Schedule your vacation days and gear up for fun!

Looking for ideas for a family vacation? You’re in luck! The National Park Service is once again offering FREE entrance days to U.S. National Parks â€?no special park pass is needed!

Mark your calendars for these specific days in 2022 where you can skip the park passes, as the National Park Services will be waiving entrance fees for EVERYONE at national parks that normally charge admission. Check out the following list of fee-free dates:

  • January 17th: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
  • April 16th: First Day of National Park Week
  • August 4th: Great American Outdoors Act One-Year Anniversary
  • September 24th: National Public Lands Day
  • November 11th: Veterans Day

These dates fall on different days of the week, which is a bonus for people with non-traditional schedules or for families planning a National Parks field day for remote learning.

It’s much easier to adhere to social distancing in the great outdoors, and the National Parks Service is encouraging you to “Recreate Responsiblyâ€? Be sure to contact the park you’ll be visiting in advance for any pertinent updates or guidance.

With over 400 National Parks in the United States, adding FREE entrance dates for ALL parks broadens the opportunity for adventurers and nature-lovers alike to visit more locations. Even if you hadn’t planned on touring a National Park in the near future, check out the list of Fee-Free Parks by State and consider adding them to the agenda of a budget-friendly road trip!

Know a Veteran or Gold Star Family? Be sure to pass a freebie along to them!

Veterans and Gold Star Families will receive a FREE entrance pass to national parks, wildlife refuges, and other Federal lands managed by the Department of the Interior �no special pass needed!

Active-duty members of the US Military and their dependents already qualify for a free annual pass to these attractions. Plus, entrance fees for the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation sites, will also be waived for Veterans and Gold Star Families!

For the purposes of this program, a Veteran is defined as an individual who served in the US Armed Forces (including the National Guard and Reserves). Gold Star Families are the next of kin of a member of the US Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situationâ€?such as war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the US while serving with the US Armed Forces.

If you’re planning to claim this awesome freebie at one of our nation’s parks or other Federal lands, please note that one of the following forms of identification will be required:

  • Department of Defense Identification Card
  • Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
  • Veteran ID Card
  • Veterans designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification card

More ways to save on a National Parks Pass:

  • Free Annual Pass for Families with 4th Graders
  • Special Annual or Lifetime Pass for Seniors

Check out more great freebies over here!