Creating Personalized Maps

Whether you want to take a foodie tour of the best pizza in New York City or need to find a list of hotels closest to your best friend's wedding in Tahiti, you can create a personalized map online in a matter of minutes. Here's what you need to know to get started.
 

Traveling

Construction projects can make visiting family and friends a chore rather than an enjoyable visit. Skip the congestion woes and use Google Maps, a free service, to plan your trip before you get behind the wheel. For long trips you can even include restaurants and lodging stops along your route. Print your map and keep your focus on the road instead of on trying to navigate back roads with your out-of-date atlas.

How to Use GoogleMaps

Gone are the days of driving down a country road and sniffing around to discover the best chow a town has to offer. Get the buzz on everything local by creating your own personalized map with a few simple keystrokes on Google Maps (you'll need a Google account to use this free feature). Once you logon to Google's homepage, do the following:
  • Click on Maps
  • Click on My Maps
  • Select the "Places of Interest" box under the "Featured Content" subtitle.
Now you can check up to five places, and Google Maps will instantly show a map of your selections. As you place your mouse over a particular attraction, a pop-up will appear with all the information you need, including business name, address and phone number, along with a hyperlink to get driving directions.

High-Tech World Views

If you are looking for more than just a personalized map of your traveling route, Google Earth takes the experience one step further with a 3-D view of the places you plan to visit or just wish you could visit. See the Eiffel Tour or stroll Venice's Grand Canal using the search and zoom features of Google Earth.
 
This is an especially great feature to use with young children. Gone are the days of giving them a kitschy treasure map personalized with their names. Let them find their own treasures and travel the globe in seconds, looking inside volcanoes and visiting ancient ruins. School projects will also become fun as kids can create their own personalized world maps to illustrate their research.

Purchasing a Personalized World Map

If you don't have the interest or time to use the free online services to create personalized maps, you can buy personalized maps from some retailers. The Personalized Map Company is one such retailer. This company can design a custom map for everything from a road trip to personalized gifts to give out of town guests. You will, however, pay for the convenience, with prices ranging from $95 to $295 plus printing and service charges.
 
Businesses looking to integrate online maps for their customers may want to look into Microsoft's Virtual Earth features. Microsoft promotes this program as an integrated mapping, imaging and search platform. Prices are quoted based on your business needs, so contact a representative for a specific quote.
 
Resources
 
Calore, Michael (2007). Mash Your Own Geodata: Google Adds More Custom Mapping Features. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from Wired Web site.
 
Google (2008). Google Maps User Guide. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from Google Web site.
 
Map Channels (n.d.). Introducing Dual Maps. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from Map Channels Web site.
 
Microsoft (2008). Welcome to Virtual Earth. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from Microsoft Web site.
 
Personalized Map Company (2008). Map Your Interests. Retrieved March 23, 2008, from the Personalized Map Company Web site.