user
Larry and Penny Thompson Park
12451 SW 184th St, Miami, FL 33177, United States
Appearance

Comments
Qu
Review №1

An absolute amazing park with so much space to walk you could disappear. When walking around, its a fresh breath of air and you escape into such a peaceful world. Its great for biking, skating, running and walking. There are large fields to play sports games such as soccer or football. There is a park for the kids to play and a lake to fish. There is also a swimming area that closes around 4 or 5 depending on what day you go (weekends usually 5). It does close at sunset so get there early to get the most out of this park.For Pokemon Go players: Perfect place to hatch eggs, join raids, spin lots of stops and takeover gyms.100% recommend going here for any occasion.

Da
Review №2

Everything was good except for the lady who kicks you out at 5:30pm. She goes around yelling at everybody to get out by 5:30pm. Theres gotta be a better way to get people to leave the park.

ma
Review №3

Good place to walk or have a family outing. Plenty of shady tree coverage. Bring bug spray and sunscreen when you go. Nice clean camping area and grilling stations.Good place to play pokemon go with your children.

Br
Review №4

A beautiful, well maintained oasis centrally located between Miami and Homestead. Great walking - biking paths around the serene lake. The full hook up campground with heated pool is one of the best deals in all of south Florida....if you can get a spot. Weve spent 4 winters here and love it!

Hi
Review №5

I dont leave reviews but since you asked;Ive been going to this park since I can remember. Learn to ride my bike, swim, paddle here lol and Ive always come to to get some exercise.UNFORTUNATELY I WOULDNT recommend going to this park AT ALL. if you look like a suspicious person starting 6 years ago Ive mustve been searched over 20 times.I was looked into for having drugs(I dont do any) and a recent car break in(which I was the one who called the police the week before to let them know someones car was broken into I even asked people nearby if it was theres) also the police arent keeping a record of the people they stop and search which they are supposed to.Because when I went to the station and told them how many times Ive been stopped at this park for no apparent reason they said Ive only been stopped there twice. (The police are supposed to generate a report even if nothing is found but they dont)If you have a past history with the law theyll look up your license plate and wait for you to finish your exercise and when you get inside your car they pull up right directly behind you so you cant leave.Its disgusting and it keeps happening to me all the time! But like I said Ive been going here since I was a kid so I wont be stopped.But I wonder if they havent found anything on me the 20+ times they searched me at the park and I look as Ive obviously been working out, what will it take for them to leave me alone?I know a lot of people love cops just put yourself in my hopeless shoes.

Me
Review №6

Jogging or sprinting, this park is fun to jog/run. Lots of vegetation however hella humid after a rain. But the environment is worth, at least for me!

Ma
Review №7

Always enjoyed going there and do my artwork while observing nature! I loved seeing cats around and squirrels! a beauty for the ones who live close by. wish the water faucet was easier to get water, but hey, it is what they have! maybe they consider planting flowers in the future! Cant wait for the park to open again! I use to take my kids thee when they were little to swim

Ha
Review №8

Surrounded by a nice park. Fifteen minute drive to Zoo Miami. Quiet treelined surroundings, big bathrooms, laundry facility. The pool looks very inviting, alhough the extra activities (pool, bikes) are not open now. We would return here.

Tr
Review №9

Great. Always a nice time riding our horses there. Should be more parks like this in Miami Dade.

Br
Review №10

This is a nice park, and I love it. There are several pavilions. There is a pavilion with a bunch of cats, for some reason, an approximately 3.5 mile long walking trail, a playground, a lake with ducks (you arent *supposed* to feed them) , slide, and a large field. There are some fruit trees that are nice but protected, you are not allowed to pick the fruit. Lots of bathroom facilities. My only reason for giving 3 stars is Im taking 2 off because multiple times I have gone to the multiple stall restroom to find it locked. If i have to pee on my walk and have to walk extra its a hassle. Besides that, its great. With COVID, the pavilions and playground are marked off. Still nice to walk around.

Se
Review №11

It was another tremendous experience,I got to meet two beautiful staff name odalis and Elaine..they had to make the conversation short because they were working..Quiet but sometimes you hear sirens.... its understandable since the park is situated inside the city...

Ma
Review №12

I have lived in the area 22 years. Occasionally road bike with in the park. I never camped at the park because I considerate not a very good part to camp at. I was completely wrong. Just camped this weekend in the tent area with Boy Scouts group 23. I am completely in love with the park. The park is clean and the atmosphere is pleasant. The park is extremely well Kept. I was completely wrong about this park simply since there is no advertising and it’s far back. I will be camping in this park from now on. I truly was amazed by the employees and level of attention they provide.. Thank you to all employees that keep this place going. You have a live time camper on your park.

