Give your family car the summer off and score deals at Seattle attractions

As fuel prices reach record levels, that cross-town playdate or activity looks less attractive. But attractions like the Burke Museum, Pacific Science Center and Seattle Art Museum are handing out discounts to those of us willing to give our cars the summer off, through the Seattle Climate Action Now (CAN) program.

Are Seattle parents up to the challenge? Here are some creative ideas and tips from local families on reducing your fuel consumption:

Bike your babe. My friend Jenni Pertuset just bought a super-cool Xtracycle, which turns a regular bike into an "SUB" or Sports Utility Bike. She packs her 2-year-old daughter, groceries and more on the bike around town. It may be a good option for quick hauls to the store or for parents with older kids not yet on bikes.

You can read more about Xtracycles here; Pertuset bought her bike from Aaron's Bicycle Repair in West Seattle. For families heading to downtown attractions, The Seattle Times recently ran an article on safer routes for bike commuting.

Park your car. Rebecca Herrema's family owns two cars, but drastically scaled back use of the Toyota 4Runner for Craigslist purchases or other large-item errands. Now they use the gas-efficient Prius as the family car and rely more heavily on the bus.

If you're willing to endure either a "trial separation" or a "breakup" with your car, CAN gives you goodies -- such as walking gear from REI and discounts for Tiny's Organic Fruits.

Carpool the kids (yours and others). Jessica Plesko works out a carpool schedule with another soccer mom, rotating weeks for pickup and dropoff. Carpools can also cut costs when commuting to preschool, parks or Seattle Center. Jo Rao coordinates ride shares with other parents for going to and from preschool.

Hike the hillls. Dotty Carreno designated one day per week "car-free." On that day, she does all of her duties (grocery shopping, school pick up/drop off) by foot, with her four children. Three sit in a triple-sized stroller while her 5-year-old walks, rain or shine. "When I do drive to run errands, I wait until I have about three places to go in one area to be more efficient," says Carreno.

For those of you willing to reduce mileage (at least two trips per week), CAN will enter you in a monthly drawing for bus tickets and REI gear.

Taxi the tots. Not the yellow-and-black striped type. The Elliott Bay Water Taxi is an exceptionally kid-friendly mode of public transportation, says Jane Allen Foster, who lives in West Seattle. "Kids love all the activity," she says, including people- and water-watching, and she likes the ability to access downtown without driving.

Other fun transport modes: Seattle's streetcars and the monorail. Check out Seattle's options-in-motion at the trip planning site. Best of all, kids under 5 are always free on Seattle transportation.

Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company