The US Automobile Association, or AAA, predicts that over 49.3 million will use their cars to travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving, and it will be the highest number since 14 years ago. With traffic congestion expected to be crazy in certain cities, taking time out to plan your trip in Google Maps now will spare you some hours in traffic in the future.
Google Maps of course can grant you access to step-by-step directions to your location and even allow you to build in stops on the way, to help you with the best route from Point A to Point B to Point C. It will inform you about how fast you are going and will also help you navigate every leg of your commute.
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Maps can take care of other travel tasks too, like informing your hosts if you’re running late and locating lost travel companions. See Important Google Maps Tips For Thanksgiving Travel:
1. Avoid holiday and Black Friday traffic
If your aim this Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend is to stay away from traffic and people, you are lucky. With Google’s huge database brain, 2018 search and Maps travel patterns were analyzed in twenty-five cities to provide advice on the most appropriate times over those 4 days to jump on the road and avoid the lines.
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Google also shows you when bakeries, grocery stores, liquor stores, movie theaters, and shopping centers will be extra busy.
2. Monitor your trip itinerary in Google Maps
To view your upcoming reservations:
1. In Maps, click the 3-line menu up in the top-left corner, and then click “Your Places.”
2. Click “Reservations.” You will be shown a list of upcoming reservations you made that Google Maps pulled from emails.
3. Click an item to know more about the reservation, its date, and location.
4. Searching for “my reservations” is also possible in the Google Maps search box to view a list of what you have booked.
3. Reserve a dinner table
Planning and readying yourself for a Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful. If you prefer to spend some time with family and friends rather than sharpening knives and mixing ingredients, Maps can assist with your booking of a lunch or dinner reservation.
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1. In Google Maps, click “Explore” way down on the screen.
2. Click “Restaurants” way up on the map to view a list of places to eat, differentiated by cuisine or distance.
3. Click a restaurant you fancy, in the window that is visible, reserve a table or join a waitlist, if it shows this option.
There you have it – a comprehensive list of Important Google Maps Tips For Your Thanksgiving Travel. If you have other recommendations, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.