Ju
Review №13

A very nice big cross country trail here and a lake to enjoy its nice to come here.

Yo
Review №14

We stayed here for a month in half...its was alright, FYI....your are not allowed to hang anything on the trees.. we were asked to remove our chimes... people don’t pickup after there pets. The washer and dyers are very good for the price 1.50 for both. There’s a nice bike trails. Security is always passing by really safe area and nice place. We will come again.

Ed
Review №15

Nice community park and campground. The park has covered picnic pavilions alongside the water. The campground has full hookup sites and some are spacious. The park is clean and very well maintained.

Em
Review №16

Such a peaceful and beautiful wildlife refuge!

An
Review №17

A gem in the middle of Miami! When all the facilities are open, this place has a LOT of great stuff to do! Lake, beaches, covered picnic areas, plenty of parking and plenty of trails!DONNNNNT FORGET THE MOSQUITO REPELLENT!!!

Da
Review №18

Very quiet due to Covid. All the shelters are closed and they had all but one entrance closed.

Jo
Review №19

Giving the park four stars, however some of the campers here dont abide by the rules, which almost pushed it down to a 3. In late spring and summer this place isnt that crowded, it has all the facilities and they are clean. They have groundskeepers picking up trash, but some campers dont clean up after themselves or their animals so it is a losing battle. Other campers leave their laundry in the washer for hours and security said there wasnt anything they could do about it. No dog crates or fences allowed outside, so some campers let their dogs run free. Im giving it 4 stars because it has all the amenities, the staff is nice and they are trying, its the other campers causing the issues. The Miami zoo is next door, we rode our bikes there. Its about 6 miles by bike. There are biking, hiking, walking trails, volleyball, horseshoes, a pool ( only open on weekends) a lake with water slides ( closed right now). Also on some weekends the zoo has concerts, loud music can be heard until after 2am. Only occurred on Saturday night during our week long stay.

na
Review №20

I love this park always go hiking on trail good hate the fact of lots of tree where burn down but also seen in some parts are alots of baby pine they blooming love nature and this the only park in miami this size with pine trees being coming for 22 years.

Mo
Review №21

I’ve both camped at this park and enjoyed a day with the family in the picnic area on numerous occasions. My experience so far has always been positive.When camping, we always get great friendly service when checking in, the bathrooms are relatively clean for the age of the property and the fees are very reasonable. If you’re with young children or just want to test your camping skills for your real adventure, this is a great spot. It’s not the place if you’re looking to really get alway from civilization.The picnic area and playground are also always well kept, easy to access and provide most of the things you might need to enjoy the day.Overall, it’s a pretty good place if you’re looking to spend some time outdoors, camp or host a picnic.

Mi
Review №22

This review is a review of the RV Park at Larry and Penny Thompson Park.First, I would give the staff 5 stars. They are on top of their game immediately remember your name. They are very pleasant and always willing to help. The park is kept very clean and the maintenance crews are very nice and are on top of everything to ensure the park is kept clean. n addition, the Maintenance Crew came to our site to double check that there were no branches impeding us backing in. Once we were in on site, the crew still trimmed branches to keep them away from the coach.We paid $565 for 30 days and stayed in our 45 American Coach Eagle.Most sites were large enough except the one they first tried to put us in which was in Pod 9 Site 11. The Trees would not allow us to back in. The rest sites were large enough for us.The reason for the 3 stars is the 1) you are required to move around the park during your stay. You do not get to stay in one place and you are fitted within existing reservations. They DO NOT change a reservation even if that reservation can fit in the place you are moving to. Seems everyone at this park is used to doing this. We had to move 3 times to stay between October 10 and Jan 10. 2) The sites are constrained by two high yellow poles that require you to shift left when backing up. That means in some cases you will be half way off the macadam. Pod 1 is the best pod for Big Rigs as it is the largest pod and you can easily back in or pull through. The remaining pods are tight as you are trying to back in. 3) There are no dog parks which requires your dog to be on leash all the time even though there are several areas where a dog park could be put up. In this park almost everyone had a dog so this was disappointing.Not because of the park, another downside of this area was that the traffic in Miami is horrible 45-60 minutes to go 10 miles was tough to make plans.Unfortunately, we will not return to Miami but probably would consider this park if we had no other choices.

