At a Glance
- Google Maps now offers AI-powered itinerary suggestions and offline navigation.
- Features such as the Directory tab, Busyness tool, reservation booking, and Gemini AI help travelers avoid crowds and stay organized.
- The app’s new capabilities turn unpredictable trips into smooth, stress-free adventures.
Traveling this year is a full-time job for me. Between a wedding in Amsterdam and a BTS concert tour, my suitcase is packed and my calendar is booked. Navigating all that chaos would be daunting without a reliable tool-Google Maps.
Directory Tab: Find Anything in a Terminal
When I’m stuck in a crowded terminal, the Directory tab turns a maze into a map of options. For example, at London’s King’s Cross, I could find a coffee shop or a Greggs in seconds.
- Search for the airport or station name.
- Tap the Directory tab at the bottom.
- View business hours, floor location, and a list of restaurants, stores, lounges, and parking.
- Select a spot and get directions.
Busyness Tool: Skip the Crowds
Crowds are a no-go for me, so I use the Busyness tool to peek at how busy a spot will be before I go.
- Open Google Maps on Android, iPhone, or a browser.
- Search for a specific place or tap a “Busy Area” label.
- View a chart showing peak times and quieter windows.
- Plan a visit during a low-traffic period.
Table Reservations: Book Without Calling
I love flexible plans but sometimes need to lock in a dinner. Google Maps lets me reserve or join a waitlist directly from the app.
- Tap the Restaurants button at the top.
- Choose a restaurant.
- In the pop-up, select Reserve a table or Join waitlist.
- Use the Busyness feature to pick a less crowded time.
- Note: not all restaurants offer reservations.
Offline Maps: Navigation When Signal Is Gone
A hike in the Scottish countryside left me with zero cellular service. Luckily, I had downloaded an offline map, so I could still get directions.
- Search for the destination in Google Maps.
- Open the menu and tap “More.”
- Select “Download offline map.”
- Confirm the area and tap Download.
- When the signal drops, the app switches to the offline map.
- Real-time traffic updates are unavailable offline.
Location Sharing: Stay Connected With Family
When traveling with my sister, we often split up. Location sharing lets us reconnect instantly.
- Tap the profile icon and choose Location sharing.
- Tap Share location, pick contacts, and set the duration.
- Send the link; they receive a live location.
- To view someone else’s location, tap their icon and choose Request.
Curated Lists: Keep All Your Ideas in One Place
I keep my travel ideas in a single place using Google Maps lists. I can add places, share them, and collaborate.
- Go to the You tab and tap + New list.
- Name the list, add a description, and choose an icon.
- Save any place on the map to the list.
- Share the list with companions and invite collaborators.
Gemini AI: Let the Bot Plan For You
When I’m overwhelmed by choices, Gemini suggests personalized itineraries and even pulls locations from screenshots.
- Ask Gemini for a rainy-day plan or a family-friendly restaurant.
- It curates suggestions based on Google reviews and displays them as pins.
- The AI can scan screenshots on your phone, identify places, and offer to save them to a list.
- This feature helps organize ideas before they get lost among photos.
Key Takeaways
- Google Maps’ new AI tools and offline features make travel planning smoother and less stressful.
- The Directory tab and Busyness tool help you navigate and avoid crowds in real time.
- Reservation booking, location sharing, and curated lists keep you organized on the go.
- Gemini AI provides instant itinerary inspiration and can even turn screenshots into map pins.
- With these tools, a chaotic travel year can become a well-coordinated adventure.
