Washington’s parking passes are waived November 11, and three coastal state parks make the best use of the day
Most people only think about Washington’s parking pass when they’re staring at a pay station in the rain. On Wednesday, November 11, you can skip it entirely. No Discover Pass is needed at Washington state parks that day, and the coast is a very good place to spend the freebie.
It’s Veterans Day, it’s November, and the coast does its best moody-sky impression. That suits three coastal parks perfectly.
Psst, we made you a West Coast Adventure Map. Nearly 1,900 of our favorite spots, already pinned, ready to load into Google Maps in two clicks: grab it here.
What “free” covers (and what it doesn’t)
The waiver applies to parking at Washington state parks, plus land managed by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Overnight stays and rented facilities are not included, and Sno-Park permits are still required at designated Sno-Parks.
📍 GET THE ULTIMATE PNW MAP 🗺️
Get our curated list of the best adventures, things to do, and places to grab a brew loaded onto your maps with just two clicks!
✅ Waterfalls ✅ Hikes ✅ Viewpoints
✅ Craft breweries ✅ National Parks ✅ 1400+ Pins
The same day is also a fee-free day at national parks, which makes Olympic a sensible backup if the state parks feel too tame. It’s one of only 12 Discover Pass free days this year, and the last one of 2026.
Cape Disappointment: a headland built for gray weather
This is the park where the Columbia River meets the Pacific, and November is when that meeting gets dramatic. The walk to the 1856 Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is short: about a mile round trip from the Cape D Road trailhead, with roughly 150 feet of climbing. You’ll top out around 220 feet, which is plenty for a view of the swells piling in over the river bar.
If you start from the park entrance trailhead instead, expect about 2.4 miles round trip and around 500 feet of climbing. It’s a better workout, and a good use of a day when parking costs nothing.
Fort Casey: the right place for Veterans Day
My pick for this particular holiday is Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. Congress authorized the fort in 1896, and it was fully operational by 1902. It trained soldiers for World War I, was reactivated as an induction and training center in World War II, and wasn’t permanently deactivated until 1953.
The two 10-inch disappearing guns you can walk up to today were shipped over from the Philippines in 1968. Admiralty Head Lighthouse sits on the same grounds, and its original lantern now lives on the New Dungeness Lighthouse. Bring a flashlight, because the best part of a fort is always the dark rooms.
Deception Pass: the bridge you can walk
Deception Pass State Park is the one to pick if you want drama without a long hike. The bridge opened in 1935, stands about 180 feet above the water, and runs 1,487 feet across two spans. Each side has a 3-foot-wide sidewalk, so you can walk out and look straight down at the churning channel.
Pair it with Fort Casey and you’ve got a full Whidbey Island day without paying to park at either. Not sure which one wins? Deception Pass for the views, Fort Casey for the story.
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, and grab a Discover Pass for every other day you’ll be parking at a state park this year.
Rules and fees change, so always confirm current requirements before you go.
Which would you pick for a free Wednesday: the lighthouse headland, the old fort, or the bridge? Tell us in the comments.
