It's the kickoff to camping season in the Okanagan.

Graham Todd, owner of Todd’s RV and Camping in Peachland, says the May Long Weekend is one of, if not, the busiest weekends of the year.

"First time out for a lot of people... particularly this year even more anxious because they’ve been sort of tied back a little bit," he said. "I think this weekend is going to shape up quite nice, and we’ll be at almost maximum [capacity] for the weekend."

Todd says the pandemic didn’t impact campsites too much, but that this season has brought on the return of international travel – a major customer for B.C. campsites.

“It’s a mix. All the way from Edmonton, Calgary. Lots of locals because it’s a short drive,” said Todd. “The European market, the world market is back this year which is really fantastic, they generally make up about 27 per cent of our customers throughout the season, which is really going to help out this year.”

Seasoned camper Jack Dubberley, who’s been coming to Todd’s RV and Camping since he was two, decided to was best to beat the weekend rush and arrive early.

“It’s great, we’re basically semi-retired. We can get out a day ahead and come up here to get some last minute camping, go see the car show on Sunday. Then we’ll wait for all the traffic to go back Monday and we’ll go back on Tuesday,” he said.

This could be one of the last full seasons for Todd's campground, as Peachland council debates a proposed development at the property which has been for sale for years.

Campsites across B.C. are nearly all booked up or completely sold out for the weekend, and BC Parks says they’ve had over 100,000 reservations since late March.

"The camping and hiking season is here, and people from throughout our province want to get outside and connect with nature," said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

"It's important that people book ahead on the new BC Parks website and check online before heading out to ensure they know the latest conditions in order to have the best outdoor experience possible. While the majority of parks are open to enjoy, some remain closed for repairs following the unprecedented extreme weather events last year, which makes it more important than ever to plan ahead."

While most provincial parks are open, some remain temporarily closed due to last year's extreme weather.

"Some of our parks were hit hard by last year's extreme weather, and people should ensure they have the latest information before they head out to enjoy B.C.'s spectacular natural ecosystems," said Kelly Greene, Parliamentary Secretary for Environment. "We have been working diligently to restore as many parks and facilities as possible so they are safe for people to visit and enjoy.

According to BC Parks, they'll be investing $21.5 million in the next three years to expand and enhance outdoor recreation, including adding new campsites and trails.

A new campground also opened in Manning Park earlier this year.