On August 25, the National Park Service (NPS) is celebrating their 98th birthday by opening America's 401 national parks to visitors free of charge.
Connecticut's one national park is free all year, but the birthday of the NPS is a good excuse to visit Weir Farm, located in Wilton and Ridgefield. The park (technically a national historic site) was the summer home of painter Julian Alden Weir (1852-1919).
Today, Weir Farm is the only National Park Service site to focus on American painting. It offers arts programs, tours, and 60 acres of hiking trails.
The National Park Service also manages the following sites and trails in Connecticut:
-The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor
-The Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail
For more on the National Park Service's birthday, visit nps.gov.