Camping near Miami Springs, Florida encompasses a mix of county parks and private RV resorts within the greater Miami metropolitan area. Larry & Penny Thompson Park provides year-round camping with tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping options about 15 miles southwest of Miami Springs. Other notable options include C.B. Smith Park Campground in Pembroke Pines and Topeekeegee Yugnee Park Campground in Hollywood, both offering full-service facilities for tent and RV campers. Encore Miami Everglades provides a resort-style experience with cabin rentals and RV sites approximately 20 miles southwest of Miami Springs, serving as a convenient base for exploring both the Everglades and urban Miami attractions.
The subtropical climate makes winter the optimal camping season in the Miami area, with temperatures typically ranging from 60-75°F from November through March. Summer camping (June-September) brings intense heat, humidity, and frequent afternoon thunderstorms, along with persistent mosquito activity. Many campgrounds operate year-round but fill quickly during winter months with seasonal visitors. Road noise is common at most sites due to their proximity to highways and urban areas. According to reviews, "South Florida campgrounds are either flat, hot, and poorly appointed or tree-covered with a glade-like ambience and buggy as hell." Cellular coverage is generally reliable throughout the area, with Verizon typically providing the strongest signal.
County park campgrounds like Markham Park and C.B. Smith offer a balance between natural settings and urban convenience, with paved walking paths, recreational facilities, and shade trees. Most provide full hookups for RVs, clean shower facilities, and tent camping areas. Sites at these parks typically range from $25-40 per night. Private RV resorts tend to offer more amenities like pools, organized activities, and recreation facilities, but often at higher rates. Campers seeking more natural experiences can find primitive camping options in the nearby Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, though these require a 45-60 minute drive from Miami Springs.
"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. "
"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."
"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!"
$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 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."
$5000 - $10000 / night
"The location was peaceful and relaxing. we would definitely stay here again. Highly recommend!"
$55 / night
"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!"
"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."
"The town around has very nice restaurants in Tarpon Springs but some of the area can be a little sketchy. One thing I see is that the park itself was safe."
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 sites near Miami Springs, Florida occupy a range of urban and semi-natural settings ranging from county parks to private RV resorts. Most camping options sit on flat terrain at an elevation of only 6-10 feet above sea level. Peak camping season runs October through April when humidity drops and temperatures moderate. Mosquito activity remains a constant consideration, with most campers reporting the need for repellent year-round.
Airboat adventures nearby: Larry & Penny Thompson Park serves as an excellent base for exploring the nearby Everglades. "We camped here for 6 nights as a home base while fishing the area. Fishing was good in the pond nearby. Beware of the feral cats and raccoons though. We spent an entire night fending them off with a slingshot and they didn't bother us again," notes Finn H. from Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
Mountain biking trails: Markham Park Campground offers dedicated mountain bike trails for various skill levels. "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 (don't worry, it is quiet at night) and an RC airplane strip," according to Jeffrey W. from Markham Park Campground.
Urban park exploration: Campers can access multiple recreational facilities without leaving their camping area. "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. There's a water park for the kids, volleyball, many gazebos with grilling areas and more," shares Mark B. about Topeekeegee Yugnee Park Campground.
Clean facilities: Despite urban locations, many Miami-area campgrounds maintain high standards. "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," notes Bernadette P. about Topeekeegee Yugnee Park Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Even in urban settings, campers enjoy observing local wildlife. "It's a 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," reports Tod H. about Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
Security measures: Many campgrounds provide added security for urban camping. "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," according to Amanda about Topeekeegee Yugnee Park Campground.
Site selection matters: Not all sites within the same campground offer equal experiences. "We were originally assigned a campsite right next to another group who was taking up a lot of space so the office staff graciously worked with us and let us choose our own site," shares Aly E. about Encore Miami Everglades.
Seasonal impacts: Facilities may have limited availability depending on time of year. "Right now, nothing is open until memorial day weekend. So no beach and no pool. Also half the park is under construction, and for whatever reason (covid?) All of the bathrooms and showers are closed in the whole park," reports Nikaela B. about their stay at Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
Water quality concerns: Some campgrounds experience occasional utility issues. "On several occasions our water went out (in the middle of a shower and another time during dinner prep, and yet again while doing laundry!) Cable also went out several times," notes Nancy about Encore Miami Everglades.
Kid-friendly amenities: Several campgrounds offer dedicated recreation for children. "This is city owned and operated Park/Campground. There is a great fire ring with benches for bonfires and a great Beach volleyball court. The pool is clean and guarded by life guards," explains Tod H. at Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
Event planning: Campgrounds often host special activities worth scheduling around. "The park is beautiful and they have events happening—we stumbled on a Renaissance Festival. Heading back for another stay," shares Bernadette P. about Topeekeegee Yugnee Park.
Gate hours: Campgrounds may restrict entry during late hours. "Gates locked at 8pm. Lots of trees scattered but ok shade," mentions Paul about Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
RV restrictions: Some campgrounds limit which RV types are permitted. "They also don't allow anything other than motorhomes, 2-wheel dollies, TT, or 5th wheels. No other trailers, no van conversions," warns Nikaela B. about Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
Site layout: C.B. Smith Park offers a variety of site configurations. "We used to come here in the 80's when they first opened. The area has definitely blown up since then but the park remains the same. Quiet, clean and very peaceful (unless there's a game but of course that's ok) We had site 48 which I highly recommend," advises Derick B. from C.B. Smith Park Campground.
Internet connectivity: Signal strength varies by location. "Verizon data slow even with booster. Close to Everglades and Route 1. Site pretty level good hookups," notes Paul about Larry & Penny Thompson Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Miami Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, Miami Springs, FL offers a wide range of camping options, with 62 campgrounds and RV parks near Miami Springs, FL and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Miami Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Miami Springs, FL is Larry & Penny Thompson Park with a 3.5-star rating from 22 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Miami Springs, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Miami Springs, FL.
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