SEATTLE -This weekend kicks off Way To Go…To the Zoo, a combined effort by Woodland Park Zoo and the City of Seattle to bring more people to the zoo in fewer cars.

Everyone arriving at the zoo by bus or bicycle during the weekend of July 28 and 29 will receive $2 in Zoo Bucks (for merchandise at the ZooStore, Butterflies & Blooms exhibit, food concessions or zoo admission), plus a pair of Metro free ride tickets and a special Way To Go…To the Zoo t-shirt. There will also be a secure bike corral available all weekend.

For the rest of the summer through September 2, each person who rides the bus or bicycles to the zoo or to ZooTunes concerts Wednesday nights, will receive $2 in Zoo Bucks. There will be secure bike corrals at all ZooTunes concerts..

It’s easy and less of a hassle to arrive by bus or bicycle, and it helps minimize neighborhood traffic and on-street parking. Metro bus routes 5, 16, 44 and 358 all stop within blocks of the zoo. Call Metro rider information at 206-553-3000 for specific schedules or visit Metro online at http://transit.metrokc.gov. On Sundays and holidays, up to four children under 18 can ride free with one paying adult. And the youth fare is now only $.50 anytime for kids under 18.

For the best bicycling routes, consult the King County Bicycling Guidemap online at http://metrokc.gov or by calling 206-263-4700. For a Seattle bike map call 206-684-7583.

For general zoo information, call 206-684-4800. Summer zoo hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. As one of the best family values in the Puget Sound region, admission ranges from free for toddlers to $9.00 for adults; King County residents receive an admission discount.

Way To Go. . .To the Zoo is co-sponsored by the City of Seattle and Woodland Park Zoo. It is being carried out with help from a City of Seattle Car Smart Community Challenge Grant.