Google Places API types functionality..

I think the option you are looking for according to the docs is "geocode" ( http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/javascript/reference.html#AutocompleteOptions ):

var options = {                    
    types: ["geocode"]
};

you can also use the country restriction

example:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?libraries=places&sensor=false"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
    function initialize() 
    {
      var input = document.getElementById('searchTextField');
      var options = {
          types: ['(cities)'],
          componentRestrictions: {country: "ca"}
      };

      autocomplete = new google.maps.places.Autocomplete(input, options);
    }

    google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initialize);
</script>

<input id="searchTextField" type="text" size="50" placeholder="Anything you want!">

now you can easily add a dropdown with a selection of cities and re-filter the cities, when onchange of the dropdown occurs :)