Helping more businesses and people get skills to succeed

Editor’s note: Today marks the start of National Small Business Week, a time to celebrate the millions of small businesses across the U.S. that power and connect our communities. This morning, Lisa Gevelber, Founder of Grow with Google, was joined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator, Isabella Casillas Guzman, at an event to announce new resources for businesses to help fuel growth and employee skill development. More details below.

Small businesses drive the U.S. economy and employ more than 46% of workers. We can attribute much of the nation’s economic rebound over the past two years to the hard work of American businesses — and to the digital tools that helped them adapt. At Google, we see how technology is fueling American business growth in the 2.4 billion connections we make every month between American businesses and their customers.

Three out of four U.S. small-and-medium sized businesses reported that adopting digital tools during the pandemic created new opportunities for their business. And digitally advanced businesses report 20 times better customer acquisition rates. Yet almost half (49%) of small businesses still lack the information and skills needed to use digital tools. Filling these skill gaps can help fuel growth for American businesses while creating new opportunities for workers. That’s why we’re expanding our Google Career Certificates program to further meet the needs of businesses and job seekers.

Google Career Certificate scholarships for U.S. businesses

To make it easier for businesses to help their employees get the skills they need, beginning today, U.S. businesses can get up to 500 scholarships each to Google Career Certificates to train their employees.[71cee3]These scholarships are worth up to $100,000 in workforce training per American company. Businesses can apply at grow.google/certificatesforbusiness.

It’s no secret that businesses of all sizes are struggling to acquire and retain talent. Those who create growth opportunities for their employees have a much better shot at retaining them. Businesses can use Google Career Certificates to train their employees for jobs in data analytics, digital marketing & e-commerce, IT support, project management or user experience (UX) design. No experience is required, and employees can earn an industry recognized credential in three to six months of part-time study. For every scholarship we give, a business will be gaining capabilities and, at the same time, an employee will be growing new skills.

Giving businesses more capabilities in e-commerce and digital marketing

The pandemic accelerated the need for digital tools — and we know digitally advanced businesses have been more financially resilient, and have hired at twice the rate compared to less digitally advanced peers.

To ensure businesses of all sizes can use digital marketing and e-commerce to unlock growth opportunities — and that they have access to talent with the know-how — Google is launching a new Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate.

This new certificate is rigorous, and endorsed by the 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies) and the AAF (American Advertising Federation). Here’s what you should know:

  • This certificate teaches digital marketing and e-commerce skills, including how to find customers, building an online store, measurement and analytics and increasing customer loyalty.
  • Like all our certificates, all course instructors are Google employees who are subject-matter experts.
  • Learners will get hands-on experience with popular digital marketing and e-commerce tools and platforms such as Canva, Constant Contact, Hootsuite, HubSpot, MailChimp, Shopify and Twitter, as well as Google Ads and Google Analytics.

This certificate is the latest addition to the Google Career Certificates program, which provides flexible online training for skills in high-growth fields. Combined, these certificates provide job seekers with access to more than 1.5 million in-demand jobs in the U.S. Graduates of the program gain access to jobs through our employer consortium, which includes more than 150 companies — such as Crate & Barrel, Infosys, Shopify, Verizon, Walmart, Wayfair and Google — that are eager to hire entry-level talent in these fields.

We’re looking forward to seeing what opportunities businesses, employees and job seekers continue to unlock with the expansion of the program. Learn more and enroll at grow.google/digitalmarketing.

Stable Channel Update for Desktop

The Stable channel has been updated to 101.0.4951.54 for Windows, Mac and Linux which will roll out over the coming days/weeks.

A full list of changes in this build is available in the log. Interested in switching release channels? Find out how here. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug. The community help forum is also a great place to reach out for help or learn about common issues.




Prudhvikumar Bommana
Google Chrome

3 things to ask as you prepare for summer travel 2022

Summer 2022 is nearly here, and vacationing is on many minds. But it’s not as easy as deciding you're ready to hit the road — or sky. We took a look at some Google Search and Flight trends and came up with a few questions you can ask yourself as you start planning to go…somewhere, anywhere besides your home. And to help you answer those questions, we’ve got plenty of travel-related Google trends that can guide you through settling on your next journey.

Read Article

Plan your summer travel, with help from Google

New travel tools from Google make it easy to plan your next vacation.

Read Article

Who should go on the trip with you?

