Don’t let traffic slow you down this Memorial Day

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer in the U.S., and is a time to pay tribute to service men and women. So whether you’ll be manning the grill or marching in your local parade, you’re probably looking forward to the three-day weekend with your friends and family. The only thing that might slow you down? Traffic: Memorial Day is one of the busiest driving days of the year. Luckily, Google Maps can help you find the best route to your destination with the fewest delays.

And just in time for you to hit the road, we’re updating Google Maps with new traffic alerts to help you avoid jams and get the most out of your holiday weekend. Now when you input your destination, you’ll get an explanation of upcoming traffic conditions that helps you identify the quickest route. While you’re on the road, Google Maps will give you a heads up if congestion lies ahead, and how long you’ll be stuck in a jam. You’ll also get the option to take alternate routes, including explanations for why one is recommended—whether it’s the fastest or avoids an incident.

Top Google Maps Trends

For a glimpse at how people around the country are looking to celebrate Memorial Day, we took a look at the top six trending searches from last year. Turns out that hitting the shore and fueling up for long road trips are common plans for those of you looking to get out and about. For those sticking around home, sprucing up the house seems to be a popular pastime.

Top Google Maps Destination Searches

We also took a look at the top five Google Maps destinations searched in five cities over Memorial Day weekend in 2014. If this Memorial Day is anything like the last, a lot of you will be lacing up your hiking boots, loading up your surfboards or readying your tackle boxes for a trip to one of these outdoor spots:







Whether you plan to join the crowds or avoid them on this long Memorial Day weekend, Google Maps is here to smooth the way.

Posted by Pierre Petronin, Quantitative Analyst & Jen Chen, Product Manager