After a pleasant drive south from the Cocoa FL area we arrived at Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground. The campground was suggested by our friends Bob and Lori. We're absolutely delighted to overnight in quiet Pod 5 site 1 which is a back in site with full hookup. Larry Thompson was a humor columnist for the Miami Herald for more than two decades until his death February 18, 1973. He is in the Florida Newspaper Hall of Fame. His wife Gladys "Penny" Thompson (née Rhodes), who died September 22, 1975, was a pioneer in women's aviation during the 1940s-1950s. She is in the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame and the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. She was the Florida chapter president of the Ninety-Nines, the women's pilot organization founded by Amelia Earhart. While in the Civil Air Patrol, she flew over the Gulf of Mexico searching for German submarines during World War II. Her plane was one of several hundred destroyed in a 1945 blimp hangar fire at the Naval Air Station Richmond, part of which was rebuilt as the park. read more

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I love the layout of this park and the amount of trees!! The shelters are amazing for bday parties and if you get the ones by the lake then you're in for a treat for a beautiful sunset read more

Slice of green heaven inside of miami's busy and growing landscape. Almost forgot where i was. Long shady trails to walk, lots of trees. Shelters to hang out at. Great lake to sit by. Super quiet. read more

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I couldn't wait another min to leave a review. DO NOT come here if you have children. The pool rules when it's actually open no goggles, floating devices, toy, jumping playing and they actually come out and tell you no playing. We walked the trail closer to sundown and someone threw a bolder at us. We told the park ranger and they said it's homeless people and they also come out at night and write messages with poop on the walls. Its unsafe and not kid friendly. Dont waste your time. Drive an extra 45 min and go to the keys. read more

We arrived after the office was closed but were able to go to our reserved spot, spend the night and complete check in the morning. Staff in site and the time we arrived (Lee) was super helpful and the security guard who came afterward was very polit and helpful. The groinds were beautiful. The sites were large enough and well spaced. A greatplace to stay while on the way to the keys. . read more

Everything was great! Beautiful sights really. Playground looking great, Not enough barbecue stations though. read more

Larry and Penny Thompson Park - Pond - Campgrounds Near Me - Miami, Florida

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This is a huge 270 acre park adjacent to Zoo Miami. The park is named in honor of Larry Thompson who wrote a daily humor column, called "Life With Larry Thompson," which ran in the Comics Section of The Miami Herald for more than two decades until his death on February 18, 1973. He also authored three books. In 1953 Thompson married aviator Gladys "Penny" Rhodes. He met Penny when he interviewed her for a story about women pilots and her involvement promoting international women's air races in South Florida. She was a pioneer in women's aviation in the 1940's and 50's and she is in the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame. She was the Florida chapter president of the Ninety-Nines, the women's pilot organization founded by Amelia Earhart who took off for her final flight from Hialeah. While Penny was a member of the Civil Air Patrol she flew over the Gulf of Mexico looking for German U Boats. On April Fool's Day in 1954, Penny gave birth to the couples twins, Carl and Evellen. For the twins first birthday, Penny invited all twins to come. More than 200 came and Life Magazine covered the party. Gladys "Penny" Thompson passed away on September 22, 1975 at the age of 57 in 1976. After the couple passed away, their son Carl Thompson lobbied the Miami-Dade County Commission to name the park after his parents which they unanimously voted to do on November 17, 1975. The couple had a connection to parks because they loved to camp and Larry would chronicle their trips in his column. They both advocated for more parks and trees in Miami. Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Zoo Miami are located on part of the former Richmond Naval Lighter Than Air Station which was a blimp air base used during WWII. Pilots from the base would patrol for German U boats off the coast of Florida. In 1945 a fire caused by a hurricane destroyed the hangers, blimps, 150 vehicles, and 366 planes including the one owned by Penny Thompson. If you go to the south entrance of the park you can still see the concrete arrow that used to guide the pilots landing at the base. After the war the land was used by the University of Miami as a campus and research area for trees. In 1974 the United States government transferred the land to the county for the creation of the park. The next year it was named in honor of the Thompson's. In 1992 the park suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Andrew but has since recovered. Today this is the largest campground/ park in Miami. The park contains a 22 acre lake with beach, picnic tables, playground, and bike, horse, and hiking trail. There are also three water slides that were not open when I visited. I am not sure if they are closed permanently. The 60 acre campground has 240 sites and a pool. During my visit there looked like a lot of construction was going on but it was open. The campground office has a historical display relating to Larry Thompson and his column. This large park has something for everyone. It is worth visiting if you find yourself in south Miami. read more

