Tag Archives: Maps

Go even greener this holiday season

I’m always looking for ways to be more sustainable. And with the holidays in full swing, when many of us (✋) are particularly overindulgent, it’s a fitting time to start eco-friendlier traditions.

Here are a few ways you can embrace more green this holiday season, with help from Google.

Take the road less wasteful

Traveling for the holidays this year? It’s easy to find more sustainable ways to get where you’re going. Google Flights now shows estimated carbon emissions for every flight. And if you’re hitting the road, Google Maps lets you choose the most fuel-efficient driving route if it’s not already the fastest one. If you also need a place to crash (other than your parents’ house), a quick Google search for hotels will show you information about their sustainability efforts.

Gif showing a flight’s carbon emissions information from a list on Google Flights.

Look up estimated carbon emissions on Google Flights.

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3 new ways to navigate more sustainably with Maps

These three Maps updates, announced at our Sustainable with Google event, will help people make greener choices when getting from A to B.

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Save (your) energy

It’s tempting to keep the living room holiday lights on all night — not only because they’re festive, but so you can avoid the tangled wires to turn them off. If you connect them to your Google Nest or Home speaker or display using a compatible smart plug, you can easily turn them off with your voice, conserving energy for both you and the planet. You can also set up a Routine so they automatically turn on and off at a specific time every day. While you’re at it, save even more energy with a Home & Away Routine for your Nest thermostat to automatically adjust the heat at different points of the day, including when you’re out of the house.

Recycle the old, in with the new

After the holidays, many of us are faced with mountains of boxes, wrapping paper and, oh yes, a tree. You may also need to make space for new gifts — like the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro? ? — that are replacing old gadgets. By viewing Business Profiles on Google Maps and Search, you can see where to recycle or properly dispose of certain materials so they don’t end up in landfills. If you’re looking to recycle an old Google device or other electronics you're no longer using, check out our mail-in program.

Gif of mobile screen scrolling to see recycling options at “Green-r Recycle Center.”

Check out Business Profiles on Google Maps and Search to see where (and what) to recycle.

Stir up sustainably

The Food at Google team, who keeps our global offices’ kitchens running and operating sustainably, shared some tips for cooking responsibly this holiday season:

  • Get scrappy: Use scraps to make your food go further — broccoli stalks in a stir fry, stale bread for a strata, or vegetable leaves and stems for pesto, dips or chimichurri.
  • Stay in season: Research what’s in season so the foods you’re using are at peak flavor and more likely to be available locally, helping to reduce carbon emissions from packaging and shipping.
  • Save for later: Make room for leftovers in your fridge or freezer ahead of time, and read up on how to properly store foods so they last even longer.

Consider also donating any non-perishable foods you don’t use to a food bank or pantry. In the U.S., you can search for “food pantry near me” to quickly find verified locations across the country.

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Find food and give back with Google

Google is launching a number of features on Search and Maps focused on combating food insecurity.

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This year, we searched for ways to stay healthy

Every day, millions of people come to Google Search to ask important questions about their wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic drove even more concern for our health and the health of our loved ones – and this year, searches for ways to heal reached record highs. We saw questions about vaccinations, therapists, body positivity and mental wellbeing, to name a few. Today, we launched our annual Year in Search, which takes a look back at the top-trending searches of the year. Here’s a glimpse into some of the trending searches of 2021, a year we looked for ways to feel better and heal together.

Finding resources near me

Across the world, people searched for information on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing. The top trending "near me" queries in 2021 were "covid vaccine near me" and "covid testing near me.” To help people find credible, timely testing and vaccine information, we updated Google Search information panels, and worked with national and international partners to help people get vaccinated and tested.

