Established campgrounds near Doral, Florida include urban recreation areas and destination RV resorts within a 20-mile radius. Larry & Penny Thompson Park and Miami Everglades RV Resort provide tent and RV sites with varying levels of amenities, including full hookups at many locations. Most campgrounds in this area feature cabin rental options, with Oleta River State Park offering both tent sites and cabin accommodations. Several parks, including C.B. Smith Park Campground and Topeekeegee Yugnee Park, provide water and electric hookups with sanitary dump stations.
South Florida's subtropical climate makes camping viable year-round, though summer brings higher temperatures, humidity, and more mosquitoes. Most campgrounds in the region operate throughout the year with full amenities. A camper described the area as having "Big park with nice views" and noted that "the park is big with a paved walking path around the park. On the west side of the park there's a lot of big mature trees that give a lot shade." Visitors should prepare for occasional afternoon thunderstorms during summer months. Public transportation provides access to some campgrounds, though having a vehicle is recommended for exploring the greater Miami area and nearby Everglades National Park.
Campground options near Doral balance urban accessibility with natural settings. Most developed campgrounds feature amenities like showers, flush toilets, and trash service. "It is a nice site and well kept," one reviewer noted about a local campground. Many sites accommodate larger RVs with big-rig friendly layouts and 50-amp electrical hookups. The proximity to both urban attractions and natural areas makes this region appealing to various camping styles. Wildlife viewing opportunities exist at several parks, with alligators commonly spotted in adjacent waterways. Travelers seeking more remote experiences can venture further west toward the Everglades, where primitive camping options become more prevalent, though these require additional preparation for potential insects and limited facilities.
"In southern Florida, campgrounds don’t usually come cheap, but we found Larry & Penny’s to be a great value with close access (30 minutes) to Biscayne National Park."
"It is close to the Encore Everglades park (about 4 miles) so we stayed here after we departed. The campground is divided into pods and each pod has about 15 or so sites. "
"This place is situated in the mirror middle of acres upon acres of ornamental trees and shrubs for sale by various companies."
"They have a really nice big pool, shuffleboard, putt putt golf, arcade and walking trail. It's off the beaten path but worth the drive. The front office staff was so helpful."
"This KOA was close to family and friends. Stayed for five nights. It was clean and I felt safe. Staff were very helpful getting backed in and set up."
"It's located near many attractions and shopping. Beautiful sunset viewing across the street at Vista View Park and easy highway access. You're going to love your stay at this KOA!"
"A lot of trails to walk in the middle of the nature. Mini golf. Water park wasn't open on March."
"We stayed in the back behind the lake and it was very quiet/family friendly. The lake/dock area is beautiful, and there’s a massive playground across from the campground in the main park."
$35 - $57 / night
"Stayed here over a holiday weekend and enjoyed it, roads getting in the RV park are good but watch out for branches with big units outside the park to the north."
"The park is big with a paved walking path around the park. On the west side of the park there's a lot of big mature trees that give a lot shade and are just nice looking. "
"This is a dirt parking lot on the Tamiami Trail (Rt 41) right along the canal. Airboats run all day. We didn't go on one but it looked fun. Great fishing! No water no hookups."
"For south florida, its about as good as it gets. Also has a nice observatory on saturday nights to visit."
"It has plenty of picnic tables, a path to the lake, and woods to explore via trails. There are some pretty interesting pieces of history leftover behind the camping field."
$5000 - $10000 / night
"The location was peaceful and relaxing. we would definitely stay here again. Highly recommend!"
ScoutIt's great to be in Fort Lauderdale, so close to activities. RV park is old, poorly kept, and crowded. Mostly long-term campers who were very friendly. Vehicles parked onto narrow black top roads. Dead leaves blown to the side but not picked up. Peeling paint in showers. Friendly staff to our faces, but overheard them being unkind when they didn't know we could hear.