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I love this park! It's super huge, spacious, and covered in green and shade provided trees. There are Pavillion rentals available for rental for all festivities. There are also hiking and bike trails and let's not forget the campgrounds also available for a small fee and playgrounds for the kiddos. Back in the day they use to have 2 water slides but that's been closed for some time. They do have beaches to keep you cool and there are bathroom facilities on site. Also, they say pets aren't allowed but I do know on the campsite they are. On this particular day we rented a pavillion(#2 to be exact which is one of the first pavillions upon entering)for a family fun day of kickball. It came with a big bbq and we were in close proximity to the bathrooms (perfect for the little ones). It was a hot day but the trees provided great shading. The field we played in was huge and catered to 60 of us, yeah, I said 60. All in all we had a great day in a perfect location. I highly recommend this park for all festivities but especially family gatherings. Go check it out! read more

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The Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park has a great history it was originally part of the Richmond air station in 1942 it was commissioned as a base of the US navy blue in the world world II. The parcel for that Larry and Penny Thompson memorial park and campground and Zoo Miami were acquired in 1974 as part of the 10,010 acre land transfer from the US government to Miami-Dade County. It was then dedicated in 1974 to Larry and Penny Thompson after much Lobbying from their son! Larry Thompson a journalist and Penny Thompson was in aviation The park is a great park off of Eureka Drive and travel west about a mile. The park features a lake, party area around the lake, campground and lots of trails to walk/jog and discover this park. The area is very well patrolled. Safely is important. Great place to hang out with family and friends. Recommend. read more

Larry and Penny Thompson Park - Campgrounds Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Always a great place for fun ! I have been coming to this park for 15yrs off and on for many different reasons such as.. camping Running Swimming Boating Pickup soccer and football games Parties And bbq'z No matter the reason it's always a great place to come visit. It is our little piece of wilderness in the middle of suburbia. Plenty of space for runners and cyclists to get along here lol. Also great place to bring the family for a change of scenery. This park has always been kept nice and clean so please keep it this way during your visit. :) read more

They have trails to walk or run, big grass areas, kids park beautiful lake, water slide during the summer and a family friendly pavilion you can rent for a barbecue or birthday party! Very different then your normal park so much to do! As well they have a Rv park community that you rent out as well!! A beautiful park to have a picnic date!! read more

Decent sites. Some are a little crowded. The reservation system packed people into just a few loops. Some loops were being worked on. But 2 of them looked more spread out, and had 25% occupancy. Makes no sense. read more

My second time here this year. One of the best values in south Florida. Always clean and well maintained, great staff. Fully equipped, sewer, water, 50Amp, cable, and more not accessible because of COVID. Safe, quite, construction going on in some pods to add more sites. Nice coin laundry's near all sites. Would recommend if you need to be in Miami-Dade area. Well landscaped , sites shaded by numerous Black Olive trees. (Not edible). Remove from roof, stain like black walnuts if left. Numerous Avocado trees nearby-ripen about now. (Your not suppose to pick them, camped wait for them to fall" . Fresh Water beach, (not sure it's open due to COVID) nice facility all around, spaces available due to border closure. Great long term rates. read more

My baby and I went for a the Indian Holi ( Indian festival of color ) and it was so much fun. They had music and a vast Indian community playing and throwing color powder at each other like the tradition in India. Next year we will go with friends because it's better to go in a group since this is a huge park, with many shelters and things to do. I saw that they have beach volleyball courts, lake, picnic area and a pool. I think this is a great park to take pictures too. if you or someone you know likes landscape pictures, this is the place. Mi bebé y yo fuimos a una fiesta India de Holi (festival Indio de color) y fue muy divertido. Tenían música y una vasta comunidad India jugando y arrojándose entre si, polvo de colores como la tradición en la India. El año que viene iremos con amigos porque es mejor ir en un grupo ya que este es un parque enorme, con muchas carpas y cosas que hacer. Vi que tienen canchas de voleibol de playa, lago, zona de picnic y una piscina. Creo que este es un gran lugar para tomar fotos. Si tu o alguien que conozcas le gusta las imágenes del paisaje, este es el lugar perfecto. read more

