Wall in Ocala, Florida on business, I came across this very cool park and that commemorates Fort…read moreKing, named after Colonel William King and first occupied in 1827. On December 28th, 1835 Warriors led by Osceola ambushed and killed General Wiley Thompson in for others at this Fort. We need to remember history. We need to remember the path that lettuce to where we stand today. Whenever I see a spot like this, I try to pull in and learn a little bit about the past. In addition to the forks there's a Pleasant area to walk and enjoy a bit of peaceful Solitude. There is also a visitor center. There is a sign here that designates it as a monarch waystation. It stated that the site provides milkweeds, nectar sources, and shelter needed to stain monarch butterflies as they migrate through North America. There is a hiking trail for you to also walk. Also, according to the map there is a soldier cemetery site located on property. If you find yourself in Ocala, I strongly recommend finding yourself at this park. You can see history, you can see where our path was created and in the process you can learn a little bit more about yourself. Even if you are remotely close to Ocala, I would recommend getting off the highway and checking this place out.

Let's just say "I got my steps in early today" - it historically significant according to the…read moreplacards around the site, but honestly there's not a lot to see. Looking at the infrastructure it appears to me all of the existing structures are recreations on a historic site. The museum was closed today so we basically did a self-guided tour, the grounds are vast and very well maintained so bring your walking shoes. No admission fees to access all the property I stopped in because I was close by but probably wouldn't have gone to far out of my was to see this one...

Since my restaurant was located in downtown, I did walk by here on my way to the restaurant…read more Parking can get a bit difficult during the weekend nights, and I did have to drive around twice to find a spot. I was able to find one near the garage.It looked to be free parking, so that's always good. I did not know whether the garage cost extra, but I did see some parking areas that had a cost. I saw the main square with the gazebo, and looks like there were people hanging over there. There are lots of horse statues with artwork painted, and signs displaying the descriptions. And since they were artwork, there was definitely no mounting on the sculpture allowed! There are many nice restaurants, including Brick City Southern Kitchen and Harrys Seafood. There is also a theater, but I didn't go inside. Downtown Ocala looks to be pretty safe and welcoming. I should visit again during the day time and see if there are farmers markets as well. But definitely I will come back for the great restaurants over there. I just wish parking was easier. Overall: B

This is a must if you have 30 min to spare. Cute little downtown, very small, displaying equestrian…read morehistory of the area and giving homage to the biodiversity of the area. We loved it.

Cory at the visitor's center was incredibly helpful, as well as knowledgeable, and got me set up…read morewith maps and some of the best historic and artistic sites in the city. The center has free WiFi, making it easy to do some self-planning over maps, and it's a super clean location. All high marks!

From the owner: Tucked into north central Florida in a region known as "horse country," Ocala offers visitors…read morewinding community pathways lined with oak trees and dangling trellises of Spanish moss, and the opportunity to explore miles of untainted nature. If the prospect of canoeing down a crystal clear stream amid the largest sand pine forest in the world sounds appealing, Ocala and surrounding Marion County are more than worth your time. Ocala and the region's freshwater streams, rolling hills and clean air remain unspoiled and have been used for Hollywood movies. Nearby Ocala is Silver Springs, a national landmark and nature theme park on 350 acres. Silver Springs is Florida's "original attraction."

Silver Springs State Park was an amazing experience. I came out with a group to kayak, and it ended…read moreup being one of the highlights of the trip. The water is absolutely beautiful and crystal clear, and we saw wildlife pretty much the entire time. We spotted tons of birds, turtles, fish, and even the famous monkeys! Kayaking was a great way to explore the park because you can get surprisingly close to the wildlife while still just enjoying the scenery. Seeing the monkeys out there in the wild was definitely something I won't forget. Beautiful park, plenty to see, and a great place to spend a few hours on the water. I'd absolutely come back.

My parents were reminiscing about when they were middle school aged and came here for field trips…read more I was surprised to find out that Silver Springs State Park and the glass bottom boat tours have been around for that long! It was about a 1.5 hour ride from Orlando. Woke up real early on a Saturday (on honestly one of the coldest days of the year) to arrive at the park around 8am. I highly suggest purchasing glass bottom boat tour tickets online about a week in advance atleast since time slots fill up! We purchased the 1.5 hour tour on the boats. Our tour guide was incredible and shared so much knowledge and facts about the wildlife and park. I got to see tons of manatees! Plus getting to see gators, turtles, birds, and even monkeys! The glass bottom gives such a cool perspective on viewing the wildlife and plants underwater. Aside from the tour, we walked several trails to enjoy the great outdoors. Also, we had coffee in the morning when we first got here and lunch after the tour. The food was pretty good and filling. At the gift shop I made sure to leave with a magnet and Christmas ornament to remember such a great day here.

Marion block building The Marion Block building was…read moreconstructed in 1885 by D.C. Wharton Smith of Philadelphia. The third floor originally contained the Marion Opera House which had seating for 800 people. The first floor contained the Court Pharmacy drugstore. Today at the entrance the word "Drug Co" still appears in the mosaic tile. Thi building is now Harry's seafood.

Located on the north side of the road near Pine Avenue (US 27 / 441) and Silver Springs Blvd (SR…read more40), this marker points out a building that is no longer here and a man who did great things for the community. The marker reads, "In 1905, Dr. Richard Samuel Hughes II graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, the second oldest African American medical school in the country. After moving to Ocala in 1908, Dr. Hughes helped form the American National Thrift Association (ANTA), a benevolent organization that offered prepaid health care plans, pensions, and other services to African Americans unable to get conventional health insurance. By 1925, ANTA converted the Savoy Hotel into a 50-bed hospital operated by Dr. Hughes and his nursing staff. White physicians from Munroe Memorial Hospital, including E.G. Peeks Sr., Thomas Wallis, and H.F. Watt, assisted Dr. Hughes by volunteering time. The ANTA hospital served the medical needs of African American communities in Marion County and surrounding areas, from Chiefland to Fort Myers. Dr. Hughes, along with other prominent physicians and surgeons from Meharry Medical College, conducted annual, week-long surgical clinics that provided African American patients with medical treatment and surgical procedures. Dr. Hughes died in 1943 and the hospital closed soon after, but his contributions are regarded as a significant advancement in healthcare access for Ocala's black community." This is marker numbeer F-1003 and it was erected in 2018 by the Dr. R.S. Hughes Family and the Florida Department of State. There is a lot across the street where you can stop to see the marker. [Review 1035 of 2024 - 1910 in Florida - 22063 overall]

This company took very good care of us and made sure we had the best experience. Juan and Ralph are…read moreknowledgeable about the manatee and wildlife in the area It was a very chilly morning but they made sure we were comfortable with blankets and hot chocolate! They take care of the photos which means we were just able to take in and enjoy our time with the manatees.

Great experience and knowledgable friendly staff. Gorgeous day and boat was clean and safe.read more