Google Maps will soon show you trending restaurants, let you make must-see lists, and more
Whether you're planning a whole vacation or just a night out, your planning is about to get a lot easier thanks to Google Maps. In the next few weeks, three new features are set to hit the app that make finding things to do, places to see, and spots to eat a lot easier.
First up, starting in select cities, Google Maps will soon show you curated lists of recommendations from people who know the city well. There will also be lists from popular sites like Lonely Planet and Open Table, and you'll be able to see things like a 48-hour itinerary or the best new restaurants.
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Speaking of restaurants, Google Maps will also soon feature special restaurant lists from Google based on specific spots that people are frequenting. You'll be able to see a trending list of restaurants that have seen a spike in popularity over the past few weeks, a top list of places the Maps community has consistently loved, and a gems list for places that are a neighborhood's best kept secret. These lists are rolling out to more than 40 US cities this week.
Second, you'll soon be able to create lists in Maps to help organize the things you want to do and places you want to eat, or to make an itinerary of must-sees if you're helping someone navigate your favorite neighborhood. You'll be able to easily share a link to your list in a group chat or a social post, and even change the order that places appear.
And lastly, Google understands that plans change, so it's now going to be a lot easier to find information about a place or pick something to eat quickly thanks to AI-powered insights. When you pull up a place on Maps, you'll see both photos and reviews that offer an overview of what people like.
If you scroll through food photos, the AI feature will help you learn what a dish is called, which should be especially useful, Google says, if you're traveling abroad or to a new city where you're not familiar with the cuisine. You'll also see what meals cost, how popular certain foods are, and whether something is vegan or vegetarian. Google is really ramping up its use of AI in Maps: just last month the company added AI to help users find new places in a city and an AI-powered immersive view.
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Google is also planning a design update that will give Maps a fresh look. You can expect a cleaner home screen with fewer tabs and new pin colors that make it easier to find places on the map.
All these features should arrive over the next few weeks.