Garmin Units
Notes on the Garmin Files
The Garmin files come in Complex and Simple versions. They both have exactly the same set of POI locations with the same names. The difference is that the Complex file has addresses and a few extra notes about the location, and the phone numbers are marked so the advanced nüvi/StreetPilot units can dial them via Bluetooth. The Simple files just have the name, phone number and basic location notes, and should work on any Garmin unit, but will not work with the Bluetooth dialing feature. If you don't care about the addresses and phone numbers, install either file; they should both work fine for navigation on any Garmin unit that supports custom POIs.
Note that if you try the simple GPI file and then want to try the complex GPI file or vice-versa, you'll need to delete the first one before adding the second one. If you have both the simple and complex POI files on your unit, the results may not be good. Instructions for removing the GPI files are lower on this page.
Simple instructions for all Garmin units (for experienced users)
If you already know your way around your GPS unit and are familiar with copying files onto it, then here are simple instructions. If these confuse you read on for the longer step-by-step instructions.
For a nüvi or StreetPilot c5xx series, download the MouseSavers_Garmin_Complex.zip file.
For an eTrex like the Legend HCx or Vista HCx or lower-end StreetPilot like the c330 or c340, download the MouseSavers_Garmin_Simple.zip file. You can try the complex file if you like, but you'll probably find that the phone numbers and addresses don't show up on your unit.
Open or unzip the file and open the Garmin\Poi folder inside it.
Copy the GPI file (either MouseSavers_Complex.gpi or MouseSavers_Simple.gpi) found in the zip file onto your GPS unit, placing it in the X:\Garmin\Poi folder on your unit, where "X" is the drive letter of the Garmin unit. Create the X:\Garmin\Poi folder if needed first.
Unplug the USB cable and let the unit reboot, or replace the SD or MicroSD card back in the unit.
If the maps on your unit are not at least City Navigator 2008 or City Navigator NT 2008, I strongly recommend buying a map update: either the City Navigator NT update DVD or the nüMaps Lifetime Map Update.
You're done! Read "Finding and Using custom POIs on the nüvi/StreetPilot" or "Finding and using custom POIs on the eTrex series."
Detailed installation instructions for Garmin nüvi and StreetPilot c5xx series using the precompiled GPI file (recommended)
nüvi (all) and StreetPilot c5xx series: These units have the ability to show extra information like address and phone number, and can dial the phone number if you have a Bluetooth phone (and a Garmin unit with Bluetooth). The POI file for these units contains more information including the full address and some extra location notes. Phone numbers are marked properly so the GPS can dial them. If you have trouble with the GPI files, you'll need to use Garmin's POI Loader and GPX files; instructions are further down the page.
If you have an older StreetPilot (c3xx or older): These can't show the phone numbers and addresses contained in the complex GPI file, so you'll need to use the Simple version of the files. They also don't show up as a drive in "My Computer," so you'll need to use the GPX files and Garmin's POI Loader; instructions are further down the page.
Note: Do not use Garmin's POI Loader with these GPI files; it won't work. POI Loader needs GPX (or CSV) files as input. Those can be found further down the page.
Download the MouseSavers_Garmin_Complex.zip file, and save it to a location you can find again. The desktop or your "My Documents" folder are good choices.
Go to the Start menu and select "My Computer" (or "Computer" if you're using Windows Vista).
Plug your GPS into your computer with the USB cable that came with the unit. If your unit didn't come with a USB cable, you'll need a common and inexpensive USB A to Mini-B 5-pin cable, available at any computer store, office supply, or electronics store (bring your unit along so you can check that the ends match). You may even have a cable that works already; many digital cameras, MP3 players, memory card readers, and other USB devices use the same cable.
Power the GPS unit on if it's not already on. Wait for a new drive letter to show up on the list of drives in the My Computer window. The drive may have a name like "Garmin nüvi" or something similar. If there are two drives added, one is for the GPS's internal memory and the other is for the SD card reader on the unit. Choose the one for the internal memory, which will usually be the one with the lower drive letter.
Open the new drive and check that there is a "Garmin" folder on that drive. If not, it's the wrong drive. Try another until you find the one that has the "Garmin" folder. There may or may not also be "Audible," "JPEG," and/or "MP3" folders, but they aren't important. Make a note of which drive it is and hit the "back" button to go back to "My Computer" or open "My Computer" again from the Start menu.
