With 2.2 billion month-to-month customers worldwide, Google Maps is the most well-liked navigation app, but 72% of customers solely scratch the floor of what it may do.
Most vacationers simply use Google Maps for primary instructions, lacking out on highly effective options that might save time, cash, and stress on their journeys.
This information reveals 15 superior options and hidden capabilities obtainable in 2025.
These insights are primarily based on info from journey bloggers with hundreds of thousands of followers, official Google information, and comparisons with different apps.
1. Ask Gemini AI Something About Your Vacation spot (NEW 2025)
What it’s: Google’s new conversational AI journey planning instrument launched in October 2024.
Why it issues: Cuts your analysis time from hours to minutes.
How you can use it:
- Sort pure questions like “issues to do with buddies at evening in NYC”
- Get AI strategies with photographs, evaluations, and areas
- Ask follow-up questions on parking, gown codes, or out of doors seating
- Save your plans to Gmail, Google Docs, or Maps lists
The proof:
- Out there now within the US on Android and iPhone (since October 31, 2024)
- Makes use of Gemini AI to investigate over 300 million consumer evaluations and ideas
- Search for the flicker icon to search out this characteristic
Billie Cohen, AFAR Journal Journey Editor says: “I exploit it for work… I exploit it for enjoyable… and I exploit it, most valuably, for journey planning.”
Professional Tip: Use the assessment summaries characteristic to shortly perceive if a restaurant or attraction is value visiting.
2. Preview Your Total Journey in Photorealistic 3D
What it’s: Immersive View for Routes creates AI-generated 3D previews of your journey.
Why it issues: No extra surprises in your journey. You possibly can test for parking spots, see tough intersections, and get a really feel for the realm earlier than you arrive.
How you can use it:
- Enter your vacation spot and get instructions
- Faucet the “Immersive View” button when obtainable
- Slide the time bar to see the route at completely different instances of day
- Verify site visitors patterns, climate, and the way busy locations might be
The proof:
- Out there in 15 main cities together with London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Las Vegas
- Immersive View for Locations now works in over 150 cities as of October 2024
- Makes use of AI to mix billions of Road View and aerial photos
Actual-world use: Preview difficult street intersections earlier than driving, test if eating places have out of doors seating, or see what parking heaps seem like earlier than you arrive.
3. Navigate Like a Native Utilizing AR Arrows
What it’s: Lens in Maps (Dwell View) places augmented actuality instructions proper in your digital camera view.
Why it issues: Excellent for complicated subway exits, discovering hidden restaurant entrances, or getting your bearings in a brand new metropolis.
How you can use it:
- Faucet the digital camera/Lens icon within the search bar
- Level your cellphone at your environment
- See enterprise information and rankings floating in your display screen
- Observe blue AR arrows that present you precisely the place to stroll
The proof:
- Works in 50+ cities worldwide together with London, Paris, Tokyo, NYC, and LA
- Makes use of Visible Positioning System for accuracy higher than common GPS
- Now works inside 1,000+ areas like airports, malls, and practice stations
Billie Cohen from AFAR says: “Once I’m in a brand new metropolis, I exploit this… so I don’t need to preserve my cellphone (as a result of I’ll inevitably journey and fall over).”
4. Obtain Total Areas for Offline Navigation
What it’s: Full maps you’ll be able to obtain and use with out cell service or information.
Why it issues: Important for worldwide journey, rural areas, or while you need to save on information prices.
How you can use it:
- Seek for a location → Faucet its identify → “Obtain offline map”
- Modify the realm you need to obtain
- Maps replace robotically by way of WiFi each 30 days
- Entry driving instructions, enterprise information, and saved locations with out web
The proof:
- 450 million offline map downloads within the final 12 months
- Downloads take 100-500 MB for a small metropolis or 1-2 GB for a big area
- Downloads elevated by 27% from 2024 to 2025
Touring to areas with restricted or no connectivity? Google Maps permits you to obtain map information… so to use lots of its options, even when you get disconnected.
Professional Tip: Screenshot key routes as backup, obtain maps earlier than you lose connectivity, and save to SD card on Android telephones.
5. Your Computerized Journey Journal (Act Quick – Adjustments June 2025!)
What it’s: Timeline characteristic tracks in all places you’ve been with photographs and stats.
Why it issues: Creates a whole journey diary, provides you yearly insights, and helps you keep in mind locations you’ve visited.