Ch
Review №23

Love it and will come again. First time camping here and i enjoy every moment. The only thing i didnt like is the employee didnt pick up the trash and it was overflowing. I had to clean it. Because mother earth doesnt deserve it enough the earth is overflowing with plastic when are garbage

Pi
Review №24

Peaceful place. It’s pretty large so I wasn’t able to explore the whole thing.

Jo
Review №25

Good its very good place and quiet nice and quiet

Ei
Review №26

Beautiful place to stay on our way down to the Keys. Nice quiet place. It appears that many are more permanent residents. They have security that roam at night.We ended up arriving after the office closed and leaving before it opened. The security guy took down our license plate and information and we promised to call and pay the next day. When we did, we also asked if we could reserve another night. The woman on the phone informed us, quite rudely, that we were not allowed to stay in the park because we had a campervan that was not a typical RV. They apparently dont let anyone in escape-van style vehicles to stay. We were not welcome back. Oh and in case youre wondering? They gladly took our money for the first night.

St
Review №27

Overall the campground was great value for the price. Check-in was a bit tedious, Im unsure why, as it was a tent campsite. All of the facilities were well kept. We enjoyed the firepit and felt safe. Cynthia the security guard was very knowledgeable on local restrictions and regulations, we appreciated her presence.

Ya
Review №28

We finally took the time to visit this park and OMG. It’s sooooo beautiful. Will definitely visit again.

ke
Review №29

Nice, beautiful and clean place we will come back

Al
Review №30

An oasis in the middle.of. a dessert, thats how Id describe this park. Beautiful!

QE
Review №31

Its a nice place to hang out though be ready to be creeped out by all the vultures that hang in this one blocked off area, lol

L
Review №32

Great place to camp out and clean amenities

Dr
Review №33

Nice lake and recreation area. A good place to meet and explore the area around Miami.

De
Review №34

Clean cozy live the bike path

M
Review №35

Clean park and great happy trails

BL
Review №36

Good place to have fun with the kids

Ma
Review №37

Not a very long trail as stated on its description and not that much of a crowd but good enough to be out during coronavirus.

Ca
Review №38

As a local, I think the park could step it up a bit. It just doesnt really appeal to me from a landscaping aspect. I think that it is nice if youre going to be at one of the shelters, or for a picnic, but the running trails could definitely use a bit more shade. Unfortunately, the trees and shrubs that make up most of the park do not really provide much of a shade. I also think it would be great if at least one part of it could be used to take pets. Not sure why that hasnt been done yet.

i_
Review №39

Nice campground. The staff is very friendly. Clean laundry room and there are several. The facility is very strict though otherwise I would have given 5 stars. We have a small dog play pen that stays under our porch. Our dogs only go in it to use the bathroom but we were told we could not put it up and if anyone had seen it we would have been given a notice?After so many you are asked to leave. I understand not having a huge pen but one that is barely seen seemed odd. The pool area is also very strict. You are basically allowed to float. There is no cable as well and the lake is also closed for the rest of the year.Don’t get me wrong I’m all for having rules to keep things running smoothly but some of it just seemed a bit much. Either way we would still go back if ever in the area again.

Ni
Review №40

Quiet, safe place that allows pets

Pa
Review №41

The front lady was nice there. Its really hard to find places to stay because of all the snowbirds . They have a nice warm pool but you keep getting smells of rotten eggs and poop. My husband thinks its because the pump out is right there. Idk. We heard a few people asking and complaining to the life guards. The bathrooms were dirty though. Mainly the showers. The doors to the bathroom were always open and there was rodent fecal matter on the walls, doors and bench where you would sit to change. There was also blood on the floor in the showers and still blood a few days later in the other shower. Hair on the floor. We kept seeing the same stuff on the floor which you could tell they werent being cleaned. Not a lot of kids there. The first day we got in we had the radio on in the RV for our dogs while we ran to the store. Which its in our Rv and not loud and when we got back the neighbor knocked on our door mad telling us he dont like to hear music Because he was in the military and it makes him want to kill someone. I no longer felt comfortable being next to him. I felt that with kids we had to be extra quiet and walk on our tippy toes. But yet he started sawing with a circular saw at 8 am the next morning for hours and did it on three different days. We were literally so tired of hearing sawing all day!!All day all you could hear as your sitting outside trying to enjoy the outdoors is SAWING! Which your not supposed to work on your RV at the park. We moved away from him but you could still hear the saw. This is a place that has a lot of senior snowbirders. Lots of bingo! Your beautiful view is Ton of clothes-undies and bras being hung blowing in the wind at every bathroom. Hanging on the huge pole lines placed at every bathroom. There NOT very pretty to look at while your on vacation and wanting to enjoy the beautiful scenery. But when we used the dryers we had to use them several times to even dry our clothes. So I understood more why they were probably hanging them. Someone left there clothes in a bag on the bench for days in the laundry room untouched but I left my laundry basket in between washing and drying and someone stole it.

