• Google Maps helps you plan your entire road trip route, including stops, rest breaks, and overnight stays.
• You can save your trip plans, share them, and get real-time updates during your drive.
• Using the right features saves you stress, money, and time , especially when things on the road do not go as planned.
• Knowing how to plan effectively means fewer surprises (or at least more manageable ones) on your journey.

You can plan your entire road trip with Google Maps: pick start and end points, add stops, organize days, set up walking or food breaks, save places, and even get live rerouting if you hit traffic. Google Maps makes it easy to create, change, and follow your plan on your phone or computer. You get more control, less stress, and a smoother drive, with the bonus of being able to share plans with friends or family joining you along the way.

Why Use Google Maps for Road Trip Planning?

Most people already use Maps for local directions, but for road trips, it does much more. You can see the whole route at a glance, check distances, look up motels or parks, and even spot roadside coffee shops in advance.

Other apps help, but Google Maps combines almost everything in one place. That means less app-switching during the trip, and that’s often the key to actually enjoying your time on the road. There are some things it does not do perfectly (group itinerary building comes to mind), but for most travelers, that’s a minor trade-off.

What You Need Before You Start

• Your Google account (for saving maps and plans)
• List of destinations and stops you care about
• Some idea of what you want from the trip (fastest route, most scenic, cheapest, etc.)
• Your smartphone or laptop (ideally both, so you can prep on a bigger screen and use the phone in the car)

Starting the Route: Pinpoint Your Main Stops

I recommend beginning on a desktop for easier viewing. Open Google Maps and sign in to your account. Type the address of your starting point, home, hotel, airport, or wherever you need to leave from. Then, add your main destination (not every stop yet, just the place you eventually want to end up).

Click the Directions button. Drag the route if there are certain highways or cities you want to include or avoid. Google does try to save you a few minutes with its suggested route, but honestly, you might prefer the long way to avoid tolls, stressful city driving, or just to see better scenery.

Planning your stops based mostly on time spent in the car often leads to missed experiences. Try mixing in towns you have never heard of or roadside diners that look interesting, this keeps the trip fun instead of turning it into a race.

Adding Multiple Stops

Now add the places you want to visit or take a break. Click the small plus sign or ‘Add destination’ under the directions. You can enter up to nine stops per route. More? You will need to split the trip into segments, but this is rarely needed unless you are planning something epic.

• Click and hold the stacked lines to rearrange the order of stops.
• Zoom out to see the map as a whole, making sure your route makes sense and does not zigzag too much.

If your road trip covers several days, group stops by day. Some prefer creating separate Google Maps for each day. It can keep things clearer, especially if you have a lot going on each day or you are traveling with a group.

Saving Places: Custom Lists and Pins

Instead of scribbling down places on sticky notes or email chains, use Maps’ Saved Places and custom lists. Click on a place (museum, café, gas station, campground) and tap “Save,” then choose or create a list, let’s say, “2025 Southwest Trip” or “Best Lunch Spots.” This way, everything you want is neatly organized and ready to pull up as you drive.

If you are planning a trip with friends, shared Google Maps lists help everyone add suggestions and opinions, even before you set out. I have found this is the only way big group road trips survive the planning phase.

And if you need to keep backup options? Drop pins on spots where you might want to stop, like scenic viewpoints or backup motels. That way if a place is closed or you are too tired to keep going, you have your own personal “plan B” map right in your pocket.

Estimating Distances and Timing: How to Stay Realistic

Google Maps tells you how long each section should take to drive, but those estimates are for non-stop trips with ideal weather. Honestly, almost nobody manages to stick to that. Add at least 20% to your total drive time, maybe more if you are traveling during holidays or through cities that always seem to have traffic jams.

Here is a quick table for how far you can reasonably go in a day:

It is tempting to overplan and squeeze too much into one day. Fatigue sneaks up quickly, build in surprises and allow yourself more time than you need, not less.

Building Your Map: My Maps and Layers

The standard Google Maps app is solid, but the Google My Maps tool lets you do much more. Here you can create custom maps, color-code pins, add notes, and draw lines for detours or scenic drives. You can also add layers, one for hotels, another for hiking spots, for example.

• Name each map layer clearly (“Day One,” “Motels,” “Sights”)
• Add custom icons for certain types of stops, like food or gas
• Share your map privately or publicly (great for trips with friends or family)

If you have never used My Maps before, it feels a bit clunky at first, but it is worth figuring out. Not everything syncs perfectly to mobile Maps, but you can usually find your saved pins later and tap for directions.

