Plan a Road Trip of Your Dream Using Google Maps Trip Planner

Plan a Road Trip With Google Maps

Planning your dream trip is exciting and stressful at the same time. There is a lot that goes into planning a dream trip. Where are you going? What are you going to do? Where are you going to stay? The list is endless.

To make this task easy, you can follow travel guides, copy other people's trip plans, or, very interestingly, use Google Maps' trip planner to plan your ideal dream vacation. You can use either its Google application or the web interface to:

• Input destination points.
• Assign different color codes to pinned locations.
• Get directions to many destinations.
• Plan and organize the ideal trip.

You might be wondering, Why so many people turn to Google Maps to plan their trip.

This is because it is simple and free. And the probability is that you are already very familiar with the application. Additionally, it syncs with your smartphone very easily, keeping your plan always handy.

In this blog, we will create a step-by-step guide on how to plan a road trip using Google Maps Trip Planner. Before that, let us learn why Google Maps is such a great tool for planning a successful trip.

Why is Google Maps the Most Preferred Trip Planner?

It is considered that a trip well planned is a trip that makes you most happy. A person’s mindset and mood changes when they have something exciting to look forward to. However, this excitement makes you overwhelmed when you do not have a proper itinerary in place. Below are the reasons why you can, and should use Google Maps to plan a road trip:

1. Helps you Plan a Road Trip Itinerary

Whether you are planning a cross-country tour or just a weekend getaway nearby, Google Maps is like having a travel agent in your pocket. Here’s what you can do with Google My Maps:

• Create layers for each day of your trip
• Pin all the famous or exciting spots you want to visit
• Save your favorite places in lists
• Find and mark hotels along your route
• Find gas stations and rest stops
• Book hotels from the app itself
• Share your trip plan with your travel buddies

Also by using Google Maps, you can check travel times, whether you are walking, driving, using public transport, or a private taxi.

2. Easy Access While Travelling

Long gone are the days when you had to struggle with paper maps to find routes. With Google Maps, you can access your entire trip plan right on your phone. You can also download your map to use it offline, just in case, you are in a no-network zone.

3. Provides Efficient Routes

Be it traffic jams, construction zones, restricted areas, highways, and trolls; Google Maps covers everything that comes along the way. It doesn’t show you the way, it shows you the best way. This means you can reach your destination in a minimal time, making you enjoy your vacation rather than worrying about the roads.

Also, while traveling, if you require something, Google’s new “ Product Search in Google Maps” can help you find your necessities along the way. Also, you can find EV charging stations in between your routes by the “EV Charging Station Insights” feature that has been recently launched by Google.

4. The Reviews and Inside Data on Places

If you are traveling on your vacation, you need to make sure that your journey is smooth and comfortable. For that, you might want to check whether the restaurant along the way is worth visiting, Google Maps has got you covered:

• You can read reviews from other travelers
• You can check out photos of the place
• See opening/closing time and the prices
• Get an idea of how busy the restaurant usually is

5. Google Maps Provides Customizability at its Best

Since your trip is unique, your Google Maps needs to be unique too. With Google Maps, you can:

• Add personal notes to locations in case you don’t want to miss something exciting
• Use different colors for different types of places
• Add your icons

It’s your trip, after all, make your map as colorful and unique as you want.

6. Connectivity With Other Google Apps

Your Google account connects you with many other applications that work very well together and make life very easy during travel. In Google Maps:

• You can create a customized map and then copy it to your Google Drive
• Plan out your each day in Google Calendar with exact locations and map links included
• Set location names in Google Photos so your pictures are easy to find and organize
• Use Google Sheets to record your budget for your vacation

Google’s deep product integrations make it easier to plan trips and learn more about the places you plan to visit.

So there you have it! Six reasons why Google Maps is a traveler’s best friend. It’s easy to use, packed with features, and always there when you need it. Now that you know the benefits of using Google Maps for Trip Planner, let us learn how to use it efficiently.

How to Use Google Maps to Plan Your Road Trip

Ready to turn your dream trip into reality? Let us walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to plan a trip using Google Maps. Don’t worry if you are not tech-savvy - we’ll take one step at a time.

Step1. Create Your Custom Map

Let’s get you set up first.

• Login to your Google Account which lets Google Maps remember your plan.
• Go to Google My Maps (“https://www.google.com/mymaps”)
• On the Google Maps dashboard, click the “Create a New Map” button
• Now is the time to name your Map. Click on the “Untitled Map” in the top left corner and rename it.
• Then in the pop-up type your map’s name and a brief description if you want.

No worries! Go to Google Maps, and click on “Saved” in the sidebar. Now you can find your saved map under the “Maps” tab, and click “Open in My Maps”.

Step2. Add Location Pins

Now that you have created your custom map, start adding location pins(destinations) on the Map.

Use the search bar on the Map to find the locations you want to visit. As you start typing, you will see the suggestions popup. Pick the one you want.