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Nice campground BUT the laundry room hours are a joke and the pool has one of the dumbest rules and hours. Laundry closes at 6pm, so if you work or out enjoying the local entertainment better be home by 6 to do your laundry. Pool Hours 11-4pm (stupid) AND If you have a 3 and under year old child/grandchild they can't swim in the pool. And there's a Beautiful lake that you can't use at all! Miami DADE COUNTY Florida is a disappointment in many ways! Even though It does Have the best beaches!! read more

I have stayed at the campground in an RV for five months. It is the best campground for value in the Miami area. The RV camp sites are designed to provide a good view of the surrounding park. The view from your camper could be the lawn of the campground, palmetto trees, fruit orchard or a deciduous forest, depending on your location. Restaurants, and grocery stores are within a mile walking distance, mostly through the park. Campground well insulated from urban bustle, with zoo to north, and Larry & Penny Thompson Park to east.. Pros: - Views. - Clean restrooms & laundry room. - Pet friendly - Maintenance issues resolved quickly. - Propane service during high season. - High value - Large police presence enhances security - Multiple walking / hiking opportunities on scenic trails within park or walks through campground Cons: - Reservation system not transparent. - Pool not heated in winter time. - Pool only open from 12-6pm Saturday and Sunday. read more

Larry and Penny Thompson Park - Beach volleyball court at campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Very nice park! I live in the south Miami but not yet in Homestead. This park is the perfect getaway for our area. There are plenty of walking/biking trails. I've had the pleasure of seeing kittens, bunnies, snakes, caterpillars, and tons of bird. The park technically does not allow dogs but I have seen plenty on my visits. *** There are tons of stray cats in this park. Be aware that if you take your dog they might get ticks/fleas. When you are between the trees it feels much cooler than in the rest of the park. Plenty of BBQ areas and pavilions for barbecues. Also, has an epic water slide that is open during the summer months. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because it can be cleaner. The bathrooms are usually locked and people tend to liter. read more

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I once stayed at the campgrounds in this park in a tent and it was very nice other than the gunshots and police shots one night on the outside of the park. Decently we went for a picnic and had a wonderful time sitting at a picnic bench under a tree. read more

Love this spot! Great walkways and beautiful scenes. We love coming and walking the many pathways!

This is not to be taken as a serious camp ground, more a public park full of Rv's and 30 kid strong Boy Scout parties.. or just old men marathon drinking dusk until dawn, so if this sounds cool to you, rad. Beyond that, the place was essentially in the middle of the ghetto, not that it is a bad thing.. but I'd prefer to not be sleeping next to motorcycles racing all night and sirens, just me. Some of the staff is nice, others.. lacking. There are also raccoons that will ravage anything left outside, like playing on my trailer until I confronted them. Also, possible rabies?? Not sure, read about it in the bathroom, not like anyone gave us a heads up. I've had better experiences at a super 8 motel that was recently flooded and smelled of dank and old cigarettes with an equally rowdy crowd in the midst. Only reason for 2 stars was because of our prompt refund after standing a night. -HighwayInterceptor read more

RENTERS BEWARE!! I spent 4 months at LARRY and PENNY during a family emergency in a brand new camper that I rented from RVSHARE.com. One day, for no reason, Marc Burgos decided it was time to ask us to leave. His reason for this was "If you're not the registered owner you're not allowed to stay anymore." After much argument he threatened to call the Police. My two young boys and our dogs were illegally ejected from this campground. I even tried to get a notarized power of attorney from the rental company and it was not accepted. I sure hope this review doesn't yield the same generic response as the other reviews. This illegal ejection was harsh and extremely stressful. Shame on you, Marc Burgos. read more

