Free Rides and Regional Park Entry For Veterans and Active Duty Military Personnel

Thursday, May 16, 2019 - 4:15pm

Sonoma County, Marin County and the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) District are partnering to provide veterans, and active duty military personnel and their families with free train service and free entry to county parks during the Memorial Day weekend. The free train service and free parks entry begins Saturday, May 25, through Monday, May 27, with a valid military identification card, or Veterans Administration identification card.

The free train service and free entry to parks is designed to provide veterans and military personnel and their families with recognition and thanks for all that they have done for our country.

“This collaboration with SMART and Marin County allows us to deliver a gesture of appreciation to all of those heroes who put themselves on the line to protect our Country,” said Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Rabbitt. “We remain grateful for their sacrifices.”

SMART officials said they are pleased to partner with both counties to provide free train service on Memorial Day weekend for those who have served our country.

“This is our way of honoring the service of the brave men and women and their families who have done so much for our country,” said SMART Board Chairman Gary Phillips. “We are grateful to both Sonoma and Marin counties for their partnership, and we look forward to seeing our veterans and military families on board for the Memorial Day weekend.”

Passes for free entrance to Sonoma County Regional Parks are available in advance at the Sonoma County Regional Parks’ main office, and at the Sonoma County Veterans Service Office in Santa Rosa. Passes will also be available at staffed entrances at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa, Doran Beach in Bodega Bay, and Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol. Visitors requesting passes will be asked to show a valid military identification card, a veteran’s identification card, or an honorable discharge record. For more information, visit: https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Learn/Press-Releases/Free-Parking-to-Veterans-and-Military-Memorial-Day-Weekend/

Marin County Parks is providing free entry to three regional parks for veterans and active duty members of the armed forces. From Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, the regular $10 parking fee will be waived for vets at McNears Beach Park in San Rafael, Stafford Lake Park near Novato, and Paradise Beach Park on the Tiburon Peninsula. The free entry covers up to 10 people riding with a veteran or active duty military personnel. For more information visit: https://www.marincounty.org/main/county-press-releases/press-releases/2019/parks-memorialday-051419