U.S. National Park Service Announces Entry-Free Days For 2022
National Park Service sites that typically charge an entrance fee are offering free admission on select days in 2022. In addition to Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 17, four fee-free entrance days remain:
April 16: First Day of National Park Week
August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 24: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day
The waiver applies to entrance fees only and does not cover amenity or user fees for camping, boat launches, transportation, tours, etc.
The free-admission days are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks. With at least one in every state, national parks are accessible places to visit to refresh body, mind, and spirit.
Before a national park visit, go to www.nps.gov or download the NPS app to plan and prepare.
Other federal land management agencies are offering their own fee-free days in 2022: the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Winnebago Expands Digital Shopping Experience
Winnebago has launched Winnebago Insider (www.winnebago.com/insider), designed to deliver customers insights about new and existing products in a user-friendly digital platform that is updated regularly with “breaking news,” including photos, floor plans, and user reviews. In addition, select RV models are brought to life with video stories from true insiders, among them Winnebago product managers, who provide expert commentary about special features, and Winnebago ambassadors, who describe what they like most about the models. A search function lets customers explore by lifestyle segments.
For its debut, the platform is spotlighting six new models with “insider” stories via videos ranging in length between five and 10 minutes. The models featured are as follows: the Hike 100, a small towable built for going beyond the beaten path; the Micro Minnie FLX, a compact travel trailer created for off-grid wayfaring; the Roam, a Type B motorhome expressly designed for wheelchair users and complete with a lift; the Ekko, a Type C coach for avid explorers; the Solis Pocket, Winnebago’s most affordable camper van; and the Vista and Sunstar 33K, gas-powered Type A coaches for RVers of all types.
KOA To Add EV Charging Stations
Owners of the 520 campgrounds in the Kampgrounds of America network can participate in a new program to implement Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers by purchasing the KOA-branded EV chargers for their properties.
The Level 2 EV charging stations are being produced in partnership with Jamestown Advanced Products, supporting KOA’s goal of promoting sustainable transportation and infrastructure at KOA campgrounds.
According to KOA research, one in five campers have an EV in their household, compared to 12 percent of non-campers. The national average for EV ownership is approximately 7 percent.
Each unit will be able to charge one electric vehicle while also providing amperage for RVs through an available outlet. The Level 2 chargers utilize a 240-volt electric supply and can charge the vehicle up to 10 times faster than a Level 1 (120-volt) charger, KOA literature notes.
Each EV charging station will allow for the addition of 50-, 30-, or 20-amp receptacles and will include a universal access charging plug and 25 feet of cable. Registered campers will receive priority access to the charging stations.
The KOA EV charging stations were scheduled to be available beginning in early 2022.