By Maryann Hammers
Potawatomi State Park, Door County, Wis.; Image courtesy of Maryann Hammers
Visit a state or county park for nature walks, campouts, and outdoor fun. And with discounts, you can’t beat the price.
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites offer lodging, scenic locations, and natural wonders such as waterfalls, springs, lakes, salt marshes, canyons, and caves. You can kayak, hike, bike, or ride horseback; visit presidential homes or historic forts and battlefields; or join a living history demonstration.
Camp out under the stars or stay in cabins with up to three bedrooms and private bathrooms. Newbies can try the First Time Camper’s Program, where rangers assist with loaner tents. Check out these discounts:
- Those over age 62 get a 50-percent discount on the annual park pass (regular price is $50), plus discounts on lodging, campsites, and golf.
- Disabled veterans who are Georgia residents get a 25-percent discount on annual park passes. You’ll also get discounts on accommodations, recreation fees such as mini-golf and boat rentals, golf fees, and admission to historic sites. Learn more.
- Active duty and retired military members who are Georgia residents get a 25-percent discount on the daily or annual park pass with valid ID.
In Maryland , active duty military members and veterans get free day-use entryto the state’s 72 state parks . Also check out the Wounded Warrior and Veteran Outreach programs , including free weekend retreats for wounded or sick veterans, free camping gear rentals, and hiking. View the list of parks. Call (800) 830-3974 or visit Maryland.gov for more information. Also in Maryland, military members get free admission at Anne Arundel County Parks ( Downs Park, Fort Smallwood Park, Kinder Farm Park, and Quiet Waters Park). Call (410) 222-7317.
Oregon State Parks offer bikeways, beaches, hiking trails, and Junior Ranger programs. Veterans with disabilities get free camping and free parking/day use with a special access pass, which is good for four years. Active duty servicemembers on leave must pay regular camping and day-use fees but will get reimbursed. It’s all explained here, or call (800) 551-6949.
At any of Virginia's 37 state parks , veterans with service-connected disabilities can get free admission and parking, plus half off camping, cabins, swimming, picnic shelters, and equipment rentals. Learn more and download an application here, or call (800) 933-7275 for more information.
Canaan Valley Resort , a West Virginia state park in the Allegheny Mountains, offers a 15-percent discount on lodge rooms and cabins and up to a 20-percent discount on recreational activities for active duty and retired military members, plus a 10-percent discount on golf. The resort features three restaurants, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, a full-service ski area, an 18-hole championship golf course (open April through October), an arcade, a spa, a kids’ camp, a climbing wall, and hiking and biking trails. Call (800) 622-4121.
At Potawatomi State Park in Door County, Wis., you can hike, canoe, kayak, or just enjoy the scenery. Climb to the top of the park’s 75-foot observation tower (built by the WPA) for panoramic views and photo ops. Military members get a 10 percent off purchases and rentals at the Nature Center/Camp Store. Wisconsin servicemembers get free admission on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and disabled veterans and POWs who are Wisconsin residents get free park admission and trail passes at all Wisconsin state parks (download the application here). Learn more here, or call (920) 746-2890.
And don’t forget: “America the Beautiful” National Park Passes , valid at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, are free to current military members. Learn more here.