Why Google My Maps is a Traveler's Best Friend:

1. Visualize Your Itinerary:If you're a visual person like me or simply enjoy using maps, Google My Maps is a dream come true. It allows you to see your trip itinerary at a glance, helping you stay organized and realistic about your plans.
2. Seamless Integration with Google Apps: Being a big fan of all things Google, I love that My Maps seamlessly connects with other Google apps. When you create a map, it's automatically stored in your Google Drive account. This means you can easily access your map alongside other trip planning information, documents, photos, or itineraries stored in the same folder.
3. Rich Location Information: Thanks to its integration with Google Maps, Google My Maps provides additional location details for each place you add. From websites and phone numbers to addresses and reviews, you can find all the information you need in one place.
4. Customize to Your Heart's Content: Personalize your map by adding your own extra details. Whether it's notes, photos, or videos, you can make your map truly unique. During the planning stage, use notes to jot down website links, opening hours, or any other important information. I even include excerpts from blog posts or websites to have them handy while exploring.
5. Plan Your Route with Ease:If you're keen on following a specific route, Google My Maps has got you covered. Create a layer with directions, and you can easily map out your desired path. For instance, I used this feature to highlight the bike trail in Slovenia. Additionally, you can use My Maps to plan road trip itineraries for longer adventures.
6. Endless Customization Options: Prepare to be amazed by the customization features of Google My Maps. Color coding, organization options, and custom icons make it a breeze to visualize different aspects of your trip. Assign a coffee cup icon for cafes, a bed icon for hotels, or a swimming icon for beaches. You can also use layers creatively, such as having a layer for each day of your trip or categorizing places to eat, stay, and explore.
7. Desktop Planning, Mobile Access: With Google My Maps, you can plan extensively on your computer and access your maps effortlessly on your phone. It's integrated within the Google Maps app on both iPhone and Android devices. Android users also have the option to download a dedicated Google My Maps app for added convenience.
8. Share Your Adventures: Sharing is caring, and Google My Maps makes it incredibly easy to share your map with friends or even the world. Collaborate with others by granting access to your map. And if you want to make it publicly available, simply adjust the privacy settings and share the link or embed it on a website.

3 Simple Ways for Utilizing Google My Maps

1. Gather and save ideas for possible future journeys.Every now and then, I stumble upon fascinating accommodations, restaurants, or enjoyable activities in places I'm eager to explore in the near future. I always worry about forgetting them since I have numerous bookmarks scattered across various platforms like Pinterest, Facebook, and Pocket. However, I've discovered that Google My Maps is the ideal spot for storing these ideas for my upcoming trips.
2. Design your travel schedule. Are you interested in utilizing Google Maps to plan your route? When you're ready to organize an upcoming trip, visually map it out using Google My Maps to create a well-structured itinerary. Personally, I prefer to include all the potential places I might visit, even if I haven't finalized the activities for each day. Of course, you can delve into more intricate day-to-day planning if you prefer.
3. Navigate with ease while on the move. Unsure about today's agenda or curious about the nearest restaurant on your list for dinner? Simply access your personalized map to refresh your memory with the notes you've made or obtain directions to your next destination. It's a convenient way to stay on track and make the most of your trip.

Here’s an example of one of the custom Google Maps I’ve created!

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Limitations of Google My Maps

While Google Maps is a fantastic tool for trip planning, it does have a few limitations. Some of our readers have brought these limitations to my attention through comments, and I appreciate their input in making this guide more comprehensive. To make things easier, I've organized these limitations here instead of having you scroll through the comments.

1. Restricted to 10 layers per map: If you're embarking on a long road trip and want to create a layer for each day, you may find this limitation frustrating. Here are a couple of workarounds you can try: First, create two maps and include the entire main route as one layer on each map, showing the basic path for all 12 days between cities as a reference. Then, build individual layers for each day. As an alternative, you can add multiple days to one layer and modify the titles to include the corresponding day (e.g., "Day 1 - Name of Place" instead of just "Name of Place"). However, keep in mind that this option may not be ideal since you can't view the titles until you click on them while using your phone.
2. Lack of bridge height filter: For RVers who need to plan for height restrictions, Google My Maps doesn't offer a bridge height filter. While I haven't personally needed this feature, a bit of research suggests that there are apps and GPS units designed for truckers that might be helpful in finding solutions if you're traveling with an oversized vehicle.
3. Directions layers are not accessible for navigation on your phone:As I mentioned earlier, I primarily use the directions layer to visualize routes rather than creating custom directions. However, some readers have pointed out that you cannot create a directions layer and access those directions within Google Maps on your phone. Although you can view them on desktop to check distance or estimated travel time, it doesn't assist when you want to use them for navigation. (You can refer to the provided screenshots here.)
4. Partial offline availability: Unlike the rest of Google Maps, which allows you to download maps for offline access, you cannot download your custom map for offline use within Google Maps. However, I have found a workaround for areas with unreliable reception. I load the map when I have an internet connection and leave it running in the background. This keeps the map loaded in the app, allowing me to access it later even when I'm offline. Another alternative, particularly if you'll be traveling in a foreign country without any internet access, is to use a third-party app as mentioned in this resource.

