British Columbia has endless spots to explore, but booking them or trying to find somewhere to stay can be difficult.
In May 2020, the BC Parks camping reservation website crashed shortly after the system opened up for reservations. (For the 2022 camping season, which kicks off March 21, BC Parks will be launching a new booking system. The service will offer "more flexible search options... handy maps, calendars and lists of available sites for quicker navigation.")
Hipcamp Canada hopes to offer wilderness enthusiasts an alternative.
Through the Hipcamp website, people can book all sorts of unique outdoor stays: cabins, treehouses, tent or RV camping, and glamping. (Think Airbnb but for the outdoors.)
"We have farmers, vineyards, cottages, they have rural outdoor land,” says Hipcamp Canada GM Tegh Singh Bedi. “It enables hosts to open up their land and invite people onto their land.”
Bedi says business in B.C. has taken off since Hipcamp launched last year, with it being the second busiest market in Canada.
“There’s just not enough supply to meet all of the demand, especially in our big summer weekends.”
This summer is expected to be busy again; Bedi says more hosts are joining and posting their properties.
"We are here to help support all types of outdoor travel,” he says.
