All Kansas state parks will offer free admission on Black Friday
All of Kansas’ 28 state parks will offer free admission to the public on Friday, Nov. 26. Entrance fees will be waived for all visitors, including guests from out of town.
“We couldn’t be more excited to once again offer free entrance to Kansas’ state parks on Black Friday,” said Linda Lanterman, director of Kansas State Parks, in a Nov. 23 statement. “Being outside in nature does wonders for our physical and mental health, so I hope everyone opts to go outside this year and enjoy a Kansas state park as part of their holiday experience.”
Perry State Park, Clinton State Park, and Hillsdale State Park are all located near large lakes just outside Kansas City, Kansas. Perry and Hillsdale are roughly an hour’s drive from the city, while Clinton is only around 40 minutes away.
Outdoor equipment and sporting goods store REI spearheaded the tradition of outdoor excursions on Black Friday in 2015. Instead of participating in the holiday shopping rush, the store closed all of its locations for the day and encouraged employees to spend time outdoors instead.
In the years since, many state parks have followed suit. In addition to Kansas, many or all state parks in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington will be waiving entrance fees on Friday. Other state parks and some national parks will also be hosting free events or other deals to draw in visitors.
Spending time outdoors on Black Friday also allows for social distancing, a safety precaution that many Black Friday shoppers will not experience.
Do you have more questions about spending time outdoors in and around Kansas City? Ask our Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com or fill out the form below.
This story was originally published November 24, 2021 at 11:05 AM.
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