Make this your best summer yet with days on the lake and evenings under the stars. Georgia State Parks offer a variety of affordable vacation ideas, like lakeside cottages at Tugaloo and Seminole, “glamping” yurts at High Falls and Skidaway Island, or spacious campsites at Laura S. Walker and Kolomoki Mounds. Days can be filled with hiking, fishing, swimming, mini-golf, geocaching, ranger programs and more without even having to leave the park. Plan your summer getaway on GaStateParks.org. (Photo by @wanderingwknds.)

National Fishing and Boating Week runs through June 11 – the perfect excuse for a day on the water. Enjoy free fishing with no license needed this Saturday, June 10. For great bass fishing, visit High Falls, Elijah Clark or George T. Bagby state parks. For catch-and-release flyfishing right outside your door, book a cottage at Smithgall Woods State Park. A.H. Stephens State Park will host its annual senior fishing rodeo on June 17. You can even borrow fishing gear from several locations. Learn more at GaStateParks.org.

Father’s Day is June 18, and a gift card from Georgia’s State Parks and Historic Sites is sure to make Dad’s day. Gift cards can be used for canoe rental, camping under the stars, golf, hiking gear or simply kicking back at a cabin. You can even add an annual ParkPass or historic site pass for a full year of adventures. Buy gift cards and passes online or in park offices.

Swimming season has begun, which means splash pads, lakeside beaches and swimming pools are in full swing. Victoria Bryant State Park offers swimming lessons in its pool, Magnolia Springs State Park lets kids burn off energy on a colorful “spray ground,” and more than a dozen lakeside beaches invite you to bury your toes in the sand. You’ll even find sliding rocks at Tallulah Gorge and Watson Mill Bridge state parks. Find more places to cool off on GaStateParks.org.