Nancymc09

Hello. My husband and I are planning a 10 day road trip starting in Boston and going to Maine, NH Massachusettes and Vermont. I have noticed many people are complaining about google maps. What would you suggest we use, actual maps (what a thought!) or maps on our phone (google, mapquest, or ?).
Or....should I figure out our route EXACTLY before we leave? I am wanting to make several detours on the route to visit things, maybe an actual map is the way to go?
Thanks for suggestions.\
Nancy

Gretchen

Get a paper map and stick pins in it. AAA has good ones still.
I think GPS and such are good for getting out of "places" but for big planning, it's looking at the bigger picture for me. That way I can see things near the roads we might take for any detours of interest.

NewbE

Good lord, I would not use pins and a paper map. I agree with having a paper map, mind you, just in case.

What we do is study the route the night before on our tablet/phones, then use a phone in the car as guidance. We enter the name of our next destination--a lighthouse, say. After we've seen it, we enter the next destination, perhaps a restaurant, for example, and so on, hopscotching from one stop to the next. Easy peasy.

If a question arises, the phone doing the guidance continues to do it's thing while the person not driving does some research on their device.

Electronic maps show points of interest, including restaurants, far more than paper maps do.

We usually use Google maps, but sometimes Apple Maps.

DebbieDoesDulles

at night plan out your route for the next day. In the morning, ask advice from the locals at the inn...they'll know what's shut down due to construction, what apple orchard not to miss etc. If you get lost along the way, stop and ask a local yokel....but be prepared to sit for a bit while they give you your 3 or 4 options.

NewbE

Google and Apple Maps don't know about which orchards not to miss, but they do know about construction delays and they also route you around them. Saves time better spent talking to locals

You know, it amazes me how reluctant Fodorites are to embrace technology! This stuff is a traveler's best friend!

NewbE

Oh, and just to clarify, you can save places you're interested in in the map application in advance, so when you decide to navigate to it, you choose it without having to enter the details.

suze

I like the AAA maps and "trip tik". Or any Road Atlas really.

Sheez I'm not "relucant" to "embrace technology". I just prefer a paper map for planning and taking road trips.

cw

I like paper maps for planning and seeing the big picture.

Take a look at the website for Yankee Magazine. They have suggested itineraries for driving trips in New England.

yestravel

I agree that paper maps still serve a purpose and are esp useful when looking at the big picture for a drive. I also "embrace" the technlogy and use my ipad in particular along with my phone while driving for all the reasons mentioned. I sometimes compare what google maps suggests vs Apple maps which have vastly improved. But I have to say that google maps occasionally does some very weird routing. I havent noticed it as much up the east coast, but in other locations esp foreign it's pretty bad. In Bangkok we used it to walk to a restuarant and ended up who knows where, but the people there knew where we were trying to go!

NewbE

A question for those of you "choosing " to use paper maps exclusively: do you own a smartphone or tablet? Because if you don't, paper isn't a preference, it's your only option.

suze

That's right, NewbE, paper is both my "preference" AND my "only option".

NewbE

Lol, suze, sure, whatever you say. Your advice regarding which is better is useless if you have no point of comparison.

suze

Well then, maybe that's why I did not say my way was "better". Or make any comment about "comparison" of various methods.

I simply said I like & use a paper map. But please don't let that stop you from trying to make an argument, as usual.

DebbieDoesDulles

I try to embrace technology but it does not try to embrace me. There are only so many times you can listen to "recalculating....recalculating.....recalculating" before you just have to turn that bitch off and pull out a map.

suze

Thank you Debbie.

Gretchen

What we do is study the route the night before on our tablet/phones, then use a phone in the car as guidance. We enter the name of our next destination

Try to stay with me here. I was talking about the INITIAL PLANNING for the trip. Then do whatever it is to get to wherever you want. Personally, my smartphone doesn't take to getting pins stuck in it very well.

I save magazine articles (Southern Llving, Garden and Gun), Diners Driveins and Dives places, destination shopping etc. Put THOSE pins in a map.

And no, I don't use a map in my car now, but might for a trip like this as others have said to plan the night before for close attractions.

It's possible there is even more than one way to plan a trip, NewBe

Dukey1

NewbE, please do NOT "embrace" your "technology" at ANY traffic lights or anywhere else I might have to be driving behind you.

SusieQQ

I have a GPS system that came in my car which has a good map that I can view at any time. But, I find that Google on my phone is better and more accurate.
Before I leave I view the whole trip on Google on my computer. What I particularly like is switching from map to actual views.

happytrailstoyou

In the USA we always use AAA maps and supplement them with map.google.com for specific locations of hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc. This works perfectly for us.

HTtY

NewbE

I won't, Dukey, as long as you don't drive with your nose in a map anywhere that I may be driving.

And why does everyone seem to be arguing with me? I gave my preferred way--notice the use of the word "preferred"--and everyone except suze gave their *preferred* way. Technology is a time and space saver. Maps are a good old standby. This is simple fact. Now, you may prefer the old standby, but it's probably because you couldn't make technology work for you.

If you have tried and disliked technology, so be it. If you've never tried it, your advice is useless.

Flame me all you like, but you know it's true.