How to Show Multiple Locations on Google Maps (2025 Easy Tutorial)

How to Make a Google Map Show Multiple Locations: The Complete Guide

Displaying multiple locations on a Google Map is a common need for businesses, event planners, and travelers. While Google provides basic tools, creating a professional, embeddable map requires navigating several technical hurdles. This guide walks you through the actual working methods and their limitations.

Method 1: Using Google My Maps (The Free, Manual Method)

This is Google’s dedicated tool for creating custom maps, but it has a dated interface and limited design control.

Step 1: Create Your Map

Step 2: Add and Manage Your Locations

  • 1.  Click “Untitled map” to give your map a name and description.
  • 2.  To add locations:
  •    – Use the search bar at the top and click “Add to map.”
  •    – Click the marker icon below the search bar, then click directly on the map.
  • 3.  In the pop-up for each location, you can add a name, description, and change the marker color or icon.

Step 3: Embed the Map on Your Website

  • 1.  Click the “Share” button and set the map’s visibility to “Public on the web.”
  • 2.  Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to your map’s title and select “Embed on my site.”
  • 3.  Copy the generated `<iframe>` code.

Example of the Embed Code:

html

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1xYZAbC123dEf45&hl=en" width="640" height="480"></iframe>Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

The Limitations:

  • – The design is generic and often looks unprofessional on a modern website.
  • – You cannot use custom marker images or apply advanced map styling.
  • – Managing more than a few dozen locations becomes slow and cumbersome.

Method 2: The Custom Code Solution (For Full Control)

For a seamless, branded experience, developers use the Google Maps JavaScript API. This is powerful but technically demanding.

Step 1: Set Up a Google Cloud Project & API Key

  • 1.  Go to the [Google Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/).
  • 2.  Create a project, enable billing, and enable the “Maps JavaScript API”.
  • 3.  Navigate to “Credentials,” create an API Key, and restrict it to your website’s domain for security.

Step 2: Implement the Map with HTML and JavaScript

Create an HTML file and use the following code. It creates a map with multiple markers and displays the location name in a pop-up info window when a marker is clicked.

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your actual Google API key.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Multi-Location Business Map</title>
    <style>
        #map {
            height: 500px;
            width: 100%;
            border-radius: 10px;
            margin: 20px 0;
        }
        .map-title {
            font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <h1 class="map-title">Visit Our Locations</h1>
    <div id="map"></div>

    <script>
        // Map initialization function
        function initMap() {
            // Center the map (San Francisco area)
            const mapCenter = { lat: 37.7749, lng: -122.4194 };
            
            // Create the map object
            const map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map"), {
                zoom: 10,
                center: mapCenter,
                styles: [ // Optional: Add custom map styles here
                    {
                        "featureType": "poi.business",
                        "stylers": [{ "visibility": "off" }]
                    }
                ]
            });

            // Array of locations: [Name, Latitude, Longitude]
            const locations = [
                ['Downtown Store', 37.7749, -122.4194],
                ['Mission District Branch', 37.7599, -122.4148],
                ['Marina Warehouse', 37.8044, -122.4362]
            ];

            // Create a single InfoWindow to be reused
            const infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();

            // Loop through locations and create markers
            locations.forEach(([name, lat, lng]) => {
                const marker = new google.maps.Marker({
                    position: { lat: lat, lng: lng },
                    map: map,
                    title: name // Tooltip on hover
                    // To use a custom icon, add this line:
                    // icon: 'custom_pin.png'
                });

                // Add a click listener to each marker
                marker.addListener('click', () => {
                    infowindow.setContent(`<div style="padding: 10px;"><strong>${name}</strong></div>`);
                    infowindow.open(map, marker);
                });
            });
        }
    </script>
    <!-- Load the Google Maps JavaScript API -->
    <script async defer src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_API_KEY&callback=initMap"></script>
</body>
</html>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

The Significant Challenges:

  • – Technical Barrier: Requires solid knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
  • – API Management: You are responsible for securing your API key and managing Google Cloud billing.
  • – Complexity Grows Quickly: Adding features like custom marker icons, clustering for many locations, or advanced filtering requires extensive additional code and debugging.

There’s a Better Way: Get Professional Results Without the Headache

As you can see, making a Google Map show multiple locations involves a difficult choice: settle for the limited, unprofessional look of “My Maps” or embark on a complex development project with the API.

This frustration is exactly why MapsFun.com exists. It’s designed to give you the power of the API with the simplicity of a visual editor.

  • – Truly No-Code: Add and manage locations with a simple click-and-search interface—no programming needed.
  • – Instant Customization: Apply beautiful map themes, upload your own marker icons, and design rich info windows with images and formatted text in minutes.
  • – No API Setup: We handle all the technical backend. No Google Cloud accounts, no billing setup, no key restrictions.
  • – Optimized for Web: Get a clean, responsive embed code that looks great on all devices.

Stop wrestling with complicated tools and code. Create a stunning, professional map that shows all your locations in just a few clicks. Visit MapsFun.com to get started for free.