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This story is a part of Holiday Survival Guide 2019, that includes tips about the most effective methods to handle the vacation season.

If the considered bumper-to-bumper vacation site visitors and lengthy strains at shops and eating places makes you wish to shut the drapes and lock the door, Google Maps in your Android machine and iPhone ($699 at Amazon) is prepared that can assist you get outdoors and keep away from the congestion and crowds of this Thanksgiving vacation. The American Automobile Association, or AAA, predicts greater than 49.3 million Americans will bounce of their automobiles to journey 50 miles or extra this Thanksgiving, probably the most since 2005. With site visitors congestion anticipated to hit thrice regular in some cities, a couple of minutes planning your journey in Google Maps now might simply prevent hours in site visitors later.

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Google Maps in fact may give you turn-by-turn instructions to your location and even allow you to construct in stops alongside the way in which so you’ve probably the most environment friendly route from Point A to Point B to Point C. It can let you know how briskly you are going. And it could actually show you how to navigate every leg of your commute. But Maps can even tackle different journey duties, corresponding to alerting your hosts in the event you’re operating late and discovering misplaced journey companions. Here are seven nice methods Google Maps can ensure you’re on the highway — and out of strains — as little as attainable.

Avoid vacation — and Black Friday — site visitors  If your aim over this Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend is keep away from site visitors and other people, you are in luck: Google used its massive database mind to research 2018 search and Maps journey patterns in 25 cities to supply recommendation on the most effective occasions over these 4 days to hit the roads and keep away from the strains.  In addition to steerage on when to be on and off the roads, Google charts out when bakeries, grocery shops, liquor shops, film theaters and procuring facilities are busiest, if you wish to scale back the time you spend standing round with strangers. Track your journey itinerary in Google Maps  In Maps, see what you have booked.
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Of course, Google Maps can chart your travels over the four-day weekend, however it could actually additionally shortly present you your weekend flight, lodge, automotive rental and restaurant reservations, saving you the effort of looking out by way of your electronic mail for check-in occasions and affirmation numbers. To see your upcoming reservations: 1. In Google Maps, faucet the three-line menu up within the top-left nook, after which faucet Your Places. 2. Tap Reservations tab. Here, you will see an inventory of upcoming reservations you have made that Maps has pulled from emails in Gmail. 3. Tap an merchandise to see extra in regards to the reservation, together with date and site. 4. You can even seek for “my reservations” within the Google Maps search field to see an inventory of what you have booked. Share your ETA proper from MapsSend your ETA whereas on the highway.
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Stuck in site visitors and want to inform your hosts you are operating late? Here’s what to do: 1. Once you have began your journey and Google helps you navigate, faucet the caret icon (the upside-down V) within the bottom-right nook of the display screen. 2. Tap Share journey progress after which choose who you wish to notify. Maps will maintain your hosts updated together with your present location and arrival time.  If you are reasonably not take your arms off the wheel to ship your ETA, you possibly can ask Google Maps to do it for you in your Android or iPhone:  1. In Maps, say, “Hey, Google.” 2. After you hear the ding that reveals Google Assistant is listening, say, “Send my ETA.” 3. Google Assistant will ask whom you wish to ship your message to.  4. Confirm your recipient, and Google will ship a textual content message saying you are in your method together with your anticipated arrival time. Find EV charging spots in your journey Find a charging station in your route.
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If you take your electrical car out for Thanksgiving dinner, Google Maps can assist you discover the EV charging stations in your route, together with estimated wait occasions for a charging port.  1. In Maps, faucet the caret icon within the bottom-right nook of the display screen. 2. Tap Search alongside route, and enter “EV charging stations.” 3. Maps will show close by charging stations and your wait time for a port. 4. Tap a charging station on the map to have Maps add it as a cease in your journey. (You can even use this trick to seek for different locations alongside your route if, say, your passengers wish to hit Denny’s for lunch earlier than the large dinner.) Not cooking? Reserve a desk proper in Maps Planning and getting ready a Thanksgiving dinner generally is a multiday chore. If you’d reasonably spend time with household and associates as an alternative of sharp knives and scorching stoves, Google Maps can assist you e book a lunch or dinner reservation.  1. In Maps, faucet the Explore button on the backside of the display screen. 2. Tap the Restaurants button on the high of the map to see an inventory of locations to eat, sorted by delicacies or distance. 3. Tap a restaurant that appears good, and within the window that pops up, reserve a desk or be a part of a waitlist, if it provides you that possibility (not all do).
Use Maps offline Heading someplace distant the place chances are you’ll not have a cellular community connection? Google Maps can nonetheless offer you instructions if you’re offline. 1. Before you head out, in Maps seek for the situation you will need instructions in. 2. In the situation’s window, faucet the situation title or deal with on the backside.  3. In Android, faucet Download after which, within the subsequent window, faucet Download once more; in iOS, faucet the three-dot menu within the high left nook, faucet Download offline map after which faucet Download. Maps will obtain a map to your cellphone of the realm you chose. Now, as you utilize Google Maps for instructions within the space you downloaded a map for, if you lose your mobile connection, Maps will change to the offline map to information you. Because you are offline, Maps will not be capable of provide real-time site visitors data, in fact. Share your location Locate stray companions with Maps.
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Is something extra crazy-making throughout a bunch exercise than when the group will get break up up and nobody can discover one another? Google Maps can assist convey you all again collectively. 1. In Maps, faucet the three-line menu up within the high left and faucet Location sharing. 2. Select who you wish to share your location with and for a way lengthy you wish to share it. 3. Tap Share, and Maps will ship your location to everybody you have chosen. 4. If you wish to see another person’s location, faucet that individual’s icon up on the up of the window after which faucet Request. If, in any case this, you’d reasonably not go outdoors this weekend, this is the right way to skip Black Friday and do your Amazon procuring from house, the right way to use your Prime advantages to your benefit whereas procuring this weekend, and the most effective on-line Black Friday offers we have discovered. And in the event you do not intend to go away your sofa for 4 days, listed here are our picks for the most effective TVs this fall.

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