How to delete default guides in maps on iPad? Or disable the guide function?

To the disappointment of many users, of which you are but one, Apple’s “Guides we love” can neither be removed or suppressed via iPad settings. You are not the first - and are unlikely to be the last - to complain of this intrusive and unwanted feature.

Your only available options are to provide appropriate feedback to Apple via the Product Feedback portal - and/or use a third-party Maps App that is more acceptable to your needs.

The Apple Maps Guides cannot be disabled.

The native Apple Maps App, when initialised, will always show the Search/Guides window expanded to full size; unfortunately, this behaviour is not configurable in iPad settings.

You can, however, minimise the Search/Guides window by dragging the handle (the horizontal line that appears at the top of the window) to bottom of the screen. Providing that you don’t force-close the Maps App, the window will remain minimised when you subsequently return to the Maps App. If the Maps App is closed and reinitialised, the Search/Guides window will again be fully expanded.

Apple does invite submission of feature requests via its Product Feedback portal - this being the most appropriate channel through which to request change. For iPad and iPadOS:

Feedback - iPad - Apple

Hi CalCityT,

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities. We understand you have some questions about Maps. We're happy to help. Are you wanting to organize or edit a guide you've created? If so, you can see how to do that here: Organize places in My Guides in Maps on iPhone - Apple Support

If that's not what you are looking to do, let us know more about what you want to accomplish and we'll go from there.

Thanks.