Bing Maps Makes Car Trip Planning Easier

Planning Car Trips with Bing Maps: A Comprehensive Guide

Modern online mapping services have significantly simplified the process of planning road trips compared to the past. Bing is actively developing its service, Bing Maps, to become the premier online destination for creating your next travel itinerary.

The latest iteration of Bing Maps introduces a distinctive feature known as Maps Apps. These are supplemental components that can be integrated into the mapping software, unlocking enhanced functionality and capabilities.

This guide will explore several new Maps Apps designed to assist you in more effectively planning your upcoming journey.

Getting Started with the New Bing Maps

To begin, you will need to install Microsoft’s complimentary Silverlight plugin to experience the full functionality of the new Bing Maps. Silverlight functions similarly to Flash, enabling your web browser to execute interactive web applications.

Uncertain if Silverlight is already installed on your system? Simply navigate to the new Silverlight-powered Bing Maps, and a notification will appear if installation is required.

Accessing Bing Maps Apps necessitates the use of the updated version of Bing Maps. You can access this version by selecting the Try it now link located beneath Explore the new Bing Maps on the Bing Maps website, or by directly accessing it through this link.

Bing Maps shares similarities with other online map applications, such as Google Maps, ensuring a familiar user experience.

Accessing Maps Apps

To access the Maps Apps, click the Maps Apps button, positioned in the bottom left corner of the Bing Maps interface.

This action will open a window displaying the currently available 30 (and continually expanding) Maps Apps. To activate a specific app, simply click on its icon. Below are some of the more recent additions to the Bing Maps Apps collection.

Calculating Distances Between Destinations

When undertaking detailed trip planning, determining the distances between various points along your route is crucial for scheduling meals and refueling stops. Bing Maps streamlines this process with the Distance Calculator app.

To utilize the Distance Calculator, enter a location into the search field or drag the orange flag to the desired location on the map.

You can incorporate your entire trip, destination by destination, into the Distance Calculator, and it will display the distances between each location. The order of your destinations can be adjusted using the arrows in the left sidebar.

Beyond providing individual distances, the Distance Calculator also presents total distances for both air travel and road travel.

Locating Parking

The Parking finder Maps App provides parking information for airports and cities, leveraging data from BestParking.com.

This app supports numerous major cities and a wide range of airports. After activation, select the Cities or Airports tabs to specify your destination. The map will then be updated with parking data from BestParking.com overlaid on your chosen location.

Finding Accommodation

The Hotel finder app simplifies the process of locating hotels at your destination, utilizing information sourced from Bing. Activate this feature by clicking the Hotel finder button within Maps Apps.

Small purple markers will appear on your map, indicating the locations of hotels in the area. Clicking these markers reveals hotel details, and clicking the hotel’s name displays further information (including reviews) in the left sidebar.

These represent just a few of my preferred recent additions to the Bing Maps suite.

Additional apps, not detailed in this article but potentially useful for trip planning, include Current Traffic, Roadside Attractions (particularly beneficial for family vacations), and Local Events.

We encourage you to explore the new Bing Maps and share your experiences and feedback in the comments section below!