Once again, our National Parks are offering Fee Free Days and Weekends, making one of the best outdoor options even better in 2011. Andeven better, many of our 394 national parks NEVER charge an entrance fee.

Making the fun even more affordable, many national park concessioners are joining the National Park Service in welcoming visitors with their own special offers. Don't miss out!

Mark your calendar for these fee-free days in 2011:

•     January 15-17  (Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday weekend)
•     April 16-24  (National Park Week)
•     June 21  (First day of summer)
•     September 24  (Public Lands Day)
•     November 11-13  (Veterans Day weekend)

Everyone should know: This only means there will be no entry fees! So please remember:

• Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees.
  
• Other fees such as reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.
  

And, quite honestly, you probably already know this, but staying at a National Park is always very affordable, especially when you don’t have to pay the standard fee for entry! Camping rates can be as low as 6 or 8 dollars in some places, but usually you will pay around 16 to 25 dollars for a standard campsite, and just a little bit more if you'll require an RV hookup. So if you want to experience the wild and the splendor of this majestic country, bring your sleeping bag and tent—and a couple extra bucks!

This is really a smart way for the NPS to generate park interest and get people outside to experience what the world really has to offer, when you go explore, journey or live for a short while out in the wilderness. There are thousands of different activities that can be enjoyed only in the great outdoors. Some of which, like going Rock Climbing on Mount Rainier, or touring some of the Largest Underground Cave Networks in the world, you can not enjoy unless you get yourself to a National Park (see Wind Cave, Mammoth Cave and Mount Rainier NP from Gettingoutside)... and Ken Salazar and his hardworking team are willing to pick up the tab for you this year: They’ll cover the operating costs for a day (or for a full week) for you to be there, enjoying the weather when late April hits and it’s National Parks week. It's going to be beautiful out there:

You can go to any park you want,

as many times as you want, and you can

 visit  as many parks as you'd like in a week and two days!

____________________________ Did somebody say, "Road trip!"????

____________________________ (If you are so lucky as to be able to go for it,  

 ____________________________ do not give up this once-in-a-life-time opportunity!)

Some people will be lucky enough to get to have a few days off in a row and live near enough several of these National-Natural-Treasures that they'll be able to see more than a few! The Parks Service invites you to stop by one park after another. Sleep out under the starts and enjoy the quiet calm of nature at night. Make the park your home for a week!

But make sure you remember to reserve your camp sites ahead of time, especially this year, because with so many people coming to the parks during the day over the Fee-Free-Week, they are going to fill up fast! And you know many of them are not going to want to leave; so much so that they will end up paying the 12 or 18 bucks so they can spend the night!

Visit our Destinations Section now to see all of the National Parks and view many other great outdoor locations run and operated by the National Parks Service as well. Narrow your search by including the term "National Park" and you will find the complete list of National Parks in our nation: 59 parks in total! Each one of them with their own special charms and wonders! Bring you kids - or just yourself and perhaps a close friend or two - to one of the national parks this year:

But only if you Desire to Be Inspired! (See Link for an Inspirational National Monument: Tonto!)