Choose the right map for your purpose. For a trip across the U.S., choose a road atlas, preferably spiral bound, for easy access to those locales that often get lost in the cracks. Select a street map that allows you to navigate a local trip turn by turn. Obtain a state map for travel to unfamiliar parts of your state or others that are new to you.
Study the key provided with the map. The key provides a detailed explanation of every symbol on the map and is your guide to interpreting the landmarks and amenities along your route. Rest areas, banks, gas stations, campgrounds and other points of interest are identified by specific symbols, often in red or blue to make them stand out from the map's background.
Distinguish different types of roads and highways by the symbols used to indicate them. Interstate highways in the U.S. often are marked with a red-and-blue shield with a number on it. Even-numbered interstates indicate an east/west path, while odd numbers indicate a north/south route. State highways often are represented by a number in a plain white shield.
Identify bypasses around larger cities by the roads that typically loop around them in either direction. Bypasses are usually indicated with a three-digit number, the last two digits which indicate the highway you will leave and rejoin when you take the bypass. For example, the bypass around Indianapolis that leaves and rejoins I-65 through Indianapolis is called 465.
Recognize metropolitan areas that are typically highlighted in a particular color to differentiate these U.S. cities from surrounding suburban areas. Metropolitan areas often are featured on a separate inset section of the map that provides a more detailed view of the area.
Identify bodies of water, shown in blue; deserts, shown in tan; and rough, rocky areas, usually indicated with brown.
Recognize national U.S. parks, which often are distinguished by green shading indicating a wooded area.
Identify state capitals by the star in a circle on each state map.
Estimate the approximate size of each city in relation to other cities based on the size of type identifying the name of each. Larger cities are identified in big, bolder type, while smaller towns are identified with finer print.
