Want to camp in BC this summer? Now is a great time to start dreaming and scheming of where to wake up in beautiful BC nature.

Since BC Parks camping reservations now open four months before your stay (that’s earlier than ever), grabbing the perfect campsite can feel like winning the lottery.

You can boost your odds with some smart preparation. Here’s how to increase your chances of booking an amazing camping spot this year.

Why book early?

People like to visit BC and people really like to visit our campsites. BC Parks campgrounds are in high demand, especially popular spots like Golden Ears Park near Maple Ridge or Rathtrevor Beach Park in Parksville on Vancouver Island since they’re both scenic and relatively close to large populations.

Across the province, camping reservations for weekends in July and August will often fill up within minutes. To avoid missing out, plan ahead and be ready to pounce the moment reservations open.

How to prep for your booking day

• Research your destination
  Start by exploring the BC Parks map to find a campsite that fits your needs. Should your dream campsite:
  • Be close to home or a cross-province adventure?
  • Offer interesting activities. Can you kayak to a small island? Is there a nice beach nearby? Or maybe you secretly want to be close to a good local coffee shop?
  • Have easy-to-get-to car camping, or hike-to-get-there camping?
  • Deliver the type of experience you want. Do you need a family-friendly spot with a playground? Would you like to be near a lake for fly fishing? Or somewhere remote for stargazing?
• Get familiar with the reservation system
  Visit BC Parks Camping to understand how the booking process works.
  
  Start by registering for an account if you don’t already have one and practice navigating through the site. Get a feel for it. Read up on different campgrounds. Check out all the services each campsite offers. Pick your top three favorites and know how to quickly find them on booking day. You can even do a pretend booking so you get comfortable with the system.
• Know your equipment
  Your options for campsites often depend on what you’re bringing and driving in. Will you be tenting or camping in your van, RV or trailer? Will it be a weekend getaway with friends and family on the same campsite? Plan ahead to know what type of campsite you'll need to accommodate the equipment and people you'll be bringing.
• Note your ideal dates and plan around high-demand weekends
  It’s no surprise that weekend reservations in peak months (July and August) are the hardest to get.
  Of course, here are the big three toughest reservations to book:
  
  
  • Canada Day weekend around July 1st – book at end of February
  • BC Day weekend in early August – book in early April
  • Labour Day weekend in early September – book in early May
  
  Knowing that summer weekends are precious and competitive, try to be flexible and nimble. If you can choose a different weekend or even arrive midweek, that may give you an advantage. Keep in mind – on holiday weekends, you usually have to reserve a minimum of three nights. Also, at most BC Parks campsites, you can stay for a maximum of 14 nights each calendar year. Check the rules while making your plans.

Get ready for booking day!

• Be ready early
  Campsites open up for booking at 7am PST, four months before the exact date you want to arrive at your campsite. For example, If you want to reserve a site starting July 18, reservations for your date will open the morning of March 18.
  
  The night before your big booking day, ensure you have all your information ready and on-hand: BC Parks account login information, dates you want to camp and equipment. Log into your BC Parks Camping account at least 10 minutes before 7am and join the virtual waiting room.
• How the waiting room works
  At 7am on your booking day, everyone in the waiting room gets randomly assigned a spot in line (heads up: this process can take up to 60 seconds). The system will refresh and your position will appear at the bottom of the screen along with your estimated wait time. Don’t refresh the page manually. Just let the system do its thing and work its way to you. You might want to use multiple screens to maximize your chances of a high queue number.
  
  While you wait, get your credit card ready, keep your coffee away from your keyboard and don’t drift around the Internet. It’s important to focus here. You don’t want any distractions for when it’s time to book your spot.
• Complete your booking quickly
  When it’s your turn (hooray!), the adrenaline really kicks in because you now have 15 minutes to book and pay for your reservation. Got your spot? Great! Double-check all your dates and details and quickly finish the transaction. Pro tip: If all sites are booked by 7:01am, don’t fret, check again around 7:15am to 7:20am. Some spots may reopen if other people (who didn’t drink their wake-up coffee like you) failed to finalize their bookings in time.

What if you don’t get a spot?

Missed out? It happens. You still have options, though:

• Watch for cancellations: People often cancel reservations, so check back frequently on the BC Parks Camping site.
• First-come, first-served campgrounds: Many BC Parks have non-reservable sites, such as Juniper Beach Park near Cache Creek and Savona. If you get to the campground first, it’s yours.
• Private campgrounds: Explore private camping options, which can be booked directly through the campground. Here’s where to find private campsites in BC.

Pro tips for a wonderful camping adventure

Once you’ve secured your campsite, treat yourself. Buy that croissant. Take yourself to lunch. You’ve earned it by giving yourself the gift of something amazing to look forward to for the next four months.

Then use the months leading up to your trip to prepare. Plan your trip each week, create a packing list, clean and test your camping gear and plan your summer fun – like where you’ll hike and kayak.

For more tips on how to truly enjoy summer BC camping, check out our essential guide to camping. Make sure you’re all set with our blog to get your vehicle road trip ready or if you’re travelling in an RV, we have you covered too.

Ready to hit the road and wake up in nature?

BCAA is here to protect your trip and make sure you're covered during your summer road trips. Not a BCAA Member yet? Join today to get access to the Best Roadside Assistance and hundreds of great savings on everyday purchases.

Happy camping!