The Key to Planning the Perfect Vacation: Your Journey Begins with Google Maps
- The Editorial Board
- Jul 27, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 2, 2024
In this guide, we offer an in-depth tutorial on how to plan a vacation with Google Maps. By the time you finish creating your first map, you'll be itching to embark on your next adventure!
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Planning a Vacation with Google Maps
Traveling is undoubtedly one of life’s greatest pleasures. Whether it’s wandering through the storied streets of a historic city, conquering a challenging mountain trail, or lounging all day on a reclining beach chair with a frozen margarita (or two) in hand, we all relish the occasional change of scenery and break from our daily routines.
However, vacations are scarce and often expensive, and none of us wants to squander our precious downtime. And while daydreaming about romantic getaways or epic road trips is enjoyable, planning the nitty-gritty details of travel can feel overwhelming.
Fear not! In this comprehensive guide, we will share our tried-and-tested method for making the most of your hard-earned time off, all while enjoying the planning process.
Whether you’re:
Embarking on your dream honeymoon in the Caribbean
Planning a family vacation to Japan
Traveling with friends across Europe
Or backpacking solo in South America ... We've got you covered!
As we've learned over time, the perfect vacation includes both planned activities and unplanned experiences (often the most cherished). Overplanning can lead you to miss out on the fun of spontaneous encounters, such as stumbling upon a hip new place known only to the locals. On the flip side, not planning anything in advance could result in wasting valuable time contemplating your next move (remember that time you wandered around for an hour looking for a restaurant and ended up hating the one you chose?).
To strike the right balance between the known and the unknown, we suggest using Google Maps to create a backbone for your trip. Not only is it one of the best tools for trip planning, but it's completely free and you can easily share the maps you create with others.
By selecting your must-see places and marking them on a custom-built Google map, you can identify your primary destinations. This will enable you to craft a workable itinerary while choosing well-located accommodation (so you can commute less and travel more).
Once your trip is outlined, let chance and an adventurous spirit guide the rest.
Your perfect vacation is just around the corner, so pack your bags and let’s start planning it!
2. Choosing Your Must-See Places
Choosing your must-see places is easier said than done. You might be unfamiliar with your destination and the attractions it has to offer, or perhaps you're overwhelmed by the multitude of options available. Fortunately, the internet is a terrific resource for inspiration and ideas on where to go and how to best spend your time on vacation.
From our experience, it's useful to draw upon multiple sources and compare them. For instance, if a certain restaurant appears on several "best places to eat" lists, that's usually a good indication that the place won't be a flop (it's also unlikely to be a hidden gem).
When planning our trips, we usually rely on the following sources:
For iconic landmarks and major tourist destinations, established travel guides such as Lonely Planet's website are recommended. They cover all the Taj Mahals and Louvres of the world, and provide practical information like visiting hours, booking tours and pre-purchasing tickets.
For arts, culture, food, and drinks, Time Out is an excellent choice. They offer up-to-date guides on restaurants, bars, galleries, and more in cities worldwide, as well as suggested itineraries such as "How to spend the perfect 48 hours in Rome."
Travel bloggers' advice on where to go can also be valuable.
In some cases, relying on the wisdom of crowds, such as Google reviews or dedicated Facebook groups, can be helpful.
Remember, the goal is to establish a framework for your trip, not to plan every minute of every day. Aim for at least 2-3 activities and 1-2 restaurants or coffee shops per day. This way, even if you don't come across a place that suits your fancy while exploring your destination, you'll have good backup options to choose from.
3. Creating and Customizing Your Own Google Map
Now that you've selected your must-see places, you're ready to create your own map. Doing so requires a Google account. If you don't have one yet, you can get started here.
I. Creating a New Map
Once you've logged into your Google account, you can begin creating a map in one of two ways:
1. On your computer, sign in to My Maps, then click Create A New Map.
2. Alternatively, sign in to Google Maps and open the Menu in the top left-hand corner.
Click the Saved button.
Then click the Maps button.
Finally, click Create Map at the bottom of the screen.
After clicking Create Map, an untitled map will appear. Congratulations! You've created your first map and are now ready to customize it.
II. Adding and Customizing Location Pins
To rename your map, click on Untitled map. We suggest using the destination and year of travel, such as "New York 2023," to keep your information current. After changing your map's title, click Save.
Now you can start adding your must-see places to the map. In the search bar, begin typing the name of your first location. A drop-down menu will appear with suggested locations as you type. Click on the desired result or press enter.
Then click Add to map.
Voilà! Your first location pin appears on the map legend. Customize your map further by changing each location's color and icon using the Style function (the paint bucket icon).
Numerous colors and icons are available to choose from.
Browse the full icon catalog or use specific keywords to filter options.
Once you've found the desired icon, click OK at the bottom of the screen.
You can also edit the name of the location pin by clicking the pencil icon or delete it by clicking the trash can icon.
III. Utilizing Layers
Another useful feature in Google Maps is layering, which allows you to create up to 10 layers to organize map features. Click Add layer to create a new untitled layer. Click the three dots next to the layer name to rename or delete it.
Layers can be used to create an itinerary, dedicating each layer to a different day of your trip.
Alternatively, you can group similar types of places within each layer. For instance, you can create one layer for restaurants, one for coffee shops, and another for museums.
When you add a place to your map, the location pin will appear in the selected layer, indicated by a blue line. Easily move a location pin by dragging it to another layer. Click the left-hand side of the relevant layer before adding places, to avoid the need to rearrange location pins.
After visiting a planned location, add your thoughts by selecting the location and clicking on the Edit icon. Your comments will be useful for future reference as well as when sharing your map with others.
IV. Sharing and Accessing Your Map
To share your map with others, click Share.
Then enable Link viewing and click the Copy icon to easily copy the link. You can then paste it wherever you want to share your map.
To access your map on your iPhone or Android device, download the Google Maps app from the App Store or Google Play. Sign into your account, click on Saved, then Maps, and finally, choose your map.
4. Selecting Your Accommodation
As we hinted at the beginning of this guide, unless you're staying with friends, family, or have a specific hotel commitment, it's best to select your accommodation after outlining your trip. This approach allows you to choose an apartment or hotel conveniently located near the areas where you intend to spend the majority of your vacation.
If you're looking to stay at a hotel, we recommend Booking.com. Not only does the platform offer various filters such as budget, facilities, and cancellation options, but their "Show on map" feature makes it very convenient to select a hotel based on its location.
For those who prefer apartment stays, Airbnb is our recommendation. Their website also provides a useful map feature, helping you choose a well-situated apartment.
5. Summary
While planning a trip may seem daunting, you can make the process enjoyable by using Google Maps. Once you've compiled your must-see-places, you can organize them on a custom-built map, which will serve as a framework for your vacation.
Your map will significantly simplify the process of planning a feasible itinerary and choosing a conveniently located hotel. This way, you'll be close to the areas where you want to spend your days, making the most of your precious time off.
We hope you've found this guide useful and look forward to hearing about your travel adventures. If you have any questions or thoughts, please leave a comment below.
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