Google today updated its Google Maps service with a new feature that was previously removed: directions for multiple destinations. The company also rolled out two new tools, one to manage your reservations and one to discover upcoming events.
Directions for multiple destinations, which Google says was one of the service’s most requested features, lets you plot multiple destinations for your trip. It works for driving, walking, and biking directions; just pick a starting point, click the “+” button, and add stops to your route by typing in the search box or clicking on the map.
If you’re planning a day in a city, you can find the best way to important places by dragging and dropping your destinations in the order that works for you. This sets up the new Views carousel, located in the bottom right corner, to give you a preview via Street View, Photo Tours, and other imagery:
The next feature is probably the most interesting. Just like in Google Search, you can now find your flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations right in Google Maps. Just search for your departing airport or dining destination, and Google will show your upcoming plans (you’ll have to be signed in to Google, of course).
You can also quickly access your recent search history on the Google Maps app for your iPhone or Android device. Unfortunately, this feature is currently only rolling out to English-speaking Maps users in the US.
Last but not least, you can search for interesting venues and click on the Upcoming Events card to see a schedule of what’s happening near you. These can be anything from performances to sports matches:
The Google Maps team says there is “a lot more coming soon” but wouldn’t go into detail. We’ll keep you posted on what they have in the pipeline the second we find out.
See also – Google Maps for Android and iOS now shows ‘relevant’ ads at the bottom of the screen after you perform a search and Google Maps Street View arrives in Peru, meaning the service now covers over 3,000 cities in 51 countries
Top Image Credit: calsidyrose / Flickr
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