HI NATALIE HERE Just doing my job delivering postmates orders. Yesterday postmates directed me to Larry and penny Thompson park to deliver an order. (Which I've never been to before). Entered park. Parked my truck (properly) and marched to finish my delivery. Took me MAX 4 mins to walk to the customer & back to my truck and before I could proceed to my next postmates delivery I noticed a citation note, demanding me to make a payment within 30 days..??!!! If this park has cameras you'll see me drop off the order to the appropriate party and I actively exited the park. But proceeded my day upset and stressed Ive never gotten a ticket, Nor anything on my record. Please help! I'm working two jobs and this citation is stressing. I Called the park office & emailed Larry And Penny Thompson Park Office first thing this morning. left several voicemails so far to the office and I'm still waiting for a return. (id very much appreciate a callback) I need this resolved ASAP, it's not fair nor proper!! read more

I wouldn't consider this a campground coming from the NW. You're slam packed next to your neighbor and the facilities are touch and go. The pool was closed the entire time and the mosquitoes were vicious. There were three entire open areas for RVs that they closed off for no reason. They should spread people out just a little so you're not staring into your neighbors setup. I was told most of the people stick around for most of their year... you could tell by the set up that some had. This area is not friendly with big dogs and there are stray cats galore. There's no designated area for dogs as mentioned on the website and you can't walk them in the main area of the park. We went to check out the "beach" but we're turned off by the "beware of gators sign". The pictures off of their website make those looks like a 10 when it's really a 2. Last time here. read more

As far as state/county parks to work out/run/walk in, Larry and Penny definitely has some great trails. On the grounds there is a camp ground, which is gated and separate from the trails. So there are various different people around at any given time. there are several different trails, both for joggers and bike/mountain bike riders alike. There are some off road trails that are a little bit more advanced and arduous. They have a sidewalk trail and you can also run on the road inside the park. There is a play area for children, as well as a picnic area and pavilion. So you can definitely plan a day of it, pack a lunch and enjoy your day. There is a lake right by that area, with several huge pretty trees. So it is very scenically pretty and cool with a nice breeze even on a summer day. This park is large and at some points there is no one around, so if you are a woman going alone, be cautious and aware of your surroundings. It is a very pretty park, and a great space if you want to work out without being bothered by a lot of people and just be one with nature. read more

I left a nice review a year ago and must say again this campground rocks. Clean quiet and super well managed. The staff could not be nicer. We just love it here, and are tickled we found this place. And super dog friendly with our small spoiled but well behaved dog. Ron Bowman read more

Larry and Penny Thompson Park - And dog friendly - Campgrounds Near Me - Miami, Florida

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This RV Park is one of our favorites. I understand there may be some local thievery, but it is a public park, so.... don't leave your keys in your F150. The pool is great, with 85F temperature. Lots of activities in the club house. While we were there the nights were very quite. Miles of great walking/biking trails. Thanks to Tom and Barb for the tip! read more

The worst campground ever... I was there for three months... never stood there..I was at my marina taking care of business. Back and forth from New York to Florida.. Got 4 different notices that has nothing to do with me, Plus there's a lot of men that love children.. not a safe place at all, security is no good, they do not protect you at all... people from the public come in and showered and then runs around and steals your property.. please do your research before you rent at this location. They like to give notice and blame you for things when you're not there.... so they can make you leave earlier then you should... And when you wanna leave earlier they tell you they can't refund you. The worst, The worst......... Never again. I rather pay $1000 a month to have happiness... read more

Great for large groups or celebrations. Never too many people around and it's so clean

Ended up camping in this county park for 7 days and love every minutes of it. A mile outside the campground has all the convenient of a Coral Springs city has to offered. Nested in the middle of grooves of mango, avocado, and nut trees, our site 12 in pod 5 has good shade throughout the day. Pod bathroom with shower and toilet stalls were clean and functional, as well as coin-op laundry. All sites are back-ins due to radial loop design. All sites and roads are asphalted and wide enough for easy maneuvering. Plenty of space for dog walking and a big lake within a long hike/drive/ride away. WiFi was strong enough and LTE signal was great. Full hook-up connections were logically layout. Be careful of parking at picnic/lake side due to apparent break-ins; shattered vehicle glasses are everywhere. Park manager and/or policy are not flexible if you reserved for 3 days and want to extend to 7 days, they will not give you weekly rate, rather price is each day multiplied by 7. At $33/day it's not the cheapest, but the weekly rate will bring it down to $27/day, monthly rate will bring it down to $19/day. read more

