The summer vacation is approaching and for most of us that means time to rest and relax, enjoy the sun - maybe with a colorful cocktail or mocktail - and eat delicious food. Whether you’re off to an exotic island, sandy beach, big city, or have no plans at all, we’ve found two things that’ll make your vacation even more fun. This week we’re zooming in on the new features in Google Maps that allows you to discover world in a whole new way - even if you’re sitting at home in your couch.
Explore The World
Perfectly timed for the upcoming vacay, Google started rolling out their new features in Google Maps recently. The new features are designed to make Google Maps more assistive and personal and help you figure out where to eat, drink, shop etc, no matter where you are in the world. This means no more scrolling endless lists of recommendations by people that might not have the same taste and preferences as you.
1. Find the Perfect Spot
Google has redesigned the Explore tab, so you can always find the perfect spot no matter where you are. The new tab gives you quick suggestions for places to eat, bars, cafes, etc. in the area you’re interested in.
The coolest thing about the feature is that you can get information from cities all over the world even though you're sitting at home. In late September, I’m going to New York and with the Explore tab, I can prepare from home. Just find the city you’re interested in on the map and see what's in store for you.
2. Crème de la Crème with Local Experts and Google Algorithms
Now you can use Google Maps to find the best burger in town, the most trendy bar, or track the top brunch spots if you need a proper meal to kickstart your day. With local experts and Google’s algorithms, you can navigate your favorite city with trending lists.
3. Summer Mission: Release Your Foodie on Android
Here’s a summer mission for your inner foodie: Try the top 10 Mexican restaurants in your area. With trending lists you can keep track of the featured restaurants you’ve tried and see your progress. So, if you’ve eaten your way through five of the top 10 taco places, Google Maps will note that for you, so you just have to decide when to try the next in line.
4. Searching for Something To Do?
If you’re using an Android device, the new Explore tab will show you activities in your area. Explore surfaces the top events and activities and gives you photos, descriptions, and the opportunity to filter by categories such as “cheap” or “good for kids”, so you can find just the right activity for your holiday.
5. Tired of Scrolling Through Endless Reviews?
“Your match” is another new feature that Google has added to their famous map application.
Your match is a numeric rating showing you how likely you are to enjoy a place based on your preferences. In order to use the feature, you need to have Location History turned on.
Bye bye endless lists of reviews, hello quick recommendations based on your preferences.
6. What’s Your Favorite Food?
The more you tell Google Maps about your food and drink preferences, the better it can tailor recommendations for you. To do this, go to your Settings to select the types of cuisines and restaurants you like, along with what you’re not so into.
7. Get Inspired
The new “For you” tab keeps you in the know about everything happening in the areas you care about. By following a neighborhood, you can instantly see if there’s a new restaurant or cafe you need to try out or if your favorite spot is in the news.
As mentioned, Google is in the process of rolling out the new features. This means that at the time of writing, the Explore tab is available for all Android and iOS users globally while Your match is available for Android users worldwide. The For you tab is available on Android in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and Japan. All you have to do to get the new features, is to update your app from the App Store or Play Store.
If you're in the mood for more Google must tries for you vacation, go read the blog below.
July 17, 2018
