Posted on January 1, 2023 (Updated on July 19, 2025)

Using Mapbox tiles with folium

Hiking & Activities

Level Up Your Maps: Ditching the Default with Mapbox Tiles in Folium

Okay, so you’re using Folium, right? Awesome! It’s a seriously cool Python library that lets you whip up interactive maps like a pro. You can take your data, throw it on a map, and bam, instant visualization. But let’s be honest, the default map tiles can be a little…blah. That’s where Mapbox comes in. Think of it as giving your maps a serious makeover.

Map tiles are basically the puzzle pieces that make up your map, showing you the streets, satellite views, and terrain. Folium starts you off with OpenStreetMap, which is great, a real community effort. But Folium’s got this secret weapon: you can swap out those default tiles for something way more custom, and that’s where Mapbox shines.

Why bother with Mapbox? Well, imagine being able to design your own map style. Seriously! You can tweak everything – colors, fonts, what’s visible, what’s not. It’s like being a cartographic artist. Need to highlight bike lanes? Done. Want a map that matches your company’s branding? Easy. Plus, Mapbox uses top-notch map data and satellite imagery. No more blurry, outdated maps!

So, how do you actually do this? Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science. Here’s the lowdown:

  • Get a Mapbox Pad: Head over to mapbox.com and sign up for an account. It’s free to get started.

  • Snag Your Access Token: Once you’re logged in, your access token is waiting for you on the dashboard. Think of it as your key to the Mapbox kingdom. Keep it safe!

  • Design Your Dream Map (Optional, but Recommended): This is where the fun begins. Fire up Mapbox Studio and get creative. Change the colors of the roads, add custom icons, hide features you don’t need. I once spent an entire afternoon just playing with different color palettes – totally worth it!

  • Grab That Tile URL: Okay, you’ve got your masterpiece. Now, in Mapbox Studio, hit “Share.” Look for the “Third-party” integration option, and pick “Fulcrum.” Copy that URL – that’s the magic string that tells Folium where to find your custom tiles. It’ll look something like this: https://api.mapbox.com/styles/v1/{username}/{style_id}/tiles/256/{z}/{x}/{y}@2x?access_token={your_access_token}. See those {z}, {x}, and {y} bits? Folium uses them to grab the right tiles as you zoom in and out.

  • Folium Time! Now, let’s get coding. Here’s how you tell Folium to use your Mapbox tiles:

    python

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