DOVER – Give a gift that lasts all year long – an annual Delaware State Parks pass good for admission year-round to all state parks. The new passes, as well as surf permits, will go on sale online beginning Friday, Nov. 25, and at authorized stores and park offices beginning Monday, Nov. 28.
DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation has more good news for visitors: the placement of the annual pass has changed this year. It adheres to the outside of a vehicle’s windshield, rather than the inside.
“Many of our customers were having difficulty removing the sticker, and with tinted windshields, the Division felt it was time to put the sticker on the outside,” said Mary Voshell, chief of the Division’s Office of Business Services. “On the outside, the pass will be much easier to adhere to – and remove from – the windshield.” The pass will also be much more visible, Voshell added. “Staff and park rangers can now more easily see the pass in order to waive customers through the entrance stations and to check for violations.”
The new annual passes are $35 for residents and $18 for residents age 62 and older. These, along with surf tags and military passes will be available online Nov. 25 at www.destateparks.com/fees/passes. On Nov. 28, the public can purchase them from state park offices, DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building at 89 Kings Highway, or from authorized agents including: Eastern Marine in Newark, Carlisle Marine in Smyrna, Sam’s Fishing and Tackle in Greenwood, That Place in Millsboro, and Dover Air Force Base and the Rehoboth Beach/ Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.
Delaware State Parks annual park passes and surf permits make great holiday gifts for the entire family, providing a full year of outdoor adventure, in one of Delaware’s 14 state parks. Whether it’s to hike or bike one of the many trails, walk the sandy beaches, participate in a nature program or attend an evening concert, the annual pass is a gift filled with year round activities.
“For just $35, Delaware residents can enjoy unlimited park visits for families and friends to enjoy the outdoors,” said Ray Bivens, Delaware State Parks director. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who support our efforts to preserve and protect open space, improve services and expand recreational opportunities. It is truly the support of Delawareans and visitors to our state that has been the cornerstone of our wonderfully diverse parks system.”
Delaware’s state parks are primarily self-funded; 65 percent of state park revenue used to operate and maintain the parks is generated by park users. Annual passes not only are important to sustain state parks, they are a convenient way to access the parks for the entire fee season.
Delaware State Parks won the highest honor a state parks system can receive: the 2016 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. This prestigious award recognizes state parks systems throughout the nation that best address the needs of those they serve. Delaware State Parks was the only small state to ever be voted “America’s Best.”
Vol. 46, No. 402
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