Southampton VillageSouthampton Village

How to Use

Everything you need to explore Southampton Village — from installing the app and enabling GPS to building your own custom walking tour.

1Install the App on Your Phone

Add to Home Screen

No app store required. Visit southamptonwalkingtour.com in your phone's browser (or scan the QR code on the home page), then follow the steps for your device.

iPhone · Safari

  1. Tap the Share button (box with an upward arrow at the bottom of the screen)
  2. Scroll down and tap “Add to Home Screen”
  3. Tap “Add” in the top-right corner

iPhone · Chrome

  1. Tap the Share button (box with arrow) at the bottom
  2. Tap “Add to Home Screen”

Android · Chrome

  1. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner
  2. Tap “Add to Home screen” or “Install app”

Once installed, the tour opens like a regular app — full screen, no browser bar.

2Enable GPS & Location Access

Why Location Access Matters

GPS powers the best features of the tour — arrival alerts, optimized route ordering, and distance badges on each site. Here's how to enable it on your device.

iPhone

  1. When the app prompts you, tap “Allow While Using App”
  2. If you dismissed it: go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services
  3. Find Safari or Chrome and set it to “While Using”

Android

  1. When prompted, tap “Allow” or “Allow only while using the app”
  2. If you dismissed it: go to Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions → Location

The app still works without location access — you just won't get arrival alerts, distance badges, or GPS-optimized route ordering.

3Features Guide

Browse Historic Sites

View all 20+ locations on an interactive map and scrollable list. Each site shows a photo, address, description, and audio guide if available.

  1. Tap “Historic Sites” in the navigation menu
  2. Scroll the list or explore the map — markers show every site
  3. Tap any marker to see a popup with photo and quick actions
  4. Tap “Details” to visit the full location page
  5. Tap “Add to Tour” to include a site in your custom route
  6. Tap the Audio button on any card to hear the narration

Create Your Tour

Build a personalized walking or driving route. Select any combination of stops — the app optimizes the order starting from your GPS location.

  1. Tap “Create Your Tour” in the navigation menu or homepage
  2. Check sites from the list, or tap map markers to add stops
  3. Tap “Build Tour” — the app requests your GPS location
  4. Allow location so your route starts from the nearest site
  5. Review your optimized stop order, total distance, and estimated time
  6. Use the Walk / Drive toggle to switch travel mode
  7. Tap “Open Walking Directions” to launch Apple Maps or Google Maps

Walking & Driving Mode

Switch between walking and driving at any time. Estimated time, step count, and map route all update automatically.

  1. After building your tour, find the Walk / Drive toggle in the route summary
  2. Walk mode shows estimated walk time and step count
  3. Drive mode shows estimated drive time
  4. The on-screen map route updates to match your selected mode
  5. Directions open in Apple Maps (iPhone) or Google Maps (Android)
  6. Individual location pages also have a “Get Directions” button

Curated Theme Tours

Explore Southampton through themed tours built around specific chapters of local history — Black history, the Revolutionary era, veterans, and more.

  1. Tap “Curated Tours” in the navigation menu
  2. Read about each theme and see the sites it includes
  3. Tap “Start This Tour” to load with sites pre-selected
  4. Uncheck any sites you want to skip, or add more from the list
  5. Tap “Create Tour” to build your optimized walking route

Using the Map

The interactive map shows every location as a marker. Tap any marker for a quick-action card — add to tour, view details, or get directions.

  1. Allow location access to see your position on the map
  2. Tap any marker to open a popup with photo and actions
  3. Sites already added to your tour show a checkmark on their marker
  4. Hover or tap a list item to highlight its marker on the map

Getting Directions

Get turn-by-turn directions to any individual site directly from its detail page.

  1. Open any location's detail page
  2. Tap the “Get Directions” button
  3. Apple Maps opens on iPhone; Google Maps opens on Android
  4. The travel mode (walk or drive) matches your current tour setting

Audio Narration

Many locations include a recorded audio guide narrated by a local historian. Listen while you stand at the site for the full experience.

  1. Open any location page — look for the Audio Guide section
  2. Tap the play button to start listening
  3. Use the skip forward / backward buttons to jump 15 seconds
  4. Audio continues playing as you scroll the page
  5. Turn your phone volume up before you arrive at each site

Arrival Alerts (GPS Notifications)

Build a tour and keep the app open — a card slides up automatically when you physically approach each stop. No need to check the screen constantly.

  1. Build a tour and tap “Build Tour”
  2. Allow location access when prompted
  3. Keep the app open on your screen as you walk
  4. A card slides up as you approach each stop — it shows the site name, photo, and audio button
  5. Tap “Next Stop” to dismiss and continue your route
  6. Toggle alerts on or off with the bell icon in the route summary

Keep your screen on and the app in the foreground. Background GPS varies by device and browser.

Stamp Card

Earn a digital stamp each time you arrive at a stop. Collect all the stamps to complete the tour.

  1. Stamps are earned automatically when an arrival alert fires at a stop
  2. A stamp animation plays on screen as you arrive
  3. When all stops are visited, a Tour Complete screen appears
  4. Stamps are saved to your device and persist if you close the app

“Did You Know?” Fun Facts

Short pop-up facts appear as you explore each location page, highlighting surprising details and hidden history.

  1. Fun facts pop up automatically as you scroll a location's page
  2. Tap the card to dismiss it and continue reading
  3. Each location can have multiple facts that rotate on each visit

Offline Access

Pages are cached as you browse. Once loaded, they're available even without a data connection — useful in areas with poor signal.

  1. Browse your planned stops at home while on Wi-Fi
  2. Pages and images save automatically as you visit them
  3. Return to any previously visited page without internet
  4. For best results, open every location page before heading out

Share the App

Share the tour with friends and family via QR code, a direct link, or your phone's native share sheet.

  1. Scroll to the bottom of any page and tap “Share this App” in the footer
  2. Scan the QR code with another phone's camera to open the tour instantly
  3. Tap “Copy” to copy the link and paste it into a text or email
  4. Tap “Send via Text / Email / More” to use your phone's built-in share options

Tips for the Best Experience

Install Before You Go

Add the app to your home screen at home so it opens instantly when you're out in the Village.

Allow Location Access

GPS enables arrival alerts, nearest-stop routing, and distance badges. It won't significantly drain your battery.

Turn Volume Up

Audio narrations play through your phone speaker. Raise your volume before you arrive at each site.

Browse Before You Leave

Open each location page at home on Wi-Fi — they'll be cached and available in the field without data.

Keep the App Open

Arrival alerts require the app to be in the foreground. Keep your screen on as you walk between stops.

Driving to Sites?

Use the Drive toggle in your tour summary — directions open in Apple Maps (iPhone) or Google Maps (Android).

Ready to Explore?

Start by browsing all historic sites, or jump straight into building your custom route.

Browse Historic SitesCreate Your Tour