With tomorrow, September 22 being the 25th anniversary National Public Lands Day, that means it's one of 4 days of the year that you can get free admission to more than 400 National Parks that ordinarily charge admission.
And it's not just free for kids, it's free for everyone!
You know how much we adore supporting our National Parks, and simply visiting one is one of the best ways to get kids excited about ecology, conservation, nature and history. Especially because this year's focus is on the restoration and resilience of our exquisite public lands.
By the way, National Parks and Sites aren't just...parks. In the New York City area alone, there are 22 National Parks and Sites you can visit that don't even require hiking boots.
Just be sure to check the site for participating parks, from New York's Eleanor Roosevelt National Site, to Maine's Acadia National Park, to 11 extraordinary parks throughout Utah and 15 (wow) across Arizona.
Ways to support our National Parks this weekend -- or any day
In addition to free admission, you can volunteer at many of the parks and get a fee-free coupon you can use for admission another day in the future.
Or, search for special events on the NPS site. Here are just a few I found that sound great for families:
-Upstate New York: Join Fall Family Fun Day at Glenmont, home of Thomas Edison -New Jersey: Visit the 7th annual Chalk Art Competition at Patterson's Mary Ellen Kramer Park -West Virginia: Be an on-the-spot volunteer at Harper's Ferry -Maryland: Take one of the historic house tours at Monocacy National Battlefield -Southern Arizona: Become a citizen scientist for the day during a Pollinator Bioblitz at Coronado National Memorial -West Texas: Panther Path Trail Beautification at Panther Junction in Big Bend National Park Visit FindYourPark.com to find a National Park or Site near you, see the full list of participating free parks sorted by state, and learn more about how to support our Nation Parks on National Public Lands Day. If you can't get out, just share your favorite outdoor activity on social media with the hashtag #NPSVolunteer, #FindYourPark and #NPLD to help get the word out. Top Photo: NPS on Flickr via Creative Commons