So far in 2022, search interest in “girls trip destinations” is up 300% and “good bachelor party ideas” is up 200%, so group trips are certainly on our minds. Expecting parents would be wise to take one last couples trip — in fact, in the U.S., search interest in “best babymoon destinations usa” increased 170% in the first four months of 2022. And there’s nothing wrong with going solo; look no further than the 600% spike in “singles cruises” from January through April 2022.

What’s the goal of your getaway?

Once you’ve settled on who you want to travel with, the real fun can start and you can decide what kind of trip this will be. Well…is this a trip, or a vacation? Do you want to rest up, or rev up? Are you treating yourself or trying new adventures? Or maybe a little of all the above!

According to Google Trends, lots of people are looking to experience the outdoors: The top-searched summer attractions in the U.S. include Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, as well as Lake Tahoe and the Grand Canyon.

Glamping is also a popular option for those who want to get outside without totally roughing it (that’s glamorous camping, for the uninitiated). From January 2019 to April 2022, search interest in “glamping near me” spiked more than 500%. Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Tennessee are the most-searched destinations for glamping.

Where should you go?

Whatever kind of traveler you are (or plan to become this summer!), landing on the right destination is key. And if you’re excited about an international adventure, you’re in great company! Search interest in “passport appointments” increased 300% over the first four months of 2022, and Google Flights trends show that five of the top 20 destinations people in the U.S. are searching for are in Europe — London, Paris, Rome, Athens and Lisbon. Here’s a look at the complete list of the 20 top-searched summer destinations on Google Flights:

1) Orlando

2) Cancun

3) Las Vegas

4) London

5) New York

6) Los Angeles

7) Paris

8) Seattle

9) Honolulu

10) Denver

11) Rome

12) Miami

13) San Juan

14) Fort Lauderdale

15) Chicago

16) Boston

17) Athens

18) San Francisco

19) Lisbon

20) Portland

Looking to stay stateside? Domestic travel trends show people looking for flights to Orlando, Las Vegas, New York, L.A. and Seattle, among other great U.S. cities. So if you want to hit the trendy spots, you know where to go…and if you want to avoid the trendy spots, you know where not to go.

Traveling isn’t stress-free, and for anyone who’s already feeling overwhelmed by the options, there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a staycation. In fact, looking at January through April 2022, “luxury hotels near me” has over two times the search interest it had during the same period in 2019. No passport required.

Asian community and culture in focus

The strength and resilience of the Asian community has been remarkable — especially in response to the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes over the past few years. In the U.S. alone, they rose 339% in 2021, according to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. But through this adversity, coupled with all of life’s other stresses, the Asian community has shone brighter than ever. As an Asian American, I’m proud of how our community has come together while also uplifting others along the way. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) — and all year long for that matter — is a chance to celebrate this spirit, and that’s why it’s so important for Google to show up to support the Asian community.

In my role as VP of Engineering for Google Search, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to organize and understand the information that people want and need. Through Google’s services and tools, we have an incredible opportunity to share relevant information with our users on important topics like cultural identity and history.

One great example, in honor of APAHM, the Google Assistant team has curated a collection of facts and quotes about notable people and achievements in Asian history. Just by saying, “Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month” to your Google Assistant, you can learn something new every day throughout the month of May.

Join me in celebrating APAHM and exploring some of the talented members of our community that Google is featuring this month.

Recognizing Asian culture through art and music


Throughout May, products across Google will spotlight Asian creators and heritage, showcasing the creativity and influence of these artists, musicians and entertainers on modern culture. For instance, Google Arts & Culture is launching a new iteration of its Asian Pacific American Culture Hub with a focus on community, intersectionality and inclusion. Features will range from new stories celebrating Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders' (AAPI) joy, to inspiring contemporary artists and storytellers, to a fresh group of seven new partners who amplify voices and create space for togetherness. Organizations include the Asian American Arts Alliance, Welcome to Chinatown, Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Kearny Street Workshop, Asian Arts Initiative, San José Museum of Art and the Japanese American National Museum.

And for all the Pixel users out there, you can now carry a piece of art on your phone by downloading a new wallpaper created by visual artist Sarula Bao in the Curated Culture collection. Bao’s wallpapers illustrate the importance of community through sharing culture and celebrating one another, including a special Year of the Tiger wallpaper, all available in your wallpaper & style settings.

  • An illustration of a community of people represented together through shared windows.

    In Community - By sharing our culture across our vastly diverse community, we connect and celebrate together. Illustrated by Sarula Bao.