Learning how to help

Helping ourselves and our communities was a priority for many of us. We asked questions about how to help others with anxiety and depression, and we also looked for help with our own mental wellbeing. Search interest for “therapists near me” hit record highs in 2021, and the phrase "why do I feel anxious for no reason" also hit an all-time high this year, spiking more than 400%. In addition to providing mental health resources and helplines, a quick Google Search also surfaces self-assessments to help you learn more about mental health topics like depression, anxiety, PTSD and postpartum depression.

Evaluating information effectively

Is it allergies or COVID? A sinus infection or COVID? Pfizer or Moderna? As many of us searched for health related information online, we wanted to know what we found was trustworthy. Connecting people with critical, timely and authoritative health information has been a crucial part of our role over the last year, and our team is constantly working to find ways to help people everywhere find credible and actionable information to help manage their health. To help people evaluate information online, we launched a new tool called About This Result, so you can learn more about the pages you see across a range of topics. About This Result helps people evaluate the credibility of sources, and decide which results are useful for them.

Search continues to be one of the first stops people make when making decisions, big and small, about their health — and so much more. To dive deeper into some of the other trending topics that defined 2021, visit yearinsearch.google/trends.

Winter is coming: 9 ways to enjoy it with Google

As a native Oregonian, I thought living in California would be an incredible break from the nine months of rain I’d endured growing up. What I didn’t realize was that 70-degree winters felt…wrong. Where were the mittens? The down jackets? The occasional snowy days? I’ve since moved back to the Pacific Northwest, and I’ve had a renewed appreciation for winter weather.

In fact, I enjoy the chilly months of the year so much, I’ve put together a few ways to make the most of the cold weather.

  1. I love snowshoeing, and I always want to find new trails. I use Google Maps to look for mountain biking and hiking trails that are covered in snow in the winter. (Just look for the hiking icons, or the light dash lines that indicate trails.) If I come across a good one, I label it on Maps so I know how to get back.
Animated GIF showing trails on Google Maps and how you can select and label them; this one is being saved to a list called “trails.”

2. I’m a year-round runner, but once the temperature dips below 50 Fahrenheit and the roads get wet or icy, I need new gear — all of which I can find in one place using Google Shopping. You can select the Sports & Outdoors tab to browse — and turn on the deals filter for discounts.

3. And when I’m returning from a chilly run, I can use the Google Home app to turn on my Nest Thermostat before I get home, so I know I’m not wasting energy while I’m out and the house will be toasty when I come in. I also use Home & Away Routines so that Nest knows when I’m out and can adjust my temperature automatically.

4. OK fine, there’s one downside of winter weather, and that’s how early it gets dark. I use Google Assistant to notify me an hour before sunset so I can get outside for some sunshine before the sun goes down.

5. We’ve started cutting down our own Christmas tree, which is actually pretty easy to do. A quick Google Search for cutting down a tree on federal land will help you find a map (and how you can purchase a permit). Then you can just use Google Maps to take you to the right area.

6. If I’m feeling really adventurous and ready to hit the slopes, I’ll check out the Explore tool on google.com/travel. I can set my home as the point of origin and then select “skiing” under the Interests filter and see what ski towns I can visit.

Animated GIF showing the United States on Google Maps. The arrow selects the “interests” tab and then “skiing” to surface ski towns in different parts of the country.

7. I love a good Google Alert to stay up to date on what’s going on locally. Once November rolls around, I set one for “Oregon winter festivals.”

8. Pixel cameras take incredible photos in dimly lit areas, so using Night Sight for shots of light displays or snowy nights is a no-brainer. And if you’ve already snagged a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, those photos will look even better: The new Pixel camera lets in 2.5 times as much light as the Pixel 5, and you can try out the new Motion Mode setting to capture an artsy falling snow pic.

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Take holiday photos with Night Sight in Portrait Mode

Take beautiful holiday photos with this new feature for Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5.

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9. Most winter nights, I make a real fire — but when I don’t feel like hauling in wood, there’s always a YouTube version, complete with crackle.

