Whether you're traveling through a city or a state this week, this trip will go better if you let Google Maps be your co-pilot. Whether you are having trouble finding your hotel or if you need to make a dinner reservation quickly, Google's navigation app is ready to help, even when you don't have internet.
Google Maps can help you in many ways to make your trip easier: helping you navigate airports or making restaurant reservations. Check out some of the app's most useful tools for travelers below.
For more travel tipshere is the best time to buy plane tickets And how to find cheap flights.
1. Easily navigate airports and train stations
If you need to quickly find a store in a large shopping center or transit center, Google Maps offers a Directory tab for all airports, shopping malls and transit stations. This can be helpful when you're running around the airport trying to find somewhere to eat or buying a last-minute souvenir before catching your flight.
Find this tab by searching for an airport, for example, then tapping the Directory tab at the bottom to see a destination's hours of operation and what floor it's on. You can browse restaurants, stores, salons and parking lots.
2. Find out how busy a location is before you leave
To see how busy a location is, check out Google Maps Occupancy Tool. You can already search for a location, like a business, to see a graph showing a location's popularity for the time period you're searching for. A feature called Area Busyness lets you see when entire areas of the map are crowded with people, for example, or less busy than usual.
To use it, open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or your computer's browser) and move around the map to find a general area, such as the city center, a river walk, or a town picturesque nearby. Busy information will now automatically appear on the map, so you won't need to specifically search for a location to see how busy it is. Google Maps may say something like “Busy area” and when you click for details it may say something like: “As busy as possible” or “Not too busy.”
You can also search for the location you're looking for and scroll down to see busy versus non-busy hours.
3. Make a restaurant reservation without calling
Planning a dinner with a large group can be tricky, especially when you're going at a busy time. Google Maps can help you book a lunch or dinner reservation. Here's how.
1. In Maps, tap the icon Restaurants at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.
2. Select a restaurant that looks good, and in the window that appears, reserve a table or get on a waiting list, if it offers you this option (not all do).
Remember that you can use the busy function mentioned above to choose the least crowded place. Also note that some restaurants closed to dine-in may still allow delivery, curbside pickup, or outdoor seating.
4. Use Google Maps when you don't have cell signal
Are you going to a remote location where you may not have a mobile network connection? Google Maps can still give you directions when you're offline.
1. Before you leave, research Cards for where you will need directions.
2. In the location window, open the menu and swipe until you get a menu at the bottom with a More tab.
3. Faucet Download offline mapthen in the next window confirm that this is the area you want to get a map to and tap Download Again. Maps will download a map to your phone for the area you selected.
Now when you use Google Maps to get directions in the area you downloaded a map for, when you lose your cellular connection, Maps switches to the offline map to guide you. Note that because you're offline, Maps won't be able to offer real-time traffic information.
5. Find EV charging stations near you
If you take your electric vehicle shopping, dining, or on vacation, Google Maps can help you find Charging stations for electric vehicles on your route, as well as estimated wait times for a charging station. You can also filter your search by connector type, such as J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2), and Tesla, to see only stations compatible with your EV. Note that you can also search for gas stations by following these same instructions. (Here's how to save money at the pump.)
1. In Maps, scroll through the tabs at the top of the screen and tap More.
2. Scroll down to the Services section and select Charging stations.
3. Maps will show nearby – or in an area you’re looking for – charging stations and how many are available.
4. Press one charging station on the map for Maps to add it as a stop on your trip.
You can also use this tip to find other places along your route, like a coffee shop.
6. Share your location with friends and family
Is there anything more frustrating during a group activity than when the group is divided and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help you get together.
1. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the upper right corner and tap Location sharing.
2. Faucet Share location, and select who you want to share your location with and how long you want to share it for.
3. Faucet Shareand Google Maps will send your location to everyone you selected.
4. If you want to see someone else's location, tap that person's icon at the top of the window, then tap Request.
7. Creating, Sharing, and Viewing Curated Lists
How can you make sure you see all the sights during your vacation? If you create a list in Google Maps, you will be able to save future destinations and have them all available at a glance.
Just go to You and press the tab + New list button. You can give the list a name and description and choose an icon. Then, when you see a place on the map that you want to check out later, you can add it to your new list by scrolling right through the tabs and tapping the button To safeguard button. You can share this list with your travel companions and even invite them to collaborate.
To find out more, here is our traveler preparation checklist and how improve your chances of not having your flight canceled or delayed.
