#Google Maps is likely the go-to GPS solution most Android users already have installed, so I’ll start there. Tucked away in the sidebar, there’s an item called “Explore Nearby.” This area of Maps used to get its own shortcut in the app drawer, and while it’s not as obvious now, the functionality is as good as ever.
Open it up, and you’ll get a list of what’s nearby divided into categories. You can click on a restaurant to get its address, phone number, hours, menu, website, and photos (thanks to all the work Google’s done with Street View). There are even reviews available, making it comparable to Yelp.

Restaurants are the most plentiful option, but Google also provides suggestions for bowling alleys, movie theaters, museums, parks, sports stadiums, and other recreational locations. While you can search for specific locations, Google has actually done a good job presenting things in a manner where it’s easy to simply kick back and browse.
Google Maps is hardly the only app that can help you find a bite to eat (more on those below), but it has what I would consider the slickest interface.

#Waze is great for finding a place to fill up. It only takes a couple taps to pull up a list of gas stations in your area, and the interface lets you switch between different sources, such as Foursquare, Google, and Yelp.
The app will not only tell you how much distance stands between you and the pump, it will tell you the most recent prices. This can save you from getting a full tank only to find out that there’s gas for 8 cents less a couple blocks down the road.


#MAPS.ME (left screenshot below) offers both hotels and parking lots in the long list of Places of Interest its capable of searching for (including gas), but it doesn’t provide much other than an address. It will get you somewhere, and hopefully you like the place once you arrive. You might want to find and make a reservation from your phone ahead of time if you’d rather play it safe.
But for when spontaneity strikes, Navmii (right screenshot below) also gives parking a place of prominence in its sidebar, and it lets you find a place to sleep by searching for hotels the same way you would in Google Maps.

#Sygic  shows icons all over the map so that you can see Places of Interest as you’re driving by them. It’s not the only navigation app to take this approach, but it’s more thorough than any of the other options.



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