Making healthcare options more accessible on Search

Navigating the U.S. healthcare system can be quite challenging, so it’s no wonder three in four people turn to the internet first in their search for health information. By providing timely and authoritative health information, plus relevant resources and tools on Google Search, we’re always exploring ways to help people make more informed choices about their health. Here are a few new ways we’re helping.

New ways to find insurance information on Google

In the U.S., finding a doctor who accepts your health insurance is often a top priority. When searching for a specific provider, people can check which insurance networks that they might accept. And if they’re searching for a new provider overall, on mobile, they’re now able to filter providers nearby who accept Medicare — a health plan predominantly for people over the age of 65.

Mobile image showing Accepts Medicare filter on Healthcare Business Profiles.

How providers can keep patients up to date

To help people get connected to the care they need, we’re conducting checks to ensure details of local doctors are up to date, and giving all healthcare providers the ability to update their information by claiming and updating their Google Business Profile.

We continue to expand the features and tools that doctors can use to communicate about the services they offer. After claiming their profile, health professionals can edit and update information about their hours, services, and more.

Whether helping people find information to self-assess their symptoms for mental health conditions like depression or getting real time information of COVID-19 vaccine availability nearby, we continue to explore ways to connect people around the world to relevant and actionable information to better manage their health.

Find food and give back with Google

In Google’s early days, around this time every year, a group of us would run to Costco and buy supplies to take to Bay Area food banks and pantries. It was a grassroots effort that was scrappy and meaningful — and it introduced a lot of Googlers to how rewarding giving back can be. It made me want to learn what more we could do to have an even bigger impact.

Inspired by our small and mighty food donation operation, I became a passionate supporter of Second Harvest Food Bank in Silicon Valley. And with guidance from food assistance experts, we established a dedicated team at Google in 2020 to work on tackling issues of food waste and food insecurity. Too many families are having to make difficult decisions no one should be forced to make: paying rent, bills, healthcare costs — or keeping food on their table. These challenges have only been compounded by the COVID-19 crisis, which has left more than 54 million working Americans struggling to find a meal. That’s nearly 16% of the country.

Google co-founder Larry Page once said "people are starving in the world not because we don't have enough food. It's because we're not yet organized to solve that problem." The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) reports that the world produces more than we need to feed every person on this planet. This isn’t a problem of supply, it’s a problem of distribution. And while solving this issue will require work from government, businesses, nonprofits and individuals working together, one way Google can help is to give people easy access to the information they need, when they need it.

Helping people find food pantries

When you look at Google Search trends, you can see that searches for "food bank" and “food pantry” spike during the month of November.

Food banks have always been critical to making sure people have regular access to nutritious food, but the ongoing pandemic has drastically increased their role as a crucial lifeline in so many communities. With the need for their services doubling or even tripling in some areas, we want to make sure that the people who need them most can find them.

That’s why we’ve launched a new initiative to expand the information about food banks and pantries in Google Search and Maps. We’ve augmented existing coverage with data from two initial nonprofit partners: WhyHunger and Hunger Free America, and we’ve added information to make sure people searching for food support can find what they need. These changes are being made directly in Google Maps so food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens can focus on what matters most — getting people food.

Still, some of these locations don’t yet have websites or phone numbers available on Google. So over the last two months, we've worked to update this information in Search and Maps, making 85,000 plus calls to verify local food banks and pantries. These efforts will continue through the holidays.

Mobile image showing Google Search results for the query “food pantry near me.”

We’ve also developed new Google Business Profile features specifically for food banks, pantries and soup kitchens. They can now provide details on their profile, like whether an appointment is needed, if there are eligibility requirements to receive food and what languages are spoken. They can also add information about their services, like whether prepared meals are available or if grocery delivery is an option. Additionally, pantries can specify whether they’re accepting new volunteers or soliciting food or monetary donations.

Helping people access benefits

Beyond working with food pantries, we’re also helping people use Search to find out how to get and use food assistance benefits.

Federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP) feed more than 40 million Americans each year. We heard from users that information about these programs is often hard to find, especially for people who are using them for the first time. Today, if you search on Google for “SNAP benefits,” or the name of your local SNAP program, you’ll find direct links to each state’s eligibility guidelines and application process, including contact information for local food assistance agencies.

Mobile image showing Google Search results for the query “SNAP benefits,” with details about program eligibility and links to apply for local programs.

Once approved, many people use Electronic Benefits Transfer cards (also known as EBT) to pay for their groceries. Now, if you search for “grocery stores that accept EBT” you can easily find USDA-approved stores that accept this form of payment — saving time and potential confusion.

Supporting hunger relief organizations – and the communities they serve

I’m also proud to announce that we’re contributing financial support as well. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, Googlers have stepped up – giving more than $22 million in personal donations and company-match to hunger relief organizations in the U.S. Today, Google is contributing an additional $2 million in support ($1 million in cash funding and $1 million in donated ads from Google.org) to 20 food banks, pantries and innovative hunger relief organizations across the country.

There is no easy solution to these large-scale challenges that face our communities, but I’m hopeful that increasing access to information about local food support programs and services can help. Our teams are hard at work and committed to building new tools and features that support economic recovery in the U.S. – and around the world – as we weather the COVID-19 crisis. And I personally am really looking forward to getting back to sorting and distributing food with my family at our local food bank.

You can make an impact by volunteering your time, making a donation, using your voice, or a combination of each — there are a number of ways we can all give back. If you need a place to start, you can donate to the largest national network of food banks, Feeding America. Or you can get involved locally: just search for your nearest food pantry on Google and contact them to see what they need. And if you know someone who might need food assistance, you can simply help by sharing resources. Spreading the word not only about what you’re doing to help, but why can make a huge difference.

9 mistletoe-tally helpful Google Maps tips

With November well under way, we candycane’t help but get excited for the holidays! Whether you’ve been naughty or nice this year, Google Maps has your back. We’ve compiled nine of our favorite tips — no matter what your holiday persona is — so you can sleigh your plans and to-do list this season.

For the person who already made their list and checked it twice:

1. Figure out the best time to leave: Holiday traffic can be unpredictable. To make sure you’re on time, get driving directions on Google Maps and tap the three dots on the right side of your screen. Set the time you’d like to arrive by to see how long it’ll take you to get to your destination.

2. Save money on gas: With eco-friendly routing, you can now choose the most fuel-efficient route to your destination. A quick search for “gas prices” shows you prices for nearby stations so you can pick the cheapest one.

3. Save time grocery shopping: Whether you’re grabbing a missing ingredient or stocking up before your in-laws arrive, pickup with Google Maps is the new grocery pickup experience that can get you in and out of the parking lot in less than five minutes. Simply place an online order from a participating Kroger Family store, then add it to Maps from your order confirmation page. This is currently available in the US only.

For the spontaneous shopper:

4. Search along your route: Forget a hostess gift? If you’re on the road, use Google Maps to search for malls, grocery stores and other places along your drive so you can tackle your tasks without going out of your way.

5. Tap and go with contactless payments: Avoid pulling out your wallet or touching a parking meter by paying for street parking or public transit right from Google Maps. When you’re out and about, just type in your meter number, hit pay and refill. If you’re taking public transit, you’ll see an option to pay as soon as you arrive at the station.

6. Find your way around malls, airports and transit stations fast: With the new Directory tab, you can easily see where all of the places are within a large building — like where the jewelry store is inside your local mall. With just a few taps, get helpful information about the place — such as if it's open now, what floor it's on, and how highly it's rated — so you can get in and out in no time.

For the holiday party hopper:

7. Find people and places with ease: If you’re strolling through a new neighborhood, let Live View guide your way with augmented reality arrows and directions overlaid right on top of your world. Meeting up with a friend who shared their location with you? Just tap on their icon and then on Live View to see where and how far away they are — and quickly follow the arrows to find them.

