After a pleasant drive south from the Cocoa FL area we arrived at Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial…read morePark and Campground. The campground was suggested by our friends Bob and Lori. We're absolutely delighted to overnight in quiet Pod 5 site 1 which is a back in site with full hookup. Larry Thompson was a humor columnist for the Miami Herald for more than two decades until his death February 18, 1973. He is in the Florida Newspaper Hall of Fame. His wife Gladys "Penny" Thompson (née Rhodes), who died September 22, 1975, was a pioneer in women's aviation during the 1940s-1950s. She is in the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame and the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. She was the Florida chapter president of the Ninety-Nines, the women's pilot organization founded by Amelia Earhart. While in the Civil Air Patrol, she flew over the Gulf of Mexico searching for German submarines during World War II. Her plane was one of several hundred destroyed in a 1945 blimp hangar fire at the Naval Air Station Richmond, part of which was rebuilt as the park.

I love the layout of this park and the amount of trees!! The shelters are amazing for bday parties…read moreand if you get the ones by the lake then you're in for a treat for a beautiful sunset

You are going to love this Hidden Oasis!!!…read more http://www.miamidade.gov/ecoadventures/camp-owaissa-bauer.asp Email: campowaissabauer@miamidade.gov Phone 305-247-6016 Camp Owaissa Bauer, special activity area of the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, is designed for group camping and is located near Homestead, Florida. The camp occupies a 110-acre tract of pineland studded with tropical hammock growth, and is provided/maintained by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. The many natural features of the camp area may be observed from nature trails. Here, campers can learn about animals, vegetation, and geology of South Florida. All natural features of the camp are protected, planned, and designed for both adults and children. It is complete with buildings and facilities to accommodate a total of 160 campers for overnight and extended period camping. The camp is available to organized groups up to one (1) year in advance by contacting the Camp Manager's office. The Camp Manager and the staff are based on the campgrounds for your assistance. The organized groups must provide such directors, counselors, and kitchen personnel as are necessary to conduct their individual camping program. Facilities at Camp OB * 4 air conditioned dormitory-style cabins that can sleep 100 people. Bunk beds with vinyl-covered mattresses, restroom located in each cabin. * 2 non-air conditioned cabins that can sleep an additional 50 people. * * 3 separate air conditioned quarters that can sleep a combined total of 10 people. * * Bath house with separate men's & women's and ADA accessible showers. * Large air conditioned Dining Hall with fully equipped kitchen. * Recreation patio with ping-pong tables and benches. * Meeting room * perfect for smaller meeting or arts & crafts. * Large (35'x75', 3'-8' depth) swimming pool *, basketball courts, volleyball courts, softball field. * Hayrides and Campfires *

The post about how bad Camp Owaissa Bauer is, it's not fair. The director of the group would have…read morehad the remote controls for the air conditioners if it was to cold speak up and get the air turned down. The camp is very clean the bath house is very clean. The picture of the footprints on the floor seriously? If the group had been in the pool and walked to the bath house with wet feet or wet shoes there are going to be foot prints. Hard water rust stains are not dirty it is a rust stain. What pool that is not screened in doesn't have a few bugs in the water. It is Miami-Dade County Aquatics Policy to not allow masks that cover the nose in any pool. Children could breathe in water the accumulates in the mask and that could cause Dry Drowning or Secondary Drowning.

Very nice RV Park situated among groves of plant growers…read morejust outside of Miami. The sites were nice, but a tad tight. The pool and recreation areas are very nice and neatly maintained. The staff was very friendly and helpful and recommended several restaurants in the area that we checked out. We stayed for a week and if I go back to Miami, would definitely stay here again.

my husband and I RV'd from LA, up to Canada, across to DC, and now down to FL- this is the worst…read morepark we've stayed at. Admin in office is hostile, unwelcoming, and clearly don't give a crap about guests as people. I understand places like this have bad turn over but if we're still paying for services, you owe it to the guests to TRY to give them a good experience. We're not cattle; we're customers. Even if we come on a truck bed. No hot water in the front bathrooms. Nightmare shower experience once when they were cleaning. Pool is shut down. Mini golf and playground is dilapidated. We can't use the fire pit. No yard game equipment. Clubhouse is condemned. I ask- is there any fun camping activity we CAN do here? They were truly rude and difficult to work with. Go somewhere else, I wish I did!

