Fearless Traveler: Beachgoers and their dogs should love rules in Duck

Q. My family, including a 3-year-old and a dog, is heading to the Outer Banks next week for a much-needed vacation. I keep hearing conflicting reports on whether dogs are allowed on the beach. Do you know if they are? We are staying in Duck.

A. Duck? You're in luck. Although dogs are allowed on most OBX beaches, each town has its own rules and requirements; Duck is the most liberal, allowing unleashed pooches on the beach at all times, as long as they are "under the watchful eye and contact of their owner." Kitty Hawk, on the other hand, requires that pets be on a leash "not exceeding six feet" between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the summer. And the town of Southern Shores bans beach dogs entirely from mid-May to mid-September. For a town-by-town guide, see the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Web site, www.outerbanks.org; click Directory, then Beach Info, then Pets on the Beach. And remember, just as at home, you must clean up after your pet.

Q. My wife and I will be spending a week in Paris this summer to soak up the cafe and restaurant scene. To balance any overindulgence, we are interested in finding a gym where we can get in a workout on a day-pass basis.

A. Are you sure you don't just want to go running in the Tuileries? Club Med, the resort chain, operates several gyms in Paris, but the day rates are pretty steep. The gyms around the Champs-Elysees, La Fayette and Palais Royal Metro stations in central Paris charge about $35 a day. Guests can take part in any activities available at the gym, and towel service is included. The chain's more upscale Waou gyms charge $45 a day and offer Pilates and other courses, spas and coaching, all for an additional fee. Information in French is available at www.clubmedgym.com/page-8.html.

Katherine Johnstone of the French Government Tourist Office (514-288-1904, http://us.franceguide.com) recommends checking out the gyms at Marriott's Paris hotels. The Renaissance Paris Vendome's fitness center, for example, is open to the public and includes a pool, a sauna, a steam room, cardio machines and free weights, but you have to buy a massage or other spa treatment to get in. For details, call 888-236-2427 or see www.marriott.com.

To find smaller and more affordable gyms, try AngloINFO, an online information company for English-speakers living abroad. Go to http://paris.angloinfo.com; click on Health, Fitness & Beauty, then Gyms, Fitness Classes & Personal Trainers.

Q. I am traveling to Los Angeles to look at its universities. What is the least expensive way to travel around the city?

A. The subway is the cheapest way to get around L.A., but it won't get you to all the schools in the area, said Robin McClain of LA Inc., the city's official tourism office. In some cases, however, a subway-bus combo will work -- to visit UCLA, for example. For custom itineraries, plug in your departure point and destination at www.metro.net; click Metro Trip Planner.

Depending on where you're staying, taxis might also work. Loyola Marymount University, for example, is just four miles north of LAX. But if you are visiting many schools over several days, a rental car is probably the easiest and most cost-effective way to get around. Check Hotwire.com and Priceline.com for bargain rates, or see LA Inc.'s Web site, www.discoverlosangeles.com, for links to rental companies and deals.

Q. My husband and I are planning our first trip to Europe. We have been told that a lot of hotels don't have private baths, and to stick with the American chains. We have also been told that we'd be doing ourselves a disservice by not choosing a locally run hotel. We don't want to come back tired from sightseeing to find a dirty bathroom, unavailable shower or lumpy bed. Can you offer first-time overseas travelers a little guidance?

A. If you want a squeaky-clean room with no surprises, then stay in an American chain hotel that you know and trust. But many travelers think that staying in small, locally owned hotels adds to the enjoyment of a trip, letting you interact with locals and experience the culture more fully.

That doesn't mean that you have to stay in some awful two-star with a lumpy mattress and shared bath. It is possible to have an authentic experience and stay in clean, comfortable, affordable lodgings with private bathrooms. A good travel agent can help you find them, and guidebooks and Web sites are full of recommendations. Budget Travel magazine (www.budgettravel.com), for example, has well-researched articles listing bargain accommodations with character; search "secret hotels." Europhile Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) also specializes in the small and quirky. Karen Brown's World of Travel (www.karenbrown.com) is another good source for independent hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts, from inexpensive to luxe.

Be sure to cross-check prices and recommendations on such sites as Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com).

Q. I'm going to Tampa for a long weekend to see family. I have never been before. Is there a "must-see" list for the greater Tampa Bay area?

A. Any Tampa to-do list should include Ybor City, the city's historic Latin district, with lots of dining, bar, shopping and music options; Fort DeSoto Park, about an hour's drive southwest, consistently voted best beach in the country; Busch Gardens Africa, with stomach-churning rides and lots of wild beasts to ogle; the Lowry Park Zoo, where you can visit a manatee-rehabilitation center; and the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, with the largest collection of the artist's works outside Spain. For details, see www.visittampabay.com.

■ Send questions for the Fearless Traveler to Travel, Features Department, Winston-Salem Journal, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102, or e-mail features@wsjournal.com.