For anyone who has ever visited New York City or any large city for that matter, could you imagine traveling there without any knowledge of how to get around town?
Imagine navigating L.A. or Paris without so much as a map of the city or a subway to help you find your way around the metropolis.
It sounds crazy, completely inadvisable and nearly impossible, but people do it all the time.
Thanks to the Internet and the availability of smart phones equipped with navigational devices known as global positioning systems or GPS, we’re traveling a lot lighter these days. We’re even traveling smarter.
Where maps were once great for identifying streets, neighborhoods and some recreational options such as parks and other points of interest, static maps have nothing on the level of detail that’s now available via GPS-enabled devices.
Take New York City, for instance. Say that you want to check out an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art followed by a fancy dinner at a restaurant near Central Park and a nightcap at a bar somewhere in Midtown. Imagine, too, that you have no idea how to get to any of those destinations.
Sound like a tall order? Not for a GPS-enabled device. All you need to do is plug in your destination and the mode of transportation that you are taking to get there, whether you want to take a car, public transportation or arrive on foot, and you’ll receive directions that are customized for way, right down to which subway or bus line is the fastest. It’s so much better than a map.
And if that’s not enough, there are other programs that use GPS technology to show you what amenities are in your immediate area, in case you don’t feel like going too far. Chances are, there are some fantastic eateries and entertainment venues right around the corner. So next time you are exploring a new city or even your neighborhood, use GPS to help you find where you’re going. Who knows, you’re new favorite spot could be just a keyword search and click away!