Roasting marshmallows and sleeping under the stars is a time-honoured Canadian tradition, one that is helping fill up Ontario campgrounds during this hot and dry summer.
With more than 330 provincial parks and hundreds of privately-owned campgrounds in Ontario, campers looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city have plenty of options -- but many will have to act soon to get a coveted site.
Curt Morris, a superintendent at Darlington Provincial Park near Oshawa, told CTV News on Friday that camping this summer has been an attractive vacation option for many people.
"I think the heat has certainly helped," he said. "We're not seeing people go home. I think a lot of people are extending their stays."
Most provincial parks recommend booking up to five months in advance and suggest using the online booking system to see which sites are available and what the site looks like and offers.
The Syed family, from Markham, only had to drive 40 minutes to get to their campsite at Glen Rouge Park in Scarborough on Friday.
"It's the best part of summer, I believe," Arif Syed said. "I enjoy camping. I just love it. I love the beach, biking, hiking, all that."
As busy as the campgrounds are, there are still sites available at some provincial parks. At least a dozen parks across southern Ontario have sites available for the August long weekend.
"People are, I think, looking to this as an alternative," Morris said. "It's a cheap vacation and we offer everything."
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources close to 10 million people from around the world visited Ontario's provincial parks last year.
With files from CTV's Ashley Rowe
