Kansas state parks will offer free admission on Black Friday

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – All 28 state parks in Kansas will be free to visit on Black Friday.

The Kansas City Star reports that entrance fees will be waived for all visitors, including guests from out of town. Linda Lanterman, director of Kansas State Parks, in a statement that being “being outside in nature does wonders for our physical and mental health.“

Outdoor equipment and sporting goods store REI spearheaded the tradition of outdoor excursions on Black Friday in 2015. Instead of participating in the holiday shopping rush, the store closed all of its locations for the day and encouraged employees to spend time outdoors instead.

In the years since, many state parks have followed suit. Some also are hosting free events or other deals to draw in visitors.