Optimal map routing with Google Maps

It always gives them in order.

So I think you'd have to find the distance (or time) between each pair of points, one at a time, then solve the traveling salesman problem yourself. Maybe you could convince Google Maps to add that feature though. I guess what constitutes a "good enough" solution depends on what you're doing and how fast it needs to be.

There is an option in Google Maps API DirectionsRequest called optimizeWaypoints, which should do what you want. This can only handle up to 8 waypoints, though.

Alternatively, there is an open source (MIT license) library that you can use with the Google Maps API to get an optimal (up to 15 locations) or pretty close to optimal (up to 100 locations) route.

See http://code.google.com/p/google-maps-tsp-solver/

You can see the library in action at www.optimap.net