Most-searched places on Google Maps in 2014: Note for a lecture, "E Pluribus Unum? What Keeps the United States United"

Ben Abramson, USA TODAY 7:10 a.m. EST December 16, 2014

As a travel editor and frequent traveler, I use Google Maps several times daily. Where is that beguiling beach town in Croatia I'm reading about? How long is the ride from the Fort Lauderdale airport vs. Miami? What hotels are near the Hagia Sofia? The instant answers are always gratifying.

I may also use StreetView to evaluate a vacation rental, or enter the location of a town mentioned in a novel.

Guess what most Americans use Google Maps for? If you said going to Walmart, you know your fellow citizens well!

In fact, as the top ten list of most-searched locations below shows, the directions site and app is used much more for commerce than tourism.

Most-searched places on Google Maps in 2014

1)Walmart

2)Starbucks

3)Target

4)McDonald's

5)Home Depot

6)Bank of America

7)Walgreens

8)CVS

9)Wells Fargo

10)Costco

Happy shopping, America! When you're done at the mall, there's an awesome country to explore.