Best RV Parks & Resorts near Palmetto Bay, FL

Midway in Big Cypress: This is our forth time here. We love this campground, though the sites are open. All trailer sites look over the lake which is in the middle of the campground. This campground seems to be very conducive to meeting people. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer. Our rating of a campground is influenced by the following: The general ambiance- sort of wilderness feel the campground gives us. A selection of campsites which offer some visual privacy and/or view from sites. Cleanliness of whatever facilities are offered is important and usually noted in my review.

Overall Rating: 4.5 for the lake view Price 2023: $ 15 w interagency pass Usage during visit: RV sites full every night. Tent sites accommodate vans, rooftop tents…. Site Privacy: None Site Spacing: Fair Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Required Campground Noise: Tent area - defiantly.
Road Noise: Tent area - defiantly. From # 21, yes. Through Traffic in campground: Folks might come in to have picnics at tables around the lake. Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes, at the dump station. Generators: Allowed. Bathroom: Flush toilet. Only one stall in the men’s. Clean. Showers: At Monument Lake CH, 20 minutes. Pull Throughs: None in RV Loop Cell Service (AT&T): Site 21 usually has 1 bar. Sites at the near the end have weaker reception. Setting: All RV sites are situated around the lake
Recent Weather: High 50s to 80s. Rain Solar: Plenty in the tent sites Host: Three Rig Size: Largest bus RVs are here Sites: 19 - 26 are best shaded sites. 13 and 14 are corner sites with less shade . 1 is near a shed, but a fine site. Picnic tables along the lake and in between these sites: 22&23, 3&4, 11&12, 16&17. (On nice weekend days you can expect small groups using these spots for day usage.)

This is a very nice campground which is part of the Miami-Dade County park system.  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.  We were in pod 4 site 20 (420 lol).  We booked this camp with the intent to stay for a month or longer as my husband had an opportunity to Captain boats in Miami.  

The park was very quiet.  Most of the campers were retirees, a few families with kids, but we were there in early January.  The grounds are nicely maintained with lots of places to walk and open space with trees.  They don't allow dogs off-leash and although it is adjacent to the rest of the Larry & Penny park, dogs are not even allowed in the main park, at all.  We did however find a few dog parks within four miles or so which were nice.

They have a very nice pool which was open daily Wed- Sunday 11am - 5pm.  It was raining and rather dreary during our stay so we didn't use the pool.  They have a nice Clubhouse and it looked okay with tables, chairs, books, puzzles, but again very quiet.  Not many activities except for a few and we didn't stay long enough to participate.  After a week, we decided to make moves back home to Lake Tahoe.  It was unseasonably cold, raining so no boat work and not an ideal spot for the dogs.  They don't have WiFi and since we were planning a longer stay, purchased the Starlink system since I work remote during the winter.  Starlink worked great, but costs $500+ to get started and then $120 or so a month.  If you are looking for an affordable long term/monthly stay, it is great.  The rates were $850 a month for full hook-ups.  They had last minute space available, too.  

If you are in the area, check out the Miami Zoo.  We were there when they had the "Zoo Lights" a super fun evening event.  They have other events at the Zoo and lots to do nearby.  You are closer to town than Everglades Encore, but still close to the agricultural area.  I recommend but not as fun or as many activities as some other places.

Pinecrest: Group camp. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer. Our rating of a campground is influenced by the following: The general ambiance- sort of wilderness feel the campground gives us. A selection of campsites which offer some visual privacy and/or view from sites. Cleanliness of whatever facilities are offered is important and usually noted in my review.

Overall Rating: 3.5 for a group campground Security: None. Isolated.
Usage during visit: Empty Site Privacy: None - Two defined areas Site Spacing:
Site surface: Grass Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: No e Through Traffic in campground: No reason Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: No Potable Water Available: At Midway CG Generators: Yes Bathroom: Pit toilet Showers: No Pull Throughs: Yes Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars Setting: Open grass area surrounded by trees Recent Weather: 50s to 80s. Some high winds. Tornado warnings Solar: Yes Host: Not on premises Rig Size: Can accommodate large rigs Sites: See pics

Long Pine : Sites are more private here than the one other Everglades established campground (Flamingo). More trails here. Flamingo is closer to water activities. We saw a rattlesnake this trip. Previously, we had a water moccasin under our trailer I figure having been disoriented during a torrential downpour. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer. Our rating of a campground is influenced by the following: The general ambiance- sort of wilderness feel the campground gives us. A selection of campsites which offer some visual privacy and/or view from sites. Cleanliness of whatever facilities are offered is important and usually noted in my review.

