— By Vanessa Caceres —
If your loved ones enjoys horses and getting out in nature, then the north central Florida city of Ocala makes for an ideal street journey. Ocala is positioned about an hour and a half from each Orlando and Tampa, so you can also make it a day journey when you’re staying in one in every of Florida’s greater cities. Alternatively, Ocala can also be an incredible vacation spot by itself.
A Household Journey to Ocala, Florida
Ocala’s declare to fame is that it’s the Horse Capital of the World. The town’s plentiful companies targeted on elevating thoroughbred horses earned its title. Actually, there are greater than 35,000 thoroughbred horses dwelling there. Marion County, the place Ocala is positioned, is claimed to have extra horses than another county within the U.S. Many champion horses have lived in Ocala, together with six Kentucky Derby winners and 26 Breeders’ Cup champions.
So sure, Ocala has peaceful-looking horse farms that you just’ll drive previous, however you in all probability need to go deeper than that. Whether or not you need your street journey to Ocala to deal with #horselife or one thing broader, we’ve acquired a couple of concepts to share.
Listed below are six issues you are able to do with your loved ones when visiting Ocala, Florida.
Take a Horse Farm Tour
Ocala has quite a lot of horse farm excursions, just like the Gypsy Gold Horse Farm Tour, the place you’ll uncover extra in regards to the Gypsy Vanner horse from Nice Britain. Or, tour the Grandview Clydesdale Farm & Excursions to study extra about these well-known Clydesdales. Farm Excursions of Ocala takes you thru a number of horse farms within the space whereas touring with a small group.
Go to the World Equestrian Heart
The World Equestrian Heart is an enormous, new complicated with an upscale resort and quite a lot of arenas for horse exhibits. You possibly can examine its web site upfront to search out out what exhibits can be there. You’ll want to finances additional time to stroll round, take a look at among the lovely and kooky horse and animal sculptures, and seize a chew to eat at onsite eating places just like the Yellow Pony Pub or Ralph’s Burger & Sandwich Store. You may as well take a peek contained in the resort.
Spend Some Time Downtown
Downtown Ocala continues to develop, and also you’ll discover a mixture of issues to see that may entertain all ages. Should you’re there on Saturday, take a look at the Ocala Downtown Market for a mixture of agriculture, arts, and ready meals. Simply a few blocks away is Grandpa Joe’s Sweet Store, the place on-line reviewers affirm the choice really brings out your inside “child in a sweet store.” Inside a couple of blocks, you’ve acquired a number of nice restaurant decisions, like Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille and Brick Metropolis Southern Kitchen. This helpful map from Ocala Important Avenue could be a useful information.
Soak up The entire Artwork
In a nod to the realm’s equine heritage, you’ll discover a assortment of horse statues in downtown Ocala. The statues are a part of an artwork challenge referred to as Horse Fever, painted with all varieties of totally different designs and sometimes giving a nod to the realm’s historical past. Discover extra details about the horse statue areas right here. You’ll additionally discover a number of eye-catching murals round downtown.
And talking of artwork, one can’t-miss household exercise in downtown Ocala is the West Tuscawilla Artwork Park. Created in 2016, the three-acre park consists of public artwork, botanical crops, strolling paths, and a scenic water view. It’s additionally positioned beside the historic Ocala Union Station. Let your younger ones run across the park whereas they select their favourite art work.
Take a Glass-Backside Boat Tour at Silver Springs State Park
This pure gem has been round for many years; in actual fact, a number of motion pictures had been filmed there within the Fifties and Nineteen Sixties, together with, “Creature From the Black Lagoon.” Silver Springs is known for its glass-bottom boat excursions, which allow you to see proper into the park’s clear waters. Look out for manatees and gators among the many fish and vegetation!
Past the boat tour, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a nice stroll across the park or go kayaking. Plus, maintain your eyes open for the rhesus macaque monkeys dwelling on the park.
Verify Out Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing
The Garlits’ Museum says that it’s been a “curator of motorsport’s previous” since 1976. If anybody in your fam enjoys watching or participating in drag racing or historic automotive tradition, make sure to cease by the museum.
Tuscawilla Artwork Park
Conclusion
As you’ll be able to see, visiting all of Ocala’s sights and having fun with its horse tradition can simply take up a full day or weekend. Add in the truth that you’re comparatively near Orlando, Tampa, and Gainesville (residence of the College of Florida), and it may make for an incredible household vacation spot in north central Florida.
Images courtesy of Vanessa Caceres
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