How to browse a neighborhood?

June 6, 2008 4:32 PM

How can I "browse" a neighborhood online?

I just moved to a new area and I want to "browse" it with an online map, by which I mean I want to be able to use a zoomed-in map and see every store, restaurant, gas station, etc. so I can get a good sense of what's around here without just driving randomly. I don't care about actual satellite imagery; I just want some sort of map image that has streets and names and information of businesses (maybe with pop-up balloons on hover). I couldn't find a way to do this in Google Maps. Does such a service exist?

posted by underwater to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

For what city would you like to do this?
posted by Craig at 4:38 PM on June 6, 2008

Dallas.
posted by underwater at 4:51 PM on June 6, 2008

Try this, I wish they had this for Canada!
posted by OLechat at 4:55 PM on June 6, 2008

Try Yelp... Leave the "Search for" box blank and enter an address in the "Near" box. Voila, all nearby businesses, sorted by user reviews!
posted by Sxyzzx at 5:16 PM on June 6, 2008

I was about to complain about how Google Maps can't do this ... but then I remembered that Google Earth is what you're looking for ... maybe sorta.

If you download Google Earth, you can pick a town, zoom in, and then select "Places of Interest" from the sidebar. It's got coffee shops, grocery stores, etc.
posted by metajc at 6:57 PM on June 6, 2008

Google Street View, Dallas. Drag the person icon wherever you want to see a street-level view.
posted by panic at 6:58 PM on June 6, 2008

same as panic said. go to google maps, then in the upper right corner of the map click Steet View. that should do it.
posted by alitorbati at 9:35 PM on June 6, 2008

Wikimapia
posted by loiseau at 2:57 AM on June 7, 2008

walkscore
posted by buttercup at 5:10 AM on June 7, 2008

Microsoft Streets & Trips (not free) is great for finding stores, restaurants, etc within a specified distance of a location you choose. IMO this is the best way to explore without knowing exactly what you're looking for. It's easy to find the closest Chinese restaurant via Google Maps, but it's difficult to know what else is around your new place without searching for every conceivable type of business.

Free Microsoft Live maps have "bird's eye" views that load faster than Google streetviews and are easier to navigate IMO. You can probably tell what most businesses are from this view.
posted by desjardins at 7:35 AM on June 8, 2008

Also, delocator for coffee shops, bookstores, etc.
posted by desjardins at 7:36 AM on June 8, 2008