How to Plan Your Trip Using Google My Maps

Creating a Brand New Personalized Map

Open Google My Maps on your computer's web browser. Look for the familiar Google logo in the top right corner to make sure you're using the right Google account. Click on "Create a New Map" and a window will pop up with a blank map. To give your map a name and description, click on the current map name ("Untitled Map").

Working with Different Layers

Once you've created a new map, the first layer will already be there, but you'll probably want to rename it. To give your first layer a title, click directly on the title name, just like you did with the map name. Alternatively, you can click on the three dots next to "Untitled Layer" and select "Rename Layer." If you accidentally add a layer or change your mind, you can also delete a layer by clicking those three dots. In this example, I'm renaming my first layer to "dining" and I'll include all the restaurants in this layer.

You can use layers however you like, or you can stick to just one if you don't need multiple ones. To add more layers, simply click on "Add Layer" in the gray area below the map's title and description.

Moving Pins to Different Layers

To move a pin from one layer to another, click on the pin in the current layer and hold down the mouse. Then, drag the pin to the desired layer.

Adding Pins to Mark Locations

There are different ways to add pins to a layer. First, make sure you've selected the correct layer by clicking anywhere in the white area of the layer. You'll know which layer is selected when you see the blue bar on the left side.

To add a pin for a specific location, use the map search bar and enter either the place name or the address. Click on "Add to Map" to add a pin for that location. This is how I usually add most of my pins.If you don't need an exact location or you don't have an address, you can click on the pin marker button below the map search bar (labeled "Add Marker"). This will turn your mouse into a T-shaped cursor, and you can click anywhere on the map to add a blank pin. You'll be prompted to add the pin's title and description right away.If you're dealing with remote locations or you're simply a map enthusiast, you can also use latitude and longitude coordinates.To delete a pin, simply click on it and then click the trash icon.

Some tips and recommendations for adding pins:

If the place you're looking for doesn't have a listing on Google, you'll need to use an address. It's important to note that sometimes Google Maps listings may not be accurate or may not take you to the correct place, so it's a good idea to double-check the location if you're not using a street address to add the pin, especially for small businesses without a website.I've also noticed that hiking trailheads are often available on Google Maps, but they're not always accurate for navigating there by car. I usually add them to my map to get a general idea of their location during the planning phase, but I rely on a paper map or an atlas to find them while I'm traveling.

Customising Pin Details

To change the title and add notes to a specific pin, click on the pin on the map, and then click the pencil icon ("Edit").

To change the color and icon of the pin, click on the paint bucket icon. You can find this icon either on the pin itself or directly in the layer. If you want to explore more icon options, click on "More Icons." Feel free to color-code based on the activity type,

Sharing Your Map

There are a few ways to share your Trip Plan using Google Maps.

First, open your map and click on the "share" option located in the gray bar above your layers. To let others view your map, including embedding it on your website, click on "change" under the "Who has access" section. For embedding, you'll need to set the access to public.

Alternatively, if you want others to be able to edit your map, simply add their email addresses in the "invite people" section.

Viewing Your Custom Map in the Google Maps

AppTo view your customized map using the Google Maps app, follow these steps:

1. Open Google Maps and access the menu on the left side (Please note that the steps may vary slightly depending on whether you're using an Android or Apple device).
2. Select "Your Places" and then click on "Maps" (you might need to scroll to the right).
3. You'll now see a list of your custom maps. Make sure you're logged in to the correct Google account.

To navigate to one of your saved locations, follow these steps:

1. Open your map and locate the pins marking the places you want to visit.
2. Click on the desired pin and then select "directions."
3. You'll be directed to the regular navigation view of Google Maps, where you won't see your custom map anymore.

Using Google My Maps is an excellent way to plan and organize your trips effectively. Enjoy exploring new destinations with this handy tool!

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