How To Avoid Parkways On Google Maps

Trying to navigate busy cities can turn a simple drive into a frustrating maze, but there’s a small trick that many drivers have started to love—learning how to avoid parkways on Google Maps. This tiny feature saves time, reduces stress, and gives you more control over your route, making it a popular hack among commuters, delivery drivers, and weekend explorers alike.

Parkways—often built for scenic views and limited access—can add unexpected detours, especially in travel‑heavy corridors like the Garden State Parkway or the Oak Brook Road corridor. By teaching Google Maps to skip these routes, you protect your schedule, improve fuel efficiency, and avoid the occasional surprise toll or construction backup.

Common variations you might notice are the “avoid highways” toggle that also blocks major parkways, the “avoid tolls” option that sometimes removes parkway links, and area‑specific shortcuts such as the Chicago Skyway or the Dorchester Expressway, all of which can be re‑enabled with a tap as well.

To begin, open Google Maps and enter your destination, then press the Routes icon. Tap Options, enable Avoid highways or Avoid tolls, and watch the calculated path steer clear of parkways. The change is immediate, and you can repeat it for every trip without digging.

How to Avoid Parkways Using Google Maps [Step-by-Step]

If you need finer control—say, avoiding only a specific parkway while using highways for speed—use the custom route feature. Drag the suggested line away from the unwanted parkway, and Google Maps will recompute the alternate, giving you a personalized shortcut that still respects your preferred road type.

Whether you’re commuting to work, hauling goods, or simply exploring a new city, mastering the art of avoiding parkways makes every journey smoother, cheaper, and more predictable. Give it a try on your next trip—you’ll likely wonder how you ever lived without this handy Google Maps hack.