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Date: June 4, 2009
Contact: Mindi Rambo, 212-668-2208

NEW YORK, New York — Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced that the National Park Service (NPS) will offer three entrance fee-free weekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit these national treasures. Those weekends are June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009.

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Salazar said. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends.”

There are 391 national parks located across the country, and 10 of those parks are in the New York City area:

• African Burial Ground National Monument,
• Castle Clinton National Monument,
• Federal Hall National Memorial,
• Gateway National Recreation Area,
• General Grant National Memorial (Grant’s Tomb),
• Governors Island National Monument,
• St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site in Mt. Vernon, NY,
• Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island,
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site, and
• Hamilton Grange National Memorial (closed for restoration).

Of these sites, only one charges an entrance fee – Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace NHS, which charges $3 per person.

The waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors—such as fees charged for transportation (including ferry rides), tours and use of concessions.

The National Park Service website provides information to help the public plan their park adventures at www.nps.gov.