# Where can I download free, searchable maps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2007, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005 "2007-03-15T06:01:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/1 "2007-03-15T06:01:59Z")
Hello, Does anyone know where I can download a free, searchable map for a city? I tried some Google-fu but to no avail. I need to be able to search by address offline. I would rather not buy Microsoft Streets and Directions because it costs money and the computer I have doesn’t have a DVD reader to install the software. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/2 "2007-03-15T06:05:02Z")
Have you tried Google Maps? ---
**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/3 "2007-03-15T06:08:20Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Have you tried Google Maps? [/QUOTE] I need something that works offline and lets me search. ---
**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/4 "2007-03-15T06:10:43Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Have you tried Google Maps? [/QUOTE] Is it possible to download Google Maps onto a computer? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/5 "2007-03-15T08:30:53Z")
[QUOTE=Chasing Dreams] Is it possible to download Google Maps onto a computer? [/QUOTE] GoogleEarth may do what you’re looking for, but that costs money. May I ask why it can’t be online? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/6 "2007-03-15T08:45:39Z")
It looks like they might have something you can use here: [http://www.aaaasoft.com/](http://www.aaaasoft.com/) I haven’t tried it myself. ---
**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/7 "2007-03-18T18:10:30Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] GoogleEarth may do what you’re looking for, but that costs money. May I ask why it can’t be online? [/QUOTE] Sometimes I’m a delivery boy and it would be handy to have my laptop around when I have to look up some unknown / new place that I can’t find on a printed map. ---
**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/8 "2007-03-18T18:12:52Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] It looks like they might have something you can use here: [http://www.aaaasoft.com/](http://www.aaaasoft.com/) I haven’t tried it myself. [/QUOTE] I don’t think I can search by address once the map is downloaded. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/9 "2007-03-18T18:53:30Z")
I don’t know your location, but Thomas Bros. publishes street guides to some major U.S. metropolitan areas, Not on your computer, but a possible solution. Here’s their site [https://stronghold.your-site.com/~websecur/thomas/index.shtm](https://stronghold.your-site.com/~websecur/thomas/index.shtm) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/10 "2007-03-18T23:30:57Z")
> **[Offline Google Earth Use - Google Earth Blog](https://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2005/08/offline_google.html)** > > For those of you wondering what happens to Google Earth (GE) when you don’t have an Internet connection, the amazing thing is that it will work. But, it only works with what you have installed in your cache. If you anticipate taking your laptop... Might this help? The comment about saving multiple caches could be useful… I haven’t tried it, but I can imagine it might work, if the area you work in isn’t too big. ---
**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-download-free-searchable-maps/396005/11 "2007-03-19T00:10:53Z")
[QUOTE=mnemosyne] > **[Offline Google Earth Use - Google Earth Blog](https://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2005/08/offline_google.html)** > > For those of you wondering what happens to Google Earth (GE) when you don’t have an Internet connection, the amazing thing is that it will work. But, it only works with what you have installed in your cache. If you anticipate taking your laptop... Might this help? The comment about saving multiple caches could be useful… I haven’t tried it, but I can imagine it might work, if the area you work in isn’t too big. [/QUOTE] I just tried Google Earth out and I must say that it is a pretty nifty program. The cache works for looking at areas offline but it’s too bad the search function for looking up directions doesn’t work.