Psst! Have you seen our 2018 Summer Bucket List? More than 50 of the best things to do with kids in (and around) CT this season. You’d better get going ?
I’d like to pretend, as the co-owner and editor of a blog all about things to do with kids in Connecticut, that I am always in the know about the latest developments in family fun. However, not only would that be a major stretch, but I think after almost 7 years of reading this blog, any one of our readers knows us better than that 🙂
The truth is, most of the time we find out about the latest happenings much like any other parent does: advertising, tips from friends, dumb luck.
And it’s that last one that’s responsible for today’s post!
You see, I was actually doing some “research” for a totally different post for this week. I was busy trying to update our Places to Cool Off in Connecticut post (given the oppressive heat this past week, I thought we could all use that!) when I happened upon this exciting piece of information:
Connecticut has launched the Passport to Parks Program. Residents are no longer required to pay a parking fee at CT State Parks and Forest recreation areas, due to DMV collecting a $10 fee ($5 per year) on behalf of DEEP at the time of registration and registration renewals for non-commercial motor vehicles.
As (dumb) luck would have it, I also just got a registration renewal in the mail for my car. And sure enough, there’s the charge!
So what’s the story, you ask? Well, starting in February of 2018, Connecticut now offers all residents with Connecticut license plates on their vehicles free parking at all state parks and beaches. Which means you can…
Because many of the destinations we have blogged about over the years that offer water activities (ponds, beaches, waterfalls) are now FREE to Connecticut residents!
Okay, okay. So I know someone is going to point out that we actually are paying for it with our vehicle registration fee. But really, we’re getting unlimited state park visits for what it would have cost us to visit once in previous years. That’s close enough to free for me!
Plus, I think it’s a wonderful way to make our state parks more accessible, and I hope more CT residents start taking advantage of these amazing local resources. If you have questions about the new program, you can find a great list of FAQ’s HERE.
Of course, just because the focus of this week’s post went a bit astray, I couldn’t leave you hanging all summer without one of our most important posts! So I also went ahead and updated that list of our favorite places to cool off (from a quick dip to a road trip!), so be sure to check that out for the latest information on all those destinations.
Keep your cool out there 🙂
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