Bo
Review №42

NOTE: We tried to stay in here as a dry camper. They world not even let us fill a water jug. Dry means dry. Very nasty and unwelcoming. We went to Miccosukee Casino for the night. Filled water tank at Miami Everglades resort. They were most helpful and friendly.

Ta
Review №43

Beautiful park with a nice walking/bike trail.

Ki
Review №44

Mangoes galore! Its a beautiful and quiet park.

Ve
Review №45

Great place and great Customer service.

Ri
Review №46

Im very disappointment with itWhy people can not get the mangoes here, not even people who paid taxes in Miami-Dade country, not even under control

Ke
Review №47

Nice place to park play frizbee and chill out with the children or grandparents easy access. Lots of shade trees and easy to get too. Fenced and plenty of parking. I would recommend bug spray because of the misquotes

R
Review №48

Beautiful parkto to stay under trees

Pa
Review №49

The park is huge and very beautiful. There is a big lake in the sun, and long trails where you can walk or run. You can have a barbeque or party with family, walk a dog, go biking. There are many places to explore.

St
Review №50

I love the community feel. Sites are spacious. Full hook ups. Was able to get a big rig in there.

Be
Review №51

Its a great place to take the family to go camping!! Awesome place to spend quality time together

Pa
Review №52

Awesome camping and close to everything. The staff is great and the place is well managed.

Ru
Review №53

Beautiful park.

L
Review №54

The reception of this campground refused our small rental camper-van admission today for no other reason than that rules had changed. When we phoned 2 days earlier and we explained that we needed a site for our camper-van, nobody told us this and we were supposed to be welcome as long as we arrived before 17:00h.So be careful when you travel with a camper-van, you are NOT WELCOME anymore in the Larry and Penny Thompson Campground!!In two weeks time during high season such a big change? Very strange and very disappointing. We had to book a hotel for the night.

Ja
Review №55

Seems like a great place. Had family stay in the RV park over the holidays and it was clean and seemed very nice.

Ju
Review №56

Nice place for a picnic or a party

Ka
Review №57

The park is very nice but someone broke into my Aunts car and stole her credit cards. Be careful at this park it seems like they do this often.

Pa
Review №58

I love its isolated trails through the hammock. Nice place for running

Gl
Review №59

Great place to bike ride

wa
Review №60

We had a great time and its so reasonably priced. I highly recommend it.

Ke
Review №61

My family and I very first time camping and we absolutely loved it. We were allowed to bring one big tent because I wasnt comfortable with having my kids sleeping alone in a unfamiliar place. Later found out there was 24hr security so that made us feel better. The staff was very friendly and informative. Cant wait to do this again!!

Be
Review №62

Bikes and equipments are frequently stolen inside the park.There is hole on the fences and no security to take care.

De
Review №63

One of the best RV parks weve been at. We will definitely come here if in the area again.

Sa
Review №64

I was going down to Homestead for a rally and this campground had been recommended to me so I booked two nights. It was easy to find and the staff were very nice but the sites are arranged in circular pods and theyre very crowded. There really was no privacy and my site was nowhere near as nice as the one I had paid half as much for at Myakka River State Park. The pool was quite nice, however, and virtually empty except for a couple who were necking in the water.

Ol
Review №65

Have been here several times, quiet and peaceful place but the grounds need work and upkeep.

An
Review №66

Very peaceful..my son loves the playground and the water.and my wife and I love exercising there

Ab
Review №67

Very good campground. But there is some security issues. There are no good security cameras that has good angles. One of our neighbors got his brand new truck stolen, and the management wasnt able to help. The camera recordings of the thieves were not useful.

Mi
Review №68

Great place to enjoy and breathe in the fresh air

Pa
Review №69

This park is awesome nice place to just sit and think picnic and event space with waterfront views

om
Review №70

Great peaceful place

Ri
Review №71

The Best RV Park In The Hold South Florida They Really Make You Feel At Home.The Management & His Team Really Care About There Guest. Wonderful wonderful experience love it love it words cannot express enough

Gr
Review №72

3.75 stars. A reasonable park. We had no issues checking in and the staff was reasonable. The campsites are good with full hookups. The bathhouses are reasonably clean but could use some updating. There are laundry facilities available as well. We did not make use of the pool or beach areas, so I cannot comment on those. The park is adjacent to Zoo Miami though there is no easy way to walk or bike there. This was a convenient spot to stay for a few days as we explored the area.