LegendJust south of ‘The Magic City’ (a.k.a. Miami), you’ll come across Kendall, which while definitely NOT a destination in and of itself, it does offer one of the ONLY real campgrounds within the Miami vicinity. Here, you’ll discover Larry & Penny Thompson Park Campground, which upon arrival, immediately feels like a breath of fresh air the moment you turn in off SW 184th Street, trading bumber-to-bumper grinding traffic and endless miles of jam-packed strip malls in exchange for tall palms, shady roads and a surprisingly peaceful park setting. The campground is tucked away within a sprawling county park operated by Miami-Dade, and the vibe leans more tropical retreat than urban escape, with birds chirping, breezes moving through the trees, and a calm that makes you forget you are still very much in South Florida.
Before I get into the ‘nuts& bolts’ of Larry & Penny Thompson Park CG, allow me to share – that I had a fairly HORRIBLE experience here. So let me share some more – not to be a ‘negative Nancy’ - but rather, in the hopes you can learn from my mistakes (or rather, the omissions of this CG) and not replicate the issues I experienced for yourself, allow me to shed some light on some concerns. To begin with, if you are a tent camper (like I was in this scenario) there is NO WAY to make a reservation. You simply have to show up and IF the folks in the park office feel like there’s enough room for you to stake out a piece of land on their garbage-strewn tent camping plot of grass, they alone have the DISCRETION to ALLOW you to pay them for the privilege. Given that ALL OF THOSE WITH RVs have reservation privileges, this relegates us tent campers to ‘second class citizens.’ Second, paying $28/ night gets you basically a patch of uneven land (with more tree roots that reminded me a lot of Stranger Things with all of those root-like moving alien arms all over the ground preventing a flat piece of outdoor nirvana to be discovered) and the right to access the community bathrooms. While there is solid shade and about a half dozen bag-lined garbage bins in the tent camping area, the picnic tables are all dilapidated (unlike those in the RV area that are nearly brand new), half of the water spigots didn’t function, there are no in-ground fire rings, the stand-up grills are a joke and there is ZERO electricity. Um, so what am I paying for you ask? Great question. But this wasn’t even the worst part. So here it is: I arrived at Larry & Penny Thompson Park Campground having driven nearly 8 HOURS all the way from St. Augustine and arrived at 5:13pm only to be greeted by incredibly RUDE county park staff who could only say “Sorry, you arrived after 5pm and we don’t allow any TENT CAMPERS to arrive after 5pm.” What I found preposterous is that NOWHERE – not online, not on TheDyrt and NOT EVEN ON-SITE – does it mention that one (OK, well at least us tent campers anyway) has to arrive BEFORE 5pm. Had that vital piece of information been shared with me during 1of the 3 phone calls I made to the property before I arrived – TRUST ME – I would have arrived 13 minutes earlier. You know what the worst part about this whole experience was? Apart from the fact that I was famished and exhausted, was nearly out of gas and my cell phone just died? There was absolutely NO REASON to deny me entry for arriving 13 minutes after their (artificial) deadline. All I can say is that I’m glad Mary and Joseph didn’t have to deal with Miami-Dade County Park staff that acted like hostile and rule-abiding ‘inn keepers’ otherwise our Lord and Savior would have had no other choice, like I did, but to check in to a nearby hotel. Thankfully, I had enough Marriott Bonvoy points to spend the night at a hotel, albeit an hour away.
OK, deep breath. Let it go, I say. So I returned the next day, registered my complaints and stayed for 2 nights. With this, the rest of my experience (apart from what had been previously noted) was a fairly positive one.
Before I move on, you're probably scratching your head saying "Why did this guy return after such a horrible experience?" Well, because it is the reason most choose to stay here - it is nearly the ONLY campground in the Miami, so it's either shell out $200 or $300 a night for a hotel or sleep under the stars.