  • An illustration of four women uplifting and supporting each other.

    In Solidarity - In difficult times, we look to each other and offer one another aid, support and protection. Illustrated by Sarula Bao.

  • An illustration of a tiger with the sky and clouds as the background.

    In Strength - King of all beasts, the tiger represents our bravery. Illustrated by Sarula Bao.

Over at YouTube Music, we will be spotlighting playlists featuring Asian American and Asian diasporic artists, such as keshi, Rina Sawayama, P-Lo, Lyn Lapid and Eric Nam. YouTube Music will also celebrate Asian+ artists on social channels and on billboards in select US markets.

And onGoogle TV, we’ll feature TV and movie recommendations throughout the month ranging from Asian Pride in Hollywood and Stop Asian Hate Collections to content featuring K-Dramas, Martial Arts, Bollywood, Anime and more.

Amplifying Asian history through continued learning

This year, people searched for "Asian representation" more times than ever worldwide. Search interest in “Asian cuisine” also reached a record high this year in the U.S. So to kick off the month, you’ll see a little surprise if you look up “APAHM” or other related terms in Google Search. Later this month, there will be a special Doodle celebrating a pioneer of the Asian community — keep an eye on about.google, where you can also learn about AAPI history through art collections, videos with notable members of the community, Google Doodles and more.

And as interest in Asian culture and representation continues to grow, Google is partnering with Gold House for the second year in a row on their annual A100 List — the definitive honor recognizing the 100 most impactful Asians and Pacific Islanders in American culture over the last year. We will be amplifying voices of the A100 honorees throughout the month of May.

Uplifting Asian businesses everywhere

Google is committed to helping small business owners by providing them with resources and tools to help reach new customers and show their products across Google. For example, Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi — a small business owned by Lauryn Chun that seeks to celebrate the legacy of her mother’s cooking and share a delicious, authentic, handcrafted small-batch kimchi — used Google Ads and Google Shopping free listings to grow her sales by 128%, going from nine jars to over a million sold nationwide — delivering her kimchi to kitchens all across the country. To discover more tools that help small businesses, like Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi, visit g.co/smallbusiness.

A video of Lauryn Chun, owner of Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi, talking about how she used Google tools to grow her small business
10:25

At Google, we must take these opportunities to meaningfully celebrate, uplift and appreciate Asian culture and the people across our community who are doing trailblazing work. And while there is always more work to be done, APAHM gives us the opportunity to celebrate the vast identities that make up the Asian community and recognize our talents, influence and resilience of our community together.

Plan your summer travel, with help from Google

Summer is fast approaching in most parts of the world, and there’s a familiar travel planning buzz in the air. Whether you have a destination in mind or are just dreaming about an escape, Google has tools to help you get inspired and research your options so you can book with ease when the time is right. Read on for new features that’ll make travel planning a joy, this summer and beyond.

Track flight prices for any dates

On Google Flights, you can track prices for specific dates between two cities. Just search for your destination, toggle to opt-in, and we’ll email you if prices drop substantially for those dates. But maybe there’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to go and you just want the best deal possible (dream trip to Rome, anyone?). Beginning today, you can start tracking prices to find deals for any dates, and you’ll get an email if we detect lower than typical fares in the next 3-6 months. As they say, good things come to those who wait!

The Google Flights interface on a web browser, with a search entered for New York City to Rome. The animation shows a mouse cursor opting into price tracking emails for any dates.

Browse destinations within driving distance

Not sure where to visit? The Explore tool lets you browse locations around the world with filters for things like budget or trip length. In the default view, Explore will show flight prices, but now you’ll also see a pink dot and a bubble that reads ‘Explore nearby’. Tap this feature to narrow your search to places you can drive to in a few hours, and select any destination to see helpful information including average hotel prices or what kind of weather to expect. If you do decide to take that road trip, there are plenty of ways Google Maps can help.

Find the perfect place to stay

Once you know where you’re going, it’s time to decide where you’ll stay. You can search for hotels on Google or head straight to google.com/travel. Heading to a new city? It can be overwhelming to choose what neighborhood to stay in, but with new interest layers on the map, you can quickly see which areas have the most options for dining, shopping or sightseeing. For more popular destinations, you can also tap ‘Where to stay’ under the search filters, for a handy neighborhood guide.

