The California State Parks Foundation membership gifts are a great way to support our state park system and give the gift of outdoors. This is the first post in a series about how you can give the gift of play outdoors this year.
Remember, if you want to visit Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington State Beach, Doheny State Beach or many other state beaches and parks in Orange County – it’s going to cost you $15/day use. I certainly got my money’s worth out of my $125 annual pass this year. Here’s the day use fee schedule if you’re wondering about other parks. Annual passes are for day use only – not overnight camping.
About the CSPF
With 100,000 members, the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) is the only statewide independent nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting, enhancing and advocating for California’s magnificent state parks.
Since 1969, CSPF has raised more than $150 million to benefit state parks.
CSPF is committed to improving quality of life for all Californians by expanding access to the natural beauty, rich culture and history, and recreational and educational opportunities offered by California’s 279 state parks—the largest state park system in the United States.
Gift Membership (for New Members Only)
I like to recommend buying gift memberships through the Foundation because:
- You have the option of buying day use passes in smaller bundles ($25 for the Park Sampler and $60 for the Parks Plus)
- You get all sorts of extras like a state park map, John McKinney’s Day Hiker’s Guide to California’s State Parks and a one-year subscription to Sunset Magazine.
Here is a list of the Member Benefits for each level. Here’s the link to actually purchase the membership. To give a renewal gift of membership contact them at members@calparks.org or 800-963-7275.
Another Option: Purchase Annual Passes Directly from California State Parks
- Annual passes purchased directly from the California State Parks online store do not include all the extras from the Foundation (as listed above). You can only purchase the annual pass.
- However, you can purchase gift certificates through the store in a range of dollar amounts ($25-$250) which can be used for passes or any other gift item in their store.
Orange County State Parks (SP) and State Beaches (SB)
- Bolsa Chica SB
- Chino Hills SP
- Crystal Cove SP
- Doheny SB
- Huntington SB
- San Clemente SB
- NOTE: Corona Del Mar SB (excluded, but free parking along bluffs)
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You have an uncanny sense of timing … my hubby & I were just talking about looking into a State Parks Pass. So thank you! Looking forward to the remainder of your series.