

Google Maps transportation modes

You can get directions for different modes of transportation in Google Maps. Learn about the differences in features and availability between each mode:

Driving

  • If you want to change a driving route, click and hold a spot on the route and drag it to a new spot on the map.

Public transport

  • Not all cities have public transport directions in Google Maps. Before you can get public transport directions, your local transport operator needs to add their route info to Google Maps.

Walking

  • If you want directions in an area with ride or taxi services, you can compare ride services with public transport and walking directions. Find out how to request a ride .

Cycling

  • Directions to multiple destinations, or waypoints, aren’t available for public transport or flight searches.
  • Learn more about how to search for flights .

Two-wheeler

  • Learn how to get directions for motorcycles .

Add multiple destinations

You can get directions to multiple destinations for all modes of transportation except public transport or flight.

  • Add a starting point and a destination.

Add

  • You can add up to nine stops.
  • Click on a route to get the directions.

Tip : You can search for places along your route.

To change the order of your stops: 

  • Find the destination that you want to move. 
  • Drag the destination.

Preview directions in Street View

  • On your computer, under the route you want, click Details.

Expand

  • Point to a step in the directions. If Street View is available, you get a preview photo.
  • To get Street View for other steps in the route, in the bottom-left box, click Previous step or Next step.

Close

Customise your route

  • Choose Options .
  • Tick the box next to 'Tolls' or 'Motorways'.
  • Get directions.
  • After you get your directions, click Leave now .
  • To change your travel dates or times, select Depart at or Arrive by .

When you enter a destination in Google Maps, we show you how to get there using different travel modes, like driving, cycling or walking. 

Sometimes, the transport options that we show you are ranked according to a combination of objective factors designed to help you find relevant and useful information. These factors can include duration, distance, price, your mode preference or the relevance of a mode to your query. Generally, the most important factors are your mode preference, trip durations and sometimes price.

Where available, we also show you other mobility services like public transport, scooter or bicycle rentals and vehicle ride services. These mobility services are provided by third parties who have made their transport data publicly available or who have a partner agreement with us. Any partnerships or business relationships that we may have with any transport service providers do not influence the ranking of these services.

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How to draw a route on Google Maps to create custom directions or plan a trip

  • To create a route in Google Maps, open "Your places" and then choose "Create Map" in the "Maps" tab.
  • To draw a route, click "Add directions," choose transportation mode, and enter start and end points.
  • You can draw lines and shapes on maps by clicking "Draw a line" and selecting "Add line or shape."

Google Maps may be best known for its ability to deliver turn-by-turn directions, but it has another useful purpose: You can use it to create maps on which you can draw routes, lines, and shapes. 

You can then save those maps or share them with others. It's a handy way to pre-plan a trip or share driving directions with someone without needing an internet connection.

How to draw a custom route on Google Maps on Windows or macOS

Google Maps includes the tools you need to draw a route on a map and save it for future reference — you can open it anytime you want to or share a link with others.

1. Open Google Maps in a browser and make sure you are signed into your Google account.

2. Click the horizontal lines in the top left corner and then, in the menu, click Your places .

3. Click the Maps tab at the top of the page. You should now see any maps you've already saved. If you've never used Your Places before, this list may be empty.

4. At the bottom of the page, click Create Map .

5. On the Untitled map page, you can now choose the kind of map you want to put the route on top of. Click the dropdown arrow to the left of Base map and choose the map style you prefer.

6. Under the search field at the top of the page, click Add directions (the button looks like a Y-shaped road). You should now see an Untitled layer with fields to enter driving destinations.

7. By default, you'll get driving directions. If you are using a different mode of transportation, such as cycling or walking, click the car-shaped icon and choose how you're going to travel through the route; then click the X to close the flyout window.

8. Click in the A field and enter an address or location name, and choose it when you see it appear in the search results.

9. Repeat that process to select a location for B .

10. If you want to add additional waypoints or destinations, click Add destination and continue to add new places.

11. When you're done, click Untitled map at the top of the page and give it a name.

How to add a custom route on a separate layer on Google Maps desktop 

You can add more than one custom route on the map you have created, and it will be on a separate layer.

1. After completing the steps in the previous section, click Add directions to create another route – it will be added on a separate layer.

2. Click the car-shaped icon , choose the transportation mode for that route, then click the X button to close the flyout window.