For some trips, you may want easy access to a certain landmark or address. Beginning today, you can enter that location in the hotel or vacation rental search bar and you’ll see a toggle to show properties within a 15 or 30 minute trip by foot or car. This might be helpful if you’re going to an event, like a wedding or a conference, and want to stay near the venue.

Stay organized along the way

For the vacation dreamers and planners, we’ve introduced a new way to keep track of properties that pique your interest so you can pick up your travel planning right where you left off. Just tap the bookmark icon on any hotel or vacation rental, and it’ll be saved for easy reference. To see your saved properties, look for the Saved tab on mobile or the right hand panel on desktop.

Here’s to safe and happy travels!

Lifting up educators this Teacher Appreciation Week

Read this post in Spanish. // Blog en español aquí.

Editor’s note: Kurt Russell, a history teacher from Oberlin High School in Ohio, was recently named the 2022 National Teacher of the Year. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, he’s sharing more about his story, the importance of the teaching community and some ways Google is showing up for educators.

Teachers have the ability to change lives. Ms. Francine Toss and Mr. Larry Thomas changed mine by pouring knowledge, confidence, self-worth, patience and love into me during my elementary and middle school years. And I know countless teachers across the country are doing the same for their own students every day. I’m honored to represent them as this year’s National Teacher of the Year.

But let’s be honest, teaching is not easy. At times, it can be frustrating. We can feel invisible and unappreciated. We constantly struggle to meet our students’ varied needs, often with limited resources. But my fellow teachers motivate me to meet these challenges. This is a community that provides unwavering support and demonstrates resilience, professional excellence and inspiration — not just for our students, but also for each other.

For nearly ten years, Google has been a sponsor of the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year program as part of their ongoing support for educators worldwide. I’m thankful for the ways Google is showing up today, and every day, to lift up the teaching community.

Mr. Thomas — the first teacher I had who was a Black man — inspired me to become an educator. I saw myself in him and in the curriculum he taught. And because of his example, I’ve continued the important work of emphasizing cultural relevance and diverse representation in my own teaching. For this reason, I’m glad to see Google team up again with The Conscious Kid to donate another round of inclusive books to 1,000 more Title I elementary schools across the country — building on their inclusive reading guide and the cultural learning section on Google for Education’s Teacher Center. Representation matters throughout an entire educational experience, and I’m proof of the difference it can make in someone’s life.

This year, the National Teacher of the Year program and Google for Education are also offering a $5,000 award to each State Teacher of the Year in appreciation and admiration of the incredible work they do.

If there’s a special teacher making a difference in your life, like Ms. Toss and Mr. Thomas did for me, consider nominating them as next year’s State Teacher of the Year. Whether you’re a student, parent or fellow educator, this is a great way to let someone know they’ve made an impact on you.

During this week when we celebrate the teaching profession and teachers who have made a difference, I hope my fellow educators feel valued and cherished. Because to me, and to so many others, you truly are.

A large group of people — the 2022 State Teachers of the Year, President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden — pose in front of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Above them is a golden chandelier.

The 2022 State Teachers of the Year at the White House, meeting President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Photo credit: Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz.

Reconociendo a los educadores en esta Semana de Apreciación al Maestro

Read this post in English. // Blog en inglésaquí.

Nota del Editor: Kurt Russell, la historia de un maestro de Oberlin High School en Ohio, fue nombrado recientemente como Maestro Nacional del Año 2022. En honor a la semana de Apreciación al Maestro , él nos comparte más de su historia, la importancia de la comunidad educativa y algunas formas en las que Google reconoce a los educadores.

Los maestros tienen la habilidad de transformar vidas. La señorita Francine Toss y el Señor Larry Thomas cambiaron la mía al compartir conmigo conocimiento, confianza, autovaloración, paciencia y amor durante los años de la escuela primaria y secundaria. Y yo sé que hay una cantidad incontable de profesores, en todo el país, que hacen esto mismo con sus alumnos cada día. Me siento honrado de representarlos al ser nombrado como Maestro Nacional del Año.

Pero seamos honestos, enseñar no es sencillo. Hay momentos en los que puede ser frustrante. Nos podemos llegar a sentir invisibles y poco valorados. Suele ser un desafío poder satisfacer las múltiples necesidades de nuestros alumnos, teniendo muchas veces recursos limitados. Pero mis queridos profesores me motivaron a enfrentar estos desafíos. Esta es una comunidad que proveé un apoyo inquebrantable y muestra resiliencia, excelencia profesional e inspiración - no solo para los estudiantes, sino también entre nosotros.

