Annual Pass in National Park

Mt. Dana / Yosemite

　　　Some people might be aware that I was originally from Japan.   I have been living in the United States for almost twenty years.

　　　One of interesting thing I found in this country is an annual pass.   It is very popular in many places, including theme parks, museums, zoos and etc.   I saw a similar concept in Japan, but the difference between the once time and the annual in Japan is much larger than here in the United States.  Since the price difference is big, I have never bought annual pass in Japan.  However, I started buying annual passes right after I moved in.

　　　Typically, an annual pass price is probably a several times higher than one time, it is sometimes only a few times expensive.  Recently, I bought an annual pass for National Parks, which is US $80.   If just single visit to Yosemite National Park is US $30 per a car.  So if people plan to visit National parks three times, then annual pass is lower cost.  In our family case, we definitely visit more than three times and we always buy an annual pass.   A similar things I had done when our kids were little, I bought an annual path for a zoo.  In many cases, I think annual pass would be a reasonable price in most of places, especially people live in the local area of the facility for the pass.   But now, I think the one time ticket is probably too expensive.  That’s is why people tend to buy the annual pass here.   The service provider might want people to come multiple times.  Therefore, they set the price like that.  At least people, who buy an annual pass, may visit the place at least a few times during the period. 

　　　In Japan, they assume people might not come multiple times, therefore, they try to get more people with one time ticket.  If I think about like this, a lot of facts can be explained.   As an example, museum in Japan, they usually has the same display for a long time except some special event.   But many museums here are doing change their display so often.   It is good for repeaters to see something different every time.  On the other hand, people might not come back if the display is almost the same as the last visit.   So the strategy to get people is different!

Anyway, I think the annual pass system for the national park here is very good.  There are many national park around San Francisco Bay area and I believe the fee is considered as a donation which is tax deductible.     I am not sure if it is still true or not, but previously, there is some discount for camping fee in a National park.  Then if it is one time, people tend to stay longer in a park, to try seeing as much as they can.   However, if people have annual pass, then once they finish their purpose for a visit, such as a short hiking, then they can leave and try to plan the next trip.  Typically, National Park here is huge, and it will take some time to look around a park.  This is also good to focus a partial area in a visit.

　　　Yosemite National Park is one of very famous National Parks in the United States, it is always crowded in summer time.    It is probably hard to visit multiple places in a day.  It is also hard to get a place people can stay overnight in the park or near the park.  People who come from outside of California, they might not have much choice.  However, we live in around 3 hours driving range.  Therefore, it is easy to make a day trip for one particular area.  I believe the one time entrance is valid for seven days.  Therefore, unless people continuously stay in / near the park, people require to pay another fee in the next weekend.  I guess it might be a bit expensive just pay $30 for a weekend.   It is much better to have an annual pass, don’t you think?

　　　My previous pass was expired in June this year and I bought a new pass in the July fourth weekend.  Since then, I visited Lassen Volcanic National Park and Yosemite National Park twice.   If I buy one time tickets, it will be $20 for Lassen and $60 for Yosemite twice, total $80 which is the same as the annual pass.  The other benefit is if people have an annual pass, sometimes they offer a faster line or bypass the entrance station if the line getting into the park is long.   The last weekend, they did at an entrance of Tioga Pass in Yosemite.  People who does not have the pass needs to wait in a line.

　　　It is nice to consider an annual pass for a national park in the United States!