Google Maps has become an essential travel companion for millions of people, helping users find destinations, avoid traffic and discover places in unfamiliar cities. Yet, beyond its familiar directions and navigation tools, the app has several lesser-known features that can make travelling more convenient.
Some of these tools can help travellers navigate when internet access is unavailable, remember where they parked, find restaurants along a journey or share their movements with family and friends.
For people travelling to unfamiliar cities or countries, knowing how to use these features can make a noticeable difference. They can also help reduce unnecessary detours, save mobile data and make trip planning less stressful.
Here are seven Google Maps features worth knowing before your next journey.
1. Download Maps and Navigate Without Internet
One of the most useful Google Maps features for travellers is the ability to download maps for offline use.
This can be particularly helpful when travelling to another country, entering an area with poor network coverage or trying to reduce mobile data consumption.
Users can download a particular city, town or surrounding area before beginning their journey. Once saved, Google Maps can provide driving directions within the downloaded area even when the phone has no internet connection.
To use the feature:
- Open Google Maps and search for the city or destination.
- Tap the place’s information panel.
- Open the additional options and select Download offline map.
- Adjust the area you want to save and tap Download.
Users can also tap their profile picture, select Offline maps and choose an area manually.
There is an important limitation: offline maps do not provide live traffic updates or alternative routes based on current road conditions. Walking, cycling and public transport directions are also unavailable offline. The entire driving route must fall within the downloaded area.
2. Share Your Live Location With Friends and Family
Travelling alone or visiting an unfamiliar destination can make it useful to let someone know where you are.
Google Maps allows users to share their real-time location with selected people. Depending on the sharing settings, recipients can see the user’s location on a map for a chosen period or until sharing is stopped.
This can be useful when meeting someone in a busy city, travelling to a hotel or letting family members follow a journey.
To activate it:
- Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture.
- Select Location sharing.
- Tap New share.
- Choose how long to share your location.
- Select the person or app through which you want to share it.
Google Maps also supports sharing trip progress during navigation in supported situations. This allows recipients to follow the journey and see estimated arrival information.
Users should remember that location sharing is a privacy setting. They can review who has access and stop sharing whenever they wish.
3. Save Your Parking Location
For drivers visiting shopping centres, airports, hotels or unfamiliar cities, remembering where a vehicle was parked can become an unexpected problem.
Google Maps has a parking feature that allows users to save their parking location and return to it later.
After parking, users can tap the blue location dot on the map and select Save your parking or the equivalent parking option available on their device.
The saved location appears on the map, making it easier to find the vehicle when returning.
Depending on the device and app version, users may also be able to add notes, photographs or information about the parking spot.
This is particularly useful in large car parks where several floors or sections can look similar. Rather than relying on memory, a driver can simply reopen Google Maps and follow the saved marker.
4. Search for Restaurants, Fuel Stations and Other Places Along Your Route
Google Maps can help travellers find places without abandoning their planned journey.
Rather than searching for a restaurant or fuel station separately and manually comparing its location with the destination, users can search for places along their active route.
During navigation, tap the search icon or use the option to search along the route. Depending on the available options, users can look for:
- Restaurants and cafés
- Petrol stations
- Hotels
- Supermarkets
- Parking locations
- Other useful services
The app displays relevant places and can show how they fit into the journey, including additional travel time where available.
This feature can save time during long road trips, particularly when travellers need food, fuel or a place to take a break.
It is also useful when visiting an unfamiliar city, as users can identify convenient stops without having to start planning the entire journey again.
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5. Create Lists of Places You Want to Visit
Planning a holiday often involves saving several restaurants, attractions, hotels and other locations before departure.
Google Maps allows users to organise these places into saved lists instead of keeping a collection of screenshots or scattered links.
Users can save locations under categories such as favourites, want to go or custom lists created for a particular trip.
To save a location, search for the place, open its information page and tap Save. Users can then select an existing list or create a new one.
The feature becomes particularly useful when planning a multi-day holiday. A traveller visiting Accra, for instance, could create separate lists for restaurants, beaches, historical attractions and accommodation.
Saved places can be accessed later through the You tab or the saved places section, depending on the app version.
