Nearby Search (Legacy)

Nearby Search (Legacy) lets you search for places within a specified area. You can refine your search request by supplying keywords or specifying the type of place you are searching for.

Nearby Search (Legacy) requests

A Nearby Search (Legacy) request is an HTTP URL of the following form:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/output?parameters

where output can be either of the following values:

• json (recommended) indicates output in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
• xml indicates output as XML

Certain parameters are required to initiate a Nearby Search (Legacy) request. As is standard in URLs, all parameters are separated using the ampersand (&) character.

Required parameters

• location

  The point around which to retrieve place information. This must be specified as latitude,longitude.

• radius

  Defines the distance (in meters) within which to return place results. You may bias results to a specified circle by passing a location and a radius parameter. Doing so instructs the Places service to prefer showing results within that circle; results outside of the defined area may still be displayed.

  The radius will automatically be clamped to a maximum value depending on the type of search and other parameters.

  • Autocomplete: 50,000 meters
  • Nearby Search:
    • with keyword or name: 50,000 meters
    • without keyword or name
      • Up to 50,000 meters, adjusted dynamically based on area density, independent of rankby parameter.
      • When using rankby=distance, the radius parameter won't be accepted, and will result in an INVALID_REQUEST.
  • Query Autocomplete: 50,000 meters
  • Text Search: 50,000 meters

Optional parameters

• keyword

  The text string on which to search, for example: "restaurant" or "123 Main Street". This must be a place name, address, or category of establishments. Any other types of input can generate errors and are not guaranteed to return valid results. The Google Places service will return candidate matches based on this string and order the results based on their perceived relevance.

  Explicitly including location information using this parameter may conflict with the location, radius, and rankby parameters, causing unexpected results.

  If this parameter is omitted, places with a business_status of CLOSED_TEMPORARILY or CLOSED_PERMANENTLY won't be returned.

• language

  The language in which to return results.

  • See the list of supported languages. Google often updates the supported languages, so this list may not be exhaustive.
  • If language is not supplied, the API attempts to use the preferred language as specified in the Accept-Language header.
  • The API does its best to provide a street address that is readable for both the user and locals. To achieve that goal, it returns street addresses in the local language, transliterated to a script readable by the user if necessary, observing the preferred language. All other addresses are returned in the preferred language. Address components are all returned in the same language, which is chosen from the first component.
  • If a name is not available in the preferred language, the API uses the closest match.
  • The preferred language has a small influence on the set of results that the API chooses to return, and the order in which they are returned. The geocoder interprets abbreviations differently depending on language, such as the abbreviations for street types, or synonyms that may be valid in one language but not in another. For example, utca and tér are synonyms for street in Hungarian.

• maxprice

  Restricts results to only those places within the specified range. Valid values range between 0 (most affordable) to 4 (most expensive), inclusive. The exact amount indicated by a specific value will vary from region to region.

• minprice

  Restricts results to only those places within the specified range. Valid values range between 0 (most affordable) to 4 (most expensive), inclusive. The exact amount indicated by a specific value will vary from region to region.

• name

  Equivalent to keyword. Values in this field are combined with values in the keyword field and passed as part of the same search string.

• opennow

  Returns only those places that are open for business at the time the query is sent. Places that don't specify opening hours in the Google Places database won't be returned if you include this parameter in your query.

• pagetoken

  Returns up to 20 results from a previously run search. Setting a pagetoken parameter executes a search with the same parameters used previously—all parameters other than pagetoken are ignored.

• rankby

  Specifies the order in which results are listed. Possible values are:

  • prominence (default). This option sorts results based on their importance. Ranking will favor prominent places within the set radius over nearby places that match but that are less prominent. Prominence can be affected by a place's ranking in Google's index, global popularity, and other factors. When prominence is specified, the radius parameter is required.
  • distance. This option biases search results in ascending order by their distance from the specified location. When distance is specified, one or more of keyword, name, or type is required and radius is disallowed.

• type

  Restricts the results to places matching the specified type. You can specify only one type. If you provide more than one type, the API ignores all types following the first entry.

  • type=hospital|pharmacy|doctor becomes type=hospital
  • type=hospital,pharmacy,doctor is ignored entirely

  See the list of supported types.

  Note: Adding both keyword and type with the same value (keyword=cafe&type=cafe or keyword=parking&type=parking) can yield ZERO_RESULTS.

