Strava gets plain-language route search, with turn-by-turn audio navigation coming soon

Spending time outdoors can immediately improve how you feel. Unless, of course, you end up somewhere that’s unexpectedly unfamiliar or unsafe and those good vibes are replaced by panic. That’s why lots of people who enjoy exploring and exercising outdoors choose the fitness app Strava, which has safety-enhancing features like a map that shows how well-traveled routes are and terrain visualizations. Strava is now announcing that it’s adding to those features with three route-focused improvements and a better offline experience.

Previously, a search for routes and points of interest in the Maps tab was limited to specific keywords. Now, you can use plain language to describe what you’re looking for, like “a bike path near a lake.” The route selection itself has also been expanded and, according to Strava, is “better curated.” A final improvement to routes involves a change to route cards. Strava users can start getting a better picture of what to expect before they head out with route cards that show real photos and activity data from other users.