top of page

WALK ALONG

A Tourist Map

Melnyk_Robert_WalkAlong_lowRes_01.png
What is Walk Along?

“Walk Along” is my Senior Thesis project where I research the art of mapmaking and the marketing that goes into tourism. I built this map based on the town of New Paltz, located in upstate New York. It encourages readers to get up and explore their surroundings. The map contains three predetermined trails varying in distance, location, and difficulty. Each trail is formated into a loop and has a set of locations to visit that the user can follow in order as a starting point to create their own outing. "Walk Along" is a map of the town with stylized icons, recommendations from locals, and many locations mentioned to visit.

Walk along presentation image-42.png
Map icons display sheet hiRes-67.png
The Process?

Over the course of a year, I built this map up through numerous versions. I've worked with classmates, peers, and my professors to make the project to the best of my abilities. On a weekly basis, I would attend meetings and present my work. I would then make refinements to my project based on the feedback I would receive. It was a long process of researching maps, travel, brochures, and interviewing locals. To gather content and discover the points I wanted to add to my map I would take trips around town either by myself or with friends and just explore. I would take pictures and notes on notable locations and sort them into food locations and sights to see. I would then create trails and walk them myself recording how long the trail was and how long it took to complete, as well as when I took breaks and spent some time at different locations. It was the most challenging and longest project I've worked on thus far, and it has also been the most rewarding. 

​

What makes it unique?

Complete with comments and recommendations from New Paltz locals, Stylized icons representing each location, and tips for having a better experience, "Walk Along" is your companion for carving your own journey and exploring the world that's right outside your door.

Try it out for yourself

Take a look at the map yourself. Click on the links below to try out the interactive "Walk Along" Demo.

walk along  Mockup fixed 1920x1080.png
bottom of page