Green Friday lures thousands outside and into California’s state parks

Press Democrat

Lucine Luna of Windsor paused along a trail in Jack London State Historic Park on Friday, gazing at part of the 1,400-acre Beauty Ranch once owned by the famous author.

“The colors of the vineyards are just — wow,” she said, observing the post-harvest red and yellow grape leaves adorning a slope. “That’s why we’re here.”

Luna and her daughter, Kathryn, were among the thousands of folks who opted to feast their eyes — for free — on Mother Nature’s cornucopia a day after feasting on Thanksgiving turkey.

The Lunas claimed two of the 13,000 parking and admission passes offered online in the inaugural Green Friday promotion co-sponsored by the California State Parks and two nonprofits, the Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks Foundation.

The passes were offered on the same day, and as an antidote to, Black Friday, the shop-til-you-drop onslaught that kicks off the holiday shopping season, during which retailers typically reap 30 percent of their annual sales…Read More

Photo Credit: Della Huff