Open the ZIP file. It should contain just one folder, also called "Garmin"
Drag the "Garmin" folder from the ZIP folder onto the GPS drive icon in the "My Computer" window (NOT into the "Garmin" folder on the GPS drive).
You should see a warning saying that there is already a folder by that name, and files with the same name will be replaced. It's not a problem; the only file that will be replaced is the MouseSavers GPI file, and then only if there's already an old version installed. Click "Yes to All."
When the file has been copied, unplug the USB cable and wait for the nüvi to restart.
If the maps on your unit are not at least City Navigator 2008 or City Navigator NT 2008, I strongly recommend buying a map update: either the City Navigator NT update DVD or the nüMaps Lifetime Map Update.
You're done! Read "Finding and Using custom POIs on the nüvi/StreetPilot."
Detailed installation instructions for Garmin eTrex Cx or HCx series using the precompiled GPI file (recommended)
These units can't handle the complicated format used for the nüvi units. The GPI file for these just has the name of the POI and some basic location notes and a phone number. Also keep in mind that these units are not primarily designed for auto navigation. If you don't have the City Navigator or City Navigator NT maps installed and auto navigation mode turned on, it will just show you bearing and distance to your destination. To actually calculate directions, you'll need to buy and install auto-capable maps and change the unit to navigate along roads. See the manual and/or the Garmin web site for more information.
The below instructions work for an eTrex Vista or Legend (Cx or HCx versions). Other models may have slightly different ways of adding custom POIs. If these instructions don't work for your unit, scroll down for the instructions for using GPX files and Garmin POI Loader.
If you've never attached your GPS to the computer, follow the instructions in your owners manual to do so and get all the drivers and software installed.
If you don't have a MicroSD card for your unit, you'll need to get one to store the custom POIs on. It doesn't need to be huge; the POI file is less than 100KB.
If you don't have a compatible card reader for your computer, you can use the GPS itself as a card reader; use the owners manual to see how to put the GPS into "USB Mass Storage" mode, or use the GPX option, below.
Download the MouseSavers_Garmin_Simple.zip file and save it to a location you can find again. The desktop or your "My Documents" folder are good choices.
Take out the MicroSD card from your unit and put it in the card reader on the computer. You may need to use an SD to MicroSD adapter. Or plug the Garmin unit into the computer, then put it in USB Mass Storage mode (see the owners manual for details).
Go to the Start menu and select "My Computer" (or "Computer" if you're using Windows Vista).
Open the drive letter that represents the MicroSD card reader or Garmin device and make sure it's the card from the Garmin. It will usually have a "Garmin" directory in it, but if you've never saved anything on it, it could be empty. Hit the "back" button to go back to "My Computer" or open "My Computer" again from the Start menu.
Open the "MouseSavers_Garmin_Simple.zip" file. It should contain just one folder, called "Garmin".
Drag the "Garmin" folder from the MouseSavers_Garmin_Simple.zip folder onto the drive letter representing the SD card reader.
You may see a warning saying that there is already a folder by that name, and files with the same name will be replaced. It's not a problem; the only file that will be replaced is the MouseSavers GPI file, and then only if there's already an old version installed. Click "Yes to All."
Remove the MicroSD card from the reader and put it back into the Garmin unit (unless you're using the Garmin unit as the reader, in which case just unplug the USB cable from the Garmin).
If the maps on your unit are not at least City Navigator 2008 or City Navigator NT 2008, I strongly recommend buying a map update: either the City Navigator NT update DVD or the nüMaps Lifetime Map Update.
You're done! Read "Finding and using custom POIs on the eTrex series."
Installing on Garmin units (all) using GPX files and POI Loader
If you can't install the GPI file using the above instructions, you can use Garmin's POI Loader and a set of GPX and BMP files. The downside of this approach is that you need to deal with more files, and if you want to combine the MouseSavers POI files with other GPX or CSV files you've created or downloaded from other sites you'll need to manually combine the MouseSavers points with your existing points. Read the instructions for the Garmin POI Loader for more information.