This is not an "RV resort." It's a trailer park. 99% of people here are permanent residents. If…read moreyou're camping or RV'ing, this place is not for you. The residents are extremely rude, entitled, and do not particularly care for Americans (it's a majority French Canadian population). The pool, which should be relaxing, is typically occupied by residents playing loud music and smoking cigarettes. If you're parked in the row along NE 6th Ave, you'll need earplugs to sleep through the loud muffler sounds of racing cars. The dumpsters are typically overflowing with trash and can be smelled a block away. Staff are nice enough but the residents here ruin it for anyone else.

If you are thinking about staying here. Don't!!!! We stayed 5 nights and never had so much as a…read morewarm shower. Reported to the office twice and still nothing but cold water in the shower. Showers were clean but the toilets were marginal. We booked a back-in lot and believe you me it was tight. Also, if you don't like cats go elsewhere. There were two cats that tried to get into our RV every time we opened the door. The dumpster was a nasty heap and about 1/3 of a mile from our site. The rest room in the club house was a nasty mess, not to mention no toilet paper. They had us backed up the main road and the noise was very loud. Sounded like a drag strip all night long.

Everglades National Park is truly breathtaking; there are barely words to describe it. I've been…read morevisiting this park since I was a kid and have been more times than I can remember, and it never loses its magic. The entrance fee is $35 per vehicle, and once you enter, I highly recommend stopping by the Visitor Center to check which park ranger tours are available that day and to get updates on weather conditions. The park map will be your best friend; aside from certain areas, cell service can be very spotty to completely nonexistent. I've explored almost all the trails throughout the Glades, and I definitely suggest packing accordingly and bringing plenty of snacks and water. If you're looking for an unforgettable experience surrounded by wildlife and natural beauty, this is the place to go. Every visit leaves you feeling serene, relaxed, and completely in awe of nature.

Absolutely an American treasure. I get a peaceful feeling visiting here, but I also feel energized…read moreby the amazing flora and fauna. As a dedicated border, I was delighted to find so many unusual birds here. The Ranger at the front gate glanced at my annual pass and handed me a free map. I didn't realize how important that map was until I found myself off the grid, which was marvelous. The number of different types of habitat was eye opening, and well explained on the map. Highly recommended. It's as impressive as the grand canyon.

We visited the Dante France Lloyd Visitor Center at Biscayne National Park near Homestead, FL…read moreMonday Jan 29, 2026. Beautiful, interesting, & educational. We walked about the visitor center and the grounds. Learned more about the native wildlife from a teacher there. Many others were there for kayaking, paddleboarding, & fishing. The history of sponge harvesting in the bay was very educational. From here we took a two hour boat tour on the Stingray with pilot, Rick & tour gude Daniel. We went out to the northern end of the Florida keys as far as Boca Chita. A short hike & history lesson-was a private island most of the 1900s. Now it's a public site with a boat dock, beach, picnic area, & overnight camping by reservation. Help staff at the visitor center, clean restrooms, and a small aquarium. Recommend at least an hour here. But plan a full day to really explore. This National Park is a must see when in South Florida. Also out of Homestead is Everglades NP with for visitor centers for access. Thank you to all the staff & the boat tour guides. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA

Quite pricey snorkeling experience $115 ea for 3.5 hours boat tour, we booked the 1.30pm to 5pm…read moretour. Upon check-in, we realized that they put in 18 people in a small boat, the whole boat was pretty packed. The captain and helper were both friendly and helpful, they have pool noodles to help those who in need. we stopped at two sites, the water was cold near the mangrove and not many fish. The second site was better with reefs and warmer water. Even with wetsuits the majority us were shivering the whole 45 minutes journey back to the land. Our captain spotted dolphins on our way back, there were 4-5 of them in clear waters and swam near to our boat. if you have two or more people, i think charter a boat is better.

Very cool! No other airboats! Friendly and family run fish camp. We took the one hour airboat tour…read morewith Marshal. He was knowledgeable and informative. No hype or "lure feeding to attract alligators". Marshal has a pride in his family history and I'm glad we supported his business.

