Learn-to Camp in Vancouver

Are you interested in camping but don’t know where to begin? The Parks Canada Learn-to Camp program gives you the knowledge and skills to feel confident planning your first camping adventure!

Located in major cities across the country, including Vancouver, the Learn-to Camp program offers a variety of pop-up activities, workshops, and overnight experiences for participants to learn the basics of camping in a fun and accessible way.

Follow us on Twitter @ParksCanadaVan or Facebook @ParksCanadaVancouver for updates on where we might be this upcoming season!

Pop-up activities

A Parks Canada staff member showing a photo of a wolf to a family of four at a pop-up outreach booth.

Join us throughout the summer at pop-up outreach booths around the Vancouver region. We introduce participants to Parks Canada, educate the public on how to camp in the great outdoors, and provide information on wildlife safety.

Workshops

A person setting up a tent with a Learn-to Camp flag in the background.

Free in-person workshops to help participants acquire basic camping skills and learn about outdoor activities. If your organization is interested in our staff delivering a Learn-to Camp workshop next summer, please refer to the ‘Contact us’ section.

Camping 101

Program Description: Discover how easy and enjoyable camping can be! Parks Canada’s Learn-to Camp team will guide you on packing necessities for a front-country camping experience so you feel prepared for the trip ahead.

Offered:

Friday, June 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Ladner Pioneer Library
Saturday, June 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at West Vancouver Memorial Library
Thursday, June 19 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at North Vancouver City Library
Friday, June 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Tsawwassen Library
Sunday, June 29 from 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. at Fort Langley National Historic Site
Thursday, July 3 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Richmond Public Library – Brighouse Branch
Thursday, July 3 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Coquitlam Public Library – City Centre Branch
Thursday, July 24 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Albion Community Centre - Maple Ridge

Animal Aware

Program Description: Discover how to coexist in nature with Canada’s wildlife! Parks Canada’s Learn-to Camp team will teach you about how to identify wildlife, prevent negative wildlife encounters, and safely navigate wildlife encounters. This family-friendly program will teach you everything you need to feel confident on your next outdoor adventure.

Offered:

Friday, June 13 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Ladner Pioneer Library
Saturday, June 14 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at West Vancouver Memorial Library
Thursday, June 19 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at North Vancouver City Library
Friday, June 20 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Tsawwassen Library
Sunday, June 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Fort Langley National Historic Site
Thursday, July 3 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Richmond Public Library – Brighouse Branch
Thursday, July 3 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Coquitlam Public Library – City Centre Branch
Thursday, July 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Albion Community Centre - Maple Ridge

Overnight experiences

A family of four playing together in a yellow tent.

Join the Parks Canada Learn-to Camp team for an overnight experience in the Vancouver region! The team will introduce you and your family to topics such as how to prepare for a camping trip, wildlife safety, how to set up a campsite, cooking in the outdoors, and other fun games and activities. Tent, foam sleeping pads and camp stove provided.

July 26 to 27: Woodward’s Landing (City of Richmond)

Reservations: Reservations open Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Please call 1-844-365-2646 to register or for more information. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Capacity: 20 group spots available, group size up to six people per tent.

Fees: $80.25 for primary adult, $20.25 for each additional family member. Children aged 6 and under are free.

August 9 to 10: SMONEĆTEN Campground (Gulf Islands National Park Reserve)

Capacity: 15 group spots available, group size up to six people per tent.

Fees: $80.25 for primary adult, $20.25 for each additional family member. Children aged 6 and under are free.

Contact us

For more information on the Learn-to Camp program, or if your organization is interested in hosting a workshop or event, please email the Learn-to Camp Coordinator.

After you learn to camp

After attending a Learn-to Camp event, you will be comfortable camping on your own. Parks Canada has many options for those who wish to begin planning their next experience.

Accommodation at Parks Canada

From rustic to all-inclusive.

Parks Canada Reservation Service

Reserve. Relax. Experience.

Partners

By working in collaboration with respected organizations that share our values, Parks Canada is able to better deliver its promise to Canadians of protection and presentation of natural and cultural heritage. We believe in sharing leadership and working with partners to offer unique, inspiring opportunities for people to discover treasured places and to achieve extraordinary results.

The Parks Canada Vancouver Learn-to Camp team works with partners to promote inclusion in the outdoors and help remove barriers to provide more people an opportunity to increase their access to nature.

We are proud to be formally collaborating with the following partners:

BC Parks
Canucks Autism Network
City of Richmond
Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
Power To Be

BC Parks

BC Parks is responsible for the establishment, management and stewardship of a system of parks, conservancies, ecological reserves, recreation areas and protected areas distributed throughout the province of British Columbia.

Canucks Autism Network

Canucks Autism Network provides programs for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families, while promoting acceptance and inclusion through community engagement and training initiatives across BC and beyond.

City of Richmond

The City of Richmond's Parks Department provides people with opportunities to connect with each other, their community and their natural environment within an urban setting while fostering healthy active lifestyles in this culturally diverse and geographically unique city in Metro Vancouver.

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria helps individuals and organisations to connect across cultures by providing information, support and tools to help immigrants and refugees reach their goals, while engaging people through networks, education, employment and arts programming to create welcoming communities.

Power To Be

Power To Be helps people living with a disability or barrier to access nature and empowers people to explore their limitless abilities through inclusive adventures rooted in nature They work to remove cognitive, physical and social barriers to the outdoors, while providing workshops and support to communities to move inclusion forward.

Language selection

Search