4 cool audio tours for cities worldwide

Here's a cool new initiative: The Colosseum will be illuminated and kept open for nighttime guided tours in late June, July, and September. (In typical Roman fashion, there will be a break in August.) You'll see a special exhibition on the Flavian Dynasty and 2,000-year-old Emperor Vespasian, who oversaw the Colosseum's construction. English-language tours will be available at 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. for €15/$21, according to the Italian cultural site piericci.it. Call 011-39/06-3996-7700 to make a (required) reservation. The AP also reports that new daytime tours will cover the Temple of Romulus, previously closed to the public, and two residences on the Palatine Hill: the House of the Griffins, which dates to the 2nd century B.C., and the House of Livia, known for its frescoes.

Beginning tonight, the incredible value Mama Shelter hotel will begin hosting weekend BBQs up on their roof. The menu is a bit pricey—dinner for two will cost as much as your room—but this is a good chance to mingle in the open air with a hip eastern Paris set. It also happens to be one of the few tasty dining options close to the Père Lachaise cemetery. Superchef Alain Senderens won't exactly be manning the grills, but the rooftop menu reflects his hand in the hotel restaurant downstairs. On the menu for €39 ($54) a basket of crudités, lentil salad, grilled kebabs of beef, chicken and fish, lamb chops, potatoes, sorbet, watermelon and other seasonal fruits. Drinks not included. Lunch is served on Saturdays from 12–4 p.m., and dinner on Thursday to Saturday from 7–11 p.m. It sounds pretty fun, but here's the serious budget strategy: stay in the hotel—summer rooms start at only €89 ($125)—and bring your own bottle of rosé up to the roof. Pretend that you're waiting for your party to arrive while reveling in the buzzy scene. Finish your drink, then head off to dinner at Frenchie! Mama Shelter, 109 rue de Bagnolet, 20th arrondissement, 011-33/1-43-48-45-45.

Just in time for Father's Day, Ohio's Toledo Zoo today opened its cutting-edge redesign for a children's zoo: Nature's Neighborhood. Open year-round and free with regular zoo admission, Nature's Neighborhood helps kids learn about animals and nature while they play games, often mimicking the actions of the very animals they're studying. A classic example: At the new Guinea Pig Exhibit—the zoo believes it's the largest in the world—kids can watch the little creatures go up and down little slides. Next to the exhibit is a kid-size slide for the little ones to play on. At Home Sweet Home, set up like a real house, kids learn all about taking care of household pets, with dog, cat, and bird training demonstrations and the chance to see zoo staff making treats for their furry pals. The kitchen features a "catwalk" above the cabinets where felines can roam—and hide inside the cabinets when they want privacy. In the "bedroom," kids can hold and learn how to groom guinea pigs and also dress up in face paint and costume likenesses of their favorite animals, including birds and zebras. Keep an eye out for the special bookcase, which slides aside to reveal the secret passageway to the Forest. There, kids can learn all about insect hierarchy by dressing up like worker and queen bees, and gardener and soldier ants. Then they can experience the creatures' habitats by crawling in and out of a giant honeycomb and up and down a kid-size spider web. There's also an aviary, with a special branch that's half inside the aviary and half outside it, allowing children to sit on the same perch as the colorful birds. Outside, there's the Backyard. Kids can splash around in the stream and test different materials to see what works best to dam up or divert the flow of the three-inch-deep water (don't worry, it's pool-quality water). At the nearby beach, kids can put on "animal feet" and make deer, raccoon, and duck tracks in the sand. At the gift shop, KC's Corner Store, kids can "Build a Conservation Animal." Similar to Build-A-Bear Workshops, only focusing on animals that the zoo is working to save through conservation efforts, the store allows kids to create their own polar bears, penguins, cheetahs, and more—with a portion of proceeds benefiting the zoo's conservation program. Zoo admission is $11 for adults and $8 for kids; visit on Father's Day and dads get in free with their children. And if you're into zoo babies (who isn't?), the Toledo Zoo in April welcomed a newborn white-naped crane. Zoo Babies 2009! Vote for your cutest baby

We've been asking top guidebook writers for their tips on alternatives to well known tourist attractions. Today's expert is Rob Humphreys, author of The Rough Guide to London. The principal residence of the British monarchy, London's Buckingham Palace has terrible queues for visitors as it's only open to tours on selected days in the summer. It's expensive. Plus, it is architecturally undistinguished. Instead, go to Hampton Court Palace, by far the best of the royal palaces. It's got much more going for it: Top-notch Tudor & Georgian architecture (by Christopher Wren himself), much more history (think Henry VIII and his six wives), a vast art collection, beautiful gardens, and a maze. hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace. Tip: Travel there as the royals used to by catching a boat from central London. About £15, or $25. Note: Neither Rob Humphreys nor his publisher nor Budget Travel is criticizing anyone for visiting Buckingham Palace. Everyone agrees you can have fantastic experiences there. All we're trying to do here is recognize that—under some circumstances and for certain types of travelers—other attractions may have their own appeal and provide comparable experiences. If you prefer to visit Buckingham Palace, the Changing of the Guard is famous and quite a spectacle (with furry red hats and lots of pomp), but it is also always crowded. So be sure to come early to get a good viewing spot. The event starts at 11:30 in the morning typically, but check the schedule in advance. To visit the gallery and mews or for taking a guided tour, be sure to have cash on hand. Prices here. A tip: In the shadow of Buckingham Palace is St. James Park, with free concerts and book readings in the summer (tube stop: St James's Park). MORE Hotel recommendations for London from Budget Travel (Add your own reviews and ratings!) EARLIER ON THE BLOG Better than Stonehenge?