8. Share your ETA: ‘Tis the season to run between Friendsgiving meals and holiday parties. You can use Google Maps to let friends and family know exactly when they can expect you to arrive with just a few taps.

9. Find the fun (or hibernate far away from it) with live busyness information: Before you head out, search for a place on Google Maps and scroll down to see how busy it is right now so you can plan your social life accordingly. This holiday season, we’re also launching Area Busyness, a new tool stemming from the existing busyness feature, that shows you when parts of town are busier than usual, so you can know how to avoid those packed streets near hot brunch spots or see which neighborhoods are bustling with activity.

Google Maps holiday trends worth mulling over

This holiday season, many of us are feeling more comfortable traveling to see loved ones, shopping in person and scoping out the things to do and places to visit.

As we continue to navigate this new normal, we took a look at Google Maps trends in the U.S. — from the most popular times to visit certain places to what foods Americans are ordering most — to help you make your list, check it twice and get through the holiday season safely, efficiently and joyfully.

No thyme for lines and crowds? No worries

Whether you’re shopping for the perfect Thanksgiving turkey or refilling your hand sanitizer supply, no one likes waiting in line. According to Google Maps data, these are the best and worst times to visit the grocery store, based on the live busyness information in Google Maps:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit grocery stores in the US is typically Sunday at 1pm and the least busy is Thursday at 8pm.

Last year we saw popular gift stores like Kay Jewelers, Bath & Body Works and Barnes & Noble trend in December, with Maps searches for these places increasing 100% from the month before. With expected shipping delays, it’s important to get ahead of your holiday shopping. Here are the best and worst times to fill your sleigh at shopping centers and department stores, according to Google Maps data:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit shopping centers in the US is typically Saturday at 1pm and the least busy is Tuesday at 8pm.

Once you’ve gathered all your gifts and written your cards, it’s time to head to the post office to spread holiday cheer. With fewer people traveling to meet up with loved ones, Maps searches for post offices were up nearly 150% month over month last December. Check out the best and worst times to visit the post office so you can get those holiday cards out without the hassle.

A chart showing the busiest time to visit post offices in the US is typically Tuesday at 3pm and the least busy is Saturday at 2pm.

After all that holiday hustle and bustle, it's time to treat yo’elf! According to Google Maps searches, people look for nail salons more than three times as much as they search for gyms in December. If you’re looking to get pampered at the salon, consider making your appointment at a less busy time:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit salons in the US is typically Saturday at 11am and the least busy is Monday and Tuesday at 7pm.

But wait, there’s myrrh. Once you know where you’re going, the next step is figuring out how you’ll get there — whether it's a plane, train or Polar Express.

According to Google Maps, it looks like Americans are getting back to familiar methods of transportation, with national interest in public transit up 40% compared to last year. This jump is higher in metros known for their public transportation: San Francisco leads the way with transit interest up nearly 95% compared to last year, followed by Washington D.C. (up nearly 75% since last year) and Chicago (up nearly 65% over the same period of time).

Should you choose to travel through the skies (red nose not included), book your travel around these least busy times:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit airports in the US is typically Saturday at 12 pm and the least busy is Saturday at 9 pm.

Eat, drink and be merry

While some people spend the holidays cooking up a storm, some of us like our meals like we like our presents: delivered. In fact, on Christmas Day, Americans search for food delivery options on Google Maps more than twice as much as on a typical Saturday.

Here’s a look at what food Americans search for and order on Google Maps during the holiday season:

  • ? Chinese is the most popular cuisine Americans order on Google on Christmas Day, with orders increasing 25% compared to a typical Saturday.
  • ? New York and Los Angeles put their coastal rivalries aside for the holidays — at least when it comes to food ordering. Both cities prefer Chinese on Christmas Day, and stick to pizza on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
  • ? Seasons meatings? Portlanders turn to Maps to search for burgers most on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Burgers are also the top-searched food on Google Maps in Minneapolis on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
  • ? Skip the turkey, and pass the noodles! Seattleites search for Thai food on Google Maps more than any other cuisine on Thanksgiving Day.

