Trip task: Explore around your accommodations
Prerequisites: None–well, knowing where you’re going to stay would be helpful!
Intro
Google Maps is an indispensable tool for any traveler. Best of all, it’s always at your fingertips, and it’s free. It can fetch driving directions, show you nearby restaurants, and help familiarize you with an unfamiliar landscape. But did you know…it can do so much more. It can show you the exact change needed to ride on a Japanese subway or the best time of day to visit the Eiffel Tower. The following lessons will show you how to harness the power of Google Maps.
Using the Nearby button
This summer, the two of us decided it would be a good idea to torture ourselves in the company of thousands of strangers or what’s better known as a Tough Mudder. We just needed a place to lay our heads, so we chose an affordable hotel within a short drive of the race. Here’s how we would use the Nearby button during our research.
Step 1: Enter the name or address of your accommodations into Google Maps.
Note any major landmarks, like lakes, rivers, or large roads, that will help you get a sense of direction.
For example, we will use the highway to the North of our hotel as a point of reference.
Step 2: Click on the Nearby button under your accommodation’s pop out.
Google is going to make some suggestions…cause that’s what Google does.
We know Wisconsin is famous for frozen custard. We also know that we’ll have 100% earned a giant pile o’ frozen custard after running for 3.1 miles. So, we searched for frozen custard.
Step 3: Check out the results of the Nearby search and record the winners in your travel research document.
The blue pin is our hotel, and the red pins are the frozen custard locations. As you can see, Kopp’s Frozen Custard is coincidentally a skip and jump from our hotel. ***Seriously, the BEST frozen custard your will ever have in your life. Ever.***
Summary
Using the Nearby button in Google Maps is a great way to explore the area around your accommodations. With a few clicks, we were able to find a delicious—and highly rated—frozen treat within walking distance from our hotel.