You heard it right and if you didn’t know by now, now you know. All U.S. National Parks are free on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, along with 16 other days this year. Why? The National Parks Service will turn a mighty 100 years old in 2016, so why not celebrate?

– January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
– April 16 through 24: National Park Week
– August 25 through 28: National Park Service Birthday
– September 24: National Public Lands Day
– November 11: Veterans Day

While I haven’t frequented many NPs in California, there are quite a few on my list to visit. If you aren’t sure what’s close to you, check out the listing on National Parks’ website. Happy trails!

Point Reyes (Lead photo)

Large swaths of coastal habitat with ever changing landscape and gorgeous views.

Redwood National Forest

HUGE redwood park, some of the tallest on the earth.

Death Valley

“Hottest, driest, lowest.” Need I say more?

Joshua Tree National Park

Picturesque dessert scenes with a large variety of plant life.

Devil’s Postpile

Waterfalls and cool basalt columns (naturally forming hexagonal rocks).

Sequoia & Kings Canyon

Epic forest with majestic trees in a rugged setting.