HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN CITY MAP

As you know, I’m planning two big trips right now. The first is a week-long trip from New York to Paris and the Amalfi coast. The second is a move from New York to Dallas, which we are driving ourselves because I have to relocate all the inventory for my online store as quickly as possible. I’ve done a lot of research for each trip and I thought some of you might benefit from what I’ve learned!

I’ll talk about how to plan a road trip in a separate post but today I’m going to show you how to create your own city map, which I’ve found immensely useful in planning our itinerary for four days in Paris. If you’ve ever wanted to create a map where you can input unlimited destinations (restaurants, train stops, shopping, friends’ addresses, etc.) and find the shortest distances between each destination, I know you’re going to love this as much as I do!

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN CITY MAP

1. Go to google.com/mymaps and select “create a new map.”

how to create your own city map google my maps

2. Type in the city (or country!) you’d like to map.

google my maps

3. Type in the places you’d like to see, including monuments, parks, restaurants, and stores. Don’t forget to mark your home address! Once the green pin is dropped, click on it and select “add to map.”

google my maps paris

4. Once you’ve typed in all your addresses, click the paint bucket to the right of each place and color code by the type of destination. I chose a little yellow house for the apartment we’re renting, blue for monuments and gardens, and red for boutiques and restaurants, but you could get as detailed and color-coordinated as you like!

google my maps color coded

5. By now, you can see which places were closest to where you’re staying and which destinations it makes sense to see on the same day. If you want directions from one pin to another, hold down the shift key, click on two points, and click the “add directions” icon (second from the right) to map out your route.

google my maps directions

Now just bookmark your map for easy access throughout your trip so you can look up directions on the go! Apologies that this isn’t the prettiest post I’ve ever published on Design Darling but hopefully it helps you create your own city map next time you’re planning a trip! I can actually see this being useful in a ton of different ways: sharing your favorite local spots with a house guest, mapping travel for work, or even posting on your wedding website for guests visiting from out of town. Any other websites you’ve found useful for planning travel or sharing your recommendations? I’d love to hear!