Printed Maps

If you're travelling anywhere unfamiliar, it helps to have a printed map with you, whether that's a city map, an area map or a country map. In-car navigation maps and systems and GPS units are great, but their displays are small and it can be difficult to gauge journey times and distances between destinations as well as knowing where they lie in relation to one another.

That's why a printed map can't be beaten. You can carry it in your back pocket and never have to worry about the batteries running out leaving you stranded you know not where.

You can write on maps, circling the places you want to visit and they act as reminders of the places you've been after your trip is over. When you get home, you can even mark the places you've been in Google Earth and build up a list of all the places you've ever visited.

And the map is there if you ever need it again. Collecting maps also reminds you all the cool places you've gone to on your various travel trips.

Here are some free resources where you can download and print out maps:

MapQuest Outline Maps Free printable maps from the National Geographic Printable Maps - Congressional Districts Maps of Cities Free downloadable GB maps U.S. and World Geography Blank & Outline Maps Russian River Wine Road (Sonoma County) Order a Free State Map Costa Rica Highway & Travel Map Interactive Ancient Mediterranean Maps

Google Maps TerraServer - Free Satellite Maps Google Earth - Free Satellite Maps Earth Imagery Source Exploring The Earth From Space Maps of Australia Belize & Central America