3. Enter directions for the start point in the text box next to A – like you did in the previous section.

4. Enter the directions for the end point in the text box next to B .

5. If you want to name the layers to make them easily distinguishable, click the Untitled layer heading and give it a name.

How to draw a line or shape on Google Maps desktop 

Google Maps has a couple of simple drawing tools you can use to customize a map that you've saved to Your places. Here's how to draw a line or a shape (like a square, triangle or polygon) on a map:

2. Click the three horizontal lines menu in the top left corner and then, in the menu, click Your places .

3. Click the Maps tab at the top of the page.

4. Open an existing map or click Create Map at the bottom of the page to create a new one.

5. Under the search field at the top of the page, click Draw a line (the button looks like three lines and three dots). Click Add line or shape in the dropdown menu.

6. Click the map where you want the shape to begin. Then:

To make a single straight line, drag the mouse to create the line and double-click where you want the line to end.

  • To make a line with multiple intermediate points, make a series of single clicks wherever you want the line to go, and double-click the last point to end the line.
  • To make a polygon (any shape with three or more sides), click on the map in each place you want to put a corner. To close the shape, double-click on the starting point.

7. Name the line or shape in the dialog box and click Save .

You can edit the shape after you create it. Position the mouse pointer over the line or shape — when it changes from an open hand (which you can use to drag the map around) to a closed hand with a pointing finger, click. You'll then see the edit window. Use the tools in the lower-right corner to change the color, rename the shape, and upload an image to associate with the shape.

How to draw a line or shape on Google Maps on a mobile device

It's easiest to draw lines and shapes on maps in a browser on your PC or Mac, but if you need to work on a mobile device, you can use Google's My Maps, a web app that you can access from both Android and iOS.

1. Open My Maps in a browser on your mobile device.

2. If necessary, tap Get Started .

3. You can select an existing map to edit it or tap the plus icon in the bottom right corner to create a new map.

4. Under the search field at the top of the page, tap Draw a line (the button looks like three lines and three dots). Tap Add line or shape in the dropdown menu. Then follow the directions in the previous section to add and edit lines and shapes on your map.

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The feature enables Maps users to track their journey via the lock screen, or in the app via the route overview provided before hitting “start.” It’s now rolling out widely to both iOS and Android devices over a year since Google first announced it , according to Android Police .

The toggle to enable glanceable directions is located under Navigation settings, within the main Google Maps Settings menu.

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Google Maps update makes it way easier to follow directions on Android and iOS

Quiet Maps update finally gives us glanceable directions

Two phones on a yellow background showing the glanceable directions in Google Maps

  • Google Maps is rolling out glanceable directions on Android and iOS
  • The feature shows you navigation updates on your lock screen
  • You need to turn the feature on within the app's settings

Following its announcement over a year ago on February 8 2023, and a delay to its planned launch in June 2023 , Google Maps has finally been updated with glanceable directions on both iOS and Android.

This Google Maps feature allows you to track your progress to your destination from the route overview – without you needing to press the start navigation button. As you travel, your position and ETA on the map will be updated to account for your travel speed and if you take an alternative route.

Best of all, Google has said some of this navigation data will appear on your lock screen so you don’t need to waste time unlocking your phone and opening the Google Maps app to see where you should head next.

Despite being a fairly nifty travel upgrade Google has for some reason decided to silently roll out this feature (it was first spotted by Android Police ). The rollout is already pretty widespread – we have it on our iOS devices, and we're seeing users from various regions reporting that it's available on both Android and iOS.

Even if you don’t see any changes to your app, you can probably already turn this tool on – or simply update the app on Android or iOS and follow the instructions below on where to find it.

How to turn on Google Maps’ glanceable Directions 

To turn on glanceable directions you’ll need to open up the Google Maps app and tap on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen. This opens up a menu, you’ll want to then tap on Settings and scroll down a little to find Navigation Settings .

In this final menu scroll down again until you see a subheading for ‘Glanceable direction while navigating’ – it’s sandwiched between ‘Map display’ and ‘Driving options’. 

Turn this toggle on and you’ll turn on the new glanceable directions feature, though a little disclaimer notes that some of your navigation data will be collected to “improve maps for everyone.” There’s a ‘Learn more’ button you can tap to find out what this means for your data.

