Campgrounds and parks in Ontario are filling up rapidly, especially for peak season weekends, as campers increasingly opt for local trips due to ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States. Expert campers advise booking provincial parks five months in advance, and conservation areas like Fanshawe are seeing over 90% occupancy for summer weekends.
Campgrounds and parks filling up fast as campers look to stay local
CanadaLondonUnited StatesEnvironmental conservation and preservationProvincial and territorial parksLabour DayTravel
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Campgrounds and parks in Ontario are filling up rapidly, especially for peak season weekends, as campers increasingly opt for local trips due to ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States. Expert campers advise booking provincial parks five months in advance, and conservation areas like Fanshawe are seeing over 90% occupancy for summer weekends.
Trending- 1 February 2025: Fanshawe Conservation Area began accepting reservations.
- 2 June 5, 2025: Article published.
- 3 June to Labour Day (2025): Peak camping season.
- Difficulty in securing campsites
- Need for early booking
- Increased demand for local tourism
- Potential for disappointment for last-minute planners
What: Campgrounds and parks in Ontario are experiencing a rapid increase in bookings, particularly for summer weekends and long weekends. This surge is attributed to campers choosing to stay local due to ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States, leading to a "camping lottery" for reservations.
When: Published June 5, 2025. "This year" (summer camping adventures), "peak season" (June to Labour Day), "five months in advance" (booking provincial parks), "recently" (Coles cancelled US travel), "February" (Fanshawe Conservation Area began accepting reservations).
Where: Canada (Ontario, London), United States (mentioned for travel tensions), Lake Erie, Lake Huron.
Why: Campers are looking to stay local due to ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States, leading to a push to support Canadian businesses and travel domestically.
How: Campers are advised to book provincial parks five months in advance, often requiring readiness at 7 a.m. on the booking day. Other options like national parks, conservation areas, and private campgrounds are also seeing high demand. Flexibility with dates (mid-week, after Labour Day) and location (further north) can increase chances of booking.