Where to Get Online Driving Directions

I love to travel, as many people do, and I’m often in a tizzy because I hate highway driving. It’s not driving on the highway that bothers me, it’s more like the entering and exiting that freaks me out sometimes. I blame it on a trip to Wilkes Barre, PA a few years ago. I had to exit one highway, move across four lanes for my next exit and had about a hundred feet to do it in. I think I was crippled for life after that maneuver.

This past year my confidence in highway driving rose significantly when I made it from Corning, NY to Wallingford, CT and back in one piece, all by my lonesome. I wasn’t really alone, I had my daughter with me, but she couldn’t share in the driving, as tempting as the idea was. The trip was smooth, thanks to some great online driving directions.

Half of the problem with my trip to Wilkes Barre was the directions. I went again the next year with different directions and avoided that impossible piece of highway, and had a much smoother and much quicker trip. I found the new route by visiting more than one site dedicated to online driving directions.

Map Quest

I have used Mapquest.com with mixed results. The snafu en route to Wilkes Barre was their doing, though it wasn’t really their fault. The route is what it is, and they do not make the roadways. However, they are less likely to be up to date with construction detours and their quickest route isn’t always the quickest. Map Quest will get you where you are going, however, it may be up to you to tweak the directions.

Rand McNally

This is, by far, the site I prefer to use for online driving directions. They got me to Connecticut in six hours (they quoted five hours, and I had to make numerous stops due to my daughter) when another site offered me a seven and a half hour trip. The directions were clear and concise. I did not get lost once. I did make a wrong turn, but that was completely my own fault. Rand McNally offers a “Road Trip Planner” that is very cool. You can plan your trip in segments, which I had a hard time doing at other sites.

Maps.com

Maps.com seems to offer some decent directions, though I have never used them. I cannot comment on how accurate they are, but they seem to be a lot like Map Quest in their online driving directions. They look like they are worth a try.

Yahoo Maps

Yahoo gave me pretty concise directions to CT, but I didn’t end up using them because they put me right through Wilkes Barre and that dreaded on and off situation I encountered the time before. No worries though, if you use Yahoo you should get where you are going. They also have an option to show you gas stations and restaurants along your route.

Google Maps

I have never used Google maps, but I have heard good things about them from friends. When I opened the page I was a bit confused about where I should put in my start point and end point, but I found it. You have to click on “get directions” at the top of the page.

I entered Wallingford, CT for my online driving directions via Google’s site and they gave me a pretty straight shot, but estimate the driving time pretty high compared to other sites. The directions seem to be less clear, but the satellite feature is neat. Google also offers you the ability to search for hotels, food, and gas at any point along the map.

AAA

This is not technically an online driving directions service, but I think it can be if you are a member. I am not a member of AAA, but I have a friend who is. She tells me members can go into a local office and someone will help you plan out a route, (in most cases) free of charge.

Final Thoughts

Most online driving directions will get you where you need to go. It is probably a matter of preference and what you want for extras when making your plans. Your best bet is to look up directions on a few different sites and decide which you prefer to use.