How to use Google Maps for your travels this summer

Heading off on your summer vacation? Knowing Google Maps inside and out could mean the difference between getting to your hotel on time or taking a wrong exit somewhere and wasting precious time.

While Google Maps can't prevent traffic jams, it can make your trip easier in a variety of ways, from quickly navigating an airport to using the Maps app offline. Here are some of the best app features for travelers:

For more travel advice, see the best time to buy a plane ticket here, and check out the best travel credit cards and best airline credit cards here.

This story is part of 12 Days of Tips to help you get the most out of your technology, home and health this holiday season.

Use the map to navigate through the airport.

Clifford Colby/CNET

If you need to quickly find a store in a large shopping mall or transportation center, Google Maps has a directory tab for all airports, shopping malls, and transportation stations. This can be useful if you're driving around the airport looking for a place to eat or buying some last-minute souvenirs before catching your flight.

Tabs show your destination's opening hours and floors. You can explore restaurants, shops, lounges, parking, and more.

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03:06 2. Check the crowd situation of the attraction before you go

To find out how busy a place is, check out Google Maps' crowds tool. You can already search for a place like a business and see a graph that shows you how busy it is in real time. But a feature called “area crowds” lets you know when an entire area of ​​the map is crowded with people.

To use the feature, open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or in your computer's browser) and move around the map to find a general area like downtown, a riverwalk, or a quaint town nearby. Crowd information appears automatically on the map, so you don't have to search for a specific location to see how busy it is. Google Maps will say something like “Busy Area” and when you click on the details, it will say something like “Very Busy” or “Not Very Busy.”

However, you can also search for your desired location and scroll down to see busier and less busy times.

3. See all your bookings on Google Maps

In addition to helping you plan your trip, Google Maps also lets you quickly view flight, hotel, car rental and restaurant reservations, eliminating the need to search for check-in times or confirmation numbers in your email.

To see your upcoming reservations, just search for “reservations” in the Google Maps search box and you'll see a list of your reservations. Maps gets this information from your emails in Gmail. You can also select an item to see reservation details, like date and location.

4. Make a restaurant reservation without calling

Planning a large dinner out can be a hassle, especially during busy times. Google Maps can help you make lunch or dinner reservations. Here's how:

1. In Maps, tap the Restaurants button at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.

2. Choose a restaurant that looks good and in the pop-up window, book a table or join the waiting list if there is an option (not all restaurants have this option).

Remember, you can use the crowds feature we discussed above to choose the least crowded location, and even if a restaurant isn't open for dine-in dining, it may still be allowed to offer delivery, curbside pickup, or outdoor seating.

Sarah Tew/CNET 5. Use Google Maps when you don't have cell service

Heading to a remote area without mobile connectivity? Google Maps can help you get there, even when you're offline.

1. Before you head out, search Maps for the place you want directions to.

2. In the location window, display the menu at the bottom.

3. Scroll the tab to the right and tap “Download offline maps”, then tap “Download” again in the next window. Maps will download the map of the selected area to your phone.

Now, if you're using Google Maps to get directions in an area where you've downloaded maps and you lose your cellular connection, Maps will switch to the offline maps to get you there. Note that because it's offline, Maps can't provide real-time traffic information.

6. Find nearby EV charging stations

If you're heading out to the shops, dinner, or on vacation in your electric vehicle, you can use Google Maps to find EV charging stations along your route and estimated wait times for charging ports. You can also filter your search by connector type (e.g. J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2), Tesla, etc.) to see only stations that are EV compatible. You can also follow the same steps to find gas stations (learn how to save money on gas here).

1. On the Maps screen, scroll through the tabs at the top of the screen and tap “More.”

2. Scroll down to the “Services” section and select “Electric Vehicle Charging.”

3. The map will show you nearby charging stations and their number.

4. Tap a charging station on the map and Maps will add it as a stop on your trip.

You can also use this trick to find other places along your route, like coffee shops.

7. Share your location with friends and family

What's more frustrating than when your group gets separated during a group activity and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help you get everyone back together.

1. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the top right corner[現在地の共有]Tap.

2. Tap Share Location and choose who you want to share your location with and for how long.

3. Tap Share to send your location from Google Maps to all users you selected.

4. If you want to see someone else's location, tap the person's icon at the top of the window and tap Request.

8. Create, share, and view curated lists

How do you see all the sights while on vacation? Creating a list in Google Maps lets you save your upcoming destinations and see them at a glance.

Just go to the “Saved” tab and tap the “+ New List” button. You can give your list a name and description. Then, when you find a place on the map that you want to see later, you can add it to your new list by scrolling the tab to the right and tapping the “Save” button. You can also share this list with your travel buddies and invite them to collaborate.

For more information, see which airports no longer require TSA PreCheck passengers to show ID and the new self-service screening pods coming soon to select airports.

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/how-to-make-google-maps-work-for-you-while-traveling-this-summer/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

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