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10 Google Maps features that help me navigate more confidently

Jul 25, 2023

Get from A to B a bit more easily (and on time).

An illustration of Google Maps with several features represented, including reviews, saved places, location sharing, and eco-friendly routing.

Before Google Maps came along, I got lost while driving more than I’d like to admit. But after many years as a daily Google Maps user — from the early days of printing off maps from my desktop computer to today, with Google Maps as my trusty sidekick anywhere I walk or drive — I no longer worry about getting from A to B.

I’ve also come to appreciate all that Google Maps has to offer beyond just getting me where I need to go. You can discover new places, read reviews and check out menus before you make a stop. You can also check things like air quality and if a place is wheelchair accessible. And with Immersive View , you can actually experience a new place virtually as if you’re really there, thanks to AI and computer vision, and soon, you’ll be able to use this same technology to visualize your entire route . In the meantime, there are already a bunch of helpful Maps tools you can use to make life a little easier. Here are 10 Google Maps features to try on your phone next time you’re ready to get out and about.

1. Navigate an unfamiliar area more easily on foot

Finding your way around a new place on foot can be intimidating. We created Live View walking directions to keep you pointed in the right direction.

To use Live View, just search for a destination in Maps and tap “Directions.” Above the map in the travel mode toolbar, select the icon indicating walking and in the bottom center, tap “Live View.” Follow the on-screen instructions to help Maps find your location, and once it knows where you are, you’ll get directions through the camera view on your screen. Your phone will even vibrate when it’s time to make a turn or you’ve reached your destination. You can even use Live View to navigate tricky places indoors , like airports, train stations, and malls – or to explore an unfamiliar area, just by lifting your phone.

“This was one of the most technically complex features to implement in Maps, since it relies on Street View imagery paired with state-of-the-art AI and augmented reality technology,” says Amanda Leicht Moore, director of Product Management for Maps. “People would always joke that they wished we could draw blue dots on the ground in front of them so they’d always know which way to go, and this gets us pretty close to that!”

2. Find fuel-efficient routes when you drive

If you search for driving directions in Maps across the U.S., Canada and Europe, you’ll have the option to see which route is most fuel efficient . Tapping the route with the leaf icon will show how much fuel (or for drivers of electric vehicles, how much energy) you’ll save by taking the eco-friendly path, and the time difference (if any) between that route and the fastest one.

“This is an easy way to make a small change that can have a big impact,” Amanda says. As of the end of 2022, eco-friendly routing is estimated to have helped prevent more than 1.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions since launch — equivalent to taking approximately 250,000 fuel-based cars off the road for a year.

3. Add multiple destinations to your directions

When you have to make a few stops on your trip, like if you’re picking up a friend and then going to a restaurant for dinner, you can add multiple destinations to your directions in Google Maps. After you search for your first destination, tap “Directions” and then select the three dots in the top right. Tap “Add stop” and search for your next destination. Repeat this process until you’ve added all your stops and then tap “Done.” Google Maps will calculate the best route between all your destinations and give you an estimated arrival time.

You can add up to nine stops to your route, change the order of stops by dragging and dropping them, remove stops and share your directions with others.

4. Download maps to use offline

If you’re driving in areas with spotty phone service, you can still get where you need to go by downloading a map to use offline. Amanda says this was one of Maps’ most requested tools. “It’s one of those features that can really help you out when you otherwise might have gotten lost because of spotty cell service,” she says.

To use this feature, select your profile picture or initial icon in the top right corner of the screen. Tap “Offline maps,” and then choose “Select your own map.” Zoom in or out on the map to select the area you’d like to have access to when offline and then tap “Download.” After that, you can use it to navigate even without an internet connection.

5. Save places you want to check out later

I’m really excited about this feature, which you can use to make lists of places you want to go. It’ll be really helpful for my upcoming family vacation!

“I use saved places all the time,” Amanda says. “Whenever I hear of a new place that I want to check out, I save it to my ‘Want to go’ list. I love that I can also see recent photos, dishes, videos and reviews of that place that other people have added.”

