Many of us may remember pulling out a paper map, unfolding it and doing our best to navigate our road trips. For the past 15 years or so, using online navigation has been the norm, although many could be missing some of the best features of Google Maps.
Over Presidents Day weekend, my family was driving home from vacationing in a city we often visit. I had no need to turn on my navigational system, but did anyway so it could alert me of accidents. Although, I couldn’t see any problems ahead, Google Maps instructed me to get off the freeway and take a frontage road. I did as I was told. After driving for 10 minutes, we looked over and saw the freeway was bumper-to-bumper. No accident, just a lot of cars headed home from vacation at the same time. I saved 15 minutes by taking that off-ramp.
Turning on Google Maps, even when drivers know the way, can be beneficial. And other lesser-known features in the app can be helpful too.
Download a map offline
For those who like to head to more remote areas or any location where service might be sketchy, make sure to download a Google Map to use offline. Once a user downloads a certain area on a map, the Google Maps app will give navigation instructions even if the internet connection is slow or non-existent.
To download an offline map, make sure your phone isn’t in “incognito mode” and open Google Maps. Search for a destination and then near the bottom of the page, tap on the name or address of the place. Tap the three dots and then “Download offline map.” Additionally, on iPhones, you can also download an offline map by searching for a place, and then tapping the X in the search bar and typing in “ok maps.”
A couple things to note while using offline maps. First, no transit, bicycling or walking directions will be available; nor will traffic information or alternative routes. Had I been using an offline Google Map last weekend, I would have been stuck in that freeway traffic jam.
Map out your routine
We lead busy lives and most of our days consist of multiple stops as we run kids around, take care of errands and work. And if some locations are unfamiliar or traffic may be an issue, it’s not a bad idea to map out our day’s routine and stick it in Google Maps. That way, we know how much time it will take to get from point A to point B and so on, all the way to point Z. Google Maps accommodates this whether you’re driving, walking or on a bicycle.
After you get directions to your first location, for iOS, tap the three dots in the top right of the screen and tap “Add stop.” For Android, tap “More” in the top right and then “Add stop.” If you decide to change the order of the stops, simply hold on the stop you’d like to move and drag it to its new place in the lineup.
Set reminders
And now that we know how to map out multiple stops, why not get to each one on time? Many people will check how long it will take to drive to a destination in order to know what time to leave. But between the time when a person checks driving time and the moment they walk out the door, many things can happen. An accident can take place along the route, construction can start up, or regular traffic can jam up the intended route. Setting a reminder tracks those changes and notifies users when to head out in order to make it on time.
On iPhone and iPad, type a destination into Google Maps>Directions>three dots in the upper right-hand corner>Set reminder to leave. Select the date and time to arrive and Google Maps will remind you when it’s time to leave.
Navigate public transportation
And lastly, while this will only apply to people who use transit systems, it will save your sanity when you do. When searching for directions in areas where you plan to take mass transportation, tap the transit icon for bus and train departures.
In New York City, for example, Google Maps will tell you on which corner of an intersection the correct subway station is located, can give you directions while inside the stations and lets you know details about the conditions inside the bus or train. You’ll be able to see how crowded it usually is, what the temperature is like and whether there is security on board. For those of us who don’t often ride public transit, Google Maps can take a lot of the headache out of figuring out how to use it efficiently when we do.
Take advantage of all these features and be the one who always knows exactly where they’re going and gets there on time.