With Global Positioning System units and information Web sites, fewer people may be using boring folding maps these days. But online maps are seeing a resurgence, in large part because of Google Maps.

Web sites can overlay data onto maps provided by Google. These mash-ups allow you to zoom in for easy viewing and find points of interest.

On Google's home page enter "maps" and a search term (for example, "maps hiking trails") to find relevant mash-ups. Here are some of my favorites (links to the Web sites can be found at www.komando.com/news):

IT'S A CRIME

Do sexual predators live in your neighborhood? Enter your zip code at Family Watchdog and click Search. You'll see where sex offenders live or work in your area. Click a dot to learn more about the offender and you'll see names, addresses, aliases, convictions and more. You'll even see offenders' photos.

UCrime maps crimes on college campuses. Select a university with the dropdown box. Click on categories to see different types of offenses. Learn more about them by clicking on a crime. Your local police department or newspaper may also have crime maps. Search Google for "crime map" plus your city name.

GAS PRICES, ROUTES

Gas Buddy makes finding low gas prices easy. It should automatically detect your location. If not, enter your zip code. You'll see stations' gas prices, tagged with a date so you know how current they are.

Drive Pricing helps plan road trips. Enter your starting location, destination and your car's fuel economy. Gas prices are determined automatically or you can specify a price. Drive Pricing calculates the length of the trip and the total gas cost.

Feeling a little more active? Then plot a bike ride, a hike or a walk on Map My Ride. You can view others' trails or sign up and create your own trails. The site also helps with fitness training.

HOUSE HUNTING

If you're looking for a new home, try Zillow. You can search for homes for sale and narrow searches by price, number of rooms and type of building.

Housing Maps is also helpful for home hunters. It maps Craigslist real estate listings of homes for sale or for rent.

EXPLORE THE WORLD

Online maps also open up a world of entertainment and exploration.

Virtual Tourism plots YouTube videos on a map. You can see videos of attractions the world over. There are also videos of journeys, such as aboard the Orient Express.

Mindpicnic is a geography game. Match satellite images to their map locations by clicking. You'll see the actual location and how far off you are.

For even more fun, try Goggles. This flight simulator uses worldwide satellite images.

MAP IT YOURSELF

Have an idea for a map? You can create your own at Google's Maps. You don't need to know any coding. On the site, click My Maps, then select from a list of options to add data to a map. To see more options, browse the directory. Enter zip codes or city names to zoom in.