Animated Street View Routes

When I'm visiting somewhere new, some place that I've never been before, I often like to preview the location using Google Maps Street View. For example, last week I had to attend a meeting at a venue in a neighborhood of London that I am unfamiliar with. While checking out the location of the venue on Google Maps I also previewed the route from the nearest Underground Station to the venue on Street View. This helped to ensure that I actually didn't get lost on the way to my meeting.

If you also like to familiarize yourself with a route before taking a journey then you might like Map Channels' Animated Route Maps. Animated Route Maps allow you to request a travel route (driving, walking, cycling or public transit) and then view an animated Street View tour of the actual route. Animated Route Maps aren't just for neurotic mazeophobics like myself, it is also a fun tool for virtually exploring the world.

Scroll down on the Animated Route Maps landing page to the 'Examples' section and you can find some predefined animated Street View tours. The examples include a scenic animated Street View drive along the Amalfi Coast in Italy, a climb up Chapman's Peak in South Africa and a drive along Norway's breathtaking Lysebotn Road.