How to find local points of interest using map apps in iOS 16

After a long period of COVID-19 restrictions, people want to make the most of the opportunity to travel again. This can be a temporary vacation in a far away city or a permanent move to a new home in another state or country.

These movements always lead to the problem that you need to know what is local in your new accommodation. It’s not just the big prominent tourist areas, but also everyday services like doctor’s offices, libraries, and local shops for groceries and supplies.

One way to find out what’s near you is to check out the different map apps you can use on iOS 16. Although you typically use them to get you from one place to another as a route planning tool, they can also help inform you of your local environment.

Here are ways to see what’s near your location after you’ve just arrived in a new city or just before you travel so you know where the country is.

Apple Maps is the default navigation app in the Apple ecosystem and offers a very immersive experience, both in iOS 16 and on its other operating systems. It’s also very open about what local services it can offer you.

• Open Apple Maps.
• Use your current location as framed on the screen or navigate to a place you want to search.
• Tap the Find maps text box.
• Under To search something close to herechoose Type of service or item you want to search for e.g. e.g. restaurants.
• If a business type doesn’t appear on Apple’s list, enter that general term To do this, tap in the text field and then Seekor one of the suggested searches.
• You will receive a list of relevant companies and their locations. swipe up the result field to show more details, e.g. B. Review results on Trip Advisor and opening times.
• Tap a listing for more information, including links to a website, a call option, and getting directions.

The same search system can be used for exact names if you know it e.g. B. To get a list of all Starbucks locations in an area.

It can also go beyond the suggested standard searches for an area. While you can search for restaurants using the Apple-provided option, you can also manually search for “Chinese restaurants” if you want that particular cuisine.

This search area is also useful because you can look up travel guides for places to see or things to do in an area written by publications with travel expertise. This is especially useful for tourists who don’t necessarily know all the best places to visit on their trip.

Just as Google produces one of the most widely used search engines in the world, it also produces one of the most widely used navigation services. Google Maps draws on its wealth of data and provides excellent navigation and ways to find nearby attractions or things to do.

Search for interesting places in Google Maps

• Open Google Maps.
• Use current location or search for an area you want more information about.
• If it’s a standard search type, select it corresponding option below the search bar, e.g. E.g. restaurants or parking.
• Alternatively, use the search box and type the general term for what you’re looking for, then tap Seek.
• The map will show you nearby places that meet the criteria, with a scrollable list below providing more information about the results.
• To further improve the results, select the dropdown boxes below the search box and make a selection. Once confirmed, results are narrowed based on the new criteria.
• Tap a listing for more information, including directions, a website link, a call option, cost information, review results, photos, and other details.

While Waze is more of a navigation-focused tool than the others, it can still help you find important services near your location or near wherever you’re looking with the app.

Waze does all of this in a fairly neat and easy-to-understand way, with minimal extra detail and clutter. This might not be as useful if you want to peruse menus, for example, but if you just want instructions, this is a good no-frills option.

Waze’s points of interest system is a bit more navigation-based than the others.

• Open Waze.
• Use your current location or navigate to an area you want more information about.
• Tap the Where? search box.
• Tap on one of the symbols at the top for basic services like a drive-thru, restaurant, gas station, or parking lot. If the option doesn’t appear in the pick list, tap three points to bring up a long list of service types and tap one.
• Tap the required service in the search results to show routes to reach the location.

While the three apps described above are good general-purpose ways to find things near a specific location, you might want to use something a little more structured when you’re going on vacation.

A quick search of the App Store can turn up a whole host of apps to solve the itchy feet problem by providing verified lists of attractions, restaurants, and other things of interest to tourists.

There’s plenty to choose from too, from the no-fuss Tripadvisor and Visit A ​​City to the more purpose-built.

For example, if you are on a road trip in the United States, you can look up the unusual attractions on Roadside America. Avid hikers and cyclists can try AllTrails if they want to discover scenic landscapes as part of a hike or a quiet afternoon stroll.

If you’re visiting a place with a specific interest, it’s worth giving the App Store a shot to try and find dedicated apps to take away that itch. You might get something more sophisticated than the mainstream apps, and maybe even better travel advice than mass-produced restaurant reviews.