Thrifty Thursday: Free weekends at national parks

Get your family outside and enjoy a national park at no cost: Almost 150 parks across the country will waive entrance fees on the weekends of June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16. This offer doesn't extend to campsite fees (those are likely to be fully booked at this point anyway, although it never hurts to check). But it does allow you to spend a day exploring one of these national treasures at no cost. Most Americans live less than one day's drive from a national park—and some parks never charge an entrance fee.

To find a park participating in the fee-free weekend program, visit the National Park Service site. Also note that many of the park concessioners (providers of food, transportation, and other services in the parks) are participating with their own special offers and discounts.

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