KITCHENER -- The Grand River Conservation Authority says 9,085 nights were booked online for their campsites in the first three hours of their system opening.
The system opened at 9 a.m. on Tuesday for the 2021 season and saw an estimated surge of 20 times what is normally seen on opening day.
There was roughly 3,000 individual campsite reservations made before noon on Tuesday.
Cam Linwood of GRCA says that, while campsites for weekends and long weekends are the most actively booked, there are still a number of sites still available.
“Those looking for the best selection of campsites should consider a weekday reservation or during the May/June and September/October shoulder seasons,” he said in a statement.
Mike Furey, who owns Adventure Guide in Kitchener, said campaign season is off to a busy start at his store.
"More intense than last year," he said.
Last year, Furey said people were coming in looking for advice as first-time campers. This year, essentials like tents and sleeping bags are his most popular items.
"In those categories, it's probably up 50 per cent already and it's only April," he said.
