Google Maps Search Nearby a Place or a Route

I only recently discovered a useful feature in Google Maps. When you select a place on the map or through a search, a row of buttons appears at the top of the map. These dynamic buttons display popular search terms like "Hotels," "Restaurants," "Bars," or "Coffee." By clicking one, say "Coffee," you'll see only nearby coffee places related to your originally selected location.

You now entered "search nearby" mode which is indicated with a blue button inside the search field. From now on you can also type custom search terms, say "parking." The results will be centered around the place you initially selected. Hovering over a result reveals useful details, such as the walking distance from your location. You can even specify a walking distance radius to filter search results within that range.

This feature also integrates with navigation routes. When you clicked "Directions" and see the blue paths on the map, clicking the suggested buttons on top of the map shows only results along your path. Again, you can then also search for custom terms. For instance, if you're heading to a friend's place, you can easily find "flower shops" or "wine shops" along the way. Viewing these results in relation to your route or a specific simplifies the process, making it more convenient than constantly switching between different searches.