The official blog for Google Maps
Ho Ho Ho! Track Santa around the world with Google’s Santa Tracker
December 24, 2014
After 23 days of preparation, the elves are finally ready for Santa’s annual journey around the globe. They’ve taught each other how to say
"Santa Claus" in Swedish
, guided their friends through mazes
with code
, brushed up on
their geography
, and learned about
organizations making a difference worldwide
. It’s been a busy month, but Santa’s sleigh is now ready for lift-off!
The elves brushed up on coding fundamentals with blockly maze games
The elves decorated their trees with ornaments about organizations making a difference
Each stop on Santa’s journey offers more to explore—discover 360-degree imagery, Wikipedia snippets, geography facts, and updates on how far Santa’s current location is from yours (take note—Santa’s path is not a direct one!). Come back and visit
google.com/santatracker
throughout the night for more surprises, like sleigh selfies or a
latitude and longitude game
to deliver presents.
Follow Santa on any screen—desktop, phone, tablet, or TV
If you’re on the ho-ho-go, download the
Santa Tracker App for Android
to keep track of Santa on your phone or tablet. With the Android app, watch Santa’s journey on your TV using Chromecast, or on your wrist with Android Wear (especially handy when wrapping last-minute gifts). And, you can always search for Santa on
www.google.com
or on
Google Maps
, and get real-time location updates with Google Now in the Google App.
Santa’s available at the flick of the wrist with Android Wear
Santa’s got a long and exciting night ahead of him before heading back to the North Pole. Grab some eggnog, set out the cookies, and join Google Maps on
Google+
,
Facebook
and
Twitter
to
#tracksanta
!
Posted by Brendan Kenny, Reindeer Platform Engineer
Do some holiday (window) shopping with Google Maps
December 19, 2014
So much of the fun of holiday shopping is seeing the lavish, seasonal displays in the windows of shops and department stores as you pass by. Starting today, with
Google Maps Business View
, you can see decked out displays in New York and London—without braving the cold weather, lugging bags around or fighting for sidewalk space with fellow shoppers. Now grab your virtual reindeer because we’re off to our holiday window tour!
Stopping by Saks Fifth Avenue is a must for any holiday window shopper. Gazing at the dreamy
Once Upon a Time in NYC
, you can imagine being Cinderella in a magical carriage. Note: Prince Charming and glass slipper sold separately.
Saks Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, USA
Cruising by Macy’s in Herald Square, a
Miracle on 34th Street
awaits. Peering through the glass, you can see
Santa and his elves
hard at work. After all, we’re only a week away from their big night!
Macy’s, New York, NY, USA
Rounding out our NYC tour, Bloomingdale’s is getting the
New Year’s Eve
party started early. There’s no place to ring in 2015 like in the bright lights of the big city.
Bloomingdale’s, New York, NY, USA
Holiday shopping in London may be blustery and cold, but the lovely, inviting window displays are sure to warm the heart. Stopping first at Selfridges, you can go on a
themed journey from fairytale to fable
, all finished with rhymes...even their windows have labels!
Selfridges, London, UK
Looking into the
gilded window displays
at Liberty London, you might believe that all that glitters is gold after all. Look closer to see the plethora of presents tempting you inside to the promises of holiday joy behind the glass.
Liberty, London, UK
And finally, if you’re doing some last minute shopping, you can prepare for a trip by taking a look
inside
the stores in Google Maps.
Business View
, provides virtual tours of thousands of retail shops around the world, whether you’re headed to
Old Navy
in San Francisco or
Benetton
in Russia. Just look for the “See Inside” marker on Maps, Search and Google+, which lets you virtually explore your holiday shopping destination.
Walking in a winter wonderland
has never been so easy (and warm!).
Posted by Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, Product Manager, Google Maps Business View
“See inside” with Google Maps Business View
December 17, 2014
Here’s a Google Maps insider tip: Street View isn’t just for streets—it goes indoors, too! With
Google Maps Business View
, you can preview 360-degree virtual tours of restaurants, hotels, shops in more than 30 countries around the world. And
this just in
: we’ve got something special for fans of
The Colbert Report
.
The series concludes tomorrow, but you can still feel like you’re in the audience (or relive the good ol’ days) with a
brand-new virtual tour of the studio
. And the show has created an
interactive experience
with the Business View imagery that lets you explore and remember some of your favorite moments from the show. And for those who want to tour more entertainment and news studios, check out our
Views gallery
.
The Colbert Report studios, NYC
Business View may also be your best new travel companion. Whether you’re traveling to see your family for the holidays or planning a romantic getaway for the new year, you probably want to make sure the ambiance of the hotel is right for the occasion. With Business View, you can see inside thousands of hotels around the world on Google, including hundreds of
Best Western
and
Hilton
hotel locations (pool included!).
Hilton, Salt Lake City, UT
In addition to finding the right spot to lay your head, you can turn to Business View to find the perfect restaurant for a meal out with friends, or get a sense of whether a tourist destination is worth the trip. Check out the decor and vibe of dazzling restaurants like
Riad Nejma
in Paris,
Alux Restaurant Bar
in Playa del Carmen, and
REN
in Tokyo.
