Too cheap to buy a map? Does the guy who is driving everyone home for Thanksgiving weekend have no idea where he is going? The MapQuest homepage could provide the information needed.

MapQuest, located at http://www.mapquest.com, is an online service that provides a free interactive atlas and city-to-city directions for the U.S., parts of Canada and Mexico.

“MapQuest has developed into one of the most popular sites on the Web, a testament to its value as a powerful on-line information resource,” said Perry Evans, president of MapQuest Publishing Group, in a press release.

The two main programs, Interactive Atlas and TripQuest, are links to the atlas program and the directions program.

TripQuest is easy and simple to use. Users enter the destinations and origins of their trips and the program then lists the roads to reach the destination.

For example, TripQuest would give directions like these to reach St. Louis, Mo.:

Directions from Ames, IA.

to St. Louis, MO

Distance: 471.4 miles

Beginning at Ames, IA.

Go South on US 69 for 1.3 miles to US 30

Go East on US 30 for 1.9 miles to I-35

Go South on I-35 for 115.6 miles to Missouri

Go South on I-35 for 98.3 miles to I-435

Go South on I-435 for 10.5 miles to I-70

Go East on I-70 for 243.8 miles

To St. Louis, MO

Tiny maps are included showing the roads around the surrounding cities. The site is popular. Between 25,000 to 30,000 sets of driving directions are given each day.

The Interactive Atlas provides users with a large range of services. Becoming a registered user with MapQuest is free and simple. After official registration the user can access maps from North and South America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia.

After accessing a particular continent, the user can find out about areas of interest such as dining or hotels. Areas of interest with web sites can be accessed.