Help me make my own travel maps

February 8, 2010 4:52 AM

I'd like to make a map that includes my favorite restaurants (for example) on a city map and be able to print and carry it with me. What tools can I use for this? Is there software that makes this easy? Google maps doesn't seem to do what I want - or I don't know how to use it. Help?

I'd like to be able to type in my addresses, have them appear on a map and have a legend I can carry around too. Simple, right?

I've tried to use Google maps, but it maps everything using the same icon. So, when I print it out I can't actually see whats where.

I've tried varying the icons a bit but this seems tedious to do for each location. What I really want is numbered or alphabetized placemarks, so that I can see for example that restaurant G or 7 on the map corresponds to the one on my list.

posted by vacapinta to computers & internet (12 answers total)

So to be clear, you want automatic numbered labeling, right?
posted by ocherdraco at 5:22 AM on February 8, 2010

I might settle for manual numbered labeling. But I havent' seen that option in Google maps either.
What I want is an easy(?) way of numbering/sequentially marking all my placemarks.
posted by vacapinta at 5:56 AM on February 8, 2010

I'm pretty sure communitywalk.com automatically numbers the maps you create with it.
posted by bethist at 6:02 AM on February 8, 2010

I don't know if this is how you did it, but I did something similar on Google maps by signing in and clicking 'My Maps'. I'm able to change the shape/colour of the marker to various shapes given in the options. I drag a marker on the map, change the shape or colour of it and then go to add another one, and save it in the end. Maybe that would suit your needs.
posted by soroush at 6:09 AM on February 8, 2010

bethist: Thanks! Communitywalk might do the trick. Playing with it now.

soroush: I tried that but it is tedious and you start running out of shapes. I cant/wont use colors because this will be printed black/white.
posted by vacapinta at 6:29 AM on February 8, 2010

I do this all the time- but it's a combination of online and manual. First, I create a new map in Google's "My Maps". I add locations to the map - for each one, I paste the address in the location description (any other pertinent info like hours) and change the icon if appropriate (I use different icons for restaurants, hotel, stores, museums, etc. on the same map).

Then I take a screen grab and paste into Word. In Word, I crop to the area I want to see. Since the address is in the location description, you should see a list of addresses on the left side. Sometimes I will paste and crop multiple screenshots to include different neighborhoods.

You could number in word with textboxes, but usually I just print it out and do it with a pen. This whole process sounds really involved when I type it out, but it really doesn't take long.
posted by beyond_pink at 7:08 AM on February 8, 2010

Looks like Mutiplottr will do this if you choose the "Number" format when adding addresses.
posted by yarrow at 7:13 AM on February 8, 2010

I know MapQuest used to do this years ago, but then they got rid of the only thing they actually did better than Google. Doesn't look like they do it now. But in the course of searching for that info, I found this: http://www.batchgeocode.com which looks promising. If you run their example app, you get a map with lettered pins, and a list of lettered locations at the bottom of the page.
posted by Gortuk at 7:30 AM on February 8, 2010

So, you have the map, but what to print it on? May I recommend Adventure Paper. It's super long-lasting, water proof and rip-proof. You can write on it with a pen or highlighter. I've only had issues with one of the inks in my 6-cartridge printer (the dark magenta washes out, everything else is permanant).
posted by hatsix at 8:22 AM on February 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

I found this: http://www.batchgeocode.com which looks promising. If you run their example app, you get a map with lettered pins, and a list of lettered locations at the bottom of the page.

Yes I came in here to recommend that. The formatting can be a little tricking when inputting the data, but the end result is a nice map with all of the addresses marked on it.
posted by burnmp3s at 9:20 AM on February 8, 2010

ZeeMaps can do this, here is their example map (you need to open the place list sidebar on the right, and then the icons are numbered to match the list).
posted by anaelith at 10:42 AM on February 8, 2010

I have used Batchgeocode and was happy with it.
posted by halonine at 2:19 PM on February 8, 2010