Riad Nejma, Paris, France
To access Business View on your desktop, mobile or tablet, look for the “See Inside” marker on Maps, Search and Google+, which will take you into the virtual tour of your destination. You might be surprised what you find inside.
Posted by Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, Product Manager, Google Maps Business View
Map this way—Google My Maps now in Drive
December 10, 2014
Whether you’re planning an epic
road trip
with friends or mapping out your favorite runs for a
ski vacation
, it’s easy with
Google My Maps
, our custom map creation tool. Starting today, you can access My Maps right from Google Drive, so it’s even easier to create, access and share your custom maps.
Creating a custom map is just as easy as opening up a new Google Doc. Just select “New,” then “More,” then “Google My Maps” to tap into your inner cartographer.
Create a new custom map right from Google Drive
Over the next week, all the maps you’ve created will also be accessible in Google Drive, so you can easily organize, manage and share them. Create folders such as “Travel,” “Hiking” and “Holidays,” and search through them to find your favorite custom maps—which might be as varied as
Fourth of July Trip
,
Half Marathon
, or
SantaCon
.
Magic City Half Marathon & 5K
In addition to accessing your Google My Maps in Drive, you can now add more layers and points of interest to your map, import bigger spreadsheets and include more details in each info box. Whether you’re mapping out the best
surf spots
down under or
campgrounds
in California, you can add all your favorite areas with more details across even more layers.
Surf spots in Australia
Whatever your needs for the holiday season, the new year and beyond, Google My Maps—now accessible in Google Drive—makes planning that much easier.
Posted by Dylan Lorimer, Product Manager, Google My Maps
Drive by Dubai with Street View
December 8, 2014
Dubai is home to the world’s
tallest tower
,
largest mall
and the planet’s only
seven-star hotel
. With all these modern wonders, it’s no surprise that Dubai hosted 10 million global visitors last year—and aims to hit a record-breaking 20 million visitors in 2020. Starting today, it can add virtual visitors to that list, as Dubai becomes the first city in an Arab country to be added to Street View in Google Maps.
Start your tour with a drive on
Sheikh Zayed Road
, the longest road in the Emirates that runs in parallel to the coastline. Peer up at the city’s iconic skyscrapers and high-rise towers that, in some cases, reach more than 1,000 feet into the clouds. On one side, you can see the city’s elevated and driverless metro system.
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
Along Financial Road, pass
Dubai Mall
, home to thousands of shops. But with an average of 75 million visitors every year, the mall is more than just a retail space. Inside is a 10 million-liter aquarium -- one of the largest suspended tanks in the world -- and a facing it there is a flock of
famous dancing fountains
.
Dubai Mall, Dubai
Most of Dubai’s buildings were
constructed in the last decade
, but if you’re curious to go back to where it all began, visit
Deira
. Here, the great-grandfathers of present-day merchants set up shop, creating one of the region’s biggest markets and establishing a major link in the time’s global trade routes.
Deira Spice Souk, Dubai
Finally, no visit of Dubai is complete without touring the
Dubai Creek
. Known for its fusion of past and present cultures, and its trading connections with countries around and beyond the Arabian Gulf, along its banks you can see merchant dhows docked and bazaars bustling with silks and spices.
Dubai Creek, Dubai
It’s hard to believe that a city not much larger than 4,000 square kilometers has become such a hub of modern culture with more than 200 nationalities mingling daily, as well as a center for trade and tourism in just four short decades. We hope that you’ll be inspired to explore its wonders in person, but until then, they’re just a click away.
Posted by Mohamad Mourad, Regional Director for Google, Middle East and North Africa
Viva La Espana: 50 new Street View sights in Spain
December 5, 2014
The Iberian Peninsula has a rich and varied artistic, architectural and cultural legacy. Roman remains, Al-Andalus, Gothic splendor and 19th century Catalan modernism are just a few examples of what you might see travelling around Spain’s cities and countryside. And starting today, people all over the world will be able to explore 50 new iconic locations in Spain with Street View on Google Maps.
Peruse architectural details of the
Alhambra and Generalife
, walk around the
Tower of Hercules
(a Roman Empire-era lighthouse), and gaze up at the vast arched ceiling of the crypt at the
Church of Sagrada Familia
.
The Courtyard of the Lions at the Alhambra
Inside of the Church of the Sagrada Familia
In addition to these famed sights, you can also discover lesser-known treasures. Visit the desertlike world of the
Bardenas Reales
natural park in southeast Navarre, Neoclassic architecture at the
Congress of Deputies
and colorful stained-glass windows in the
Cathedral of León
. Or make a trip to the
small medieval town of Albarracín
, a walled lordship that has stood for centuries.
Casteldetierra, Bardenas Reales natural park
Inside the Congress of Deputies
This 360-degree imagery was collected by our
Trekker
, a backpack equipped with Street View technology that allows the wearer to capture imagery while walking. To capture details of the fine art and architecture inside these magnificent sites, we enlisted the help of the
Trolley
. And for more sprawling locations, the trusty
Trike
captured imagery while its rider pedaled.
