Florida State Parks will offer free admission to all visitors on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11. The initiative is intended to recognize and thank those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“This Veterans Day and every day, we honor our nation’s veterans and sincerely thank them for their selflessness and service,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “Spending time outdoors in our state parks allows us to take in the wonder of nature and reflect on the lands, values and, most importantly, the people they fought to protect.”
Several state parks across Florida have historical connections to military service. Avalon State Park in St. Lucie County was once a World War II training camp that helped develop the Frogmen who later became U.S. Navy SEALs. The General James A. Van Fleet State Trail in Polk County is named after a decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean War who graduated from West Point alongside Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley in 1915.
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park in Baker County marks the site where the 54th Massachusetts Regiment fought during the Battle of Olustee. Orman House Historic State Park in Franklin County features a Three Servicemen Statue, which is a bronze replica of part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, D.C.
In addition to free admission on Veterans Day (with Skyway Fishing Pier State Park excluded), Florida State Parks provide ongoing benefits for service members and their families throughout the year. These include a 25% discount on annual entrance passes for active-duty personnel and honorably discharged veterans, as well as free lifetime military entrance passes for veterans with service-connected disabilities or for surviving spouses and parents of those killed in combat.
Other fees such as overnight accommodations, concessions, and rentals from park vendors will still apply.
More information about how Florida State Parks honor veterans can be found at https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/Florida-State-Parks-Appreciate-Veterans.