Then the map will zoom in to that spot. You will see a location pin on the spot, click on the pin. Then click on “Add to map” in the popup box that appears on the screen.

Finally, that spot is the part of your trip.

Want to organize your trip by days? Here’s a pro tip:

• Look for the “Untitled layer” on the left side of your screen.
• Click on it and rename it to “Day 1”

• Add more layers by clicking on “Add layer” and name them Day 2, Day 3, and so on.
• Now add each stop to the right day.

Layers can make your Map look more organized and understandable, however, don’t overload your map with pins. You can only add 10 layers in a single map.

You can add a maximum of 2000 pins to each map you create in Google My Maps.

Step3. Customize Pins By Changing Icons and Colors

After adding the locations to your map, customize the pins to make your map look clearer, appealing, and easy to understand.

You will see a “paint can” icon on the screen. Click on it to change the color and icon of the pin. For example, you can use blue for restaurants, green for gardens, and some other favorite colors, say, red for monuments.

Now click on “More icons” to look for additional icons or you can also create custom ones to fit your needs. This will help you differentiate the type of locations and make your map easier to read.

Step4. Review Your Customize Route Map

Now that you have added and customized your locations, review your Google Map to ensure everything is in order.

• Take a closer look at your Google Map. Are all your stops covered?
• Check whether the pins are in the right layers and that your set route makes sense.
• Check for the correct order or else you will end up zigzagging across the town.
• Need to move a pin? Just drag and drop the pin to reorder or move them between layers.
• Click on the “Preview” option to see how your trip itinerary looks on the map. This will help you visualize your trip and make any required adjustments.

Step5. Share Your Map

Traveling with friends or family? Let’s keep everyone informed.

• Click on the Share button.
• You will get options. Share via your preferred platform(Facebook, Twitter, or email)
• You can also embed the map on a website, just in case you are blogging about your trip.

Sharing the map is useful when you are coordinating with travel companions or keeping everyone informed.

Step6. Access Driving Directions on Your Phone

Now that everything is set up, let’s make sure that you can access Google Map Plan on the go.

Firstly, make sure that you have the Google Maps app installed on your phone.

• Open Google Maps on your phone
• Look for the “Saved” option in your menu. Tap on it.
• Scroll down to “Maps” and tap on your trip plan.

Do you want to see all your planned stops? Click on “View Map Legend” which looks like a bird’s eye view of your trip.

• Tap on the place you want to go
• Tap on the “Directions” button
• Choose how you want to get there - by walking, biking, driving, or by public transport
• Google Maps will show you the best route

Note: If you are worried about the internet connection or data usage, download your customized Google Map before leaving. You will still be able to use it, even with no internet connection.

Advanced Google Maps Trip Planning Techniques

To help you with multi-stop road trip planning, we have listed together some advanced techniques to make your planning more smoother and your trip more enjoyable.

1. Optimize your Route

Before you leave for your trip, just make sure that your stops are in order. For this, analyze the Google Map and optimize it carefully to avoid a zigzag journey across the country.

2. Plan for Breaks

Driving on the long routes can be tiring. Why not plan some interesting stops along the way? Look for amazing roadside attractions, scenic viewpoints, or high-rated diners, and add these stops to your trip.

3. Use Custom Icons

Remember, above we talked about changing the pin colors? Let’s get even more specific.

You can use customized icons for different types of stops. A bed or a hotel icon for your hotel stays, a camera icon for photography spots, or a fork and knife icon for restaurants. These visual icons will help you understand the map at a glance.

4. Add Notes to Your Pins

Did you know that you can also add notes to your pins?

Click on your desired pin, then click the pencil icon and add details in the description box. You can use this feature to save reservation numbers, operating hours, or anything you want to remember about that location.

5. Create a Time Budget

Are you planning a tight schedule?

In the description box of each pin, add how long you plan to stay. This helps you see if your day is productive or if you want to shift some stops.

6. Use Layers Creatively

Till now, we have talked about using layers for different days. But you can do more.

You can create themes for different types of places like, “Nature Spots”, “City Attractions”, or “Food Stops”. This will let you toggle them on and off, helping you focus on different parts of your trip.

7. Share Editing Rights

If you are planning a trip with your friends and family, give them access to edit the Google Maps. This way everyone can edit and add their must-see spots and contribute to making the trip more exciting.

Your Trip Planning Starts Here

From creating your first customized Google Map to making the twists and turns for a multi-stop trip, you are now equipped with all the knowledge required for planning a trip using Google Maps. Google Maps is a fantastic application to be turned to when anyone is planning to travel. It is free, familiar, and packed with multiple features that make your journey smoother.

If you are planning to create a customized clone application like Google Maps, or you want to integrate Google Maps into your already existing application, hire mobile app developers from WEDOWEBAPPS and we will help you by creating an application with more advanced features.