America's National Parks

The Recreation and Tourism page of the USA.gov Web site has been updated by a new link National Parks: America's Best Idea Today.

For nearly 100 years, this best idea has been nurtured by the National Park Service. Over time, the number of national parks has increased and our mission has become more complex as the range of services we offer has grown beyond parks to meet the needs of thousands of towns and cities across the country. Filmmaker – and Honorary National Park Ranger – Ken Burns tells the story of the national parks and the people who helped create them in his new PBS film The National Parks: America's Best Idea.

Thoughts or comments?

National Parks Offering Free Admission This Weekend

Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Have some fun before the school starts.! For those who are interested and enjoy visiting national parks, more than hundred of national parks will waive their admission fee this weekend, August 15-16, 2009. Take advantage of this last summer special and visit a national park for free.

The NPS (National Park Service) will allow visitors free entry during three weekends this summer to encourage Americans to visit national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Rocky Mountain National Park. The fee waivers (on June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009) will apply to more than 100 national parks across the country that usually charge entrance fees. Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees and transportation entrance fees.

We posted about this earlier this year; read here the full post and see the list of 7 participating national parks in New York state. And don't forget you can subscribe to all USA.gov updates via email or via RSS feed.

Looking For Something To Do This Weekend? Try National Parks!

Via USA.gov, Which national parks will waive their fee this weekend?, some national parks will waive their fee this weekend. As stated on the official government website,

The NPS (National Park Service) will allow visitors free entry during three weekends this summer to encourage Americans to visit national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Rocky Mountain National Park. The fee waivers — on June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009 — will apply to more than 100 national parks across the country that usually charge entrance fees. 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.

For those in New York state, the following 7 national parks participate in this fee waiver this coming weekend:
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Saratoga National Historical Park
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

Have some fun this weekend! And don't forget you can subscribe to all USA.gov updates via email or via RSS feed.