Overall Rating: 3.5. Lower rating than the camping experience deserves. Reasons:? Poor cleanliness of facilities as is often my experience in concessionaire run campgrounds. The interagency pass only attains a 10% discount. Our stay and other retirees I have spoken with limit our stays. Note the campground was only full on weekdays! Price 2023: $ 34 w interagency pass Usage during visit: 1/2 to 3/4 mostly Site Privacy: Low growing shrubs give great privacy between most all RV sites Site Spacing: Good Site surface: Grass Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Inner loop roads are short with limited # of spaces in each. This coupled with dense foliage keeps the noise down. Road Noise: None Through Traffic in campground: Only the outer loop road because of campground traffic only. It’s not too bad Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Near restroom facilities. Generators: Yes Bathroom: Flush toilets are kept clean. The ready of the facility boarders on disgusting.
Showers: Solar. Water temperature depends on sunshine, time of day, usage , and the length showers folks take.
Pull Throughs: Available. Cell Service (AT&T): Good, Flamingo is stronger. Setting: Carved into a dense palm shrub lower canopy. Recent Weather: Really varied during our stay. Solar: Good on the clear days. Host: Full time personnel

Mitchell’s Landing: this isolated campground has an airboat launch area. I met a man, Bill, who grew up on this property, owned by his Miccosukee family until the mid 70s. According to him, the department of the interior, reneged on their promise that this land would stay in his family. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer. Our rating of a campground is influenced by the following: The general ambiance- sort of wilderness feel the campground gives us. A selection of campsites which offer some visual privacy and/or view from sites. Cleanliness of whatever facilities are offered is important and usually noted in my review.

Overall Rating: 4 Price 2023: $ w interagency pass Security: No - Remote Usage during visit: Light Site Privacy: about half the sites are spread out in an open park lake area. Are very nice. Some sites are very nice. I was those below. Site Spacing: the nicest sites are pretty good in this regard Site surface: grass Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet when we were here Road Noise: too remote. Through Traffic in campground: None while I was visiting. Electric Hookup: no Sewer Hookup: no, no Dump Station: at Midway campground. (30 minutes). Potable Water Available: The closest water is at Midway CG (30 minutes). Generators: allowed Bathroom: pit toilets. Moderately clean Showers: no. Pull Throughs: some Cell Service (AT&T): three Setting: surrounded by trees Recent Weather: very mixed this year. 50s into the 80s. Solar: some Host: yes Rig Size: 30 footers are here. Be careful with site you choose for that size Sites: my favorite – 4,5,6,7,10, 8 Okay:15

PROS 

No reservation fee charged 

Camp Host Chris immediately and voluntarily came to our site to lend his knowledge on backing a 28ft trailer into site A16. Very helpful and friendly! 

Nice privacy from neighboring sites due to heavy vegetation 

Site A16 level 

Site A16 partial shade 

Metal fire ring 

Moveable metal and wooden picnic table 

Campground WIFI 

Security gate closed 6pm and assessable with code that was provided at check-in 

Security codes required for bathhouse entry

3 bars T-Mobile 

CONS 

No senior or veteran discount 

Train, plane and traffic(lots of sirens) noise was nonstop and very loud 

Campsite crammed together 

A16 has two large trees on each side of the 12 foot wide campsite entrance 

Bring you A GAME as this campground road is very tight with lots of turns 

All utilities hookups are at the rear of site A16

Not the best part of town

Midway Campground- Ochopee, FL: We were here a few years ago and had to come back. This is a great campground in Big Cypress Wilderness Reserve at mile marker 52 on route 41 Tamiami trail. No water or sewer hookups, but there is electric at the site, fire pit, picnic table and good sized spaced out sites. Dump station and potable water available. Host was very friendly and checked on campers regularly. The 26 mile loop road is very close and a great way to experience Florida & Big Cypress backcountry and wildlife from your car or bike. Plenty of hiking trails in the area as well.