WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans will be able to commemorate several national holidays with a fee-free trip to one of the country's national parks, the Department of the Interior announced on Wednesday.
The National Park Service, which manages the nation's parks and monuments, is waiving admission fees on 17 days this year for the 394 national parks throughout the country.
"In these tough economic times, our fee-free days will give families many opportunities to enjoy our nation's heritage and natural beauty in meaningful and affordable ways," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a news release.
The first fee-free holiday is aimed to coincide with observances of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
"Visitors can literally walk in Dr. King's footsteps at national parks such as Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Georgia, Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama, or the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.," said National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis.
"Several parks will also honor Dr. King by hosting volunteer projects for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 17," added Jarvis.
Other fee-free days include National Park Week (April 16-24), the first day of summer (June 21), National Public Lands Day (September 24), and Veterans' Day weekend (November 11-13).
(Reporting by Wendell Marsh; Editing by Jerry Norton)
