California state parks are so popular there’s a reservation system to manage attendance. But some people book a spot and then don’t turn up. That’s being addressed by new rules that mandate how much notice you need to give for a cancelation to avoid charges. And if you ghost a reservation three times, you’ll be banned from reserving for a year.
The changes: You’ll get a refund only if you cancel a week or more before your reservation starts. After that you’ll be charged the first night’s fee. And if you cancel two days or less before, you’ll give up your entire fee.
A one year ban: If you no-show three times in a calendar year, you’ll be banned from making a reservation for a year.
Why now: California state parks are very popular, including parks in Southern California like Crystal Cove State Beach, Bolsa Chica State Beach and Huntington State Beach. The summer months lead to high demand and the state has a reservation system to manage attendance,reservecalifornia.com
Keep up with LAist.
If you’re enjoying this article, you’ll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
The backstory: California legislators heard that there were significant no-shows at state parks before they passed Assembly Bill 618, the legislation that led to the current changes, which take effect July 1.