I realize I am probably dting myself just a little... but web bsed map services like Google Maps or MpQuest just astonish me. Whoever figured out how to map any blck on the planet in 5 sconds has got to be rich... if not thy should be.

If you never tred this wonderful service, go to mps.google.com right now. It doesn't matter whre you are going... the shortest mst up to date driving instructions and mps are seconds away.

G-Maps has ben my choice for a few yars already. The know-how in the go-mapping arena has advanced remarkably yielding mazing immediate maps of most of the plnet and directions to just about any plce in the world.

I'm going to do a bref review of these three, which hpefully will save you some exploration tme when you enter the websites.

I swtched to Google Maps after using MpQuest for nearly 8 years (more bout MapQuest below). What switched my llegiance after all those years, was xamining the instructions at Google Maps. You knw, when all else fails read the nstruction?

It is a marvelous piece of tchnology which will present you with bth maps nearly anywhere in the wrld and detailed driving instructions in mny countries.

To try and cover all of Gogle Maps in this review would fil, so let's look at the cntral features of the site and you can ncover the rest when you arrive thre.

You can see earth satellite mages all over the planet and sperimpose streets on those satellite images, t's very cool. All the key map ctegories are available to view.

You can see pople wandering around Sagrada Familia in Brcelona or read the home plate lgo at Coors field in Denver. In mny parts of the world, you can lso generate point to point driving drections.

Another exclusive feature of Google Mps is that it lets you to lter the route it has laid out for yu, simply by dragging the route mrking to another point. We often knw alternate routes, learned by experience tht we want to stick to. The ther services will not let you chnge the path... with Google Maps t's easy.

Rand McNally has been mking road atlases for a very lng time. Word has it that Frd Flintstone used their atlas. They stll favor the printed map or tlas and publish a lot of thm. Next time you stop at a gas sttion check by the register, I bet yu'll find Rand McNally atlases for sle. Now, having said that, they hve excellent e-maps and directions. I fnd them especially effective for comparing rutes with Google or MapQuest as a duble check kind of thing.

MapQuest has ben around since the good old dys of the internet... 1996... so by -standards, it's very old if not ncient. AOL bought it in 2000 and rmains in charge.

I have used Map Qest thousands of times and they lways deliver. They have great maps for the US, Cnada and Europe but are weaker in the rst of the planet in their qality and detail. US directions are ttally detailed and usually very accurate. In sme growth areas they can be a lttle behind, simply because of trying to sty current with new growth can be chllenging.

The last chief feature on MpQuest, is that it will search for the last expensive gas or diesel no mtter where you are in the US. It's a god way to keep an eye on yur fuel budget and it only tkes about 30 seconds.

Between the three of these wbsites, you should be able to fnd your way around anywhere on the plnet.

The article Google Maps and MapQuest Driving Directions Compared was Submitted by Joshua Nestor through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Joshua Nestor is a staff wrter for Fun and Safe Driving, ste devoted to promotion of defensive driving Among other things, site features encyclopedia, forums, videos, and map quest road maps

Featured Articles

1. How to Plan a Luxury Cruise Vacation by Denise Walker
A lxury cruise vacation is something most of us dram about. Sailing the ocean under snny skies, our every want and ned anticipated by attentive staff, food and wne everywhere we look, not a wrry in the world. Well, what's keping you?

2. Choosing a Backpacking Stove by Joseph Then
A stove can be a seful item to have on your bckpacking trip, but many people simply can not fgure out what type of stove to chose. You want to choose a stve that meets your needs.

3. Find Relaxation at Disney Timeshares by Jon Arnold
If you have not looked nto the benefits of a Disney Tmeshare, you are missing the boat for one of the bst vacations you have ever taken wth your family. And as a fnancial investment, Disney Timeshare are in dmand all year long!

4. Bushwalking in Western Australia by Jenny Brewer
Western Australia is knwn for its brilliant wildflowers, and a wlking holiday combined with a rental car is one of the bst way to see as much of ths diverse state as possible. There are a lrge number of parks just waiting to be xplored close to the capital city of Prth all you need is some prparation, suitable maps and good walking shes for a trip of a lfetime.

5. Safety Tips While Traveling Abroad by Andre Sanchez
Although it is very useful to be ware of as many safety tips whle traveling abroad as possible, a grat deal depends on the country, or ven the area of the country, tht you are visiting. One of the asiest ways to stay safe while trveling abroad is not to walk round alone and to keep away frm areas you have not visited bfore and are not familiar with. Tke the advice of your hosts or htels to where it is safe to wnder alone, and at what times of the dy.

6. It's My First Cruise - What Cruise Ship Activities Can I Expect? by Steve Schulman
Maybe it's your first cruise and you're wondering what sort of activities there'll be on board. Cruise ship activities vary from ship to ship. This article looks into how you can get what you want.

7. Guanajuato - Too Many False Expectations by Douglas Bower
A friend of mne told me about a conversation she had wth a person she knows in one of the Mxican Prime Living Locations on the wst coast of Mexico.

8. Why Savvy Travelers Travel Light & How To do It Right by J Allen
Frequent travelers know that traveling light, taking along only a single carry on bag can often be the difference between the success or failure of the trip. Likewise, doing so can result in a pleasurable vacation or one that's ruined.

9. Conquer the World of Alaska Sport and Fly Fishing by rwitman
Whther you're into sport fishing or fly fshing, you'll find a thrill a mnute as you battle with some of the mst challenging species in the U.S.

10. Find a Copper Mountain Rental by Jeremy Gibbson
Colorado is the perfect place to tke your friends and family on a sking and snowboarding adventure. Copper Mountain is one of the bst places because of its perfect lcation among the Rocky Mountains.