Don't be shy about asking for discounts, but always carry some kind of identification, such as a driver's license, that shows your date of birth -- especially if you've kept your youthful glow. In Seattle most attractions, some theaters and concert halls, tour companies, and the Washington State Ferries all offer senior discounts. These can add up to substantial savings, but you have to remember to ask.

Many hotels offer senior discounts. Choice Hotels (Clarion Hotels, Quality Inns, Comfort Inns, and Sleep Inns), for example, give 20% to 30% off its published rates to anyone over 60 depending on availability, provided you book your room through its nationwide toll-free reservations numbers (not directly with the hotels or through a travel agent).

Members of AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons), 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (tel. 888/687-2277; www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP: The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.

If you plan to visit any of the national parks (Mount Rainier, Olympic, or North Cascades) while in the Seattle area, you can save on entry fees by getting a Golden Age Passport, available for a one-time processing fee of $10 to U.S. citizens and permanent residents 62 and older. This federal government pass allows lifetime entrance privileges to all properties administered by the National Park Service -- national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and wildlife refuges. You can apply in person at any NPS facility that charges an entrance fee, as long as you can show reasonable proof of age. Besides free entry, the Golden Age Passport also offers a 50% discount on federal-use fees charged for such facilities as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, and tours. For more information, go to www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm or call tel. 888/467-2757.

Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market. Elderhostel (tel. 877/426-8056; www.elderhostel.org) arranges study programs for those aged 55 and over (and a spouse or companion of any age) in the U.S. and in more than 80 countries around the world. Most U.S. courses last 5 to 7 days, and many include airfare, accommodations in university dormitories or modest inns, meals, and tuition.

Recommended publications offering travel resources and discounts for seniors include: the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50andbeyond.com); Travel Unlimited: Uncommon Adventures for the Mature Traveler (Avalon); 101 Tips for Mature Travelers, available from Grand Circle Travel (tel. 800/221-2610 or 617/350-7500; www.gct.com); and Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50 (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner Heilman.