Do it all with the rugged, waterproof, multi-mode nüvi 550. Drive, hike, bike or boat — this dynamic device switches modes to navigate your active lifestyle. It's packed with detailed street maps for North America or Europe and millions of places. Like the 500, nüvi 550 provides spoken turn-by-turn directions to your destination and accepts optional maps for any adventure.

Take It Anywhere

nüvi 550 features driving, walking, bicycling and boating modes which customize your nüvi specifically for your method of travel. This portable hybrid combines the advanced navigation features and large, color display found in automotive units with the durability of an outdoor handheld. Sleek and slim, you can slip nüvi 550 into your pocket or backpack. The user-replaceable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery lets nüvi navigate you on roads or off.

Get Turn-by-Turn Directions

nüvi 550's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where to?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator® NT street maps, millions of points of interest (POIs) and features digital elevation maps that show you shaded terrain contours at higher zoom levels. With nüvi 550, you can upload custom points of interest (POIs) and navigate to geo-tagged photos. If you're lost, use the Where Am I? emergency locator to view your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations.

Navigate Off-Road

Conveniently plug in optional maps on preloaded microSD™ cards for all your off-road adventures (see Maps tab for compatible maps). Add topographic maps to explore the backcountry or load BlueChart® g2 Vision and Inland Lakes Vision marine maps for a great day on the water. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet. With its high-sensitivity GPS receiver and HotFix™ satellite prediction, nüvi 550 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover, deep canyons and near tall building and trees.

Expand Your GPS

Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 550 includes many travel tools, including world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. Show off photos of your excursions with nüvi's picture viewer. Even download geocaches and instructions from Geocaching.com straight to your unit. It also supports optional FM traffic alerts or optional MSN® Direct content. The 550 features Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage, where you can download custom vehicles that show your location on the map.