Nearby Search (Legacy) example

curl -L -X GET 'https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=-33.8670522%2C151.1957362&radius=1500&type=restaurant&keyword=cruise&key=YOUR_API_KEY'

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json
  ?keyword=cruise
  &location=-33.8670522%2C151.1957362
  &radius=1500
  &type=restaurant
  &key=YOUR_API_KEY

Note: In this example, you need to replace the key with your own API key in order for the request to work in your application.

Nearby Search (Legacy) responses

The following example shows a Nearby Search (Legacy) response.

{
  "html_attributions": [],
  "results":
    [
      {
        "business_status": "OPERATIONAL",
        "geometry":
          {
            "location": { "lat": -33.8587323, "lng": 151.2100055 },
            "viewport":
              {
                "northeast":
                  { "lat": -33.85739847010727, "lng": 151.2112436298927 },
                "southwest":
                  { "lat": -33.86009812989271, "lng": 151.2085439701072 },
              },
          },
        "icon": "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v1/png_71/bar-71.png",
        "icon_background_color": "#FF9E67",
        "icon_mask_base_uri": "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v2/bar_pinlet",
        "name": "Cruise Bar",
        "opening_hours": { "open_now": false },
        "photos":
          [
            {
              "height": 608,
              "html_attributions":
                [
                  'A Google User',
                ],
              "photo_reference": "Aap_uECvJIZuXT-uLDYm4DPbrV7gXVPeplbTWUgcOJ6rnfc4bUYCEAwPU_AmXGIaj0PDhWPbmrjQC8hhuXRJQjnA1-iREGEn7I0ZneHg5OP1mDT7lYVpa1hUPoz7cn8iCGBN9MynjOPSUe-UooRrFw2XEXOLgRJ-uKr6tGQUp77CWVocpcoG",
              "width": 1080,
            },
          ],
        "place_id": "ChIJi6C1MxquEmsR9-c-3O48ykI",
        "plus_code":
          {
            "compound_code": "46R6+G2 The Rocks, New South Wales",
            "global_code": "4RRH46R6+G2",
          },
        "price_level": 2,
        "rating": 4,
        "reference": "ChIJi6C1MxquEmsR9-c-3O48ykI",
        "scope": "GOOGLE",
        "types":
          ["bar", "restaurant", "food", "point_of_interest", "establishment"],
        "user_ratings_total": 1269,
        "vicinity": "Level 1, 2 and 3, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay W, The Rocks",
      },
      {
        "business_status": "OPERATIONAL",
        "geometry":
          {
            "location": { "lat": -33.8675219, "lng": 151.2016502 },
            "viewport":
              {
                "northeast":
                  { "lat": -33.86614532010728, "lng": 151.2031259298927 },
                "southwest":
                  { "lat": -33.86884497989272, "lng": 151.2004262701072 },
              },
          },
        "icon": "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v1/png_71/generic_business-71.png",
        "icon_background_color": "#7B9EB0",
        "icon_mask_base_uri": "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v2/generic_pinlet",
        "name": "Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruises",
        "opening_hours": { "open_now": true },
        "photos":
          [
            {
              "height": 835,
              "html_attributions":
                [
                  'A Google User',
                ],
              "photo_reference": "Aap_uEBVsYnNcrpRixtrlHBztigZh70CwYkNWZzQnqJ39SjeBo_wvgKf-kXc6tgaMLBdQrRKmxmSKjOezoZrv-sHKVbTX0OI48HBqYYVnQiZQ-WGeuQDsLEPwX7LaVPa68nUAxX114Zpqt7bryoO9wL4qXdgEnopbOp5WWLALhKEHoIEH7f7",
              "width": 1200,
            },
          ],
        "place_id": "ChIJM1mOVTS6EmsRKaDzrTsgids",
        "plus_code":
          {
            "compound_code": "46J2+XM Sydney, New South Wales",
            "global_code": "4RRH46J2+XM",
          },
        "rating": 4.8,
        "reference": "ChIJM1mOVTS6EmsRKaDzrTsgids",
        "scope": "GOOGLE",
        "types":
          [
            "tourist_attraction",
            "travel_agency",
            "restaurant",
            "food",
            "point_of_interest",
            "establishment",
          ],
        "user_ratings_total": 9,
        "vicinity": "32 The Promenade, Sydney",
      },
      // ...
    ],
  "status": "OK",
}
    

