Quick Pitch: Route4Me is a free, online service that provides optimal routing for multi-destination trips.
Genius Idea: With a nice web interface and a new iPhone app, Route4Me is a great way to create a route for trips that have more than one stop.
In the age of GPS and Google Maps, getting directions isn't that difficult. How good or accurate those directions might be depends on the service and location, but finding creating a route map is a pretty simple process. Route4Me, however, lets you enter in multiple destinations, giving you the most efficient route so you can save time and energy by driving less.
The web interface is pretty basic -- just enter in your starting address and your destinations and you're off. Be aware, if your addresses aren't specific enough, you might have to change them. The system isn't as forgiving as some mapping tools.
We like that you can then download those routes into a file that will work with other navigation systems. This is nice for people with TomTom or other GPS systems.
The new Route4Me iPhone app, which is $1.99, is designed to make turn-by-turn directions to multiple destinations really simple. The app has a solid interface, but be aware: If you just want to go one place, the app won't create a route for you unless you enter it twice.
A nice feature of the iPhone app is that it can use your Address Book for location information. This is handy if you are visiting friends and don't want to have to manually type in each address.
The Internet has made mapping and route planning easier on all of us and Route4Me is another tool that can help users save time and gas.
What is your favorite mapping tool? Let us know!
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