Have Fun with Dad at a Florida State Park

TALLAHASSEE – In honor of Father’s Day and in recognition of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service’s 75th Anniversary, 75 percent off day-use admission for any vehicle or group of up to eight people visiting a state park with their father will be offered on Sunday, June 20.

“We are pleased to offer this special discount for families as they celebrate this significant holiday,” said DEP’s Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock. “Florida’s state parks provide a perfect place for visitors to honor their father and connect with nature at the same time.”

Statewide, Florida’s state parks provide great settings for families to take Dad for this special holiday, and the Father’s Day discount coincides with Governor Charlie Crist’s recent announcement of free saltwater fishing this weekend along Florida’s beautiful shoreline. Dad and the family can go to a state park to enjoy a day of fishing, have a picnic on the beach, hike along a beautiful trail, or cool off while taking a relaxing tubing trip down the river.

At Honeymoon Island State Park on the Southwest coast, Dad and the family can enjoy a relaxing day fishing on the beach; building sandcastles and searching for seashells. Another great option is to take Dad to Big Talbot Island State Park where the family can hike several different trails and learn about Northeast Florida’s unique island habitats.

This discount is valid during regular park hours on Sunday, June 20, 2010 and excludes Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.

Created in 1935 by the Florida Legislature, the Florida State Park system has grown from eight to 160 parks in the last 75 years. Today, the Florida Park Service manages more than 700,000 acres of Florida’s natural environment, including 100 miles of beaches, eight National Historic Landmarks and 39 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Florida State Parks has been recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association as the nation’s first and only two-time Gold Medal winner for the nation’s best park service.

To learn more about the 75th Anniversary and the history of Florida State Parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org/history. To follow Florida State Parks on Twitter, visit www.Twitter.com/FLStateParks.