I would highly recommend going to see Marshall at Mack's Fish Camp. He was the most knowledgeable,…read moreyet humble tour guide one could ask for. He was extremely patient answering our group's many questions and educated us on numerous aspects of the ecosystem. The camp itself goes back six generations, which gives a very personal touch to the experience. Marshall went above and beyond "just" an airboat ride, making a necklace for us out of a river plant, stopping at a private island to allow us to explore, and introducing us to the people and animals that are part of the camp. Marshall was in constant communication leading up to the tour, professional, and accommodating. This excursion should be a must-do for anyone visiting the area.

Stumbled upon this nature center by chance and loved it. Did a nature walk through the hammock led…read moreby the awesome "H". She was incredibly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and fun. Learnt how the whole forest has an underground network of fungus. Might sound gross but it is fascinating! There are also this sink hole looking things called solutions that are super interesting to see and learn more about. The hammock is beautiful and you truly feel like you escaped Miami overall. The volunteers did some epic work on the butterfly garden. The bathrooms are clear and there are picnic tables all around. The nature center itself has a nice little exhibit to educate on birds, butterflies, snakes and the like. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and host several events throughout the month to educate and engage with the community. Archery lessons, evening walks, historic c bike rides and others. Looking forward to coming back!!

Beautiful, quiet, and amazing place to visit on a quiet morning or afternoon, ideal for a calm walk…read moreamong nature, to appreciate the beauty of nature, and a subtle symphony of sounds among the trees, birds, squirrels... However, it's a tricky trail. It's not easy to walk because it's pure nature. There is a trail that goes all the way to the end and from there it's a matter of walking all the way back. It's not a circle like other places. Take comfortable shoes with you, and be ready to walk slow, specially in areas full of rocks and moss. Also, there are insects around, and some mosquitoes in a part of the way. Nothing out of this world but if that's a dealbreaker take it into account. // Hermoso, y sorprendente lugar para visitar en una mañana o tarde tranquila, ideal para un paseo lento entre la naturaleza, para apreciar su belleza, y una sutil sinfonía de sonidos entre los árboles, pájaros, ardillas... Sin embargo, es un camino moderadamente complicado. Es pura naturaleza. Hay un sendero que llega hasta el final y desde allí es cuestión de caminar todo el camino de regreso. No es un círculo como otros lugares. Lleva contigo calzado cómodo y prepárate para caminar despacio, especialmente en zonas llenas de rocas y musgo. Además, hay insectos alrededor, y algunos mosquitos en una parte del camino. Nada fuera de este mundo, pero si eso es un factor decisivo, téngalo en cuenta.

Overall fun experience. I booked a tour through viator which included hotel pickup. The pickup was…read moreon time and the driver narrated some fun facts about the everglades on the short ride there. We visited on a Saturday so it was busy as expected. There is no shade on the grounds so much of the time was spent standing in the hot sun. Waiting to get into an airboat was a bit chaotic and tiresome. There were shade canopies along the queue but they were not deployed for some reason. Staff seemed a bit disorganized, groups were confused on where to go and given mixed directions from staff members. The experience on the boat was nice and we saw a variety of wildlife. The captain was knowledgeable and spotted alligators quickly. The gator show was fun but short. The host Paul was funny and engaging, the entire audience was captivated. All the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful. Our highlight was getting to hold a baby alligator and knowing that our money was going to one of the only no kill gator rescues!

This is a pretty good way to see and learn about our local Everglades!…read moreOur tour was at 12:30pm on a Saturday. We saw about 6 gators in the wild. Our airboat captain Tori was excellent! She gave us some history of the Everglades and was great about finding us gators. The airboats only cover a very small circle portion of the Everglades, which was the only disappointing part. I was hoping there would be more open canals to float/drive down to get more of the airboat experience. The time on the water is about 45 minutes. We also got to stick around to catch the alligator show hosted by the Gator Boys. Our package also came with a pic with a baby alligator which was cool to hold. It did feel a bit like an assembly line, even though it was just our group taking the pics, where we didn't have time to hold the baby gator or ask too many questions about it. Def stop in the back to see the albino gators and other wildlife.