Parks not Park

How to get to and enjoy parks without planing or parking!

This website was created to help people get to parks, recreation, forests, beaches, historical sites and places of interest using non-air and public transit conveyances with estimates of time and monetary costs and accessibility issues, be they time, money and physical ability.  Always check on the information provided yourself before purchasing and planning trips, keep our planet pretty by getting to parks without parking!

Monetary and time data were gathered late July 2023 and were estimated using travel searches about 1 to 2 months out in late Summer mid August to mid September 2023 using Amtrak for train estimates and Greyhound for bus estimates.  

Train or bus to Fresno and hop on the YARTS local bus system

Local Round Trip Fee: $40/8 hrs

LA Round Trip Train: $60/9 hrs

NYC Round Trip Train: $600/6 days

CHI Round Trip Train: $350/5 days

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $10-36/night

Train or bus to Idaho Falls and hop on the West Yellowstone Foundation local bus system

Local Round Trip Fee: $20/4 hrs

LA Round Trip Bus: $250/2 days

NYC Round Trip Bus: $450/5 days

CHI Round Trip Bus: $400/3 days

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $20-39/night

Train or bus to Chicago Union Station & S. Shore Line over to the Dunes

Local Metro Pass: $85.50/10ride pass

LA Round Trip Train: $300/5 days

NYC Round Trip Train: $250/2 days

CHI Round Trip Train: $0/Region

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: 12.50-25/night

Train or bus to most transit hubs in the DC area & hop on the WMATA

Local Metro Pass: $12-$58/week pass

LA Round Trip Train: $600/5.5 days

NYC Round Trip Train: $40/7 hrs

CHI Round Trip Train: $250/2 days

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Region NPS Camp Fees: $10-40/night

Train or bus to San Fransisco and hop on the many local transit systems buses, rail or sail at 511.org

Local Round Trip Fee: $40/4 hrs

LA Round Trip Train: $120/20 hrs

NYC Round Trip Train: $600/6 days

CHI Round Trip Train: $400/5 days

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $25-40/night

Train or bus to Miami and hop on the Miami-Dade County transit system buses, rail or trolley and the Homestead Trolley

Local Round Trip Fee: $70/4 hrs

LA Round Trip Train: $900/8 days

NYC Round Trip Train: $300/2 days

CHI Round Trip Train: $520/4 days

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $23-33/night

Bus to Duluth and hop on an Indian Trails bus to Ashland then BART local bus system to Bayfield

Local Round Trip Fee: $35/5 hrs

LA Round Trip Bus: $460/4 days

NYC Round Trip Bus: $380/4 days

CHI Round Trip Bus: $210/2 days

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $15-30/night

Train and/or bus to Marquette and hop on the Alger County Transit Regional bus then on to their Backpacker bus

Local Round Trip Fee: $51/4 hrs

LA Round Trip Train: $600/5 days

NYC Round Trip Train: $450/4 days

CHI Round Trip Train: $220/1 day

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $15+$5/night

Bus to Grand Rapids and hop on the Indian Trail bus to Traverse City, then take a BATA bus to the park area

Local Round Trip Fee: $56/1 hrs

LA Round Trip Bus: $460/4 days

NYC Round Trip Bus: $280/4 days

CHI Round Trip Bus: $50/6 hrs

Entrance Fee: $80/US NPS year pass

Camping Fees: $10-50/night