Your travel questions: What’s the best way to get around the US?

We are planning a trip to the US with our three teenage children in June and July and wish to visit some national parks around Las Vegas, before visiting friends in Florida and New York. Once we land in LAX, what is the best way to get around?
A. Staunton, Bayswater, Vic

The colours and canyons of Zion National Park.Credit: iStock

You need a car. Wheels of your own are the only practical way to explore the national parks of the south-west. Hire a car from Los Angeles and return it in Las Vegas before flying east. The most obvious national parks to include are the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Joshua Tree. National Geographic has excellent articles with images on all these parks. Bear in mind that this is peak holiday period, so you need to plan ahead and book accommodation well ahead. Be prepared for high temperatures.

My husband and I would like to travel to Italy in 2025, spending five to six weeks, travelling by train or plane. Can you suggest towns that would allow us to explore an area for a few days without having to stay in the big cities? We’d like to include the Cinque Terre region and Sicily.
D. Bellingham, Williamstown, Vic

Working from north to south, my suggestion would be to fly into Venice but stay in Padua, which gives you easy access to Venice as well as the lovely Palladian city of Vicenza. Next stop, Simeone at the southern end of Lake Garda, followed by the Cinque Terre, with Vernazza my pick of the villages to use as a base. Next, stop is Modena and use that as a base for exploring the Emilia-Romagna region, followed by Siena and Orvieto before a big hop past Rome and Naples to Amalfi.

After that, Sicily where you might split your time between Taormina and Syracuse. Rather than towns, these are small cities, with a better choice of accommodation and dining. Also, transport to the towns is less frequent and less developed, making it more difficult to explore the surroundings. No need to take any flights, rail is the practical way to go. Apart from the journey to Sicily, the journeys between these cities are not long. Five to six weeks is a long time, but don’t try and pack in too much.

We are planning a few days in Paris before we head to Toulouse for a bike ride. Any suggestions on areas for a taste of Parisian life while we rest up?
E. Brown, Wollongong, NSW

Take a stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin.Credit: iStock

Everyone has their favourite things to do in Paris, here’s mine. Wear comfortable shoes and start with a walk along Rue Mouffetard. Said to be the oldest street in Paris. It’s packed with cafes, funky shops and memories of the days when Hemingway hung out at Place de la Contrescarpe, where the walls of Paris once ended. Take an aimless saunter through the Marais, aiming for the Coutellerie du Marais, an amazing kitchen knife shop on Rue du Pas de la Mule, followed by a visit to Place des Vosges, and prepare to be amazed.

Then stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens, sit on a bench by the pond and watch the world go by. Dinner at Chez Denise in Les Halles. Be very hungry and go for the daube, it’s sensational, but leave this one out if you’re a vegetarian. Lunch at Bouillon Julien, an art nouveau gem, and it’s a bargain. A walk along the Canal Saint-Martin. If the sun is shining and it’s a weekend you’ll want to move your life to Paris. A magical walk along the Promenade Plantee, an elevated walk from Bastille along a former railway line. And finally, a night at the Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera. Doesn’t matter what the show is, just go.

My wife and I plan to spend our 60th birthdays in Vietnam next year. We have travelled independently in Europe but planning for Vietnam is more daunting. Would you recommend an organised tour with Bunnik or Wendy Wu, which have wonderful itineraries, or independent travel?
I. and L. Mather, Oakhampton Heights, NSW

The language, chaotic traffic, unfamiliar food and heat are just some of the things that make Vietnam challenging for first-time visitors and a guided tour with Bunnik or Wendy Wu Tours would be a great way to see the country.

You’ll experience wonders, taste amazing food, be well taken care of and you’ll get to share the experience with like-minded travellers without having to worry too much about the day-to-day planning. Chances are your tour will also cost less than following the same itinerary independently.

If you have more time to spare after your tour finishes you might spend a few days relaxing at one of Vietnam’s resort areas, and Hoi An would be perfect.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.