To get started, tap the “Saved” tab at the bottom of the Maps home screen. You can create new lists or add to the standard lists, like “Favorites” and “Want to go.” Once you create a new list, its homepage will pop up with an “Add” button you can use to find locations. Or, if you’ve already found somewhere you want to add to a list, first pull up the location in Maps. Scroll to the right through the chips, tap “Save” and select the list you’d like to add it to. You can also add notes to remind yourself of important information and share your lists, too.

6. Tweak your arrival time to avoid being late

Sometimes getting to your destination on time is really important, like if you have a doctor’s appointment or a dinner reservation. Set an “Arrive by” time in Maps when you’re planning your route to help make sure you won’t be late.

Enter your destination in the search bar and press the three dots in the top right. Then tap “Set depart or arrive time,” enter your desired time and tap “Done” in iOS or “Set” on Android. Maps will then calculate the best route to your destination and give you an estimated arrival time.

7. Read reviews and see inside your destination

Before I visit a new place I usually do a little homework, like checking out what’s on the menu at a new coffee shop or reading reviews for must-try drinks. You can do all this right from Maps. To access all these details at your fingertips, search for a place in Maps and then scroll down to see reviews, photos and videos from other Maps users.

8. Figure out the best time to visit a place

An image showing the popular times feature in Maps

When you’re in a hurry, it’s helpful to know how busy a place will be before you get there. Few things are more frustrating than having to wait in a really long line when you only have a few minutes to grab a bite.

Once you’ve searched for a place on Google Maps, when you scroll down you’ll find a chart showing popular times , which shows you how busy the place typically is during different times of day. You can even see how busy a place is right now so you can save time and avoid long lines.

9. Share your location or trip progress with family and friends

Sharing your location with someone helps them know when to expect you to arrive somewhere, but it can also be useful as a safety feature so your loved ones know where you are if needed.

To share your location, tap on your profile and select “Location sharing” to choose people who should have your real-time whereabouts. You can share your location with your Google and phone contacts, or share with a link through a messaging app. You can also set the length of time you’d like to share your location or stop sharing it at any time.

To share your progress on a specific trip, once navigation has started, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the navigation bar and tap “Share trip progress.” Select the people you’d like to share your progress with and hit “Share.” The people you’ve selected will be able to see your real-time location on the map and your estimated time of arrival. (You can only share your trip progress with people who are in your contacts.)

10. Search along your route to avoid long detours

One of the past most requested Maps features, according to Amanda, was the ability to search for something along your route. “This continues to be one of the features that people tell me is so useful, usually because they’re running low on gas and need to find a gas station ASAP,” she says.

To search along your route while making your way toward your destination, tap the search icon at the top of the Maps home screen. Either select one of the chips highlighting suggested categories or type what you’re looking for, and Google Maps will show you a list of results. You’ll also see ratings and how many minutes the stop will add to your route, so you can choose the most efficient detour. Just tap your selection, hit “Add stop” and away you go!

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7 Advanced Google Maps Features That Make It a Travel Power Tool

G oogle Maps puts live navigation at your fingertips, capable of taking you almost anywhere in the world. However, Google Maps is capable of so much more, and with these advanced features, you have one of the most powerful travel tools for planning and managing trips.

1. Check the Weather for Any Location

You can use Google Maps to check the local weather . This feature is already available for the iOS app and the web app, and it seems Google is also currently rolling it out (or, at least, testing it) for the Android app, according to Android Police .

If you're using iOS, open the Google Maps app and pinch-zoom in on a city or region. You should see a small tile below the search bar at the top of the screen, showing the current temperature and an icon representing the weather.

As you move around the Google Maps app, the tile updates to show the local weather. If the tile isn't showing for you, tap any location on the current map view and then deselect it. This should revert to the default view, including the weather tile.

If you're using the Google Maps web app, you'll need to click on a location to access weather information. This time, you'll find the weather details in the information panel next to the location name.

You can also click on the weather icon to get a more detailed forecast for the location you're looking at.

2. Check the Best Times to Visit Places

Once you've chosen a place to visit, you'll probably want to explore specific landmarks and things to do while you're there. Google Maps can help you navigate the hustle and bustle of new places by showing you how busy areas are and even the busiest times to visit landmarks, restaurants, and other locations.

As you zoom in on a city, the busiest areas are highlighted in yellow. So, if you prefer to stay outside the busiest parts of town, you can use this info to help you choose the best accommodation. Likewise, if you want to avoid the crowds, you might visit highlighted areas early in the morning.

