These Veterans Vacation Discounts Mean You Can Get Away Affordably

Cultural and natural experiences

The National Park Service offers veterans a free lifetime Military Pass, which covers entrance or day use fees at 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges and forests.

Kennedy Space Center offers veterans complimentary admission and 50 percent off one-day admission for up to four guests on Veterans Day every year.

Colonial Williamsburg gives veterans and up to three direct dependents complimentary admission once a year, either on Memorial Day weekend or Veterans Day weekend, as well as 25 percent off single-day admission and annual passes all year. 

Dollywood offers veterans, spouses, and dependents a discount of $26.70 on one, two, and three-day theme park tickets and season passes. 

National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, offers veterans $10 off tickets year-round for on-site ticket purchases.

Resorts with military discounts

Here are a few of the myriad resorts that offer military discounts:

Sun Outdoors RV Resorts offers veterans 20 percent off of select RV sites at participating resort locations with the code SALUTE.

Sandals Resorts offers veterans 10 percent off booking at its all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, the Bahamas, Curaçao, Grenada, and Barbados.

Beaches Resorts offers veterans 10 percent off at its all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica and Turks and Caicos.

Westgate Resorts offers veterans 10 percent off at its locations around the country.

Get veteran discounts on cruises

Margaritaville at Sea, a three-day, two-night cruise from Palm Beach, Florida, to Grand Bahama Island offers veterans a free cruise, as well as an offer of cruises for family and friends for as low as $49 each on select sailings.

Atlas Ocean Voyages offers veterans up to 20 percent off any suite or stateroom cruise fare on select yacht-style cruises and expeditions throughout the world, including to the Arctic. 

Norwegian Cruise Line offers veterans 10 percent off the cruise fare portion of any cruise, and the discount can be combined with Norwegian’s Free at Sea promotion that includes unlimited open bar, free specialty dining, free excursions, and free airfare for a guest.

Royal Caribbean offers undisclosed special rates to retired military personnel and veterans with an Honorable Discharge who served a minimum of 2 years, or 6-months in an active war zone.

MSC Cruises offers the military community and their families a 5 percent discount on interior and ocean view staterooms and a 10 percent discount on balcony, suite, and deluxe suite staterooms.

Carnival Cruise Line offers special rates for veterans, which you can discover by clicking “military” under the “deals” filter on its search page. Also, every Carnival cruise includes a special event that honors military personnel and their families.

Special offers on tours and expeditions

As with resorts, many tour and expedition companies offer discounts to veterans, so always ask when booking. Here are some to start with:

Outward Bound offers free outdoor adventure trips to recent veterans who have deployed as a part of their service.

Sea Lion Adventure Tours in Juneau, Alaska, offers veterans 10 percent off any of their tours, which include private marine safaris and sea kayaking adventures.

Moaning Caverns in Vallecito, California, offers veterans 10 percent off cave tours and spelunking tours using the code VIP at checkout.

Hot Air Expeditions in Arizona offers veterans and everyone in their ballooning party $20 off per person for all hot air balloon rides with the code MILITARY.

Green Boat Tour Company, a family-run airboat business in Desoto County, Florida, offers veterans $10 off their tour and $2 off for their guests.