To quickly search for places without requiring directions you can simply use the Goto field box and type in your criteria followed by clicking on the Goto button (note if you search for certain streets or places you may need to enter the country as well, for example Birmingham resides in the UK and US so if you wanted to find the city of Birmingham in the UK you would type in birmingham, UK.
However the above method is not that accurate, so in order to get the accuracy (plus finding directions) just click on the Google search magnifying glass at the bottom right hand corner of the map view (note if you click on the Google icon itself this will load the map view full screen in a new windows) and this will allow you to type in the address you want to search for - including postcodes. Once an address has been searched and found you can then click on the 'To here' or 'From here' links and a new window will appear allowing you to enter the destination or departure point, click on 'Get directions' to finish.
We have set the default zoom level to medium settings by default, but you can always change the zoom levels manually by clicking on the arrows to the left of the map or use your mouse scroll wheel (double clicking on the map will re-center the map view).
Clicking on the tabs will also provide alternative views, such as the excellent Google Earth (requires plug-in, IE7 users or FF should be prompted), just type in the place you want to visit in the Goto box.
We have also enabled Google Panoramio photos, so by clicking on the tiny images that are dotted around the map you can see a larger image, with a further click taking you to the main website where you can get more info (including GPS coordinates).