If you click on a landmark, café, or anywhere else you want to visit, Google Maps will show the busiest times , provided the location gets enough foot traffic to provide this data. This shows you the busiest times to visit each day of the week and gives you live data, showing whether places are any less or more busy than usual.

3. Live View Walking Directions

With Live View in Google Maps, you can use the platform's Street View coverage to guide you through walking directions. To use this feature, your device must be compatible with ARKit (iOS) or ARCore (Android) toolkits for augmented reality experiences. You'll also need to be in an area with good Street View coverage.

To access Live View, follow these steps while you're outside:

  • Open Google Maps and select a location to navigate to.
  • Pull down the location page to reveal the Live View icon.
  • Tap Live View .
  • Point your phone camera at buildings and signs to orient your location.
  • Follow the red pointers until you reach your destination.

Hopefully, this goes without saying, but Live View is only designed for navigating on foot, not in moving vehicles. You can also use the feature to orient yourself and make sure you're heading in the right direction. This can save you a lot of battery (and data!) if you've got a long walk ahead of you.

4. Find the Most Fuel-Efficient Route Before Leaving

If you're renting a car on your travels, taking the most fuel-efficient routes can help you keep costs down and reduce your environmental impact. Google Maps will automatically recommend the most economical route if you have the Prefer fuel-efficient routes option enabled in settings.

  • Open Google Maps .
  • Tap your account icon at the right of the search bar.
  • Select Settings .
  • Scroll down to Navigation settings and give it a tap.
  • Scroll down to Route options .
  • Enable Prefer fuel-efficient routes .

Now, to get the most fuel-efficient route for a road trip, use the Directions feature in Google Maps as normal:

  • Enter your destination in the search bar.
  • Click Directions .
  • Enter your starting point (or select Your location ).
  • Make sure the driving icon is selected below the search bars.

Google Maps should select the most fuel-efficient route for you by default unless there's a particularly bad delay due to an accident or roadworks. You'll see the most fuel-efficient route marked with a leaf icon, and route options also include other contextual information where relevant—for example, toll roads.

5. Save a Route for Later

You can save routes for later in Google Maps , allowing you to plan trips in advance without repeating the same steps when it's time to hit the road. To save a route, all you need to do is tap the Pin button on a selected route tab. Once you've done this, the button label changes to Pinned , indicating that the route is saved for later.

You can also save routes for other transportation methods: walking, public transport, etc. This means you can plan out those routes to landmarks, interesting restaurants, and everywhere else ahead of your trip and quickly access directions when needed.

  • Open the Google Maps app.
  • Tap Go in the menu at the bottom of the screen.
  • Select the pinned route you want to access from the list.

When you select a route, you'll get updated travel information for estimated arrival times and any disruptions that might cause delays.

6. Download Maps For Overseas Travel

Google Maps is an excellent travel tool, but it's not much help if you lose internet access while on the road. Luckily, you save maps for offline use ahead of your trip, so you can still navigate without access to the internet.

To download a map for online use, follow the steps:

  • Search for a location (e.g., San Francisco).
  • Pull the location tab up into full-screen mode.
  • Tap the three-dot more icon at the top-right of the screen.
  • Select Download offline map .

You can still access driving instructions using offline maps as long as the whole route is contained within the saved map. Keep in mind that you won't get live travel information or features like alternative routes, most fuel-efficient routes, etc., while using maps offline.

7. Share Your Location to Make Solo Trips Safer

Sharing your location with someone you trust is an essential safety trip if you're traveling alone. Whether taking a solo trip overseas or hiking up a mountain, sharing your location can help authorities intervene faster if something goes wrong.

To share your real-time location in Google Maps, all you need to do is:

  • Select Location sharing .
  • Tap Share location .
  • Set the duration for sharing or select Until you turn this off .
  • Select the contact(s) you want to share your location with.

Traveling solo is a different experience, and overcoming challenges like language barriers is all part of the fun. Changes are, nothing serious will happen, but in the unlikely event that you need emergency assistance, sharing your location could save your life.

Never Get Lost or Stuck for Ideas While Traveling

Whether you're planning your next trip or you need help finding the best restaurants in a new city, Google Maps has you covered. With live data, you can select the fastest or most fuel-efficient routes for road trips and see how busy places are to avoid crowds.

