Parks on the Cheap
From biking & hiking trails to historical sites, state & national parks offer quite a few things to do on the cheap. Though some parks are free year-round, others charge fees for parking or admission to on-site attractions.
Still, you can save on admission. If you pick a fee-free weekend to go, you won’t need to pay entrance fees, commercial tour fees, or transportation entrance fees to visit the 100+ national parks that typically charge fees.
2013′s fee-free weekends at national parks will take place on the following dates:
- January 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- April 22-26: National Park Week
- August 25: National Park Service Birthday
- September 28: National Public Lands Day
- November 9-11: Veterans Day Weekend
Not all national parks charge a fee. For instance, at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in GA, we can hike up & around the mountain and park for free year-round. To make the most of the deal, plan to spend the fee-free weekends at the 100+ national parks that typically charge a fee.
FYI–Some state parks will mirror the national parks’ fee-free schedule & waive fees on those dates. Check your state’s park page, like Georgia State Parks, to find local free days. And call your library to see if they have any partnerships with attractions. In Georgia, you can use your library card to check out a Park Pass & Historic Sites Pass to get free admission & free parking at Georgia’s state parks.