Por casi 10 años, Google ha sido un patrocinador del programa de Maestro del Año del Consejo de Jefes Estatales de Oficiales de las Escuelas como parte de su apoyo constante a los educadores alrededor del mundo. Estoy muy agradecido por las maneras en las que Google se muestra en la actualidad, y cada día, para engrandecer a la comunidad educativa.

El señor Thomas - mi primer profesor que era un hombre de color - me inspiró a convertirme en educador. Me vi a mí mismo en él y en la materia que impartía. Y es por este ejemplo, que continué con la importante labor de enfatizar la relevancia cultural y la representación de la diversidad en mi propia enseñanza. Por esta razón, me complace ver que Google hizo equipo nuevamente con El Niño Consciente para donar otra cantidad de libros inclusivos, 1,000 más Títulos I de escuela primaria por todo el país - construir suguía de lectura inclusiva y la sección de aulas cultural del Centro de Profesores de Google for Education. La representación es importante en toda la experiencia educativa, y yo soy la prueba de la diferencia que puede hacer en la vida de alguien más.

Este año, el programa de Maestro Nacional del Año y Google for Education están ofreciendo un premio de $5,000 para cada Maestro Estatal del Año como reconocimiento y admiración por la increíble labor que hacen.

Si hay algún maestro que esté haciendo una diferencia en tu vida, como la Señorita Toss y el Señor Thomas lo hicieron por la mía, considera nominarlos como próximo Maestro Estatal del Año. Ya sea que tu seas su estudiante, padre o compañero educador, esta es una excelente manera de hacerle saber a alguien que han hecho un impacto en ti.

Durante esta semana en la que celebramos la profesión de enseñar y a los maestros que han hecho una diferencia, espero que mis compañeros educadores se sientan valorados y apreciados. Porque para mí, y para muchos otros, en verdad lo son.

Una foto de grupo de los Maestros Estatales del Año con el Presidente Joe Biden y la Primera Dama Dr. Jill Biden posando para una foto.

Los Maestros Estatales del Año en la Casa Blanca, conociendo El Presidente Joe Biden y la Primera Dama Dr. Jill Biden. Credito de foto: Foto oficial de la Casa Blanca por Adam Schultz.

An update on our work to counter extremism in Singapore

For an example of a harmonious, multicultural society, look no further than Singapore, where people of different ethnicities, religious backgrounds, and who speak varying languages live and work together peacefully. It’s a remarkable achievement — one of Singapore’s great strengths as a global hub for trade, travel and technology. It’s also something that all of us in Singapore have to work hard to preserve.

At Google, and YouTube, we’re committed to doing everything we can to promote and celebrate Singapore’s diversity — and to protect it from threats. Today, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, we’re kicking off a series of workshops developed with Ministry of Funny. The aim is to help creators from local interfaith groups and religious organizations start meaningful discussions on issues of online extremism and hate, while fostering awareness, tolerance and empathy.

Participants in the workshops will learn the basics of video production, content strategy, and data analytics, as well as how to sustain an audience on YouTube. Select organizations will receive additional support in the form of grants and mentoring by four YouTube creators: Our Grandfather Story, The Daily Ketchup Podcast, itsclarityco and Overthink.

By amplifying positive voices and constructive dialogue, we believe we can help counter the impact of online extremism — building on the steps we’re already taking.

Taking strong actions against extremism

Over recent years, YouTube has made deep investments in machine learning to enable better detection and faster removal of harmful content that breaches its guidelines. Since 2019, YouTube has removed more than 2.6 million videos for violating its policies around violent extremism — as well as reducing the spread of content that comes close to violating these policies but doesn’t cross the line. YouTube is also holding itself to high standards of accountability, through a dedicated violent extremism section in the YouTube Community Guidelines Enforcement Report.

Across all Google products, we have long standing policies that prohibit harmful content, including incitement to violence and hate speech. We’re working closely with other major technology companies, through coalitions like the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. And we’re focused on developing other technology-based solutions. For example, teams at Jigsaw have developed the Redirect Method, an open-source program which uses targeted ads and videos uploaded by people around the world to confront online radicalization.

We’re looking forward to expanding on these efforts in collaboration with the Singapore Government, Ministry of Funny, and other leaders in the YouTube ecosystem. We see first hand the positive impact creators make all over the world every day, and with the right support, we know they can be powerful voices for tolerance and inclusion in Singapore’s diverse communities.

