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Charlestown, MA: My wife and I need a hotel in Rome for 4 nights, May 22-25,07. How to decide what area to stay: walking/safety are factors for us. Suggestions? Many thanks, Paul

BT Editors: Our Rome Snap Guide makes a great place to start your search. It's full of affordable suggestions for hotels as well as restaurants and shops and it outlines the city's varied neighborhoods.

Rome, like most big cities, is best seen on foot. If you want to stay in the heart of the centro storico (historic center), try the Albergo del Sole al Biscione or the Hotel Navona. To be near the Vatican and Sant'Angelo, opt for the Hotel Adriatic.

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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Hi, We are travelling to Las Vegas Nov 30 thru Dec 8. I am wanting to experience it without feeling like one of 'gauking hordes' overwhelmed by the 'largeness' of it all. To achieve this I was thinking that forearmed is pre-planned is the best approach - especially when we have enough time to actually see well beyond the gambling and neon. Suggestions? bg

BT Editors: Las Vegas can definitely be overwhelming! Before you go, check out our recent article on how to maximize your time in Las Vegas.
We've included a handy walking map to the Strip (you'll need Adobe Acrobat, a free--and easy--plug-in to download the map.

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Annapolis, MD: I am taking my son and a friend to Hawaii in late August. I need help in finding the best island to go to, because my son and friend want to bike/hike/mountain climb and I want to RELAX on a beautiful beach. Is there a happy medium?

BT Editors: Look no further than Kauai, hardly a hidden gem, but everything you'd imagine Hawaii would be: beautiful beaches, verdant coastlines, and vast expanses of land all ready to be explored by foot, boat, helicopter, you name it. Remember those beautiful scenes in Jurassic Park? That was Kauai standing in for Dinosaur Island. And the opener in King Kong when the camera cuts to a profile of Kong's face on a cliff? Kauai. Hollywood knows all about this lazy Hawaiian island and it's time you found out too.

As for your happy medium, it's up on the island's north shore, smack dab on the Na Pali Coast. It's called Ke'e Beach--if you're a subscriber, you might remember it from our November cover (the one with the guy on it). The beach is perfect: crashing waves, fabulous snorkeling, trees for shade, and a seemingly endless stretch of sand that's great for long walks. Plus your son will be happy because it's where you can begin one of three invigorating hikes along the Na Pali Coast (there's a 4,8, and 22 mile route). It's called the Kalalau Trail and the four-mile version is an easy to moderate cliff-hugging hike that ends up at stunning Hanakapiai Beach.

As for a place to stay, consider renting a condo. Not only is it a great way to save money, but you'll have an authentically Hawaiian experience. Try Regency Pacific Realty with great properties in Princeville and Hanalei (800/826-7782, regencypacificrealty.com). And here's a link to our November 2005 cover story on Kauai.