© NPS

The NPS has a great new feature on their website for people looking to get away and have a national park vacation. National Park Getaways features a different park every weekend and has some great ideas for exciting weekend trips. Most of the activities listed are free, so it also makes for a very thrifty vacation. (Even cheaper if you have a National Parks Pass!)

Boston National Historical Park in Massachusetts is featured this week, and previous getaways have been Prince William Forest Park in Virginia, Salinas Mission National Monument in New Mexico, and North Cascades National Park in Washington. Are you planning any weekend getaways this summer? Maybe taking advantage of the upcoming fee-free weekend next week? Let us know what your plans are in the comments section!

© sachindaluja via Flickr

The annual Delaware River Clean Up Day is happening this year on July 23rd, and volunteers are needed. Says Superintendent John Donahue: “The clean up day is a great opportunity to have some fun on the river and to make the river a better place for all to enjoy. The water quality of the river is outstanding; it is critical that we work together to keep it that way.”

Participants will paddle canoes and pick up trash along a section of the river. There will be five sections; each one is 6 to 10 miles in length. The Delaware River Clean Up Day begins at 8 a.m. and should end by approximately 4:30 p.m. Volunteers need to park and check-in either at Dingmans Ferry Access (PA Route 739) or Smithfield Beach (on River Road, PA). Canoes, paddles and life jackets will be provided by the canoe outfitters. Shuttle transportation and trash bags will be provided by the National Park Service. The park’s expanded amenity fees will be waived for the day.

Also, refreshments will be provided at the morning check-in. Volunteers will receive a Delaware Water Gap NRA carry sack, water bottle, first aid kit, and a whistle/key ring.

If you're interested in participating, call the park's hotline at (570) 426-2478 for more information and to make reservations.

© Lauren Himiak

You already know that visiting a national park can be a very cost-effective way to spend a vacation. The NPS has sweetened the deal this summer even more by offering three "fee-free weekends" at national parks across the country. The first has already come and gone, but you can start planning now to take advantage of the next one, which is coming up on the weekend of July 18^th and 19^th. Fees are waived not only at "lesser known" parks, but also at the big ones, such as Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. NPS.gov has a full listing of fee-free weekend parks.

Many park concessioners are also offering special deals to coincide with the free weekend. Some of the offers include a free reusable tote bag, free group picture and buy-one-get-one-free deals on organized tours. ParkPartners.org has a full listing of the special deals happening.

The fee-free weekends are a great excuse to get out and see one of America's great national parks. If you can't make this one, you have one other opportunity this summer on August 15^th and 16^th. Choose a park and start planning now!

© akaporn via Flickr

The NPS is offering a very cool opportunity to see Muir Woods National Monument in a different light. From the NPS:

Explore the magic of Muir Woods during a full moon, learning about the secret nightlife of an old-growth redwood forest. Dress for the weather and bring a flashlight. Children under 8 years not advised. This is an easy 1.5-mile walk on a paved trail. For reservations, phone 415-388-2596.

The event runs from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM on July 7^th and August 5^th. The program is free, however park entrance fees still apply. Don't forget that you can your Annual Parks Pass to bypass the entrance fees!

If you go, leave a comment on this post and let us know how it was!