This is a basic demo of using the Google Maps JavaScript v3 API.
I have constructed a few simple examples to show how to get the API up and running.
Before you begin you must obtain an API key from the Google Developers Console. You can make 25,000 requests per day fo' free.
Documentation/Developer's Guide - https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/tutorial
mapOptions - https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference#MapOptions
Lat/long coordinate finder - http://www.latlong.net/
Styled map wizard - http://gmaps-samples-v3.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/styledmaps/wizard/index.html (sets up the JSON for map styles, pretty useful tool)