How to make road trip map: complete planning guide

So you’ve hired your van, decided on your destination region and are all set for your # vanlife trip.

But what’s the best way to map out the**best roadtrips in the UK**, to ensure you get to the destinations you want at the times you want to and get to gas stations or other essential stops when needed? Here we look at how to make a road trip map and how to create your own travel map.

How to make a travel map on Google Maps

Easily create a Google maps virtual road trip by creating a custom map and adding pins for your proposed locations. This allows you to see your full itinerary at a glance, copy the map to Google Drive, and see other useful information like company websites and phone numbers.

You can also add up to 10 layers in handy categories to each map, for example day by day, beaches you’d like to visit, or tourist information centres along the way, and change the colours and icons of each pin if you want.

Google Maps has many advantages: it’s easy to use, it’s easily customised, it can be used on any platform, and you can share your map with everyone else going on the trip. Best of all, it’s free to use. Be aware though that you can’t edit your map on the app – you’ll need to use your web browser – and that you can’t download your map when offline (instead, pull it up on your phone when you have reception, and let it run in the background to check when needed).

Step-by-step guide to making a travel map on Google Maps

In your web browser, go to google.com/mymaps. Click on “Create a new map”. Alternatively, sign in to your Google account, go to Drive, click on “New”, then “More”, then “Google My Maps”.

Click the “Untitled Map” area to give your map a name (here, we’ve used “Penzance to Brighton road trip”).

Enter your starting point and end destination. Maps will add a pin to each – click on each then “add to map”. The pins will change colour and their locations will now be stored in a layer in the control panel on the left.

Name the layer – here we’ve used “Driving”, as this main layer will cover the Penzance to Brighton route. Other layers can cover beaches, restaurants, museums etc.

Creating a Google Maps itinerary using Directions

If you like, you can plan out your entire route between both pins. To get directions, click on your destination point (Brighton), then click the “Directions” icon (second from right) in the pop-up box.

As you’ll see, the resulting map takes as direct a route as possible between the two locations:

But what if you want a coastal stop – while still using the Directions feature? Easy: search for a beach you want to visit, and click “Add to map”.

A new pin will be added highlighting this third destination. Enter it to the “Driving” layer and the map will then adjust to take this into account. Here, the beach we want to stop at is Paignton:

Creating a Google Maps itinerary without using Directions

But of course, you may want to create your map without any fixed route, adding destinations you like while keeping your trip plan and timings flexible. This is even easier – all you have to do is search for the destination and add it to the map, using layers to categorise them for ease of use.

Remember you can change pin colours to differentiate between layer types (beaches, petrol stations, restaurants etc), as well as add icons to see different categories at a glance. Click on each layer to edit, then click on the paint bucket icon.

On our trip, we’ve added:

• Paignton Beach, Salcombe Beach and Mullion Cove (in yellow with swimming icon, beaches layer)

• Weymouth Bay (in beaches layer but with sailing icon and in green)

• Plymouth’s The Barbican Kitchen (in red with dining icon, restaurant layer)

• Exeter Quay (purple, sightseeing layer)

Click on any of your added pins to see information about the destination:

There’s loads more you can do when drawing your itinerary map on Google Maps, but these are the overall basics – just open Maps up and play around a bit!

Draw an itinerary map without Google Maps

Other great trip planning apps are available if you don’t want to use Google Maps – here’s an overview of other trip planning apps.

Roadtrippers

Popular and well-established app allowing users to plan their road trip and add up to 150 stops – lots of suggestions made for intended routes.

Sygic Travel

Travel app that shows local destinations, tours and hotels, as well as offering GPS navigation and a route planner. Awesome for city and regional guides if you need some travel inspiration.

AA Route Planner

Simple to use planner allowing up to four “via” stops on a route; also has options to avoid motorways, tolls and current traffic.

Plan your wild camping trip today

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