You've also got the latest weather predictions to help you choose the best days to travel and avoid getting caught in the rain. Saving routes for later and downloading offline maps make life easier once you're on the move, and sharing your location can protect you and anyone you're traveling with. With Google Maps in your pocket, there's no excuse for getting lost or running out of ideas for what to do while traveling.

7 Advanced Google Maps Features That Make It a Travel Power Tool

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Google Maps Finally Rolls Out Glanceable Directions

After more than a year since announcing the feature, Google Maps is finally rolling out glanceable directions on Android and iOS (via Android Police ).

Google maps feaure

Glanceable directions also work on the app's route overview screen that appears after launching directions, before users tap the Start button. Google Maps will show directions, live ETA, and even update the route if the user takes a different path, as shown in the GIF embedded below.

Glanceable directions are off by default, but can be enabled in the app's main settings, under Navigation. In our tests on iPhone , the setting only appeared after switching Google accounts, suggesting the feature is still rolling out. However, we are still not seeing support for Live Activities in iOS, which was promised a year ago.

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StudyFlo Avatar

Maybe it’s me but I find Google Maps to be very “busy” these days. I was a die hard Google Maps fan but in the metro area I live in, Apple Maps is actually better in some cases and the map interaction is simpler. Now if Apple Maps ditched Yelp for Google Reviews then it’s game over.

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  4. How to Use Google Maps Trip Planner: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide

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COMMENTS

  1. Google Maps

    Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

  2. Get directions & show routes

    On your computer, open Google Maps. Click Directions . Click points on the map, type an address, or add a place name. Choose your mode of transportation. Tip: To choose another route in any transportation mode, select it on the map. Each route shows the estimated travel time on the map.

  3. How to Use Google Maps As a Trip Planner

    1. Open Google Maps and click, tap, or search for the location that you want to save. 2. Find the Save icon, which has the icon of a bookmark. You'll find it right under the location's name, but ...

  4. Google Maps

    About this app. Navigate your world faster and easier with Google Maps. Over 220 countries and territories mapped and hundreds of millions of businesses and places on the map. Get real-time GPS navigation, traffic, and transit info, and explore local neighborhoods by knowing where to eat, drink and go - no matter what part of the world you're in.

  5. Plan your commute or trip

    On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app . Search for a destination, or tap a place on the map. At the bottom, tap Directions. At the top, tap Driving . At the bottom, tap the white bar to display: The current traffic on your route; Typical traffic by the hour and any slowdowns on the way

  6. Plan your commute or trip

    On your computer, open Google Maps. Make sure you're signed in. On the left, choose an option: Get directions to relevant places: Click a place in the list. You'll get places based on your Gmail, Calendar, and recent travel history. Get directions to saved places: If you saved your work or home address in your Google Account, click Home or ...

  7. How to Plan a Route with Google Maps: 15 Steps (with Pictures)

    Google Maps can be useful to navigate through a new location or place. ... or other public transit, click the train icon on the toolbar. The routes on the map will slightly change to accommodate all public transit routes. For walking—If you're walking, click the pedestrian icon on the toolbar. ... and the distance you have to travel. If ...

  8. ‎Google Maps on the App Store

    Get there faster with real-time updates. • Beat traffic with real-time ETAs and traffic conditions. • Catch your bus, train, or ride-share with real-time transit info. • Save time with automatic rerouting based on live traffic, incidents, and road closure. • With Live View in Google Maps, see the way you need to go with arrows and ...

  9. An easier way to plan and organize your trips with Google

    When you're on-the-go or visiting a new place, we'll do more to highlight things to do, restaurants and more with Google Maps. For instance, last year we made it easier to find the best places to see and things to do when using Google Maps to explore a new place. Now, we'll also help you get the lay of the land when you're traveling by ...

  10. How to Make a Travel Itinerary with Google Maps: 12 Steps

    2. Create a new map through the home screen. At the top left of the "My Maps" home screen, you'll see a red box with the text "+Create a New Map.". Click on it to be redirected to a map screen. [3] 3. Give your map a descriptive name. To keep yourself organized, give your map a name to remind you what it contains.

