Google is more than a search engine. It offers a wide range of possibilities as long as you know how to exploit all the tools it puts at your disposal. It is even possible to make your travel route on Google Maps . This utility is designed for those who love to plan their trips by heart and also for those who are incredibly patient and organized, as it consists of a series of steps that must be strictly followed.
Why make your travel route on Google Maps?
With summer on the doorstep and with the impossibility of traveling abroad, what better way than to go on vacation in Spain? Circumstances permitting, there is no better plan than taking a road trip. The first thing is to choose the destination and, of course, calculate the budget and the vacation days that you can take. Once you choose your destination and verify the kilometers from your location, it is important that you establish what stops you will make during the day and where you will stay for the night.
For example, if you go from Galicia to Barcelona there is a very long way and you can visit towns and cities in our country full of charm and stay there for one or a couple of nights and get to know better all the riches that Spain has to offer you.
With Google Maps you will have the trip more than organized. You will trace the route you must follow, you will know the rest stations and gas stations, you will be able to know what places of interest are on your way and the hotels where you can stay; If you like to have everything well tied, you can choose which places to visit in each city and even the restaurants to eat.
How to make your travel route on Google Maps?
It is best to trace the route from the computer. From there you can simultaneously consult the opinions about the hotels or buy tickets for a museum and a long etcetera. And is that Google Maps gives you the option to create your own maps adding all the elements you want so all you have to do is load with your mobile device and follow the directions.
The function that you will use to make your travel route in Google Maps is the creation of maps. Did you know that this powerful tool existed? It works with layers (if you are one of those who know PhotoShop, this layer will not seem strange to you) in each of these layers you can save content: gas stations, hotels, restaurants, etc.
Make your travel route on Google Maps: tracing the route
Start by opening the Google Maps page. In the left drop-down bar (accessed from the menu next to the searches) you must choose Your Sites . If you have saved an item such as home or work here, they will appear in the list. Then you must choose the Maps tab where maps that you have already created in the past are stored. The next step is to create a map. You will immediately be redirected to another tab where a new map will appear.
You can name this map and add layers (which you can also name) with the elements you want. It is time to plan the route. You will see a small search bar and just below the icon to add directions. When you press it, a column is automatically created in the blank space on the left. This is where you will plot the route. The first thing is to choose point A (which is the starting point) and point B (which is the destination) And, of course, specify that you will do the tour by car.
Add multiple destinations
Adding the points is very easy. After adding the indications a layer is created. You can trace the route manually, but why complicate? Write in the sections for points A and B the destinations and Google will do the search automatically and trace the route. If you want to stop halfway to see other places, you must add destinations. Very important to alter the order of the letters because the new destination you create will become point C.
Although point B is obviously your final destination, the Maps algorithm has to follow an order. A, B, C, D, etc. You can add as many destinations and stops as you want and modify them little by little. The best thing is that you don’t need to finish making your travel route on Google Maps in a single day; the map is automatically saved and you can come back and add things whenever you want.
An advantage of Google Maps is that you can modify the route as you wish manually. If during the creation of the route you or your travel companions want to stay to know a specific place, it can be added to the map. Of course, do not forget that the time and distance of the trip will vary considerably.
Book the hotel
One of our favorite parts when planning a trip is choosing the hotel. Although it seems boring and a headache to many, it is an exhilarating activity . Compare prices, find the right area and close to points of interest or well connected. If you have already done the work of researching hotels and comparing prices, you don’t have much else to do. Now, if you have no idea, start by opening the Maps page again and typing in the destination.
In the left column, below the photos, the hotels appear. Choose the option More hotels and you will see a list of establishments where you can stay. The map will automatically be filled with points to see the location of the hotels and the labels with the prices of each one of them will also appear, so that you can compare prices.
Choose the hotel and proceed to reserve it. For this you will have to add the dates of the trip, number of nights, type of hotel you are looking for, and so on. Google will show you the availability and the pages where you can make the reservation. Choose between the different offers of the main search engines and make your reservation.
What places to visit in the destination?
Continue on the main Maps page looking for the sites you are interested in visiting in a place. If you have already heard recommendations from your friends or if you are interested in reading about different tourist destinations or have just caught some things from Instagram, skip this step. That is, look no further and go straight to the map you were working on.
Create a new layer and as in the step where you added the route, write the places you want to visit. When the site appears, it will be indicated on the map with a green icon. Click on this small indicator and a box will open showing ratings or ratings of the site, a redirection to an external site for more information, a telephone number, and so on. At the bottom, the Add to map option appears. Select it and you are done, the site has been added successfully.
All you have to do is add the sites one by one. You can put them all in a single layer or add multiple layers and classify them as you see fit. Museums, restaurants, parks, etc. You can even change the design of the indicators of the different places you are going to visit. Thus, grouped together and with a special badge, it will be easier for you to find them when you are traveling.
The same Google map allows you to create walking routes to better organize your travel days. You can do it manually by drawing a line, don’t forget to mark points A and B.
Share the created map
Once you have traced the route, chosen the accommodation and all the tourist sites that you are going to visit in your destination, it is time to share your creation. All you have to do is go back to the main page of Google Maps and in the left bar choose the option Your Places (as in step 1) and go to the Maps tab. There you will see the map you have created.
It only remains to hit the Share button. It is a highly recommended option, particularly if you are traveling in company. You can share it via link or by email.
