Bryce Canyon by Alaskan Dude/Flickr

A lot of people asked for more suggestions for free, fun things to do as part of my reader contest to win $249 worth of swag. Here is one idea: this weekend, August 14-15, 2010 entrance to more than 100 National Parks is free. Click on the above link for a listing of participating parks by state or name.

The list includes Grand Canyon National Park, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National Park, Everglades National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Acadia National Park, Glacier National Park, Big Bend National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park. Many of these are on my list of places to visit!

The freebie covers entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. You still have to pay other fees, like for reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties. I’m guessing this last part includes things like maps at the ranger station or firewood. At six of the parks, concessioners selling food, transportation, lodging and tours are offering discounts and coupons.

If you want to camp for free, there are tons of places where you can pitch a tent for no charge across the country, including BLM land, Wilderness Areas, and National Forests. I’m going camping in October and can’t wait!

Upcoming admission-free days at our National Parks:

• September 25, 2010
  (Public Lands Day)
• November 11, 2010
  (Veterans Day)

If you are looking for fun things to do closer to home, check out this post on free and very cheap dates. If you live in Los Angeles or are visiting, make sure to get free tickets to the taping of a television show. Get behind the scenes and gape at your favorite stars. Lastly, check out these five ways to get free or cheap tickets to the theater.

Tagged: camp for free, Free, free admission, free campsites, free national parks, national parks free on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 · 1 Comment »