Ellington

Whether your hometown is Kent, Wash., or Louisville, Kent., a good old-fashioned Seattle tourist rendezvous is always in order. For newcomers to the city, the tourist traps are the only way to be truly introduced to the spirit of Seattle. Still, even if Seattle is already considered your backyard, you would be surprised at how much there is to learn and explore.

Tourism is often left to the rich and the famous for one good reason: It is relentlessly expensive. So how is a college student on a tight budget supposed to thoroughly enjoy his or her surroundings? Answer: the Seattle Citypass. It gets you where you want to go for a very compromising price. Five locations cost a simple flat rate of $36.

The details:

Visit the newly renovated Woodland Park Zoo, explore the impressive Pacific Science Center, stroll through Seattle's downtown aquarium, check out Boeing's colossal Museum of Flight and take a glorious cruise through Elliot Bay.

Even more conveniently, the Citypass is now valid all winter, meaning it will be good through the beginning of April. Typically the Citypass is valid for nine days, beginning on the date the first pass is used. The "valid all winter" status uses March 31 as the first day, allowing it to be used through April 9.

Citypass also gives "insider tips" on each location, telling users the best times to visit to avoid crowds. The pass is also good for 10 percent of any gift store purchase more than $10 at any of the five locations.

Now for the fun: The five destinations are all accessible by bus, and all are direct routes either from downtown or the U-District. The attractions work into four ideal days of touristy fun without that terrible feeling of being overwhelmed. Plus, with four weeks to use the Citypass, it allows for the perfect mix of planned rainy-day pick-me-ups and spontaneous sunny afternoon outings.

Day 1: Woodland Park Zoo

The Woodland Park Zoo is a classic Seattle destination. With animals from all around the world, the African Savanna, tropical Asia, the northern trail, and the tropical and temperate rainforests all come to you. Divided into six small worlds (including the always-popular petting farm), the zoo is a definite retreat from urban lifestyle.

To get there, take route 44 to Ballad. It usually picks up on Northeast 45th Street and Roosevelt Way Northeast, right in front of Key Bank and across the street from American Apparel in the U-District, but due to road construction, catch it on 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 42nd Street (behind the post office). After 30 minutes, get off at the Fremont Avenue North and 46th Street stop (across from a Shell gas station). From there, walk to the zoo following the well-marked signs.

The zoo is currently running on winter hours, so it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The Citypass includes admission and unlimited access to the daily winter programs, including such presentations as the elephant showcase and gnarly piranha feedings.

Bringing a sack lunch along will save a lot of money. To really enjoy the element, gather next to an empty exhibit and start pointing. Wait for an unexpecting crowd of tourists, then really let out the "Ohhh's" and "Aww's" and see how long they try to find the source of your excitement.

Day 2: Museum of Flight

When the sun stops shining and the rain just keeps on pouring, why not head indoors for a world of adventure? While the Museum of Flight may sound like a bad afternoon out with Grandpa, it actually has a lot of really cool exhibits and is arguably the most impressive destination offered by the Citypass.

The best route to the museum is the 174 to Sea-Tac/Federal Way, which picks up downtown at Second Avenue and Pike Street. The ride is about 20 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. Get off at the first major stop after downtown — 16th Avenue South and East Marginal Way South — which drops off right in front of the museum.

The flight museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month.

The front entrance is scattered with old military fighter jet shells, which provide the perfect photo ops for kids of all ages (although you'd have to be pretty good to be able to actually climb on top of one). Once inside, the main lobby is packed wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor with awesome jets, funky inventions (including the car/airplane convertible) and original flying machines.

"The M-21 Blackbird is sweet," said 28-year-old visitor John Dias. "It's the fastest jet in the world."

The three other halls in the museum offer themed exhibits. The first hall is the history of Boeing, and is probably best left alone. The real entertainment is located in the last two halls, which represent World War I and World War II. Each hall is amazing, setting the atmosphere perfectly. The World War II exhibit even has a pervasive stench to put visitors right in the element. Prepare to hold your nose for a bit.

