10 Ways Google Trips App Helps Travelers Explore the World

Google’s new app gives travelers one place to track their trips, as well as recommendations on what to see and where to eat while traveling.

Google Trips works even when users’ mobile devices are offline. Users can access trip information, itineraries and other data from the app, which are all stored on the phone it’s running on. So, when users are away from an internet connection, they’ll still be able to see where to go and what to do.

Google says that its Trips application will only work in 200 cities around the world, including Barcelona and Valencia, Spain; and Zurich, Switzerland. It’s unclear what criteria Google used to determine which cities to include initially and when the app will feature more cities, but if it’s popular, expect Google Trips to add more locations as time goes on.

At the heart of Google Trips is a suggestion engine that suggests to users places they should see while they are visiting a particular location. Users simply choose the location of a business meeting or where they would like to visit in a city and then tap the “magic wand” button. This prompts Google Trips to list locations around that location that might be of interest. The idea is to fill out a person’s day with interesting points of interest.

Google said in its Trips announcement that it has culled data from user reviews and suggestions already submitted through its many online services, like Google Maps, to deliver suggestions to users. So, whether users select the magic wand feature or other options like “getting around” or “things to do” within the app, they’re seeing suggestions based on what other Google users have said they’ve enjoyed.

Before providing suggestions, Google Trips will analyze the weather forecast and the time a person might go to a point of interest. That data is input into an algorithm that suggests the best options based on those important factors. The idea is to offer the best experience based on the traveler’s itinerary.

Google has included some interactivity within its Trips app. If Trips users are also Gmail users, they can direct the app to automatically scan their inboxes for important trip details, such as when a plane is leaving, where to pick up a rental car and when to check into a hotel. However, this feature is only available when the user is connected to the internet.

Ultimately, Google Trips’ goal is to help users find the best day plan as quickly as possible. In a blog post, Google said that its suggestions and magic wand features are designed so users can quickly pick where they want to go, find points of interest, seek out restaurants and build an itinerary. Google Trips wants to get people traveling and not wasting time searching for places to go while they’re away. And it does it all with as little user involvement as possible. It’s a particularly useful feature for business travelers looking for the best places to entertain clients in an unfamiliar city.

When users get hungry, they can tap the “Food & Drink” tile inside Google Trips. The tile lists restaurants around a particular location and gives reviews based on the data it has culled from its own services. Ostensibly, the reviews come from Google-owned Zagat, as well as user reviews, although Google hasn’t said for sure. Either way, users will be able to find top-rated restaurants, regardless of where they are.

Google Trips’ design comes with a list of cities across the top that can be saved for later. So, instead of only accessing one city available at a time, users can quickly switch between cities if they’re going on a multilocation tour. It’s also a handy tool for reliving a vacation and referring back to the app to tell others where they went and stayed.

Google Trips is available now in both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play marketplace. Both apps are available for free. The Android app requires users to run Android 4.1 or newer. On the Apple side, users will need to have an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 8.0 or later.