The campground itself is fairly decent size with – count ‘em– not 3, not 7, but a total of 11 RV parking ‘pods’ (think small loops with about 20 slots in each) that have been thoughtfully laid out, with over 200 sites total offering full hookups, paved pads and a mix of sun and shade depending on your preference. Sites are mostly level and easy to navigate (even for larger setups) with the roads being wide enough to remove whatever stress you may be dealing with upon arrival. Amenities are strong across the board, including clean restrooms, intermittent hot showers (some days they were hot, some days they were ice cold, but no matter the day, the pressure was always incredibly low), pay-for-play laundry facilities, a few scattered playgrounds, an amenity center that offers up a large screen TV, lending library, DVDs and ample space for group gatherings. The best amenities? The amazing community pool located right next to the community center (note: only open between 10am– 5pm, so if you’ve come here because of work, that’s a bummer, unless you can work from the pool, which I couldn’t) and the freshwater lake with a sandy beach that feels like a built-in bonus for families. Oh, and during the summertime, there’s a waterslide facility that looks AMAZING! The park is pet-friendly, somewhat well-maintained if you’re not staying in the tent area (which, unfortunately, I was) and has a safe, welcoming feel throughout.
Beyond the campground, you are perfectly positioned to explore both nature and convenience. The park itself has miles of paved biking and walking trails, plus open green spaces and water access for a relaxing afternoon. Just a short drive away, you will find grocery options like Publix Super Market, Walmart Supercenter and additional essentials along US-1 along with a Costco that’s only like 20 minutes away. If you are looking to explore further, Biscayne National Park offers boating and snorkeling opportunities, while Miami Zoo is practically next door for an easy family outing. Not too far away from here you can also find fast food and casual dining spots for a bite to eat in case you grow tired of black beans w/ hot dogs for the third meal in a row.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) Aim for sites deeper into the loops for more shade and less road noise; (2) The freshwater lake and beach area are perfect for kids to cool off on warm afternoons; (3) Bring bikes as the paved trails throughout the park are ideal for cruising; (4) Keep an eye out for iguanas and wading birds around the water’s edge; (5) Shade varies quite a bit so a canopy can be helpful on sunnier sites - but if you are tent camping, you won't really need any shade, unless you want to be protected from the intermittent rains; (6) For a great nearby bite, check out Shiver’s BBQ at 28001 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033; (7) You will hear non-stop urban noise and traffic from anywhere in this campground, so while you may be shuddered from the noise inside your RV or camper, you won't be so lucky inside a tent, so if that bothers you, bring earplugs; and (8) OH, how could I forget!!! Don’t arrive here AFTER 5PM!!!
Happy Camping!
ScoutGreat campground near Biscayne and Everglades National Parks.
TravelerWe brought our canoe and put in on the boat dock. It was sweet paddling all around the mangrove islands. The campground is full of greenery, which lends slightly more privacy. A nice place to land for the night.
ScoutOur stay here was the best! Our host, John was extremely friendly, welcoming, and helpful, making sure we had everything we needed while also respecting our privacy. The location was peaceful and relaxing. we would definitely stay here again. Highly recommend!
GuideThis is a dirt parking lot on the Tamiami Trail (Rt 41) right along the canal. Airboats run all day. We didn't go on one but it looked fun. Great fishing! No water no hookups.
ScoutFor $130/night-this place is a crowded dump with poorly maintained muddy sites.
GuideThis is our first time in the Everglades ! We love this place! Each site is private from the next site. It's very quiet here the shower houses and the restrooms are clean and well kept. Everyone is very friendly
GuideGreat spot to rest before heading into the Everglades or doing an airboat tour. About 20 minutes from shark valley visitor center this is a great spot if you want to be one of the first to get in. Not a lot of spots and some of them were a little confusing on who's area belonged to which fire pit. Probably wouldn't stay more than a night or two but fine for what we needed.
Camping options near Doral, Florida range from established county parks to quiet RV resorts within 25 miles of the city center. Most sites offer year-round availability due to South Florida's subtropical climate. Winters bring milder temperatures (65-75°F) with lower humidity, making December through March the peak camping season when reservations become essential for weekend stays.
Mountain biking trails: Markham Park Campground offers extensive mountain biking trails with varying difficulty levels. According to a visitor, "Lots of room to roam here. Great mountain bike trails, lakes, woods, disc golf, flora and fauna. Plus amenities you don't often find like a large outdoor shooting range and an RC airplane strip."
