National Parks – Columbia County Current

Free Admission to Any National Park This Saturday

National parks that typically charge entrance fees will be offering free admission this weekend to mark the start of National Park Week.

For one week each April, the National parks join the National Park Foundation (the official charity of America’s national parks), to celebrate America’s treasures. The theme for 2018’s National Park Week is “Park Stars,” celebrating everything from starry skies to superstar volunteers, park features, and resources. Parks, programs, and partners nationwide invite people everywhere to explore stories, experiences, and sites that brighten the National Park System and public lands.

DATES:
April 21 through 29, 2018

LOCATIONS:
National Park Parks across the country.
Use the “Find Your Park” locator by clicking here.

For more local happenings, news, and events, follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent.com on twitter @CoCoCurrent.

Jeff McKinney is a Realtor in Columbia County, NY. Connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.

National Parks Free Entrance on September 30

The National Park Service turned 100 years old in 2016. To celebrate the start of a second century, The National Park Service is waving entrance fees on certain days of the year. The next free day is National Public Lands Day on September 30, 2017.

FIND A PARK:
The National Park Service makes it easy to find a park in your area, or on your vacation route. The park service’s website, nps.gov, has a Find A Park page, where you can use a drop down menu of every park listed alphabetically, or select a state on the map for more info on the parks in that state.

MORE ABOUT THE PARKS & ADMISSION:

National parks are commonly referred to as “America’s Best Idea”, and there are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

There are currently 124 national parks that usually charge an entrance fee. The others are always free. While these free days are great, National Parks are always an economical trip, with entrance fees that range from $3 to $30 (you probably can’t even but a single lunch at a theme park for less than $30). Fourth grade students can get a free annual pass through the Every Kid in a Park program, and active duty military and citizens with a permanent disability can also get free passes.

For more local happenings, news, and events, follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent.com on twitter @CoCoCurrent.

Jeff McKinney is a Realtor in Columbia County, NY. Connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.

National Parks Free This Weekend

Technically, the last day of summer for 2016 is September 21. That’s the day before the first day of autumn (September 22). However, here in the USA, Labor Day is the traditional end of summer, and the day is quickly approaching. What better way to celebrate the penultimate weekend of summer than visiting one of our nation’s National Parks? To sweeten the deal, this weekend (August 26 to 28, 2016) all the National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone!

WHY FREE?
2016 marks the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service. In fact, the actual birthday for the Park Service is August 25. To celebrate this centennial, the Parks Service is hosting 16 free admission days throughout the year, and August 25 to 28 is the latest batch. These free admission days provide a great opportunity to visit a new park, or check in on an old favorite.

MORE ABOUT THE PARKS & ADMISSION.

FIND A PARK
The National Park Service makes it easy to find a park in your area, or on your vacation route. The park service’s website, nps.gov, has a Find A Park page, where you can use a drop down menu of every park listed alphabetically, or select a state on the map for more info on the parks in that state.

Follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent.com on twitter @CoCoCurrent.

L.L.Bean ParkFinder

Looking for a national park in your area or beyond? L.L. Bean has a handy map feature for locating National Parks. The L.L.Bean ParkFinder is a database of all Federal and State Managed Public Lands throughout the United States. In addition to showing you the park locations, and providing directions, the ParkFinder also include seasonal tips and suggested outdoor activities.

You can check out L.L.Bean ParkFinder now by clicking here.

Follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent.com on twitter @CoCoCurrent.

L.L.Bean ParkFinder & Million Moment Mission

L.L.Bean’s Million Moment Mission is an initiative to donate $1 million to the National Park Foundation. L.L.Bean will donate $1 to the cause for every outdoor moment that people share with them. You can share your story by posting a picture from your trip, tweet from your travel location or through Facebook. To share your story and read other people’s, visit 100.llbean.com/million-moment-mission by clicking here.

Recently, L.L.Bean has made it even easier for people to get outdoors and enjoy our National Parks by launching the L.L.Bean ParkFinder.

“L.L.Bean ParkFinder is a database of all Federal and State Managed Public Lands throughout the United States, complete with directions, seasonal tips and suggested outdoor activities. Whether you’re looking for a scenic lunch spot or planning an overnight camping trip, it can help you find the perfect site for your next adventure. Thanks to the thousands of parks and 20 activities listed – from hiking and fishing locations to camping and bird-watching – you’ll likely find the right combination to enjoy a day outdoors.”

You can check out L.L.Bean ParkFinder now by clicking here.