Holiday Activi-trees

During the holidays, Rockefeller Center is a top trending destination in the U.S., with Maps searches spiking more than 300% last December. Not exactly pine-ing to see the big tree? No problem. Here are 10 of the most popular attractions in the U.S., according to this year’s Google Maps searches:

Whether you have family in town, have extra time off or are looking for inspiration for things to do while on vacation, we hope these trends get you in the holiday spirit. For hacks on how to survive the holiday season, check out these tips and tricks to make Google Maps your ultimate holiday side dish, er, we mean sidekick (but if it were a side dish it’d totally be stuffing).

Keep it chill this holiday with new tools from Google Maps

The holidays are right around the corner, and we’re starting to get santa-mental! This year, many places around the world are lifting restrictions — which means people are excited to celebrate with friends and family. To keep the coming weeks stress-free, we’re launching new Google Maps tools to help you stay safe, maximize your time with loved ones and find that perfect holiday brunch spot. ?

Avoid the crowds — or flock to the festivities ?

Whether you’re heading to your hometown or exploring a new city, you can use Area Busyness, a new feature that combines live busyness trends to help you instantly spot when a neighborhood or part of town is near or at its busiest. Say you’re not a fan of crowds — just open Google Maps to see places to avoid, like the area near a holiday fair. And if you’re traveling and want to check out some of the more popular areas in town, you can easily pinpoint which neighborhoods are lively.

Want more info? Tap on a neighborhood to see how busy it is at different times of day, along with the restaurants, shops and recreational places (like a museum) within it, so you can decide if you want to visit. Area Busyness starts rolling out globally on Android and iOS, in time for this holiday season.

GIF of Area Busyness feature on Google Maps

See when a neighborhood is busier than usual with Area Busyness

Navigate malls, airports and transit stations in a snap ?

There’s nothing quite like running through the mall in search of a last-minute gift or dashing across the airport to catch your flight. To help you find your way around large buildings fast, we’re expanding the Directory tab globally on Android and iOS for all airports, malls and transit stations around the world. Now, when we have this data available, you can quickly see what types of stores are in a building (like toy stores or jewelry boutiques), airport lounges, car rentals, parking lots and more. And within each category, you can see a list of the relevant businesses, in addition to helpful information about whether it’s open, its rating and what floor it's on.

GIF of the Directory tab on Google Maps

The Directory tab is now available globally on Android and iOS

Holiday hosts can save time on grocery shopping ?️

We’ve all been there: You spend weeks writing a grocery list to prepare for a big holiday feast, only to realize that you’ve forgotten a key ingredient ​​?. Not to worry — pickup with Google Maps is here to help. First launched in Portland, Oregon with select Fred Meyers stores, once you place your order from the retailer, pickup with Google Maps lets you track your order status, share your ETA and let the store know you've arrived, all from the app. Pickup with Google Maps now includes more Kroger Family stores like Kroger, Fry’s, Ralphs and Marianos — as of today, it’s now available in over 2,000 store locations in more than 30 states across the U.S. People who use pickup with Google Maps typically wait less than five minutes for their groceries, meaning you can grab exactly what you need and get right back to your day.

GIF of pickup with Google Maps

Pickup with Google Maps is now available in over 2,000 Kroger Family stores in the U.S.

Calling all foodies! See and contribute helpful information about restaurants ?️

Not in the mood to cook? Not to worry. To help you quickly find a restaurant that fits your budget, you’ll start seeing price ranges for dining spots in the U.S. based on contributions from other Google Maps users. We’re also rolling out a simpler way to provide more detailed reviews about places, like whether or not a restaurant or cafe has things like outdoor seating, delivery options, curbside pickup and any features that customers should be aware of.

