Ultimate Google Maps Tips: RVs and Nomads

Will you have room to park?

How will you turn around?

Is this street a dead end??

Have no fear,

Google maps is here!

Google can help you in SO many ways. I use Google maps and satellite constantly. Using maps has made me feel way more confident knowing I can pull my camper in and out of anywhere (usually very easily). It is a fantastic tool to know what you’re getting into or where you’re going. Reviews, pictures, planning road trips. I’m going to give you more details on how you can use all of it to help you!

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Here’s what I’ll share with you!

• How Google Satellite (Google Maps) can save your butt.

• How to save destinations in Google Maps.

• How to create lists in Google Maps.

  + Tips using Google Maps!

Google Satellite

Reasons you’ll need to use satellite!

• Coffee (duh)- You really need to try that coffee shop that’s in a cute and historic downtown. Will there be room to park?

• Shopping- A bookstore on Pinterest was SO cute, but it’s in a tiny area of town. Probably limited parking there too.

• Groceries- They really are needed asap but you just left Acadia NP and there’s not much on the islands. Does the main road out have room for an RV?

• Park or Hike- You really want to hit up that park to walk Fido around but who knows how large the parking lot really is.

• Cracker Barrel- Want to make sure there are designated RV spots? Or how many hotels are surrounding the restaurant? Is it separated or part of the huge fiasco?
  

How to do it!

1. Open the Google Maps app.

2. Search for where it is you would like to go.

3. Zoom in to the location. Click the layers button in the top right of the screen. This will show you: “default”, “satellite”, and “terrain”.

4. Click on “satellite”.

5. Zoom in until you can see the lots and parking all around. Unfortunately, you’ve found there’s only angled nose-in parking in front of the shop.

6. Look across the street! Is there a Walmart, Target, Ace Hardware, shopping center, fast food? Park there instead!

7. Keep scrolling around until you find something you feel comfortable pulling into -and out of!- and that’s within walking distance. Don’t forget to drop a pin (read below!) to see how far that distance actually is.

8. I recommend toggling between satellite view and default if you are looking for business names. “default” mode is much easier to see names, “satellite” is better to see roads, lots, and tops of buildings (ha).

Saving Locations

How to save locations to Google maps!

1. Open Google Maps.

2. Search for a location. Example: “New Belgium NC”.

3. Click on that location.

4. Click the “save” bubble.

5. Add to previous lists or create new list (see below and pics!).

Creating Lists

Save all the places you want to go, dump stations, and more by making lists for each! It’s so cute and helpful!

1. Open Google Maps.

2. Click “Saved” at the bottom of the screen.

3. Click + New List.

4. Name the list (add a description if you’d like).

5. Choose an icon! (The icons are emojis) This is the fun part!

   -Examples: Beer- breweries, Tent- camping, Hiking boot- hikes etc.

   I really love doing this because now you can differentiate between all your saved places! You can also use Google’s automatic saved list icons such as hearts (favorites), green flags (want to go), and stars (starred places).