Who needs a GPS device when you have all that you need, right in your pocket? We’re talking, of course, about your smartphone. Whether you have an Android device or an iPhone, Google Maps can make for a great alternative, and it sure beats trying to use an atlas. You can use Google Maps to chart the distance between any target destinations and your current location. You can even use it to get the total distance for an upcoming vacation.

Before you get started, take a moment to make sure that you have the latest version of your Google Maps app for multiple platforms, including iOS or Android. You can find it on the Play store or iTunes.

You can start by opening the Google Maps app and navigating to the place you want to measure distance to. All you do is drop a pin on the location by tapping it. You can then proceed to expand the menu at the bottom of the screen and tap Measure distance. The location will appear in a set of crosshairs on the map.

The next step is to add another point near your location. You can just use whatever bend in the road is closest to your current location. The app will then calculate the distance between your points after you place each one. Once you’ve accomplished this, just select Measure Distance.

One notable thing to keep in mind is that the app can only tell you the distance between your desired location and your current location if you took a direct route there. It’s likely that there will be lots of complications if you drove your car there in a straight line. To tell the driving distance from one location to the next, you must place points all along the streets you’ll use to get to your location. This lets you calculate the exact distance you’ll be travelling.

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October 4, 2017
Directive