Note: Be sure to use the current version of POI Loader. Older versions don't recognize the advanced formatting used in the MouseSavers GPX files. The POI loader can be downloaded from Garmin for free, here. Get it installed and familiarize yourself with the instructions. Make sure it can detect your unit. Then proceed with the rest of the instructions.
For a nüvi or a StreetPilot c5xx series, download the MouseSavers_Garmin_Complex_GPX.zip file.
For a StreetPilot c3xx series, eTrex, or any other Garmin unit, download the MouseSavers_Garmin_Simple_GPX.zip file.
Unzip the zip file to a folder of its own somewhere on your drive. The desktop or your My Documents folder are both good options.
Plug your GPS into the USB cable and power it up.
Run Garmin POI Loader, let it detect your unit, and click "Next" until it asks for the path to the folder of POI files.
Either type the full path of the folder you created that contains the GPX and BMP files, or click the "Browse" button and navigate to that folder. Leave the other settings alone, and click "Next." It should upload the POIs to your unit.
Unplug the USB cable and wait for the GPS unit to restart. With some units, you may need to power it off and back on again.
If the maps on your unit are not at least City Navigator 2008 or City Navigator NT 2008, I strongly recommend buying a map update: either the City Navigator NT update DVD or the nüMaps Lifetime Map Update.
You're done! Read "Finding and Using custom POIs on the nüvi/StreetPilot" or "Finding and using custom POIs on the eTrex series."
Finding and using custom POIs on the nüvi/StreetPilot
Note: These instructions were tested with a nüvi 360. Other nüvi or StreetPilot units may put the Custom POI section under a slightly different menu option, but you should be able to find it by looking for a looking for a "My Locations" menu option or an "Extras" menu option or something similar.
Tap the "Where To" button.
Tap the "My Locations" or Extras button.
Tap the "Custom POIs" menu option.
You should see a bunch of categories like "Amusement Park (MouseSavers)."
Select the relevant category, or "All Categories." Then either scroll through the list of nearby POIs or use the "Spell" function to start spelling the name. When you find the place you want to go to, tap the button to see the address, phone number, and so forth.
Hit the "Go" button to navigate there, or hit the phone-shaped button to dial the phone number of the location (if you have a Bluetooth cell phone and have paired it with the nüvi).
Finding and using custom POI files on the eTrex Cx or HCx series
When you go to the "Find" menu (by holding down the menu button), you should see a "Custom POI" menu option. When you select this option, it will show all the MouseSavers POI (and any other custom POI you've installed) in one list, sorted by distance. To search by name, press the Menu button and select "Nearest Containing
". To show just one category, press the Menu button and select "Select Database." Or just select a POI, then select "Go To" to navigate to it.
Removing the MouseSavers POI locations (all Garmin units)
If you installed the files using POI Loader, use POI Loader to delete the POI files. Just run it and select the "Delete all custom POI from my device" option.
If you copied the GPI files manually, follow the instructions below:
Attach the GPS to the computer using the USB cable (or plug the MicroSD card into the reader) as per the instructions given above for adding the POI files.
Open the GPS drive (or MicroSD drive).
Open the Garmin folder.
Open the Poi folder.
Delete any files that have the word "MouseSavers" in their name.
If you've installed any POI files using POI loader, there will also (or only) be a file called POI.GPI in that directory. If that contains MouseSavers POI points (because you installed them separately using POI Loader), you may need to delete it as well, or recreate it using only non-MouseSavers GPX or CSV files.
Unplug the GPS and let it reboot (or replace the MicroSD card in the unit). Power the unit off and on, if it doesn't automatically reboot itself.
Oh, I love it!!!! This is exactly us!!!! 5 trips in the past year, we always drive, we always get lost, lol. We swear Disney moves that fire station & the Hess stations that we use as landmarks.
That being said we drive to the parks. Have taken the bus a few times & always wind up wasting a lot of time doing that. With the car, even getting lost, we are much more relaxed & get where we are going much faster. Someone gave very thorough directions from CM to POR. We have parked at the Contemporary a couple times & had no problem getting back to where we were going.
) I have never used a GPS, nor did I think it was necessary. If you have one, and it isn't a hassle to pack, go ahead and bring it if you want, but it isn't a must-have, IMO. I definitely recommend driving vs the busses, especially with an infant. 
