
The National Park Service gives families a gift with fee-free days. PHOTO COURTESY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The National Park Service is offering you a deal that is hard to refuse if you’re looking for fun ideas for kids – free admission. On nine special days, the NPS will waive its entrance fee.
All are holidays, including Jan. 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), Feb. 14-16 (Presidents Day Weekend), April 18-19 (National Park Week’s opening weekend), Aug. 25 (NPS’s 99th birthday), Sept. 26 (National Public Lands Day) and Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).
Participating parks in California include Death Valley National Park, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. It might take a little driving to reach them, but the natural splendor that they offer is well worth the trip.
It is also worth noting that while there won’t be admission fees on these days, there will be amenity and user fees for things such as boat launches, camping and special tours. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.