Pixel phone showing price range for Kim’s sushi restaurant

We’re rolling out price ranges for dining spots in the U.S. based on Google Maps users’ contributions

The holidays are an exciting time, and Google Maps can help you keep it as stress-free as possible. To learn more about how your city is celebrating the holidays, check out our latest trends.

Keep it chill this holiday with new tools from Google Maps

The holidays are right around the corner, and we’re starting to get santa-mental! This year, many places around the world are lifting restrictions — which means people are excited to celebrate with friends and family. To keep the coming weeks stress-free, we’re launching new Google Maps tools to help you stay safe, maximize your time with loved ones and find that perfect holiday brunch spot. ?

Avoid the crowds — or flock to the festivities ?

Whether you’re heading to your hometown or exploring a new city, you can use Area Busyness, a new feature that combines live busyness trends to help you instantly spot when a neighborhood or part of town is near or at its busiest. Say you’re not a fan of crowds — just open Google Maps to see places to avoid, like the area near a holiday fair. And if you’re traveling and want to check out some of the more popular areas in town, you can easily pinpoint which neighborhoods are lively.

Want more info? Tap on a neighborhood to see how busy it is at different times of day, along with the restaurants, shops and recreational places (like a museum) within it, so you can decide if you want to visit. Area Busyness starts rolling out globally on Android and iOS, in time for this holiday season.

GIF of Area Busyness feature on Google Maps

See when a neighborhood is busier than usual with Area Busyness

Navigate malls, airports and transit stations in a snap ?

There’s nothing quite like running through the mall in search of a last-minute gift or dashing across the airport to catch your flight. To help you find your way around large buildings fast, we’re expanding the Directory tab globally on Android and iOS for all airports, malls and transit stations around the world. Now, when we have this data available, you can quickly see what types of stores are in a building (like toy stores or jewelry boutiques), airport lounges, car rentals, parking lots and more. And within each category, you can see a list of the relevant businesses, in addition to helpful information about whether it’s open, its rating and what floor it's on.

GIF of the Directory tab on Google Maps

The Directory tab is now available globally on Android and iOS

Holiday hosts can save time on grocery shopping ?️

We’ve all been there: You spend weeks writing a grocery list to prepare for a big holiday feast, only to realize that you’ve forgotten a key ingredient ​​?. Not to worry — pickup with Google Maps is here to help. First launched in Portland, Oregon with select Fred Meyers stores, once you place your order from the retailer, pickup with Google Maps lets you track your order status, share your ETA and let the store know you've arrived, all from the app. Pickup with Google Maps now includes more Kroger Family stores like Kroger, Fry’s, Ralphs and Marianos — as of today, it’s now available in over 2,000 store locations in more than 30 states across the U.S. People who use pickup with Google Maps typically wait less than five minutes for their groceries, meaning you can grab exactly what you need and get right back to your day.

GIF of pickup with Google Maps

Pickup with Google Maps is now available in over 2,000 Kroger Family stores in the U.S.

Calling all foodies! See and contribute helpful information about restaurants ?️

Not in the mood to cook? Not to worry. To help you quickly find a restaurant that fits your budget, you’ll start seeing price ranges for dining spots in the U.S. based on contributions from other Google Maps users. We’re also rolling out a simpler way to provide more detailed reviews about places, like whether or not a restaurant or cafe has things like outdoor seating, delivery options, curbside pickup and any features that customers should be aware of.

Pixel phone showing price range for Kim’s sushi restaurant

We’re rolling out price ranges for dining spots in the U.S. based on Google Maps users’ contributions

The holidays are an exciting time, and Google Maps can help you keep it as stress-free as possible. To learn more about how your city is celebrating the holidays, check out our latest trends.

Google Maps holiday trends worth mulling over

This holiday season, many of us are feeling more comfortable traveling to see loved ones, shopping in person and scoping out the things to do and places to visit.

