One of Miami’s most prized green spaces, Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground spans 270 wooded acres in Southwest Miami-Dade, very near to Zoo Miami.
Large areas of native avocado, mango and lychee trees provide a natural buffer inside the park, which also features expansive fields of wildflowers, palmettos and rock pinelands.
Larry and Penny Thompson Park honors the pioneering efforts of Larry Thompson, a columnist for the Miami Herald and Penny Thompson, a pioneer in the field of women’s flying who both supported increasing the number of parks and green spaces in Miami-Dade County by consistently planting more trees and flowers.
Camping At The Larry And Penny Thompson Memorial Park Campground
The campground welcomes guests around the clock and features 240 RV spaces and a tent camping area and all RVs are provided with water and power hookups as well as there being a camp store, free WiFi, on-site laundry facilities and four spacious restrooms with hot showers. Also note that the RV area is the only part of the park where pets are permitted.
Groups can reserve the park for daily, weekly or monthly stays and you can set up your tent wherever you like without having to book a specific spot in advance.
Outdoor Recreation At The Larry And Penny Thompson Memorial Park Campground
Visitors to the Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground will find a wide variety of outdoor pursuits available including swimming in a huge freshwater lake, sunbathing on a seasonal beach, enjoying a meal at one of several picnic shelters or exploring the park on horseback, foot or bicycle.
The campground office also features a historical exhibit dedicated to the park’s namesake pair where you can enjoy reading his multiple humorous essays and books.
Who Was Larry Thompson
After writing for the Miami Herald for 25 years, Larry Thompson who was born in 1911 and died in 1973, became a nationally recognized comedian and writer. Penny Thompson, his wife of 20 years, pioneered the field of women pilots in South Florida throughout the 1940’s and 50’s and after marrying in 1953, began taking their children on cross-country camping vacations all over America.
In December 1974, the federal government transferred 1,010 acres of land, including the Zoo Miami site, that had previously been part of the Richmond Naval Station and The University of Miami previously owned the fruit plantations that are now scattered around the Larry And Penny Thompson Memorial Park Campground.
Avocado, mango and lychee trees also populate these groves, which serve as a natural barrier and shade all over the park campground and is also home to palmettos, rock pinelands and other species of flora and fauna unique to the region.
For you picnickers out there, there are 9 picnic shelters at the moment for rent at costs ranging from $285 to $350 per day, depending on the site’s proximity to major thoroughfares.
Each shelter can accommodate up to a hundred people and is equipped with a barbecue grill, 6 feet in length, seven large picnic tables and clean, flowing water but do not have power.