  11. How to Use Google My Maps to Plan a Trip (Ultimate Guide)

    Go to Google My Maps from your desktop browser. Check the Google icon in the top right corner to make sure you're using the Google account you want to. Click "Create A New Map" and a window will open with a blank map. To give your map a name and description, click the map name ("Untitled Map").

  12. How to use Google's travel tools and Maps to plan a trip

    Clicking on the "Travel advisory" button brings you to the CDC's COVID-19 map. This map is a risk assessment of most destinations in the world, color-coded depending on how risky it is to ...

  13. About

    Real time traffic updates. Find the best route when driving, with real-time updates on traffic jams, accidents, road closures and speed traps. You can also keep fellow drivers in the know by reporting incidents yourself ... Wheelchair-accessible routes on Google Maps has made getting around easier for Meridtyh, Omari, Adam, and Lucy. Kolkata, India

  14. Travel

    Plan your trip with Google. Find flights, hotels, vacation rentals, things to do, and more.

  15. Trip Planner

    Trip Planner is a Google My Maps project that helps you plan your trips and share them with others. You can customize your map with markers, routes, photos, and descriptions of your destinations ...

  16. How to Create a Custom Route on Google Maps

    Click and drag route line to customize route. Add a marker to map: Open Google My Maps and click Add layer > Add marker > click location and select Save. Android and iOS (view only): In the Google Maps app, tap Saved > Maps. Select the saved custom route you'd like to view. With the Google My Maps tool, you can build custom routes for any ...

  17. How to Save a Route on Google Maps

    To do so, open Google Maps and search for the directions you want to save. On the directions screen, in the top-right corner, tap the three dots. In the three-dots menu, tap "Add Route to Home Screen." In the "Add to Home Screen" box, either drag the widget and place it on one of your home screens, or tap "Add Automatically" to add the widget ...

  18. Get directions and show routes

    On your computer, open Google Maps. Click Directions . Click points on the map, type an address or add a place name. Choose your mode of transportation. Tip: To choose another route in any transportation mode, select it on the map. Each route shows the estimated travel time on the map.

  19. How to Plot a Route on Google Maps on Desktop or Mobile

    Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images. To create a route in Google Maps, open "Your places" and then choose "Create Map" in the "Maps" tab. To draw a route, click "Add directions," choose ...

  20. Google Maps

    This map was created by a user. Learn how to create your own. Google Maps - Route planner.

  21. Multi-Stop Route Planning and Optimization Tools

    Easily enter stops on a map or by uploading a file. Save gas and time on your next trip. Route Planner. Optimize routes, save time. Line by Line Copy/Paste ... Provide up to 26 locations and Route Planner will optimize, based on your preferences, to save you time and gas money. One address per line (26 max) Add another stop.

  22. Google Maps is finally rolling out glanceable directions

    The feature enables Maps users to track their journey via the lock screen, or in the app via the route overview provided before hitting "start." It's now rolling out widely to both iOS and ...

  23. Google Maps

    Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

  24. Google Maps update makes it way easier to follow directions ...

    This Google Maps feature allows you to track your progress to your destination from the route overview - without you needing to press the start navigation button. As you travel, your position ...

  25. 10 tips to help you make the most of Google Maps

    Tap "Offline maps," and then choose "Select your own map.". Zoom in or out on the map to select the area you'd like to have access to when offline and then tap "Download.". After that, you can use it to navigate even without an internet connection. 5. Save places you want to check out later.

  26. 7 Advanced Google Maps Features That Make It a Travel Power Tool

    Download Maps For Overseas Travel . Google Maps is an excellent travel tool, but it's not much help if you lose internet access while on the road. ... most fuel-efficient routes, etc., while using ...

  27. Google Maps Finally Rolls Out Glanceable Directions

    Google first announced glanceable directions last February, and in June said the feature was rolling out that month for walking, cycling, and driving directions on Android and iOS, including ...

  28. Google Maps: A new time-saving feature is finally here

    Glanceable Directions are finally hitting Google Maps a year after the Menlo Park-based tech giant announced the feature.The feature will roll out to users on all iOS and Android devices. Google's ...

  29. Google Maps' glanceable directions are finally rolling out widely, but

    After nearly a year-long delay, Google Maps' "glanceable directions" feature is finally rolling out to Android and iOS devices worldwide. This long-awaited addition makes your navigation experience more convenient and safer by bringing vital trip information directly to your lock screen. Google ...