While more often on mobile, it's much easier for users to plan trips on desktop with Google Maps. The extra screen space enables Google to display more information. This is not only because the map is larger than the phone, but more importantly, the entire user interface is easier to use. Google has now further enhanced Google Maps on the desktop, making it even more useful with a new "Dock to bottom" feature.
Planning a trip or vacation with Google Maps is very easy on a desktop website. Just load the website and start searching for where you want to go, you'll get all the necessary information. You'll get navigation details and you can check out nearby restaurants, hotels, and other points of interest around your destination.
But if you have several goals on your travel or vacation list, you'll quickly discover how annoying it is to keep searching multiple places at the same time. Of course, you can load multiple Google Maps tabs on your desktop, each focusing on one destination. That way, you can see everything. All you have to do is switch back and forth between different tabs. New features from Google Maps optimize this experience.
The feature is not widespread, as only some people find it seen. This indicates that Google is testing this new feature. As a result, it's unclear if or when Google will roll out maps desktop docking to all users.
Previously, if you wanted to focus on multiple destinations on the same browser, the only way to do that was to load Google Maps in multiple tabs. But now a stop has been added to the bottom of the Google Maps desktop user interface. Search Engine Roundtable discovered this feature a few days ago, as shown in the GIF animation above.
When searching for a destination on Google Maps, look for a blue button that says "Dock to bottom" on it. Press it and the destination becomes a button at the bottom of the screen. Then you can quickly select it from there. This concept is similar to the label of an internet browser. However, you load a different Google Maps instance in each dock button, not the website. You can then move seamlessly between the various maps you've saved.