Florida residents and visitors can enter eligible state and national parks without paying admission on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11.
The National Park Service will waive entrance fees for everyone that day. Florida has 11 National Park Service sites, including Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Canaveral National Seashore, Castillo de San Marcos and Dry Tortugas National Park.
Florida State Parks will also offer free day-use admission to all visitors on Nov. 11, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The offer does not apply to Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Skyway Fishing Pier State Park or Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.
Other charges at state parks still apply, including fees for overnight accommodations, concessions and rentals operated by park vendors.
The department noted that several state parks have military connections, including Avalon State Park in St. Lucie County, the site of a World War II training camp associated with the development of frogmen later known as U.S. Navy SEALs. Other sites include Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Monroe County and Fort Clinch State Park in Nassau County.
Veterans Day is both a federal and Florida state holiday and is observed annually on Nov. 11. Florida State Parks also offers year-round benefits for some service members and veterans, including a 25% discount on annual entrance passes for active-duty personnel and honorably discharged veterans, plus free lifetime military entrance passes for qualifying veterans with service-connected disabilities and certain surviving family members.