Kayaking opportunities: Explore the waterways near Miami Everglades RV Resort where water activities are easily accessible. A visitor mentioned, "Location seemed far away from everything. Lots of driving," but the tradeoff is proximity to nature areas and paddling routes.
Family water activities: For families seeking water recreation during hot months, C.B. Smith Park Campground offers water attractions nearby. One camper noted, "The park is very well maintained. The lake/dock area is beautiful, and there's a massive playground across from the campground in the main park."
Secure camping environments: Several campgrounds prioritize security for campers. At Topeekeegee Yugnee Park Campground, a reviewer observed, "Very well lit at night with security. The RV park is located in the back of the county park, so there is plenty to do: water park, outdoor gym and regular play areas for kids."
Shade availability: Finding shade is crucial in South Florida's climate. At Larry & Penny Thompson Park, a camper reported, "This is city owned and operated Park/Campground. This fact is significant. It is very pretty with lots of mature shade trees. The RV's are assigned space around several pods. Each pod has its own bathhouse with laundry facilities."
Walking paths: Many top camping areas near Doral feature paved walking paths. According to one review about Topeekeegee Yugnee Park, "The park is big with a paved walking path around the park. On the west side of the park there's a lot of big mature trees that give a lot shade and are just nice looking."
Off-season advantages: Winter is the prime camping season, but summer offers lower rates and better availability. At Davie / Fort Lauderdale KOA, a visitor shared, "This KOA was close to family and friends. Stayed for five nights. It was clean and I felt safe. Staff were very helpful getting backed in and set up."
Water quality concerns: Check for water quality notices before arrival. At Miami Everglades RV Resort, one camper warned, "Our stay at Encore Miami Campground was unfortunately impacted by a serious and unannounced issue. We were only informed upon arrival that the campground's well water contained fecal matter and was a potential source of E. coli."
Site size variation: Site dimensions vary significantly between campgrounds. A visitor at Davie / Fort Lauderdale KOA observed, "I'll start off by saying it's a typical KOA - tightly crammed and sites very close together. On the plus side, very friendly and helpful staff at check in, and they helped us to get wedged in to our site."
Plan for weather interruptions: Afternoon thunderstorms are common May through October. At C.B. Smith Park Campground, a camper mentioned, "Nice local park. Very safe. Ok fishing. Great place to relax," suggesting indoor alternatives or flexible scheduling during storm season.
Utilize park amenities: Many campgrounds include recreational facilities within the fee. At Markham Park Campground, a visitor shared, "Was a part of a large organized group of campers staying in The Heron preserve. The section is designated 'primitive' but it does have full single person male & female restrooms, as well as electricity and water."
Consider noise factors: Some of the best places to camp near Doral, Florida have occasional noise issues. One camper at Markham Park noted, "During the day, there is noise pollution due to jet skis on the water, and the gun range located across the path. However, at night (when it really matters) it is completely silent except for local wildlife."
Campground security varies: Some campgrounds have reported theft issues. At Larry & Penny Thompson Park, one RVer warned, "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 secure!"
Gate hours impact late arrivals: At Oleta River State Park Campground, gate restrictions may affect access. While not mentioning gates specifically, a visitor noted it's "Hard to believe that this oasis is so close to major urban centers, but it's true. It boasts 15-miles of trails in more than 1,000 acres!"
Site surface considerations: Surface quality affects comfort and setup. At Topeekeegee Yugnee Park, an RVer appreciated, "The sites were level concrete pads, bathrooms air conditioned and clean as were the showers. Park is beautiful and they have events happening- we stumbled on a Renaissance Festival."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Doral, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, Doral, FL offers a wide range of camping options, with 71 campgrounds and RV parks near Doral, FL and 5 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Doral, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Doral, FL is Larry & Penny Thompson Park with a 3.5-star rating from 22 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Doral, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 free dispersed camping spots near Doral, FL.
What parks are near Doral, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Doral, FL that allow camping, notably Biscayne National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.
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