Some lists can also be shared with other people, making it easier for travel companions to contribute destinations and organise activities together.
6. Find Your Way Around Airports With the Directory Feature
Airports can be confusing, particularly when travelling through a large international terminal for the first time.
Google Maps has a Directory feature that can help travellers identify facilities available within supported airports.
After searching for an airport, users can open its information page and select Directory, where available.
The directory can display categories such as:
- Restaurants and cafés
- Shops
- Airport lounges
- Car rental services
- Parking areas
- Other airport facilities
This can be helpful when looking for somewhere to eat during a long layover, finding a lounge or locating a particular service inside the airport.
The availability and level of detail depend on the airport. Not every terminal or facility will have complete indoor mapping information, so travellers should still pay attention to airport signs and announcements.
7. Choose Routes That Use Less Fuel
Google Maps also offers eco-friendly routing, a feature designed to help drivers identify routes that may consume less fuel or energy.
Instead of always prioritising the fastest journey, the app can recommend a more fuel-efficient alternative where available.
The route may take a little longer, depending on traffic conditions, road layout and other factors. Users can compare the available options before deciding which one works best.
To use the feature, enter a destination and request driving directions. Where supported, Google Maps may display a route marked with a green leaf symbol.
The app can also take vehicle type and engine information into account in supported markets and settings. This helps it make more relevant fuel or energy efficiency estimates.
For drivers who regularly travel long distances, the feature may help reduce fuel consumption over time. However, the actual savings depend on driving habits, vehicle condition, traffic and road conditions.
Why Travellers Should Explore More of Google Maps
Google Maps has developed beyond a simple navigation app. Its features can support several parts of a journey, from preparing for departure to finding facilities at a destination.
Downloading maps before travelling can help when internet access is unreliable. Location sharing can make it easier to keep friends and family informed, while saved places and route searches can simplify holiday planning.
The app also has limitations. Some features depend on location, device type, internet access and app version. Information about businesses, opening hours, transport and road conditions may not always be completely up to date.
Travellers should therefore use Google Maps as a planning and navigation aid while checking important travel details with the relevant service providers.
Knowing where these features are located can make the app considerably more useful, especially when navigating unfamiliar places.
Frequently Asked Questions About Google Maps Features
1. Can Google Maps work without an internet connection?
Yes. Google Maps can provide offline driving directions when users have downloaded the relevant area in advance. However, live traffic updates, alternative routes based on current traffic and public transport directions are unavailable offline.
2. How do I download Google Maps for offline use?
Open Google Maps, search for your destination, open its information panel and select the option to download an offline map. You can also go to your profile picture, select Offline maps and choose an area manually.
3. Can I share my live location using Google Maps?
Yes. Google Maps has a Location sharing feature that allows users to share their real-time location with selected contacts for a chosen period or until they stop sharing.
4. How do I find where I parked my car on Google Maps?
After parking, tap the blue location dot on Google Maps and select Save your parking. The app will place a marker showing the vehicle’s location, which you can use to find it later.
5. Can Google Maps show restaurants along my route?
Yes. During navigation, users can search for restaurants, petrol stations, hotels and other places along their route. Available options depend on the location and app version.
6. Can I save places I want to visit on Google Maps?
Yes. Open a location’s information page and tap Save. You can add it to an existing list or create a custom list for a holiday, road trip or other activity.
7. Does Google Maps show restaurants and lounges inside airports?
Google Maps has a Directory feature for supported airports. It can show facilities such as restaurants, shops, lounges, parking and car rental services. Coverage varies between airports.
8. Can Google Maps help drivers save fuel?
Yes. Its eco-friendly routing feature can recommend routes designed to use less fuel or energy where supported. The most fuel-efficient route may not always be the fastest.
9. Does Google Maps work in other countries?
Yes. Google Maps can be used in many countries for navigation and location searches. However, the availability of particular features, map coverage, transport information and offline downloads varies by location.
10. How do I make Google Maps more useful when travelling abroad?
Download offline maps before departure, save important locations, check directions to your accommodation, organise places into lists and share your location with trusted contacts when appropriate. These steps can make navigating an unfamiliar destination easier.