My family is on a quest to visit all 63 US national parks.
10.01.2024 - 23:39 / insider.com / Martin Luther
Obsessed with visiting national parks in the US?
Then you'll be happy to hear that the National Parks Service recently announced the days you can visit national parks that usually charge fees for free in 2024.
Although many national parks are already free to visit, over 100 that usually charge entrance fees will waive them on the following dates:
January 15: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
April 20: First day of National Park Week
June 19: Juneteenth
August 4: Anniversary of the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 28: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day
It isn't just the 63 official national parks that will be free on these days — hundreds of the 428 National Park Service-managed sites (also sometimes referred to as national parks) will also be free to visit.
Remember that campsites, tours, activities, and park concessions aren't free on those days, just admission.
See the full list of participating National Park Service-managed parks, monuments, sites, and recreation areas here.
Although some national parks charge an entrance fee, others are fee-free 365 days a year.
Parks that are fee-free all year include popular picks, like Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the most-visited national parks in the US, and West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park, the newest national park.
There are also great lesser-known picks, like South Carolina's Congaree National Park, where you can paddle through the jungle under sky-high trees, and Minnesota's water-based Voyageurs National Park, where you can snowmobile and see Northern Lights in the winter.
Free-to-visit national parks also aren't limited to the contiguous 48 states — the Virgin Islands National Park and the National Park of American Samoa are fee-free year-round.
Still, you should bring cash for parking or amenities when visiting a national park. Some, like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, don't charge an entrance fee but do charge for parking.
Many national parks charge $25 to $35 per vehicle for a seven-day visit, but you can save money by carpooling or arriving at parks on foot or by bicycle.
For example, Arizona's Saguaro National Park charges $25 per vehicle but just $15 per person if you enter by foot or bicycle.
To save even more, consider planning your visit during a park's slow season.
Just keep in mind this varies by park. Although many national parks (like Yellowstone and Yosemite) receive the most visitors in summer, Saguaro National Park sees more visitors in winter because summers are so hot in Arizona.
When you visit during off-peak season (and on weekdays versus weekends), you'll often find smaller crowds and score lower prices on local accommodations, activities, and food.
My family is on a quest to visit all 63 US national parks.
There’s never a bad time to visit Puerto Rico.
Beating out even famously scenic states like Alaska and Utah, California boasts more national parks than any other state. The Golden State's 10 national parks show off the diverse range of landscapes you can find on the West Coast, from the towering redwoods of NorCal, the arid deserts of SoCal, the iconic flora of Joshua Tree and the surreal geologic results of past volcanic eruptions and glacier paths.
In collaboration with the Division of Festivals, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Tourism announces the official dates for the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival. Scheduled to be held from April 28 to May 5, 2024, this year’s annual celebration is projected to be the largest to date. Consistent with longstanding traditions, the 72nd annual Carnival celebration will feature events including the Queen, Prince, and Princess Pageants, Calypso Monarch, Pan-O-Rama, and one of the region’s best J’ouvert parties. The annual Carnival culminates with the highly anticipated parade through Charlotte Amalie featuring thousands of masqueraders adorned in colorful outfits dancing down the 2-mile route.
Looking for remote work that will allow you travel the world or just work from home? You’ve come to the right place.
There is no shortage of nature-driven euphoria in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Hidden beneath an overhang on steep cliff walls above the Pinturas River Canyon are more than 800 stencilled handprints and painted images of animals. Nobody fully understands why Patagonia’s nomadic hunter-gatherers crafted the graffiti, but we do know they were created around 9,300 years ago using mineral pigments mixed with blood and fat, and that they provide a glimpse of early life in the glacier-carved province of Santa Cruz.
When people plan trips to national parks and protected areas across the United States, they hope to see the wolves of Yellowstone or the alligators of the Everglades. But talk to any bug scientist, and they’ll tell you that the best things come in small packages.
National parks are beloved attractions in the US.
Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
International tourism will rise by 15% in 2024 from last year, according to data shared by United Nations World Tourism Organization Friday. In fact, it will also exceed 2019 levels by 2%.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival. It’s a big milestone for the festival, which takes place January 18-28 in Park City, Utah. The years following COVID have been muted, with parts of the festival taking place virtually. This, of course, impacted party attendance and the overall festival vibe, which traditionally does a full takeover of Park City’s historic Main Street corridor. The sense is that 2024 will restore Sundance to its full capacity, which also means Hollywood will truly bring the party to Park City this year.