How to Digitally Celebrate National Park Week
National Park Week
Every April, the National Park Service teams up with the National Park Foundation to celebrate the presidentially-proclaimed National Park Week! National Park Week 2020 will be from April 18 to April 26. The goal of this observance is to educate about the importance of national parks and the land and wildlife they protect, as well as encourage everyone to get out and explore the history, culture, and beauty of Earth’s amazing places.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, though, National Park Week will be a little different this year. Events have been canceled and most facilities are closed. While outdoor spaces in some parks are still open, for your safety and wellbeing, we recommend celebrating National Park Week digitally.
Digitally Celebrate National Park Week
This week, parks across the country will be hosting a variety of programs that focus on digital experiences, and as always, each day will have a different theme to celebrate. Listed below are some ways you can support your parks and have a great time from the safety of your home!
- Virtual Tours: Many national parks are offering virtual tours of their protected sites and landmarks. From a 360-degree video of Crater Lake National Park to the virtual tour of Virgin Islands National Park’s historic windmills and plantations, there is something for everyone! Simply set up your best camping cot at home and take a virtual tour!
- Live Webcams: Watching a live webcam is another way to virtually experience a national park! Turn on a live webcam to watch for wildlife, see the spring wildflowers bloom, or just sit back and relax to the sounds of nature! Some of our favorite views are the underwater Channel Islands National Park webcam and the live view of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park!
- Games and Activities: Find Your Virtual Park and see what special National Park Week online or at home games, activities, and challenges are being offered! There are several options to choose from, whether it is the Kids Portal or Distance Learning, the activities are endless and will keep you and the family entertained for the whole week!
- Social Media: Be social and share pictures and memories of your favorite national park trips! Use #NationalParkWeek (April16–26), #FindYourVirtualPark, and #FindYourPark or #EncuentraTuParque on any of your social media posts! You can also browse these hashtags to see what others are sharing and it may spark a conversation, a connection, or give you some inspiration for your next trip.
- Collect Virtual Passport Stamps: America’s National Parks is extending its Passport to Your National Parks program to include virtual passport stamps for participating in online national parks experiences and activities. You can download and print the PDF of your regular Passport To Your National Parks® and then paste the downloadable stamps on the page, or you can keep the stamps digital and share online with friends!
When you're done touring virtually, fold up your portable cot and start planning your next trip. For more fun ideas on how you can still celebrate National Park Week, visit NPS.gov!