Factoring In Food, Gas, and Detours

No trip survives first contact with reality, someone will get hungry, a bathroom will be needed unexpectedly, or maybe you just spot a perfect old bookstore that is not showing up in your saved plan. That is part of the fun.

• Search ‘restaurants near me’ or ‘gas stations along route’ in Maps while on the road
• Save backup food stops or rest stops along your path
• Do not forget local parks if you want picnic breaks or walks to avoid getting stiff

Planning every bathroom stop is impossible, but adding a few parks, grocery stores, and gas stations to your map gives you more freedom to enjoy the road instead of just racing from one point to the next.

Offline Maps: Preparing for Weak Signal Areas

Some of the best road trips go through areas with spotty or no signal. Download offline maps by searching your main route area in the app, tap your icon, select ‘Offline maps’, then ‘Select your own map’. Enlarge to cover your route and save it. Now, even without cell signal, you can still get turn-by-turn navigation and see saved places.

• Keep in mind: offline maps do not give live traffic updates, so expect surprises if there is road work or closures
• Periodically update your offline maps before leaving, they expire after a while

Sharing Your Road Trip Plans

Traveling with a group, convoy, or just want your mom to know where you are? Google Maps has sharable routes. Click the three dots near your map, pick ‘Share directions’, then send the link by text or email.

• Share your custom saved lists with friends, so they can add or comment on places
• Consider sending the map to yourself as a backup, in case you need to reinstall the app or switch phones during the trip

Making Adjustments While on the Road

It is easy to change your route as you go. Hit “Add stop” to reroute for a breakfast spot someone just suggested. If you spot heavy traffic, Google reroutes almost instantly (signal permitting). Sometimes you will want to ignore the reroute, after all, the long way often has the better views, but the option is there when you need it.

If you get off track, tap ‘Resume route’ in the app, and Google Maps will find you again. Sometimes it is helpful, sometimes you want to go rogue. Do what works for you.

Tips for a Better Road Trip Using Google Maps

• Always bring a printed version of your main route in case your phone fails. Low-tech solutions often save the day.
• Double-check that all drivers have access to maps and saved places if switching drivers.
• Check business hours and road conditions before heading to remote areas, info on Google Maps can be out of date for small towns.
• Build in at least one totally unplanned hour each day for side trips, surprises, or unexpected longer breaks.
• Use Street View to check parking and entrances for awkward stops or big cities before you get there.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ignoring offline map downloads if you are driving through remote areas.
• Relying only on estimated time, traffic, weather, and construction always add delays.
• Not saving each night’s stop as a destination in your plan.
• Failing to share your trip map with everyone in your group.
• Overlooking small amenities, like where to get snacks, or local restrooms, until it is too late.

Planning the perfect road trip is not about sticking to every minute detail, but being ready to adjust without stress. Maps helps you do that. Even if you do not follow your plan perfectly, having a well-mapped outline means you can improvise when you need to.

Beyond the Basic Route: Custom Tricks

• Color-code stops (scenic, essentials, must-try restaurants) using My Maps icons for quick reference.
• Add snippets of info to pins, like notes on why you want to stop, opening hours, or ticket prices.
• Layer routes by travel day so you can quickly switch between plans if plans change or people join/leave.
• Use Google Maps “Timeline” (in account menu) to look back at past trips or see if you missed anything the first time.

And something people rarely talk about, use My Maps to add warning spots, like places with speed cameras, toll booths that only take cash, or areas with known road closures, based on local news. Nothing wrecks a good road trip like a surprise fine or endless detour.

Is Google Maps Always the Best Road Trip Tool?

Honestly, there are a few slight quirks. Google Maps is not perfect for complex group trips (think 10+ stops per route or several vehicles). If you are planning a big caravan, you may want to supplement with a spreadsheet or a group chat. Some apps focused just on scenic routes or RV-friendly stops might be worth a look for niche trips.

But for most people, Maps has the right mix of familiar features, easy sharing, smart live directions, and enough customization to help you plan nearly any trip you want. Plus, if something goes wrong, your phone dies, or you get off-route, you can pull up your plan on practically any device with an internet connection.

Try not to treat your plan as a checklist. Let Google Maps guide you, but keep curious and ready for the detours, the local gems, and the moments you would never have found if you just followed the directions.