Google Maps contains a plethora of hidden features that you may take advantage of to your benefit. Do you have any idea who they are?
Despite the fact that I seldom use Google Maps to find directions, I use the app practically every day for a variety of other reasons that aren't immediately apparent. Google Maps is handy for a lot more than just figuring out how to go from point A to point B, as the truth demonstrates. Below the surface of all those festively colored traffic patterns and high-resolution satellite photos is a sophisticated search tool that provides crowdsourced real-time data on restaurants, retail stores, professional offices, public parks, and virtually everywhere else you'd want to go in the world.
A coronavirus information layer, payment for parking, enhanced pictures and sidewalk maps, and improved location sharing are just a few of the Google Maps upgrades that have recently been released.. Turn-by-turn directions are a thing of the past, at least in terms of technology. When using Google Maps as a navigation tool, you're simply a touch, press, or swipe away from these and other Google Maps abilities. If you're not already familiar with this app, you can learn more about it here.
If you want to learn more about how to unlock the hidden potential of the Google Maps app on your phone or tablet, consider these five ways I use Google Maps virtually every day that have nothing to do with obtaining directions.
Check out how lengthy the lines are at various locations, from Walmart to the DMV.
Before I leave the house, whether I'm going to Walmart, the grocery store, the doctor's office, or the DMV to
driving directions renew my driver's license, I nearly always check Google Maps to see how crowded the area around my destination will be. Here's how you can find out more about that information as well.
If you're using the Google Maps app, choose the company or area you'd want to visit and then scroll down until you see a graph called "Popular Times." If you're planning a vacation for later in the week, select the day of the week from the drop-down menu.
In the red column, you'll find information on present foot traffic, and in one of the blue columns, you'll find a summary of how busy you may anticipate it to be at a later time: The following options are available: not too busy, a bit busy, or really busy.
Under the title Plan your visit, you'll discover general information like peak wait times ("up to 5 minutes from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.") and the average amount of time it takes to complete a visit ("People typically spend 20 min here"). You should now be able to tell if you'll be in and out in a flash or whether you'll need to bring a good book or just schedule your visit at a time when the lines will be shorter.
Take a look at the menus, photographs, and customer feedback.
Additionally, Google Maps is a full-fledged crowdsourced review app, similar to Yelp or TripAdvisor, so you can get a good idea of what kinds of options your destination has to offer, as well as price, presentation, and whether or not you'll need to take out a loan to afford it, before you even arrive there.
This tool is as beneficial for ordering takeout and delivery from restaurants as it is for previewing menu items and prices — not to mention getting a good look at the food themselves. If you're thinking about going somewhere new, this might make or break your decision. The average five-star rating of each restaurant, as well as individual reviews, are displayed for those who place their faith in the wisdom of the masses when making a selection.
On the top of most restaurant listings, you'll notice a navigation bar with options such as Overview, Menu, Reviews, and Photos (you may have to side-scroll to see all of them). Select one of those options, or simply scroll down. The link labeled Menu is frequently given immediately below the working hours, but keep scrolling until you reach the heading Popular dishes to see images of the cuisine being served there. Continue reading beyond the most popular hours until you reach the bottom of the page, where you will see the restaurant's five-star average and user ratings.