Sa
Review №73

A very beautiful park for photos. We take beautiful family pictures here every year.

Ac
Review №74

Awesome super relax chill place

Ke
Review №75

One of our favorite places to RV Camp. The staff is professional and friendly and the facilities and the grounds are kept clean and tidy. We always look forward to our stay at Larry & Penny Thompson Park.

Iz
Review №76

Stopped here to walk; pokestopsfor the boo. Its a nice park with nice easy trails to walk. There is plenty of parking and playgrounds scattered throughout.

Re
Review №77

Best campground in the Miami area with very friendly and helpful staff.

Ma
Review №78

Nice park. The beach was closed for clean up I guess

To
Review №79

I only went to walk the 5k trail but what I saw was nice.

pa
Review №80

Excellent Park and bathrooms are very very clean thank you very much

Es
Review №81

I really like this parky, its a shame the water slide and other amenities are not in working order. A friend of mine whos been a local resident since he was borne tells me the water park has been out of order for a lot of years now.Its a nice park for picnics, riding a bike and just relaxing in general on a weekend.

Jo
Review №82

Is a beautiful park and campground. Was just passing through the area so only stayed one night it would really like to return. They were full but allowed some dry camping. The staff was nice and very helpful.

Je
Review №83

The people who run Larry and Penny campground from the people who run the office to management to maintenance are amazing ining making a camping experience a pleasure. Regina Remicci

De
Review №84

Park is a great place to take your kids to get fresh air and for Family gatherings

Le
Review №85

We visited the park for the an annual phagwah Festival it was an awesome colorful time

Ru
Review №86

Good for a nice walk.

Th
Review №87

Good , relatively quiet park for being so close to major city. Could hear frequent sirens, but not horrible. Everything was clean and staff accommodating. Only bummer is that the pool is closed on Mondays. Since that was our only full day there, it made it a little less enjoyable.

ma
Review №88

Park still needs a lot of work but its a good place to hang out

Ma
Review №89

Just some place nice to recharge! People riding bikes , walking their pets . Great place to enjoy picnicking too.

Le
Review №90

My family would always host our outdoor events at this park. Nothing but fond memories. Loved going on the waterslide and to the beach area!

Ga
Review №91

A surprising park south of Miami in the Homestead area. The park is very convenient off the turnpike and offers easy access to the national parks as well as the top areas in Miami. The sites are organized in a circular pod configuration where there are 10 sites on the outside edge and 5 on the inside. The sites are asphalt with grass and large trees surrounding the sites and in between them. The park has reasonable bathrooms, showers and laundry rooms in several locations of the park, a great pool that is open for the weekends and summer months and wifi that works OK. With the low nightly price, great weekly and monthly rates, convenient location and decent amenities, this a great value park and highly recommended. See our full review and pictures at our blog at thegilliamsisland.

Di
Review №92

Nice park for.family or by your self and they have a beach

Ju
Review №93

My family and I were enjoying our vacation, and this was the place we were going to spend the night for. So we were checking in and a person goes out to inspect our camper. She comes back in and says that air conditioners on the side of campers arent allowed. Its a small problem yes but once we left we saw exleast 5 campers with air conditioners on the side of there campers. So either they didnt like us personally, or just didnt pay enough attention to the others.

Bo
Review №94

Its a nice park to have family functions, or bike riding and walking in natural surroundings.

HO
Review №95

Normal to fairCould be less expensive for what it offers..Water park abadnoned and up keep is

K.
Review №96

Just make sure you will be able to stay at this park before making reservations, as they charge $26.00 cancellation fee. We planned to only stay for one night for the price of $33.90.

da
Review №97

My favorite spot to hang out... be one with natural.

La
Review №98

My kiddos love this place. I highly recommend this park

Da
Review №99

Venue for Miami-Man US National triathlon championship. Great venue except no beer garden and need more food trucks.

Ja
Review №100

This was the best maintained and most welcoming campground Ive ever been to. The pool was very refreshing as well.

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.4 Rating
  • Address:12451 SW 184th St, Miami, FL 33177, United States
  • Site:http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/larry-penny.asp
  • Phone:+1 305-232-1049
Categories
  • Tourist attraction
  • Park
Working hours
  • Monday:7am–6pm
  • Tuesday:7am–6pm
  • Wednesday:7am–6pm
  • Thursday:7am–6pm
  • Friday:7am–6pm
  • Saturday:7am–6pm
  • Sunday:7am–6pm
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
Similar organizations