How you can use it:
- Go to Profile → Your Timeline
- View by Days, Journeys, Cities, Locations, or Insights
- See miles traveled, go to period, and the way you bought round
- Edit or delete any entries
- IMPORTANT: Timeline is shifting to on-device storage June 9, 2025
The proof:
- Hyperlinks with Google Images for automated journey albums
- Reveals complete distance, time at completely different locations, and cities visited
- December 2024 replace features a yearly abstract (like Spotify Wrapped)
- After June 9, 2025, information will solely be saved in your cellphone (not within the cloud)
- You need to save your information earlier than the deadline or lose most of your historical past
Motion Required: Again up your Timeline information earlier than June 9, 2025. Solely the final 90 days will switch robotically.
6. By no means Lose Your Automobile Once more
What it’s: Save Parking Location characteristic with photographs, notes, and timer.
Why it issues: Important in unfamiliar cities, large parking constructions, or crowded occasions.
How you can use it:
- Earlier than leaving your automotive, faucet the blue dot exhibiting your location
- Choose “Save Parking”
- Android bonus: Add photographs, notes, and parking meter countdown timer
- To seek out your automotive, simply search “Parking Location” to navigate again
The proof:
- Saves a yellow pin for twenty-four hours robotically
- Works throughout all of your units
- Reveals how arduous parking might be at your vacation spot
Save essential locations in your Google Map, corresponding to… lodging, nearest hospital, pharmacy, grocery retailer, and embassy.
Professional Tip: Take a photograph of your parking stage/zone quantity and set a timer alarm quarter-hour earlier than your meter expires.
7. Construct Excellent Highway Journeys with AI-Prompt Stops
What it’s: Multi-stop route planning with AI strategies for landmarks and eating places.
Why it issues: Turns boring drives into thrilling journeys with fascinating stops.
How you can use it:
- Enter your vacation spot → Get instructions
- Faucet “Add stops” to see AI-suggested landmarks, scenic spots, and eating choices
- Add as many stops as you need and drag to reorder them
- See complete distance, time, and gasoline/charging wants
- Share your progress with buddies in real-time
The proof:
- “Discover Alongside Route” characteristic launched in 2025
- 41% of lengthy journeys now use multi-stop planning
- EV route planning exhibits charging stations with real-time availability
- About 25% of US chargers are down at any time (Google helps you keep away from damaged ones)
Excellent for: Planning scenic coastal drives, discovering native diners on cross-country journeys, or creating brewery excursions.
8. Emergency Location Sharing That Might Save Your Life
What it’s: Actual-time location sharing with emergency contacts.
Why it issues: Crucial security characteristic for solo vacationers, mountaineering, or late-night navigation.
How you can use it:
- Faucet the blue dot menu → “Share location”
- Select how lengthy to share or choose “Till you flip this off”
- Reveals each your location AND battery proportion to contacts
- For Pixel telephones: Works with Private Security app for extra options
- Throughout navigation, use “Share journey progress” for real-time updates
The proof:
- Emergency Location Service robotically sends your exact location when calling 911
- Pixel telephones (4a and newer) can detect automotive crashes utilizing sensors
- Security Verify characteristic robotically triggers Emergency Sharing when you don’t test in
- Works even with restricted GPS sign by utilizing WiFi/cell tower information
When I’m touring solo, I all the time preserve my location providers turned on for security.
Security extras included:
- Disaster alerts for pure disasters (wildfires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes)
- Wildfire boundaries proven on map
- Emergency cellphone numbers in your location
- Actual-time incident reporting
9. Know What to Order Earlier than You Arrive
What it’s: AI-powered Menu Highlights exhibiting the most well-liked dishes.
Why it issues: Helps you keep away from menu anxiousness, order like a neighborhood, and uncover signature dishes.
How you can use it:
- View a restaurant itemizing
- Scroll to the “menu highlights” part
- See photographs and evaluations of the most well-liked dishes
- Primarily based on AI evaluation of consumer photographs and evaluations
The proof:
- Powered by Gemini AI analyzing hundreds of thousands of consumer photographs
- A part of the October 2024 AI replace
- 999 million evaluations printed in 2024
- 752 million photographs/movies printed in 2024
- Evaluations affect 85% of Google Maps-driven client selections
Excellent for: First-time guests to ethnic eating places, choosy eaters, or meals bloggers researching signature dishes.
10. Journey Again in Time with Road View
What it’s: Historic Road View photos courting again to 2007 and past.
Why it issues: See how neighborhoods have modified, revisit childhood houses, or observe city improvement.
How you can use it:
- Enter Road View mode
- Click on the clock icon (on desktop) or “See extra dates” (on cell)
- Slide by means of historic photos
- Enjoyable reality: Pegman transforms into Doc Brown (from Again to the Future) when time-traveling!
The proof:
- 220+ billion Road View photos worldwide
- Covers greater than 10 million miles of roads
- Out there in over 100 international locations
- Road View utilization grew 14% previously 12 months
Inventive makes use of: Actual property analysis, nostalgia journeys, monitoring neighborhood modifications, or historic analysis.
