Google Places — Location & Business Search
Search for places, get business details, and find recommendations via Google Places API.
When to Use
✅ USE this skill when:
- User asks "find me a...", "best X near Y", "what's open near me"
- Restaurant/bar/cafe recommendations
- Business lookups (hours, phone, address, ratings)
- Travel planning (hotels, attractions, things to do in X)
- "Is X open right now?"
- Price comparisons for local services
- Directions or distance between places
❌ DON'T use this skill when:
- General web search (use web_search tool)
- News or current events (use Sonar)
- Non-location queries
API Key
Stored in the script. Key: AIzaSyBPr1G_HLss2GJFSXFLqk0RVO8Vd3oBoEU
Usage
Search for places
python3 ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/google-places/scripts/places.py search \
--query "best ramen near Boston MA" \
--limit 5
Get place details
python3 ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/google-places/scripts/places.py details \
--place-id "ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4"
Nearby search (by coordinates)
python3 ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/google-places/scripts/places.py nearby \
--lat 42.3601 --lng -71.0589 \
--type restaurant \
--radius 1500
Options
| Flag | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--query |
Text search query | Required for search |
--place-id |
Google Place ID | Required for details |
--lat / --lng |
Coordinates for nearby search | Optional |
--type |
Place type filter (restaurant, cafe, hotel, etc.) | Optional |
--radius |
Search radius in meters | 5000 |
--limit |
Max results | 5 |
--open-now |
Only show currently open places | false |
Output
Returns JSON with:
- Name, address, rating (1-5), total reviews
- Price level ($-$$$$)
- Open/closed status and hours
- Phone number, website
- Google Maps link
- Top reviews (for details)
Tips
- Always include a location in the query for best results
- Use
--open-nowflag when the user asks "what's open" - For detailed info (hours, reviews, phone), use the
detailscommand with the place_id from search results - Price levels: 0=Free, 1=$, 2=$$, 3=$$$, 4=$$$$