# Google Maps Grounding Lite (MCP Server)

> Ground AI answers with Google Maps places, weather and routes

- Type: MCP server
- Publisher: Google (official)
- Categories: Travel, Lifestyle
- Website: https://developers.google.com/maps/ai/grounding-lite
- Docs: https://developers.google.com/maps/ai/grounding-lite
- Transport: streamable-http
- Server URL: https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp
- Sign-in: api-key
- Listed: 2025-12-01

## About

Maps Grounding Lite is Google Maps Platform's MCP service for grounding AI apps in geospatial data. It provides place search with AI summaries and Place IDs, current and forecast weather, and route distance and duration. It authenticates with OAuth or an API key in the X-Goog-Api-Key header.

## Install

1. **Connect it in ChatGPT** Turn on Developer mode in ChatGPT (Settings → Security and login), open Plugins, select + and paste https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp as the MCP server URL. Add it to a chat from the composer's tools menu.

2. **Or add it to Codex or the API**

   Codex CLI:

   ```bash
   codex mcp add google-maps-grounding-lite --url https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp --bearer-token-env-var GOOGLE_MAPS_GROUNDING_LITE_API_KEY
   ```

   config.toml:

   ```toml
   [mcp_servers.google-maps-grounding-lite]
   url = "https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp"
   bearer_token_env_var = "GOOGLE_MAPS_GROUNDING_LITE_API_KEY"
   ```

   Responses API:

   ```python
   import os
   from openai import OpenAI
   
   client = OpenAI()
   
   response = client.responses.create(
       model="gpt-6-astra",
       tools=[{
           "type": "mcp",
           "server_label": "google_maps_grounding_lite",
           "server_url": "https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp",
           "authorization": os.environ["GOOGLE_MAPS_GROUNDING_LITE_API_KEY"],
           "require_approval": "never",
       }],
       input="Find highly rated ramen restaurants near Shibuya",
   )
   print(response.output_text)
   ```

## Tools

- `search_places`
- `lookup_weather`
- `compute_routes`

## Example prompts

- "Find highly rated ramen restaurants near Shibuya"
- "What's the weather forecast for Denver this weekend?"
- "How long is the drive from Boston to Portland, Maine?"

## Also available as

- plugin: [Google Drive](https://chatgptplugins.directory/plugins/google-drive.md)

## Related

- [Mapbox](https://chatgptplugins.directory/mcp/mapbox.md): Geocoding, directions, isochrones and map rendering via Mapbox APIs
- [Airbnb (OpenBnB)](https://chatgptplugins.directory/mcp/airbnb.md): Search Airbnb listings and get property details from your AI assistant
- [Kiwi.com Flight Search](https://chatgptplugins.directory/mcp/kiwi-flights.md): Search flights and get booking links from Kiwi.com
- [Marriott Bonvoy](https://chatgptplugins.directory/apps/marriott-bonvoy.md): Search Marriott's 30+ hotel brands across 10,000 destinations
- [Trip.com](https://chatgptplugins.directory/apps/trip-com.md): Search and compare flights, hotels, trains and attractions in one chat
- [Expedia](https://chatgptplugins.directory/apps/expedia.md): Search and compare flights and hotels with real-time prices

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Source: https://chatgptplugins.directory/mcp/google-maps-grounding-lite · Index: https://chatgptplugins.directory/llms.txt · Independent and community-run. Not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI. ChatGPT is a trademark of OpenAI.