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<PlaceSearchResponse>
 <status>OK</status>
 <result>
  <name>Cruise Bar</name>
  <vicinity>Level 1, 2 and 3, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay W, The Rocks</vicinity>
  <type>bar</type>
  <type>restaurant</type>
  <type>food</type>
  <type>point_of_interest</type>
  <type>establishment</type>
  <geometry>
   <location>
    <lat>-33.8587323</lat>
    <lng>151.2100055</lng>
   </location>
   <viewport>
    <southwest>
     <lat>-33.8600981</lat>
     <lng>151.2085440</lng>
    </southwest>
    <northeast>
     <lat>-33.8573985</lat>
     <lng>151.2112436</lng>
    </northeast>
   </viewport>
  </geometry>
  <rating>4.0</rating>
  <icon>https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v1/png_71/bar-71.png</icon>
  <reference>ChIJi6C1MxquEmsR9-c-3O48ykI</reference>
  <opening_hours>
   <open_now>false</open_now>
  </opening_hours>
  <photo>
   <photo_reference>Aap_uEALIq4sgBHhIYWWapOH2NV1T2I7YdOiLzEH7z-483I764cId1sZkbzSq-hVYTk1PQeaHuZzlRfA7-ilwJ3QWon4b37ePd-PBwZbOwFZHxhYs0Cs7jRSgMHWfOzGivp6ZFG4iupyz50qS5pBZT1WbA2ufacTq_U21TtgffQD31wKRPQk</photo_reference>
   <width>1080</width>
   <height>608</height>
   <html_attribution>&lt;a href=&quot;https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/112582655193348962755&quot;&gt;A Google User&lt;/a&gt;</html_attribution>
  </photo>
  <price_level>2</price_level>
  <user_ratings_total>1269</user_ratings_total>
  <place_id>ChIJi6C1MxquEmsR9-c-3O48ykI</place_id>
  <scope>GOOGLE</scope>
  <plus_code>
   <global_code>4RRH46R6+G2</global_code>
   <compound_code>46R6+G2 The Rocks, New South Wales</compound_code>
  </plus_code>
  <icon_background_color>#FF9E67</icon_background_color>
  <business_status>OPERATIONAL</business_status>
  <icon_mask_base_uri>https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v2/bar_pinlet</icon_mask_base_uri>
 </result>
 <result>
  <name>Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruises</name>
  <vicinity>32 The Promenade, Sydney</vicinity>
  <type>tourist_attraction</type>
  <type>restaurant</type>
  <type>food</type>
  <type>travel_agency</type>
  <type>point_of_interest</type>
  <type>establishment</type>
  <geometry>
   <location>
    <lat>-33.8675219</lat>
    <lng>151.2016502</lng>
   </location>
   <viewport>
    <southwest>
     <lat>-33.8688450</lat>
     <lng>151.2004263</lng>
    </southwest>
    <northeast>
     <lat>-33.8661453</lat>
     <lng>151.2031259</lng>
    </northeast>
   </viewport>
  </geometry>
  <rating>4.8</rating>
  <icon>https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v1/png_71/generic_business-71.png</icon>
  <reference>ChIJM1mOVTS6EmsRKaDzrTsgids</reference>
  <opening_hours>
   <open_now>true</open_now>
  </opening_hours>
  <photo>
   <photo_reference>Aap_uEB5jH7GXdcozv1Y5HX18syo4f128S58NVUnqBbLJMpWbC39K49wp-wzsLOsUT8QKDaag6ISFL8hl1vVuig4jkc5fMMkWKiqw5PY-ebcWZ5tI3gEXEYGGoG_mDAulaMLudUpSwgBx2_RLnA0SSiugqqQUTYlkGyCZSe8HSyngVczy6XN</photo_reference>
   <width>1200</width>
   <height>835</height>
   <html_attribution>&lt;a href=&quot;https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/109764923610545394994&quot;&gt;A Google User&lt;/a&gt;</html_attribution>
  </photo>
  <user_ratings_total>9</user_ratings_total>
  <place_id>ChIJM1mOVTS6EmsRKaDzrTsgids</place_id>
  <scope>GOOGLE</scope>
  <plus_code>
   <global_code>4RRH46J2+XM</global_code>
   <compound_code>46J2+XM Sydney, New South Wales</compound_code>
  </plus_code>
  <icon_background_color>#7B9EB0</icon_background_color>
  <business_status>OPERATIONAL</business_status>
  <icon_mask_base_uri>https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/v2/generic_pinlet</icon_mask_base_uri>
 </result>
 <!-- ... -->
</PlaceSearchResponse>

    

PlacesNearbySearchResponse

PlacesSearchStatus

Status codes returned by service.

