12 Google Shortcuts Every Traveler Should Know
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Sheila at Geeky Traveller noted the other day that “Google could put out toilet paper and I’d use it.” Because the fact is: Google rules.
But did you know the plain ol’ Google search box you use every day is good for a whole lot more than you’re likely asking of it? Forget going to ten different sites to get your travel info quickly. Just Google it!
© Delgoff.
Here are twelve essential Google travel shortcuts you might have missed:
#1: Get Local Weather
Type: “weather [city name or zip/postal code]”
Example: “weather 02818″ or “weather london”
#2: Check Flight Status
Google automagically pulls flight data from FlightStats.com. All you have to do is enter the flight number.
Type: [flight name and/or number]
Example: “aa123″ or “united 959″
#3: Currency Converter
Type: “[amount] [first currency] to [second currency]”
Example: “1000 usd to euro”
… or:
“500 yen to pesos”
#4: Find the Local Time Anywhere
Type: “time [city/state/province/country]”
Example: “time tokyo”
#5: Identify People, Foreign Objects, and More
A great tip from Lifehacker:
Google Image search results show you instead of tell you about a word. Don’t know what jicama looks like? Not sure if the person named “Priti” who you’re emailing with is a woman or a man? Spanish rusty and you forgot what “corazon” is? Pop your term into Google Image Search (or type image jicama into the regular search box) to see what your term’s about.
A while back, someone told me of a fruit I’d never heard of called “rambutan”. Plugging the phrase into Google image search revealed that it’s a bright red, quirky looking fruit that’s not likely indigenous to the U.S.:
#6: View Airport Conditions
Type: “[airport name/code] airport”
Example: “logan airport”
#7: Convert Temperatures
Type: “[temperature] [C/F] to [F/C]”
Example: “40 C to F”
#8: Convert Distances
Type: “[value] [first distance unit] to [second distance unit]”
Example: “400 kilometers to miles”
#9: Convert Driving Speeds
Type: “[value] [first distance unit] to [second distance unit]”
Example: “70 kph to mph”
#10: Find a Phone Number
Find a Person:
Type: “[person’s name], [city or zip/postal code]”
Example: “john smith, london”
Find a Business:
Type: “[business name or type], [city or zip/postal code]”
Example: “apple store, manhattan”
#11: Find Local Food and Restaurants
Type: “[food type], [city or zip code/postal code]”
Example: “pizza, london e1″
#12: Track Your Packages
Wondering where that extra pack of socks Mom was supposed to forward you is?
Type: [any USPS, UPS, or FedEx tracking number]
Example: 706479610009807
Voilà! No longer must you login to each shipping carrier’s official website.
Bonus: Google Translator
Google’s online language translation service is fast, free and a breeze to use.
For example, asking Google to convert Vagabondish’s “What We’re About” statement:
Vagabondish is an online magazine that discusses offbeat backpacking and travel news, advice, how-to tips and tall tales from around the world.
… to Russian reveals:
Vagabondish Это онлайновый журнал, что обсуждает offbeat backpacking и новости, советы, как на советы и высотных сказки из разных стран мира.
Sure, it’s not perfect but if you’re in a pinch a thousand miles from home, it beats paying $300 for Rosetta Stone software.
What other Google shortcuts or hacks do you use in your travels? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below!
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A final hat tip to Lifehacker for pointing out some of these.
Vagabondish editor, Mike Richard, lives in Rhode Island - a spit of land in the northeastern U.S. He is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats, small, declarative sentences and speaking in the third person.
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January 31st, 2008 - 11:27 am
Great list! I was just trying to remember how to use Google to convert currency this afternoon. It’s nice to have this all in one place… I’ll be referring back!
January 31st, 2008 - 12:48 pm
Great idea for a post, Mike! Meredith is right, it is nice to have all of this in one place. Thank you!
January 31st, 2008 - 2:56 pm
Meredith + Stacy: Thanks! Most people probably already know about many of these but I thought it might provide a helpful “cheat sheet” for travelers.
January 31st, 2008 - 6:56 pm
Great post. I use heaps of these already but was pretty impressed with the package tracking idea!!!! Now I’m trying to think of other random numbers that Google might be clever enough to convert into what I’m really looking for. Hmm …
February 1st, 2008 - 1:36 am
Great info! I can use all the travel tips I can get!
February 2nd, 2008 - 11:48 am
[…] Vagabondish digs deep and rounds up 12 Google Shortcuts Every Traveler Should Know. From how to check the weather, convert your currency and […]
February 2nd, 2008 - 12:18 pm
I consider myself a long time web searcher but some of these are gems! Thanks for the great list.
February 2nd, 2008 - 3:18 pm
Haha! Great stuff Mike.
February 4th, 2008 - 1:37 am
Just don’t make the mistake of these two Googlers on “Google Maps Gone Bad”!
http://cartophilia.com/blog/20.....html#links
February 14th, 2008 - 10:58 am
you can use “define:” in front of any word or term and you will find definitions. E.G.: http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Arainforest
Keep track of your travels with your very own google map: goto maps.google.com and go to the tab “My Maps”.
On google maps, you can get driving directions by typing “city1 to city2″: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=amsterdam+to+paris
On google finance you can find the trends for currency conversions for e.g. USD to EUR (you will also get useful news links explaining why exchange rates changed): http://finance.google.com/finance?q=EURUSD
You can use “location:” in front of your search to localize it
You can find easy flight info by typing “city1 to city2″ in normal google: http://www.google.com/search?q.....o+new+york
for gmail users: use searches like “label:labelname” or “is:unread”. More tips here: http://mail.google.com/support.....nswer=7190
There, that should keep you busy for now
February 14th, 2008 - 11:26 am
Hey, Walter: all great tips. Thanks for sharing!
May 27th, 2008 - 12:27 pm
[…] users have always used Google for everything, including travel. Today the vast majority of all travelers are using the internet for every phase of their […]