Did you know that throughout the year, the National Park Service will waive the entrance fee and offer FREE admission to everyone? There are several national parks close to Lancaster to consider visiting, so grab your calendar and plan which park you’ll be visiting on National Parks FREE Entry Day!
2020 National Park Fee-FREE Entry Dates:
On the following five dates, all National Parks will waive their entrance fees celebrating these holidays and special commemorations:
- January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- April 18: Weekends of National Park Week
- Tuesday, August 25: National Park Service Birthday
- September 26: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day Weekend
National Parks within 2 hours from Lancaster County
You might be wondering which parks are local to Pennsylvania, and more specifically, Lancaster County. I was too. So I did a little research.
Pennsylvania
– Eisenhower National Historic Site, Gettysburg, PA. Normally $5-$7.50/person.
– Gettysburg.
– Independence, Philadelphia. Tickets are always FREE for Independence Hall, but there is normally a $2-5 charge for the Benjamin Franklin Museum. Admission is always FREE to the bell.
New Jersey
– Thomas Edison National Historical Park
Maryland
– Antietam National Battlefield. Normally $5/person or $10/vehicle for a three day pass.
– Assateague Island National Seashore
– Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
– Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
– Fort Washington Park
– Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Harpers Ferry also offers a fee FREE day around June 8. Normally $10/vehicle.
New York
– Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
– Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
– Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
–Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
You can find the parks participating in the program, listed by state, on this webpage. Parks listed on this page waive their entrance fees on nationally designated fee FREE dates. Please check with each park for operating hours and event schedules.
Find all the Pennsylvania museums here. (Many of the Pennsylvania museums always offer FREE admission, and of course are still FREE on these special fee-FREE entry days.)
Tips for Visiting on FREE Entry Days
Before you plan your visit to the National Park, ask yourself these questions. Your experience is always maximized when you look ahead and consider any variables—especially if you’ll be visiting with children. 🙂
- How long it takes to get there?
- What other attractions or restaurants are in the nearby area?
- Will you pack a lunch?
- Where are the gas stations on your route.
- If you are visiting a park farther away from home, are there any sites/destinations/attractions you want to stop at on your way?
- Do you know what time the park opens and closes?
- Can you print a map of the park out before you visit to have an idea of where you will be going?
- Does the park have an online app for your phone with walking audio guides?
- What will the weather be like during your visit?
- Will you be going on a hike during your visit and need things like water bottles, snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, trash bags or heavier coats?
Junior Ranger Packets
And be sure to ask for a Junior Ranger packet if you are visiting with kids. Do you know about these?! It’s a really neat program for kids to complete while they visit numerous national parks. It includes a booklet of assignments and activities.
The best part is that when they finish the packet, a park ranger will review their book with them and if they have successfully completed three of the activities they will receive a patch and certificate making them an official Junior Ranger!!
Not all parks offer this program, but you can even download and print them before you visit. To give you an idea of what they are like, check out this 28 page Ranger booklet for Gettysburg!
You can learn more about the FREE entry days on the National Parks website.
Tina Wenger says
I’m a fellow Veritas mom and love to save money as well. So I would love to know about the great deals that you post! Thanks so much!
Kathy says
Yeah, so nice to meet you! Be sure to sign up for my emails, and follow me on facebook. There is also a facebook group called DEAL FINDER where some of us post insane deals that we find in the area. Message me on facebook and I’ll get you the link to it!