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – April 29, 2022

New updates 

Updated rollout schedule for additional Calendar statuses in Google Chat 
We’d like to provide updated rollout information for additional Calendar statuses in Google Chat, previously announced on March 14, 2022: 
  • Rollout for Rapid release domains will be complete on Wednesday, May 5, 2022. 
  • Rollout for Scheduled release domains will begin on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 and is expected to be complete by Tuesday, May 24, 2022. 


Previous announcements 

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details. 



Easily manage storage related activity and policies through new storage management tools in the Admin console 
In the Admin console, storage related activities can now be accessed and managed from a single source. | Learn more. 



Quick access to additional actions when composing a message in Google Chat on iOS 
When using Google Chat on iOS, you can now easily take additional actions by hovering over the plus (“+”) icon next to the compose bar. You’ll see a variety of options such as: 
  • Sharing a Google Meet link 
  • Creating a meeting in Calendar 
  • Accessing Google Drive Text formatting options and more. 




Enhanced menus in Google Docs improves findability of key features on desktop 
We’re updating the menus in Google Docs to make it easier to locate the most commonly-used features. In this update you’ll notice: 
  • Shortened menus for better navigation 
  • Reorganization for more intuitive feature location 
  • Prominent icons for faster recognition 



Warning banners alert users of suspicious Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides files on web 
Previously, we announced warning banners for potentially malicious or dangerous files in Google Drive. We’re extending these warnings at the file-level — going forward, if you open a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides file on the web, you’ll see these warnings. | Learn more. 


For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Road tripping on Route 66

Ninety-six years ago on April 30th, one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System was assigned its numerical designation of 66, creating what we know today as Route 66. But to say Route 66 is just a highway is a grave understatement. After all, it is the most-searched U.S. highway of all time.

One of the perks of working as a Doodler (I promise, it’s a real job) was getting to drive the 2,448-mile journey from Chicago to Los Angeles in my ‘72 Chevelle. I got to experience this captivating road trip firsthand, to create a Doodle celebrating Route 66.

This Doodle, which is essentially an animated sketchbook of various historic spots along the route, is the product of more than 100 paintings and sketches I created from the side of the road and countless U-turns. I remember being utterly lost one day, driving further and further down an old dirt road, when I finally saw an old man sitting on a lawn mower. “Is this Route 66?” I enquired. “Boy, this isn’t even Route 6!” he responded. Even the dead ends were interesting.

  • Photo of Matthew at the start of Route 66 in Chicago.

    The journey begins!

  • Photo of Matthew at Cadillac Ranch in Texas

    Cadillac Ranch, Texas.

  • Photo of Matthew at the end of Route 66 in Santa Monica.

    2,448 miles later- The end!

If this Doodle has you feeling inspired to take a trip across Route 66, we also caught up with a member of Google Maps’ Local Guides community who has some tips of his own to help you hit the road and explore.

Local tips from a Local Guide

Rhys Martin is a Level 6 Local Guide from Tulsa, Oklahoma who also serves as the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. Having driven all 2,400 miles of the existing route, Rhys is passionate about adding photos and reviews to Google Maps that help raise awareness for the variety of experiences — from big cities and rural communities, to farmland, mountains, deserts, mom-and-pop motels and kitschy roadside attractions — a road trip down the historic highway provides. We asked him to share his best tips, tricks and recommendations to discover and experience his favorite spots along the route.

  • Discover local businesses along the route: By searching for something like “U.S Route 66 Restaurants” on Google Maps you can virtually explore restaurants or other businesses across all eight states along the route. This way, you can familiarize yourself with attractions, view how much certain restaurants cost, read reviews and even see popular menu items to help you choose places you want to visit.
  • Plan your road trip with Lists in Google Maps: Once you discover the places you’re interested in visiting, save them to a list that can serve as an itinerary so you can support local businesses — and help preserve history – along the route. You can even share your list with others, or make them collaborative so you can plan together!
  • A picture is worth a thousand words: Photographing the details of a place — like the decades-old neon signage or the original menus hanging behind the counter — and sharing them through reviews on Google Maps helps capture the essence of an establishment and helps others discover places they want to visit.

While Oklahoma has the most drivable miles of Route 66, Rhys says there’s so much to see in all eight states along the route. If you’re itching to plan the perfect summer road trip, check out a list of his must-see spots across Route 66 from Illinois to California.