11. Collaborate on Journey Planning with Emoji Voting
What it’s: Shared lists with feedback and emoji reactions.
Why it issues: Makes group journey planning enjoyable and honest for everybody.
How you can use it:
- Create a customized record → Save areas
- Share the record together with your journey companions
- Buddies can react with emojis (coronary heart, smile, hearth, thumbs down, cash)
- Add feedback like “Let’s go right here after the street-art tour on Monday”
- Export as PDF or share by way of Gmail/Google Docs
The proof:
- Emoji voting characteristic added in 2024
- Lists sync throughout all of your units robotically
- You possibly can create limitless customized lists
- Widespread with journey bloggers for sharing itineraries
I create an inventory, add locations of curiosity (museums, eating places, retailers, libraries, and so forth.) and share it with my journey crew in order that they will weigh in on my picks and add their suggestions.
Professional Tip: Create separate layers for “Essential,” “Consuming/Consuming,” and “To Do” – use completely different colours/symbols for fast visible scanning.
12. Save Cash and the Planet Concurrently
What it’s: Gasoline-efficient routing exhibiting eco-friendly routes.
Why it issues: Reduces gasoline prices and minimizes your carbon footprint.
How you can use it:
- Routes robotically present a fuel-efficient possibility with a inexperienced leaf icon
- See gasoline financial savings in comparison with the quickest route
- Activate/off in Settings → Navigation → Desire fuel-efficient routes
- Works worldwide
The proof:
- Prevented 2.7 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2024
- Equal to eradicating 600,000 automobiles from roads yearly
- Out there globally as of 2024
- Saved 1.2 million metric tons by finish of 2022
- EV route planning grew 56% from 2024 to 2025
Extra eco-friendly options:
- Low-emission zone alerts (1,000+ zones in Europe)
- Public transit options proven with “additionally contemplate” playing cards (15+ cities)
- EV charging optimization with real-time availability
13. Get Warned About Harmful Climate Circumstances (NEW 2024)
What it’s: Neighborhood-driven climate disruption reporting.
Why it issues: Prevents getting stranded and improves security in unhealthy climate.
How you can use it:
- See and report flooded roads, unplowed roads, and low-visibility circumstances
- Get real-time alerts throughout navigation
- Reviews are verified by a number of customers
- Use voice instructions to report circumstances whereas driving
The proof:
- International rollout in October 2024
- Built-in with disaster alerts for pure disasters
- Much like Waze incident reporting (Google owns each apps)
- Processes 20 million real-time site visitors reviews day by day
Associated security options:
- Police checkpoint warnings
- Velocity digital camera areas
- Highway hazards
- Accident reviews
Professional perception: Waze integration (July-December 2024) brings complete incident information from 150 million Waze customers to Google Maps.
14. Measure Mountaineering Trails and Calculate Distances
What it’s: Distance measurement instrument for off-road paths.
Why it issues: Plan mountaineering routes, estimate strolling instances, or measure property boundaries.
How you can use it:
- On desktop: Proper-click → “Measure distance” → click on factors
- On cell: Lengthy-press → drop pin → swipe up → “Measure distance” → faucet + button
- See particular person section distances and complete size
- View elevation information
- Measurements sync throughout your units
Excellent for:
- Mountaineering path planning
- Biking route creation
- Cross-country snowboarding paths
- Crusing routes
- Working distance calculation
- Property measurements
Professional Tip: Use terrain view layer to evaluate issue and use satellite tv for pc view for exact measurements.
15. Keep away from Crowds with Actual-Time Busyness Information
What it’s: Widespread Occasions graph exhibiting typical and present crowding.
Why it issues: Skip lengthy strains, go to points of interest throughout quiet instances, and plan environment friendly day by day schedules.
How you can use it:
- View a enterprise itemizing
- Verify the “Widespread instances” graph (exhibits typical busy durations)
- See real-time crowding indicator (present occupancy)
- Verify “Go to period” estimates
- Plan your go to accordingly
The proof:
- Primarily based on location information from billions of customers
- 68% of customers permit background location monitoring (which permits this characteristic)
- 32% of customers work together with enterprise listings whereas navigating
- 45% of customers say Google Maps helps scale back journey anxiousness
Extra discovery options:
- “Open Now” filter for late-night choices
- Curated Lists: Trending (up to date weekly), High (tried-and-true), Gems (hidden discoveries)
- Professional lists from Infatuation, Lonely Planet, NY Occasions, OpenTable
- Out there in 40+ US and Canadian cities
Actual-world use: Go to the Eiffel Tower throughout quiet morning hours, discover eating places with out waits, or keep away from crowded museums.
