It's the sizzle of summer. The Deleeuw family from Tulare is barbecuing breakfast as they vacation at the Buena Vista campground.
"We camp right here on the water with the trailer and everything," said Derrel Deleeuw. "It's really nice. There are very few places you can actually do that."
And that's the draw for many folks who come to Kern County to use the parks.
"I used to come with my family as a kid and now I'm bringing my kids," said Stacy Medeiros. "We've always been coming here, probably about twice a year."
The campgrounds will fill up with families this Memorial Day weekend, the official kick off of summer.
The county park department said the Buena Vista campground is sold out and other campgrounds like Hart Park are almost sold out too.
The department expects about 25,000 people to use the parks this weekend and those aren't just tourists - some locals will "staycation."
"When the gas prices were low a lot of folks would leave town and take longer trips, but we are seeing more people stay locally and use our local facilities because gas prices are really high," said Director Bob Lerude with the Kern County Parks and Recreation Department.
But with the crowds come more safety risks, especially on the water. Just because water levels are low, rescue teams said it still has the same hidden dangers.
"You can still get swept away, you can still drown, you can still become trapped in strainers, man made debris and rocks," said David Seibt with the Bakersfield Fire Department.
So if you're going to start your summer, start it safely.
As for the Deleeuw family, they plan on taking off before the weekend crowds.
For more on campsite reservations visit
http://parks.ca.gov
