iOS experience
On iOS, just open the Google Maps app and tap on “Explore around you” at the bottom of the map to see recommendations of places to indulge and imbibe along with places to see and things to do. iPhone users can sort their options by how long it would take to walk or drive to the destinations as well as time of day. Curated lists range from “Local favorites” to “Quick bites” to a special “Featured by Zagat” option. The “Play & see” list will show you places to go like museums, historical monuments, live music venues and more. Simply scroll through the place cards to see abbreviated info and tap on your favorite to get more details.
Whether you’re using Android or iOS, save time this holiday season by checking the up-to-date open hours to make sure you don’t arrive to find a closed sign in the window and reviewing the popular times to avoid holiday crowds.
Make the most of your time with Maps Minutes hacks. Next up: searching for places and getting turn-by-turn directions—all while offline.
Posted by Olga Suvorova, Product Marketing Manager, Google Maps
The results you get in Explore not only tell you what’s nearby—and you can decide if “nearby” means a five-minute walk or a 20-minute drive—but they actually change based on context like the time of day and the weather, too. So don’t worry about wandering over to a breakfast spot for dinner, or arriving at the park just in time for a thunderstorm. You’ll get best results when you’re signed in with location reporting and history turned on.
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you can get even more relevant information. If you’re using an Android device, tap on the My Location button at the bottom right or on the blue dot on the map, and you can quickly access more info about your location such as restaurant reviews and transit schedules, or simply save the place for later. Over time, your location experience will improve as you confirm the places you visit.
So next time you’re deciding where to brunch, or you want to check out your restaurant’s reviews while you wait for friends to arrive, open up your Google Maps app and Explore.
Posted by Taj Campbell, Google Maps Product Manager