If this collection piques your interest to see these locations in person, you’re in good company. In fact, according to the
survey on the Impact of Online Content on European Tourism
, more than half of EU travelers consult Internet sites and social media in order to get information about trips. But even if you’re not planning
un vacación
anytime soon, the wonders of Spain are now just a click away.
Published by Amita Khattri, Street View Program Manager
A moment of zen: 100 incredible satellite images of planet Earth
December 2, 2014
Thanksgiving weekend was a busy one for many Americans. Traveling, shopping, cooking, and visits with friends and family can be a bit hectic.
For a mental break, we invite you to visit
Earth View
, a collection of 100 beautiful images from around the world, all taken from Google Maps’ satellite imagery. Landscapes from every continent are included, even Antarctica.
Kujalleq, Greenland
Banc d'Arguin National Park, Mauritania
Garden City, USA
While you’re browsing, you can visit the location in Google Maps or download a high-res wallpaper formatted for your computer, smartphone or tablet. For Chrome desktop users, we’ve also released a
Chrome extension
that lets you see even more imagery.
We hope you enjoy this virtual vacation… no actual travel required. Relax with a hot beverage,
keep
exploring
, and if you find a particularly beautiful spot not on our site, please share it with us in the comments.
Posted by Aaron Koblin, Data Arts Team
Race with Rudolph and skydive with Santa in the countdown to December 24
December 1, 2014
December may mean snow days in Denver, Colo. or beach days in Sydney, Australia, but in
Santa’s Village
, it means the countdown to Santa’s big night. Starting today, the elves are back on the clock in the North Pole—and throughout the month of December, you can join the elves as they unlock a new project or game each day in preparation for Santa’s annual journey around the world.
The elves have a busy month ahead of them—the reindeers need training and the presents need packing. They’re studying up on Santa’s upcoming stops with candy cane cartography,
holiday tradition tests
, and even jolly JavaScript courses.
Throughout the holiday celebration, our own developer elves here at Google have also been hard at work getting the sleigh tracking algorithm ready for prime time. They’ve been adding finishing touches to the
Santa Tracker App for Android
so Santa’s just a tap away on phones, tablets, and TVs. The developer elves have been busy, so check out the
chrome extension
and keep a
watch
out for Santa surprises throughout the month.
Whether you’re wearing snow goggles or sunnies this December, come back to
www.google.com/santatracker
each day to join in on present parachute practice and
reindeer races
, or to send a call to friends from Santa. There’s only 23 days to go, so follow Google Maps on
Google+
,
Facebook
and
Twitter
in the countdown
#tracksanta
!
Mappy holidays!
Posted by Sandy Russell, Santa Launch Strategist
Labels
#streetview
#treasuremap
+1
3D
8bitmaps
Adwords Express
Africa
Amazon
Andorra
Android
api
Art Project
Audi
biking
Boost
Boulder
Brazil
Bulgaria
Business Photos
Business View
businesses
Canada
check-in
community
competition
contest
crisis response
Culture
custom maps
developer
Developers
directions
disaster response
discovery
earth outreach
education
Emmy Awards
Enterprise
Estonia
Europe
Explore
Fusion Tables
gadgets
Gibraltar
GMM
google
Google Earth
Google Earth Engine
Google Map Maker
Google Maps
Google Maps API
Google Maps Engine
Google Maps for Mobile
Google Maps Gallery
Google Maps Navigation
Google Maps Transit
Google Places
Google Plus
Google Search
Google Street View
google.org
Google+
googlenew
Grand Canyon
ground truth
Halloween
historical
history
holiday
Hotpot
Hungary
imager
imagery
Indoor Maps
iOS
iPhone
Iraq
Japan
Latitude
Latvia
layers
LBC
Lithuania
London
Making of Maps
Malaysia
Mall of America
Map Maker
Maps Blog
Maps Gallery
mapsgl
Matt Harding
Mexico
Mobile
Monticello
My Maps
my places
my tracks
National Geographic
navigation
new Google Maps
oblique imagery
ocean
offline maps
Olympics
Outreach
Pakistan
Panoramio
Parks Canada
Pegman
Photo Spheres
photo tours
photos
picasa
Polar Bears
Quiz
real estate
restaurants
road trips
Russia
Santa
Santa Tracker
search stories
SketchUp
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Sudan
space
Spain
sports
Street View
summer
SXSW
Tags
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson Foundation
Tip of the week
tips
tour guide
traffic
Train
Transit
travel
trees
Trekker
Trike
Trolley
U.S. National Park Service
Ukraine
University of Virginia
Valentine's Day
Veterans Day
Views
voice search
walking
Waze
weather
webgl
Your Timeline
zagat
Archive
2016
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2009
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2008
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2007
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Feed
Google
on
Follow @googlemaps
Follow
Give us feedback in our
Product Forums
.
.png)
Follow
