How to use Gemini to plan your next summer vacation – in minutes

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Need help planning a vacation? Today’s tip comes from ZDNET contributor Elyse Betters Picaro, who successfully used Gemini to create what she calls a “starter doc” for her family trip to Disney World.

Notify:

Create a Disney World itinerary for the end of August and put everything together in Google Docs for review. I would like flight information from Fort Covington, NY, including the nearest and cheapest airports. Also looking for Airbnb suggestions for eight people – please find places near Disney World with a pool. I would also like to go to the beach and visit the Kennedy Space Center.

“Autopilot took over my screen, created a document in one tab, opened Airbnb in another tab, and so on,” says Betters Picaro. “I found a lot that came back very useful.”

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Betters Picaro tested this with Auto Browse back in February, so I revisited the information to see if the process has changed since then. Google is constantly tweaking and refining Gemini, even without official announcements and events like Google I/O.

Creating an itinerary: Attempt 1

I used the Betters Picaro command on Gemini 3.5 in Chrome. Within minutes, Gemini created a new Google Doc, opened it in a new tab, and returned the following to our conversation:

Here’s a quick summary I got for your trip:

• Flights: Fort Covington is close to Massena, but for cheap flights to Orlando (MCO), your best bet is to drive to Montreal (YUL) (about 1.5 hours) or Syracuse (SYR) (about 3.5 hours). In late August, a round trip from Syracuse can be as low as ~$230 with United, or you can fly direct from Montreal with Air Canada for around $405.
• Airbnb: I recommend that you search for properties on Kissimmee or Davenport locations (such as Windsor Hills or ChampionsGate). These properties are full of 4+ bedroom cottages that easily fit 8 guests, often have private screened pools, and are only 10–20 minutes from Disney World.
• Kennedy Space Center: It is 75 miles from the Disney area. In late August, they are open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and regular 1-day tickets are $77 per adult and $67 per child.
• Cocoa Beach: Since it’s located near the Space Center, I’ve planned a day for your group to get to the beach on the itinerary!

Let me know if you’d like me to set up any of these plans or if you need help finding a rental car!

The Gemini didn’t open the Airbnb tab, probably because I wasn’t signed into my account on my work laptop. The Gemini summary included links to the suggested accommodation, but the original document did not, which is inefficient. Otherwise, the information compiled by Gemini was accurate, reliable, and useful. The summary also included a flight table imported from Google Flights that was cut from the document.

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“Did I do my own search? Yes, to verify everything and make sure it was complete, like flight prices and information,” noted Betters Picaro. I double-checked that information such as ticket and time information for the Kennedy Space Center, for example, was correct.

Few checks

For good measure, I ran data using both flash and flash modes to see if there was a significant difference in response quality. Each mode created the same documents with the same basic information, so you shouldn’t have problems using a simple weight query.

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I also tried this information on ChatGPT, which produced very comparable results. The only difference is that it cannot create Google Docs without the Google Workspace connector, so you will have to copy and paste the answer to the question in the dialog window.

Creating an itinerary: Attempt 2

Since the Betters Picaro information was specific, I decided to try a version of the same information with more restrictions and clarifications:

Create a 4-day itinerary to Paris in late September and compile everything in Google Docs for review. I already have my flights, so there is no need to show flight information. I would like an Airbnb for two people under $600 total. We don’t want to visit the Louvre, so please don’t put that on the itinerary.

In this case, Gemini did not include links to Airbnb samples. Instead, it suggested neighborhoods that should have options within my budget, but provided links to specific listings when I followed up and requested them. The properly constructed doc Gemini did not include the Louvre, as per my request, and instead suggested other art museums, but it would have been very helpful if it specified what days of the week each museum is open.

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A new feature to watch: As I was testing, Betters Picaro also used a second command in Auto-Browse, which didn’t show him Airbnb links. He asked her to show them again, but she only showed him one Airbnb in Paris that was not available in September. Then he asked for affordable places to stay in Paris in September, and Auto Browse turned on Google Hotels instead of Airbnb — something he didn’t do in his first venture. When he said he was looking for Airbnb options again, AutoBrowsing finally returned to the Airbnb tab he had opened earlier.

Gemini may favor Google platforms over others, even if it means misunderstanding or ignoring parts of your application, which may make it difficult to use this notice.

Add Browse Automatically

While you can use this notification with run-of-the-mill Gemini and book flights and Airbnb recommendations yourself, you can let Gemini handle that for you, if you dare.

Also: I tested ChatGPT Plus vs. Gemini Pro to see which is better – and if it’s worth switching

Betters Picaro has tried the Auto Browse helper feature in the past and used it with this information. If your Google account includes automatic browsing, you can turn it on by going to the three vertical dots in the right corner of your Chrome tab and choosing Settings > AI Innovations > Gemini in Chrome. Scroll down to Browse Automatically and toggle the “Let Chrome browse for you” option.

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