Central Coast fourth graders have a new offer from the federal government to visit the area's local national parks over the next year—for free.
A program called "Every Kid in a Park" kicked off on September 1, 2015 allowing fourth graders to earn a free pass that will be valid through August 31, 2016.
Jan Lemons is with Pinnacles National Park in Monterey County and told KCBX that her location is perfect for this opportunity.
"We encourage kids to come out," Lemons said. "We have several easier hikes for families, we have the caves to come explore, so it's definitely a great, great place to come take the kids."
Channel Islands National Park is another Central Coast option. California has more National Park units than any other state in the union, including some of the nation's most popular.
The pass includes free access to national forests and national wildlife refuges in a addition to the parks—and it good throughout the United States.