As we continue to navigate this new normal, we took a look at Google Maps trends in the U.S. — from the most popular times to visit certain places to what foods Americans are ordering most — to help you make your list, check it twice and get through the holiday season safely, efficiently and joyfully.

No thyme for lines and crowds? No worries

Whether you’re shopping for the perfect Thanksgiving turkey or refilling your hand sanitizer supply, no one likes waiting in line. According to Google Maps data, these are the best and worst times to visit the grocery store, based on the live busyness information in Google Maps:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit grocery stores in the US is typically Sunday at 1pm and the least busy is Thursday at 8pm.

Last year we saw popular gift stores like Kay Jewelers, Bath & Body Works and Barnes & Noble trend in December, with Maps searches for these places increasing 100% from the month before. With expected shipping delays, it’s important to get ahead of your holiday shopping. Here are the best and worst times to fill your sleigh at shopping centers and department stores, according to Google Maps data:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit shopping centers in the US is typically Saturday at 1pm and the least busy is Tuesday at 8pm.

Once you’ve gathered all your gifts and written your cards, it’s time to head to the post office to spread holiday cheer. With fewer people traveling to meet up with loved ones, Maps searches for post offices were up nearly 150% month over month last December. Check out the best and worst times to visit the post office so you can get those holiday cards out without the hassle.

A chart showing the busiest time to visit post offices in the US is typically Tuesday at 3pm and the least busy is Saturday at 2pm.

After all that holiday hustle and bustle, it's time to treat yo’elf! According to Google Maps searches, people look for nail salons more than three times as much as they search for gyms in December. If you’re looking to get pampered at the salon, consider making your appointment at a less busy time:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit salons in the US is typically Saturday at 11am and the least busy is Monday and Tuesday at 7pm.

But wait, there’s myrrh. Once you know where you’re going, the next step is figuring out how you’ll get there — whether it's a plane, train or Polar Express.

According to Google Maps, it looks like Americans are getting back to familiar methods of transportation, with national interest in public transit up 40% compared to last year. This jump is higher in metros known for their public transportation: San Francisco leads the way with transit interest up nearly 95% compared to last year, followed by Washington D.C. (up nearly 75% since last year) and Chicago (up nearly 65% over the same period of time).

Should you choose to travel through the skies (red nose not included), book your travel around these least busy times:

A chart showing the busiest time to visit airports in the US is typically Saturday at 12 pm and the least busy is Saturday at 9 pm.

Eat, drink and be merry

While some people spend the holidays cooking up a storm, some of us like our meals like we like our presents: delivered. In fact, on Christmas Day, Americans search for food delivery options on Google Maps more than twice as much as on a typical Saturday.

Here’s a look at what food Americans search for and order on Google Maps during the holiday season:

  • ? Chinese is the most popular cuisine Americans order on Google on Christmas Day, with orders increasing 25% compared to a typical Saturday.
  • ? New York and Los Angeles put their coastal rivalries aside for the holidays — at least when it comes to food ordering. Both cities prefer Chinese on Christmas Day, and stick to pizza on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
  • ? Seasons meatings? Portlanders turn to Maps to search for burgers most on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Burgers are also the top-searched food on Google Maps in Minneapolis on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
  • ? Skip the turkey, and pass the noodles! Seattleites search for Thai food on Google Maps more than any other cuisine on Thanksgiving Day.

Holiday Activi-trees

During the holidays, Rockefeller Center is a top trending destination in the U.S., with Maps searches spiking more than 300% last December. Not exactly pine-ing to see the big tree? No problem. Here are 10 of the most popular attractions in the U.S., according to this year’s Google Maps searches:

Whether you have family in town, have extra time off or are looking for inspiration for things to do while on vacation, we hope these trends get you in the holiday spirit. For hacks on how to survive the holiday season, check out these tips and tricks to make Google Maps your ultimate holiday side dish, er, we mean sidekick (but if it were a side dish it’d totally be stuffing).