America’s national parks will be fee-free once again next weekend as the nation celebrates Veteran’s Day. Beginning Saturday, November 10 and running through Monday, November 12, all parks in the U.S. system will waive any entrance fees for visitors, making this a great opportunity to enjoy the fall weather in some of the most scenic and historic locations in all of North America.
While many of the parks are now past their peak period for enjoying the autumn colors, not all of the leaves are down just yet. Next weekend would make a great time to take a hike in the Great Smokey Mountains or Yosemite for instance, where the seasonal change is still in progress. For those of us who live in the south, the weather has finally cooled off, allowing us to head outside after another long summer. That makes locations such as Big Bend, the Everglades or even the Grand Canyon much more appealing. Even the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park still has 29 miles open for visitors who want to experience that pristine environment ahead of the arrival of winter.
Over the past few years, the fee-free days in the national parks have become incredibly popular with visitors and 2012 has been no exception. The Park Service hasn’t announced their fee-free dates for 2013 just yet, and next weekend is the final opportunity to take advantage of this option for this year. It seems like it’ll be the perfect time to load up the car with friends and family and visit your favorite park or explore a new one.
For a complete list of parks, sorted by state, that will be participating in the fee-free weekend, click here.
“Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2″ opens worldwide on November 16 and fans of the series have some unique options for getting excited about the final installment. Fan clubs, cinemas and tour operators from around the world are offering special events, viewings and even a chance to be on the red carpet with the stars of the film.
In theaters-
Across the country and around the world, theaters have different versions of a Twilight Saga Marathon, showing all five films. In Seattle, not far from Forks, Washington, where the story originates, Regal Cinemas has a special deal: a $15 marathon package that gets loyalty club members the entire saga from the first episode, ending with the 10 p.m. showing of “Breaking Dawn Part 2.”
Starting with a pre-reception with the film’s director Bill Condon along with Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and other actors from the film, the winner and three guests then go to the Nokia Theatre where VIP seats await for the world premiere, followed by an after party with the cast.
Fans can bid on the package between now and November 7, 2012. At last look, the bid stood at $6000.
Remote but personal-
Can’t make it to the premiere anyway? Yahoo! will exclusively Livestream the world premiere on Monday, November 12, starting at 8:30 Eastern time. That streaming video will no doubt be the backdrop for “Breaking Dawn” premiere parties held around the world.
Coming from around the planet-
Interest in the “Twilight Saga” is worldwide and the vacation planners at Tour America in Dublin have suggestions for fans of the series that visit the places where the movie was filmed.
One idea is to fly into Seattle for a three-night stay in the Warwick Seattle Hotel, in the heart of the city. Pick up a car and head west towards Port Angeles, a coastal town with access to “Twilight” locations including Bella Italia, the restaurant where Edward and Bella had their first date.
Another idea puts visitors at The Quality Inn Uptown, which has views both of Port Angeles harbor and Olympic National Park where the National Park Service cares for mountain vistas, meadows of wildflowers, colorful ocean tide pools and some of the largest remnants of ancient forests left in the country, not far from the town of Forks.
Win a trip to Italy-
To celebrate the conclusion of the “Twilight” series, our friends at AOL’s Moviefone and Summit Entertainment are giving away an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy, one of the locations on the Cullen’s global quest.
The winner gets a six-day stay in “Lo Stivale.” To enter, like Moviefone’s Facebook page and leave your name and email on the “Breaking Dawn” tab.
To date, the Twilight franchise has grossed over $2.5 billion in worldwide box office. Since the 2005 release of the first novel in the series, Twilight, the books have sold over 100 million copies worldwide with translations into over 30 different languages.
The Park Service is quick to point out that the extra money will go directly to the climbing cost recovery fee, which is used to manage and support climbing on the 14,411-foot mountain. All funds generated by the fee are specifically designated to keeping Mt. Rainier clean, staffing the mountain with experienced rangers and information center personnel, and providing gear and other equipment for safe expeditions up the peak.
Rainier is amongst the more popular mountaineering destination in the U.S., drawing approximately 10,500 climbers on an annual basis. Most spend 2-3 days going up the popular Camp Muir route on the mountain’s southeast face. It is a challenging technical ascent that requires experience in glacier trekking, some rope skills and the use of crampons for success. Many climbers view Rainier as a good place to build such skills, particularly if they have plans to attempt larger mountains such as Denali or one of the big Himalayan peaks.
The most common cause for a failed attempt on Rainier is most likely the weather. The mountain is known for its fickle conditions, which can change very quickly. More than one climber or hiker has to be rescued from its slopes each year because they are caught off guard by sudden snow or rainstorms. Because of this, it is always advisable that hikers and climbers carry extra clothing, food and water with them, even if they are only planning a day hike.
For those interested in climbing Rainier, there are a number of good guide services available. I’d personally recommend the very experienced and reliable crew at RMI Expeditions. The may cost a little more than some of the competition, but they are most definitely worth it.
Now in its second year, National Archaeology Day was founded to not only help raise awareness of the importance of archaeology but also to celebrate the thrill and excitement of discovery. To that end, the AIA, working in conjunction with local chapters and clubs, has come up with some fun, family-friendly activities that can help everyone get into the spirit of the celebration. There are literally dozens of events taking place across the U.S. (and some abroad!) that will give everyone the opportunity to learn what archaeology is all about. To find an event close to you, check out the NAD events page. You’ll find everything from film screenings, guided tours, lectures, simulated digs and much more.
Many U.S. national parks were created around important historical sites, making them popular destinations for professional and amateur archaeologists alike. For those interested in gaining first hand experience and knowledge of what takes place on an archaeological dig, the Park Service has posted a list of volunteer opportunities within the system. Those opportunities include fieldwork with the Smithsonian Institute and the AIA, volunteer programs with the Forest Service and collaborations with various archaeology centers across the nation.
If you’re someone who is fascinated by the study of human history or would just like to know more about archaeology in general, than Saturday will definitely be a day for you. Judging from the various activities that will be taking place around the country, it should be a fun and fascinating day.
Saturday is National Public Lands Day in the U.S. and to celebrate, the National Park Service is waiving entry fees to all of the parks. The day is set aside on an annual basis to not only recognize the value and importance of public lands but to organize opportunities to maintain and protect them as well.
During last year’s National Public Lands Day, more than 170,000 volunteers worked on 2067 sites spread out across every state in the country. They spent the day collecting over 23,000 pounds of invasive plants, building or maintaining 1500 miles of trails, removing 500 tons of trash and planting 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants. Their efforts helped to improve some of our favorite national parks and forests while protecting the environment and other natural resources. A similar number of volunteers are expected to turn out this Saturday as well, with opportunities in abundance once again. To find a work site near you, simply click here.
Even if you don’t plan on volunteering for the day, you can still enjoy free entry into the national parks. For a complete list of locations that will be completely free on Saturday, click here.
On a related note, the final fee-free days for the national parks in 2012 will be November 10-12 in celebration of Veterans Day.