5 Must-DL Apps This Week: Try on Makeup, Take 3D Pix + More!

1. View trails from beginning to end on Google Maps

Trails are now easier to discover via Maps. When you search for a trail, you’ll see the entire route displayed, so you can easily find the starting point and the end. Upon searching, you’ll get a preview of the trail with reviews and photos from the Google Maps community. You’ll also be able to see the trail’s difficulty as well as what it’s used for.

2. Detailed Google Maps directions bring you straight to the trailhead or park entrance

Spare yourself the confusion of whether the trailhead you parked at is the trailhead you’re supposed to be hiking. Now, when you request walking or cycling directions to a particular trail, Google Maps will direct you right to its beginning.

3. Get informed when there's a heat wave warning

When you Google search for information on extreme heat events, the engine will show you details on predicted heat waves, tips on staying cool, and any urgent health concerns associated with hot weather. This feature is helpful for exploring National Parks in particular, so you’re not risking your wellbeing for exploration and fun. These warnings will pop up in a conspicuous space on your screen to eliminate confusion.

4. See how the planet evolved over time with Google Earth's update

Immerse yourself in Earth’s transformative nature using the biggest Google Earth update since 2017, Timelapse. The 4D experience takes you from the Amazon rainforest to the palm oil-rich land of Indonesia to shine a light on our changing planet and its problems and solutions, as well as a handful of beautiful natural phenomena that have unfolded over the past decades.

5. Easily view a National Park destination's can't-miss attractions

With a National Park-related search, you’ll now be able to easily view any notable attractions, campgrounds, visitor centers, and trailheads within your desired park.

6. Go properly off the grid with offline Google Maps features

Reliable cell coverage isn’t guaranteed in the great outdoors. To help you responsibly explore parks with clarity, Google Maps brings you offline features. Just tap the "download" button on any park’s Google Maps listing to download it for offline use.

Itching to explore more?

Here are the most popular U.S. National Parks, according to Google*:

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
2. Bryce Canyon National Park
3. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
4. Kenai Fjords National Park
5. Rocky Mountain National Park
6. Acadia National Park
7. Badlands National Park
8. Mount Rainier National Park
9. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
10. Grand Teton National Park
11. Crater Lake National Park
12. Redwood National and State Parks
13. Olympic National Park
14. Haleakalā National Park
15. White Sands National Park
16. Arches National Park
17. Sequoia National Park
18. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
19. Dry Tortugas National Park
20. North Cascades National Park

According to their website, “Google's algorithms are confident that the price you find is the lowest available before the flight departs. After you book on Google, we'll monitor the price until the first flight in your itinerary departs. If the price drops, we’ll make up the difference.”

In order for you to qualify for any refund, your flight must be booked through select Book on Google itinerarieswithin Google Flights and have a ticket price change of more than $5. You can receive up to $500 back per year for up to three open price guaranteed bookings at any one time. If you qualify, you’ll receive your refund after the first flight in the booked itinerary has taken off.

Brit + Co's "Gilmore Girls" Guide To Washington, Connecticut

Once you get to Washington, there are tons of locations you can visit and activities you can partake in to make you feel like you're in Stars Hollow. It's fairly simple to get to Washington — you can drive right into town if you're taking a car, but there are also two train stations that are around a 20-minute taxi drive from town.

There are actually five villages within Washington — Washington Green, Washington Depot, New Preston, Marbledale, and Woodville — with different aspects of the Gilmore Girls experience. You can go pumpkin and apple picking and explore Hopkins Vineyard's Annual Wine & Cheese Market. If you're into outdoor activities, go for a hike on one of the trails or go for a bike ride. Whatever you choose to do, you won't be disappointed with the scenery — U.S. News named Washington one of the best small towns to see fall foliage!

Where To Stay In Washington, Connecticut

We're pretty sure that if you're taking a Gilmore Girls trip to Washington, Connecticut, that you'll want to stay in the Mayflower Inn & Spa. Sherman-Palladino says that her stay in the inn, and in town, inspired the concept of the show and the environment she wanted to create, so this is a surefire way to get in the Gilmore Girls spirit.

If you want something more akin to Lorelai and Rory's home, you can check out some AirBnb's around town like this sunny Colonial homefor a more homey and private experience. This house offers lake access, an indoor fireplace, and a private patio for the whole family.

Hopkins Inn is another great option that will let you kick up your feet and relax. It sits right on the north shore of Lake Waramaug, and it has been hosting guests since 1847. During warmer months, you can check out the Hopkins Inn beach but when temps drop during the fall, the grounds are a great place to check out the fall foliage.

What To Do In Washington, Connecticut

Along with town sites like the Henry David Thoreau Bridge or Hidden Valley Preserve that look beautiful during the fall, you can also do some shopping for unique accessories at stores like J. Seitz & Co. that Lorelai would love, and colorful stationery at D.K. Schulman Design that would get Rory's stamp of approval.

If you want to really feel like you're in the middle of Stars Hollow, take a walk around the Washington Green Historic District to see the town's colonial architecture, the First Congregational Church Meetinghouse, and the Gunn Historical Museum for a dose of history. Similar to Stars Hollow's town square, the Green is the center for a lot of the events in Washington. You can check out festivals and fairs, or bring a picnic lunch like the characters do in "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" (although you won't have to bid on anyone to win their company).

It wouldn't be a Gilmore Girls trip without a visit to the local bookstore, and the Hickory Stick Bookshop is one of the best places in Washington, Connecticut, to check out both books and stationery. The store has been around for 60 years, and it even has a “Rory Reads Book List.”

Gilmore Girls combines a local diner and hardware store into Luke's (since he turned his father's hardware store into the diner), but in Washington, you can visit both! Check out the Washington Supply Company before eating at Marty’s Café or The Po Café (more on those later), and get your family together for a mini town hall meeting at the Bryan Memorial Town Hall.

For a glimpse at a real-life Doose's Market, visit Washington Food Market, which is the only full-service grocery store in town. It's been in the same location for more than 100 years and is a family-run business, which we love. Keep your eyes peeled for Dean stocking the shelves while you get some Gilmore-approved food.

Where To Eat And Drink In Washington, Connecticut

We're pretty sure that the most important thing you could consume on a Gilmore Girls weekend is coffee. Good thing there are multiple options! Grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage at The Smithy, Marty’s Café, or The Po Café (or grab a cup from all three). If you decide not to order breakfast, stop into The Pantry for a pastry.

Just like Lorelai and Rory often stop into Luke's, get your fill of burgers, desserts, and pastries from restaurants like the G.W. Tavern, which will hold you over until you can make some Gilmore Girls recipes of your own.

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