Florida State Parks will offer free admission to all visitors on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11, in recognition of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The initiative is part of a broader effort by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to honor veterans and reflect on their contributions as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.
DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert stated, “This Veterans Day and every day, we honor our nation’s veterans and sincerely thank them for their selflessness and service. 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 Florida state parks have direct historical connections to military service. Avalon State Park in St. Lucie County was once a World War II training camp for Frogmen who would become 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.
Other notable sites include Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park in Baker County, where the 54th Massachusetts Regiment participated in the Battle of Olustee, and Orman House Historic State Park in Franklin County, which features a bronze replica of the Three Servicemen Statue from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
In addition to free admission on Veterans Day (with Skyway Fishing Pier State Park excluded), Florida State Parks provide ongoing benefits for military personnel throughout the year. These include a 25% discount on annual entrance passes for active-duty members and honorably discharged veterans, as well as free lifetime entrance passes for veterans with service-connected disabilities and for surviving spouses or parents of those killed in combat.
For more information about how Florida State Parks recognize veterans’ service, visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/Florida-State-Parks-Appreciate-Veterans.