Very nice park to spend with the family. Park has areas to BBQ and huts for party's near a small water park within the park. Very nice trials for walking or jogging. Park also has a campground for tents and read more

Larry and Penny Thompson Park - Sign at entrance of the park - Campgrounds Near Me - Miami, Florida

I wish I knew who let their big dog crap right under the clothesline in Pod 1. Can't believe someone would leave it there. Asked the maintenance lady(cleaning the laundry room), she said NO. Called the front office, they said NO. Been there a week. Disgusting. read more

After a beautiful Sunday at the park with my kid I come to the car to find out they had broken the window in to steal everything they could. read more

Larry and Penny Thompson Park - Campgrounds Near Me - Miami, Florida

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My husband and I came here for a month and we loved it. First of all the staff here is awesome, I know several by name lol it has a really nice walking trail where u will encounter nature at its best, I saw several raccoons just blended in with the cats, also they have a very clean pool that has a lifeguard on duty: they have very clean laundry, actually have 2 very clean: the campground is divided into pods with your lot number, very clean and spacious: we had to leave this morning but if we're ever in this area again, we will definitely be back read more

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Went today thinking this would be a great place to take photos and enjoy nature..... wrong. All bathrooms were locked, there was trash in the park, and just a sleazy feel about it. Went back into the RV area and it looked like Quebec South all crammed together in small circles. I can scratch this one off the list. Don't waste your time. read more

Our Ford F-250 King Ranch 4x4 diesel got stolen in the middle of the day from right in front of our RV at this park. This state park is NOT safe or secure! We just purchased this vehicle and we did not drive it. Whomever stole our truck was an insider that cased the place. It is very scary to know that guests cannot feel safe here. Talking to neighbors today we found that theft of bicycles and other items is common here. We wish we would have known earlier. read more

Great camping location in Miami, where there aren't many campgrounds. Set in a lovely county Park. Good shade trees around each site, but the sites are close together. In Summer, only a portion of the campground is open, so everyone is forced in right next to each other. This made our stay less enjoyable. Laundry facilities at each bath house, but 3 of the 4 washers at ours were out of order. It's an older campground, but is is clean and well-maintained. read more

Lovely park that offers great amenities. Full hook up for campers, Clean bathrooms, heated outdoor pool, clubhouse with lots of daily events to attend. Walking/biking trails. Very close to the Miami Zoo. Campsites are clean. We've been camping here for 3 years and have meet wonderful people both campers and staff. Can't wait to come back next year. read more

There are few tines in my life when I feel like I have traveled back in time to a neighborhood where kids roam free and adults can chat by the bonfire. A place where mangos are free and smores are plentiful. A place where the pool beckons as does the bike trails. This was my experience when visiting a friend who parked her RV . If it was in commuting distance of downtown Miami I would move into an RV and live the simple country free mango life. read more

We were very impressed with the campgrounds. The staff was great, friendly and extremely helpful. One of the guys who works there even helped us put up our tent. He saw we were struggling and within 20 minutes the tent was up. It is nice that you can choose where you want to tent. There are plenty of trees to camp under of is you prefer you can camp more in the open field. Unfortunately there are no fire pits for the individual tent sites. That would have made the stay that much more fun. There is not electric for the tents either. But they do have plenty of outlets to charge up at. There are outlets in the very clean bathrooms, laundry rooms and in the club house. The pool is beautiful with great lifeguards on duty. The only issue with the pool is that it is only open until 5. We would have used it a lot more if it was open until sundown. The only issue I can say was they did not empty the garbage cans often enough. We were there from Thursday to Sunday and they did not empty it. Over all it was a great experience and I would recommend this campground to anyone. read more

My wife and I visited this park today to meet some friends who are staying there. We were very impressed with the lot sizes and the room that there was. The property was neatly kept. The pool looks great and the miles of roads to bike on should be fun. While we were there, we applied for a spot. read more