When the kids are home for spring break, Virginia State Parks offer an outstanding opportunity for the entire family to relax, reconnect and enjoy the great outdoors.
This year, every state park will provide special activities and programs during the time when most Virginia school districts are on spring break, the weeks before and after Easter, March 30 – April 15. Parks will offer special ranger-led educational programs, self-guided activities, and other programs reflecting the unique character of each park.
The award-winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
“This is the first time we’ve been this intentional in reaching out to families during this time of year,” said DCR State Parks Director Joe Elton. “We’re offering new workshops and activities, special guided hikes, and many other ways and opportunities for families to enjoy spring break in any of our 35 state parks. If you’re a longtime repeat guest, or if you’ve never considered visiting a state park before, spring break is a wonderful time of year to pay us a visit – just for the day or the entire week.”
The increasingly popular geo-caching program is offered in every Virginia State Park.Geo-caching is an outdoors scavenger hunt with a 21st-century twist. Electronic global positioning system (GPS) units are used to find caches hidden at predetermined GPS coordinates. Caches include a log book and assorted trinkets to swap or keep. Caches in Virginia State Parks include collectable wildflower cards, and prizes are available for dedicated geo-cachers who log multiple finds.
New this year, the Virginia State Parks’ Blooming Adventure program highlights wildflowers of Virginia. For more about geo-caching, visit geocaching.com where you can register and record all your geo-cache finds.
Every Virginia State Park has GPS geo-caching units available for rent at $6 per half day and $10 for a full day.
Spring break is also a good time to get outdoors and enjoy camping in a state park.
All state park campgrounds are open for the 2012 season and make great overnight accommodations during spring break.
Reservations for cabins and campgrounds are taken up to 11 months in advance, but good campsites are available nearly all the time. Nearly all Virginia State Parks campgrounds are open through Dec. 3, 2012.
For more information about Virginia State Parks activities and amenities or to make reservations in one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit virginiastateparks.gov.
-Press release
