Active duty personnel and veterans can enjoy California’s state parks for free. Here’s how
Veterans and active-duty members of the Armed Forces will have a chance to visit California State parks for free on Veterans Day.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation said Tuesday that admission fees will be waived for veterans to 144 state parks Saturday, Nov. 11. It’s in accordance with Assembly Bill 150 signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013. The bill extends admission to active-duty personnel, as well as those in the reserves or National Guard.
“State Parks recognizes the many sacrifices members of our nation’s military and their families have made and continue to make in the service of their country,” California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in the news release. “It is appropriate to invite all military veterans, reservists, and active-duty personnel to visit state parks for free and connect with nature.”
Those with military ties will have to show a form of identification — either a valid military ID or a California driver’s license identifying the individual as a veteran. It applies to all branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard.
Historic state parks participating include Marshall Gold Discovery in Coloma, Petaluma Adobe in Sonoma County and El Presidio de Santa Barbara, as well as state-run beaches and off-highway vehicle areas like Prairie City in Rancho Cordova. A full list of participating parks can be found on the State Parks’ website.
There are five parks that will be open honoring specific military sites: Angel Island State Park in San Pablo Bay, William B. Ide Adobe State Historical Park near Redding, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park in midtown Sacramento, Fort Tejon State Historic Park and Col. Allenworth State Historic Park in Tulare County.
This story was originally published October 31, 2023 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Active duty personnel and veterans can enjoy California’s state parks for free. Here’s how."
