TALLAHASSEE – In order to continue to offset state tax revenues, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service will increase park fees beginning Wednesday, July 1, 2009, in conjunction with the state’s fiscal calendar.
“Florida’s award-winning state parks provide inexpensive, high quality recreation in an unmatched natural setting,” said DEP Deputy Secretary of Land and Recreation Bob Ballard in a release.
As the first fee update in five years, additional state park user fees will supplement current revenue sources used to maintain the state’s valuable natural and cultural resources within Florida’s 160 state parks.
Nearly half of the $81 million used to operate the state park system is raised from entrance and usage fees.
Some of the most common fees that will change include:
- Day-use entrance fee for vehicles with up to eight people: average increase of $1 – $3.
- Camping fees: average increase of $4 per night.
- Cabin rental fees: average increase of $10 per night.
- Annual Pass: $60 for individuals and $120 for families up to eight people. The Florida Park Service Annual Pass is good for day-use entrance into Florida’s state parks and a 33 percent discount for individual admission to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Skyway Fishing Pier State Park and Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.
“With state park attendance breaking records and still on the rise, we have heard overwhelming support to keep all state parks open and available to the public,” said Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock.
In addition to these increases, the Florida Park Service will lower the cost of admission at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Spring Hill to bring the cost of admission down to rates more consistent with Florida’s other state parks. The cost of admission for an adult will decrease from $26.57 to $13 and from $18.05 to $5 for children.
View a complete list of Florida State Park entry fees. All additional fees will be posted on the Florida State Parks Web site at www.floridastateparks.org on July 1, 2009.