Outside, the museum has a hands-on exhibit that allows people to get inside some of the aircrafts. Plan ahead though, because the outdoor airpark closes at 3:30 p.m. The museum also offers a special Da Vinci exhibit at extra cost.

Day 3: Pacific Science Center

After wildlife and war craft, why not spend a little bit of time learning about the biology and physics of it all? The Pacific Science Center is possibly the most educational place in the entire city. True, it's not quite as cool as when you were 6 years old on that elementary school field trip; however, it has some pretty awesome offerings that might be unexpected.

Getting there is quite simple. Just hop on the 74 bus to the Seattle Center. It picks up on University Way Northeast and Northeast 47th Street. The ride is about 20 minutes and drops of at Denny Way and Second Avenue North, right in front of the Center.

The Science Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and until 6 p.m. on weekends.

The overall experience of the Science Center is very fun. It's good to come in with a youthful spirit and forget about the fact that they are secretly trying to teach you stuff. Mock weatherman green screens, naked mole rats and robotic dinosaurs just beg for exploration. Skip the much-acclaimed "Grossology" exhibit and concentrate your trip on the most amazing butterfly garden in the state. Inside the oasis, butterflies flutter overhead and dance among the flowers. The setting is perfect for photography, and the staff is very helpful.

Before leaving, be sure to catch one of the IMAX films. Current showings include the epically moving and entertaining Hurricane on the Bayou, 3D Bugs, The Human Body and the classic Eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Day 4: Argosy Cruise and Seattle Aquarium

For the last day of Citypass fun, enjoy a nice sunny afternoon down at Seattle's waterfront. From guided tours of Elliot Bay to strolls down the boardwalk and through the Seattle Aquarium, fitting in with the tourists will only require a snappy camera and one of those awful "Seattle, WA" T-shirts for $5.

To get down to the waterfront, take any of the downtown 70 buses: 71, 72 or 73. They pick up roughly every 10 minutes anywhere along the Ave. Take it all the way downtown to Third Avenue and Spring Street — the same stop as the public library. Walk down to the waterfront and head on over to Pier 55.

The Argosy Cruises is one of the most fascinating tourist traps in Seattle. Emphatically avoided by locals, the cruise tours are actually much more valuable to local residents than visitors. The views are astonishing and the live tour is actually quite interesting and relevant.

Through March 16, the harbor tours are only offered at 1:30 p.m. daily, with a special 2:45 p.m. tour on weekends. After March 16, the regular season schedule begins, sailing at 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily.

The yacht is well-kept, and fully enclosed to keep the cold breezes away. The right side of the ship offers the best views, but nothing compares to the back deck regardless of the "supermodel flowing-hair" look. The staff is incredibly personable and the onboard bartender, Frank, is a crack-up. The fully functioning bar offers daily specials like Captain Morgan's Spiced Cider and non-alcoholic treats like Italian sodas and Shirley Temples.

The tour guide o ffers a much-appreciated sarcastic attitude, making fun of the art in the Sculpture Museum and referring to Safeco Stadium as a "giant convertible."

"I liked the guide a lot; he was funny and didn't talk too much," said Katy Mayfield, a 23-year-old tourist from California.

The one-hour tour travels down the entire waterfront and circles back to Pier 55.

After the cruise, stroll along the waterfront to the Seattle Aquarium. The aquarium offers a wide array of beautiful water animals, and its notorious inverted fishbowl allows visitors to feel like they are sitting in a giant bubble in the sea.

The admission hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the exhibits closing one hour later.

Highlights of the aquarium include presentational feeding times throughout the day (nearly every hour), the hands-on tide pools with animals that visitors are invited to gently poke at and the assortment of sea oddities. Yet the sea otters always steal the stage with their constant energetic displays of playfulness.

The staff is well-educated about all the animals and offer information whenever needed.

"I think that it's wonderful to be able to work in this environment," said staff member Shari Bozied. "[The animals] are always happy and they make you feel great all day."

Reach reporter Tina Abrams at features

@thedaily.washington.edu.