Why I love Google Maps

If you've follow WildHer, you've probably noticed something...

I post a lot of Google Maps screenshots on Instagram.

There's a reason for that.

I LOVE Google Maps.

When I'm planning a trip, it's the very first place I go. Before I book a hotel, before I make dinner reservations, before I decide how many days to spend somewhere—I open the map.

A map tells a story.

I want to know how everything fits together. Can we walk to dinner? Is there a bakery around the corner? What's nearby that we might stumble upon? Is the hotel really in the heart of the city, or is it a 30-minute train ride away?

Looking at a destination on a map helps me picture the trip before it even begins.

One of my favorite things to do is save places as I research. Coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, parks, viewpoints, beaches, museums...they all get pinned. By the time we arrive, I have my own personalized map full of possibilities.

It doesn't mean we'll visit every place.

It just means we have options.

And honestly, some of my favorite travel memories have come from wandering between those saved pins and discovering something completely unexpected.

Google Maps has a few features I recommend to almost everyone:

• Download offline maps before your trip so you can still navigate without cell service.

• Use Live View when you're walking in a new city—it overlays arrows on your camera view, which makes finding your way much easier.

• Share your location with family or friends if you're traveling solo or splitting up for the day.

• Check accessibility details if someone in your group needs step-free entrances, accessible restrooms, or parking.

So yes...if you're wondering why my Instagram is full of maps, now you know.

I don't just love traveling.

I love planning travel.

And for me, every great trip starts with opening Google Maps and asking, "What's around the corner?"