SEQUOIA & KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS FREE ACTIVITIES

For many families a road trip to the national parks is a summertime ritual. And why not? A national parks vacation is one of the most budget friendly family getaways. Entry is just $35 per car and the pass is good for 7 consecutive days. That’s a full week of outdoor fun for just $5 a day! There is no better deal than that.

Travel to national parks is ideal for the solo traveler, for small groups and even large multi-generational families. There is always something for everyone. At Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, families have been coming since Sequoia opened in 1890. For nearly 150 years, people have gathered beneath the towering giant sequoias and gazed up with awe. Now it is your turn.

To help inspire travelers, we have uncovered some hidden secrets and reveal top tips for FREE things to see and do when visiting Visalia and our nearby Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

Free things to see and do in Sequoia & Kings Canyon:

• Before you even head to the park, download the FREE Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks App. You will find lots of useful information including maps, hiking suggestions, top places to visit and more. And be sure to purchase your entry pass before heading to the parks. This will save you time at the entry gate.
  
  
• Read the FREE Park Newspaper. They are available online and are also handed out at the entry gate. By reading it ahead of time, you will already know the best places to see during your visit.
  
  
• Talk to a Ranger. You will find them at the visitor’s centers and usually at some of the most popular park sites. They are knowledgeable about the park and can be a valuable FREE resource. Learn about the animals of the parks, best places to see them, and other unique facts that will enhance you visit.

• Visit Giant Forest Museum – it’s FREE to enter. You will learn lots of interesting information about the parks, sequoia trees and more.
  
  
• Participate in a FREE Ranger Talk. The schedule of events is usually posted at the visitor’s center. These FREE talks cover topics like sequoia trees, what the animals of the parks footprints and scat look like, or even let visitors know what conservation efforts are underway at the parks.
  
  
• Find fun kids activity packs on the park’s website. Download them for FREE before your visit and help kids learn about science, stargazing, plants and animals. 

• Help your kids become Junior Rangers. This FREE program encourages kids to take an oath to help protect these special lands for generations to come. Even Fido can become a B.A.R.K. Ranger!
  
  
• Practice your photography skills. There are lots of places to take amazing photos – from vistas at the top of Moro Rock, to park animals and more. The parks often have photo contests for budding photographers.

                Insider Tip: When photographing the General Sherman Tree or other giant sequoia tree, use the “panorama” setting on your smartphone’s camera turned sideways to get the whole tree in your picture!

Volunteer at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks! Did you know that the National Park Service has a program for people interested in volunteering in the parks? From removing invasive plant species, to picking up trash to helping people enjoy the parks safely, the Volunteers in the Parks can make a giant impact.

Continue your budget friendly vacation outside the parks as well. Visalia has these fun and family friendly things to do that are also FREE.

• Take a bike ride. There are lots of trails for the casual rider to mountain bikers to serious cyclists.
  
  
• Hike at Kaweah Oaks Preserve along one of the several trails available.
  
  
• Participate in a Stewardship Day with Sequoia Riverlands Trust clearing trails, helping in the native plant nursery, or other projects.
  
  
• Take the FREE self-guided Visalia Then and Now Historic Walking Tour, Mural Tour and Art on Fire Tour, where the fire hydrants have been transformed into fun art.
  
  
• Fish (and play!) at Mooney Grove Park, California’s first county park (license require for 16+)
  
  
• Feed the ducks and geese at Plaza Park or let your Pup play at the Dog Park
  
  
• Tulare County Museum is FREE to visit. See one of the largest native American basket collections on display.
  
  
• Peruse the art on exhibit at the Arts Visalia gallery for FREE.
  
  
• Take part in the First Friday Art Walks where are is on display at various downtown businesses. Stroll from spot to spot to view the art and often meet the artist themselves.
  
  
• Have a picnic at Riverway Sports Park where there are lots of picnic areas, play structures, miles of grass, and even a Splash Pad, an interactive water feature for kids to cool off.