• OK indicating the API request was successful.
• ZERO_RESULTS indicating that the search was successful but returned no results. This may occur if the search was passed a latlng in a remote location.
• INVALID_REQUEST indicating the API request was malformed, generally due to missing required query parameter (location or radius).
• OVER_QUERY_LIMIT indicating any of the following:
  • You have exceeded the QPS limits.
  • Billing has not been enabled on your account.
  • The monthly $200 credit, or a self-imposed usage cap, has been exceeded.
  • The provided method of payment is no longer valid (for example, a credit card has expired).
  See the Maps FAQ for more information about how to resolve this error.
• REQUEST_DENIED indicating that your request was denied, generally because:
  • The request is missing an API key.
  • The key parameter is invalid.
• UNKNOWN_ERROR indicating an unknown error.

Place

Place Search responses return the following subset of the Place fields. Not all attributes are available for all place types. To retrieve fields that Place Search doesn't return, such as address_components, formatted_phone_number, reviews, or website, pass the returned place_id in a Place Details (Legacy) request. For field availability and pricing tiers across endpoints, see Place Data Fields (Legacy).

Accessing Additional Results

By default, each response returns up to 20 establishment results per query; however, each search can return as many as 60 results, split across three pages. If your search will return more than 20, then the search response will include an additional value — next_page_token. Pass the value of the next_page_token to the pagetoken parameter of a new request to see the next set of results.

• If the next_page_token is null, or is not returned, then there are no further results.
• Retrying the request with the same next_page_token will return the next page of results.
• Setting pagetoken will cause any other parameters to be ignored.
• You can request a new page up to two times following the original query.
• Each request, including a request using next_page_token, counts as a single request against your usage limits and is charged separately.
• There is a delay of a few seconds between when a next_page_token is issued, and when it will become valid. Requesting the next page before it is available will return an INVALID_REQUEST response. Requests with next_page_token are always charged.

For example, in the query below, we search for restaurants near Darling Harbour, in Sydney Australia, and rank the results by distance. You can see that the response contains a next_page_token property.

{
   "html_attributions" : [],
   "next_page_token" : "CpQCAgEAAFxg8o-eU7_uKn7Yqjana-HQIx1hr5BrT4zBaEko29ANsXtp9mrqN0yrKWhf-y2PUpHRLQb1GT-mtxNcXou8TwkXhi1Jbk-ReY7oulyuvKSQrw1lgJElggGlo0d6indiH1U-tDwquw4tU_UXoQ_sj8OBo8XBUuWjuuFShqmLMP-0W59Vr6CaXdLrF8M3wFR4dUUhSf5UC4QCLaOMVP92lyh0OdtF_m_9Dt7lz-Wniod9zDrHeDsz_by570K3jL1VuDKTl_U1cJ0mzz_zDHGfOUf7VU1kVIs1WnM9SGvnm8YZURLTtMLMWx8-doGUE56Af_VfKjGDYW361OOIj9GmkyCFtaoCmTMIr5kgyeUSnB-IEhDlzujVrV6O9Mt7N4DagR6RGhT3g1viYLS4kO5YindU6dm3GIof1Q",
   "results" : [...]
   "status" : "OK"
}

To see the next set of results you can submit a new query, passing the result of the next_page_token to the pagetoken parameter. For example:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?pagetoken=CpQCAgEAAFxg8o-eU7_uKn7Yqjana-HQIx1hr5BrT4zBaEko29ANsXtp9mrqN0yrKWhf-y2PUpHRLQb1GT-mtxNcXou8TwkXhi1Jbk-ReY7oulyuvKSQrw1lgJElggGlo0d6indiH1U-tDwquw4tU_UXoQ_sj8OBo8XBUuWjuuFShqmLMP-0W59Vr6CaXdLrF8M3wFR4dUUhSf5UC4QCLaOMVP92lyh0OdtF_m_9Dt7lz-Wniod9zDrHeDsz_by570K3jL1VuDKTl_U1cJ0mzz_zDHGfOUf7VU1kVIs1WnM9SGvnm8YZURLTtMLMWx8-doGUE56Af_VfKjGDYW361OOIj9GmkyCFtaoCmTMIr5kgyeUSnB-IEhDlzujVrV6O9Mt7N4DagR6RGhT3g1viYLS4kO5YindU6dm3GIof1Q&key=YOUR_API_KEY