The most memorable park in Ocala! I have to admit I did not see it all so I will be going back shortly to see so much more. I was at peace just walking a bit sipping coffee and taking in the calm and beauty. There is much to see at Shalom Park it's very beautiful place to be. When I was there they were having a yoga class it was so nice to see. I walked around and spoke to some lovely people they mostly were enjoying some morning exercise. I'm sorry that I missed the zen garden but this just gives me an excuse to go back faster. It's obvious that many frequent this park for so many reasons you can easily see. It's lovely, peaceful, clean and you feel pretty safe comparatively. They have activities here from what I've read and the yoga class is proof of this but I think there is much more that I need to explore and check the calendar for to see and know for myself. There are 2 miles of trails, the zen garden, an area called the Labryrinth where you can take a physical, spiritual or meditative walk along its winding path. Stop along it's 24 points of reflection and create your own Labryinth experience. Labryinth's have one way in and one way out come in and form your own perspective enjoying this relaxed atmosphere. The Pergebo was magnificent as I felt so much happiness being there. It is part gazebo and part pergola, I didn't even know such a thing existed until now! It's covered in confederate jasmine and blossoms in the spring with tiny white fragrant flowers. This is located on the path at the end of the olive trees! I enjoyed the pond so much with all the beautiful fish and sounds of the falling water. You can feed the fish and see them all come at once jumping out at you. Gorgeous Koi such beautiful colors. Sit on a bench and relax if you'd like there are many all around the park for you to enjoy. They say the pavilion is often used for educational purposes and horticulture events and that there are often presentations that people can escape the sun or rain showers. The stage is where I had seen the yoga class taking place. They have weddings, live concerts, the parks sunset series and much more on the stage throughout the year. Mounted on the stage, The Peace Panels display quotes of peace by renowned authors, musicians, and political leaders! The olive tree promenade has 18 trees on each side 18 is the symbol of peace; the number 18 is the symbol of life,and many couples use this as their entry way for marriage. The formal gardens is an area where there is lot's of live large oak trees, colorful bushes and lot's of foliage all around in a nice quiet shaded atmosphere. People often gather here for a picnic, wedding or just to enjoy and relax and enjoy the environment. The bat house can hold 800 bats during the night. Bats are a natural way of achieving insect control in the park and each bat can consume 6-8,000 insect every night! There is so much more to see and encounter at Shalom Park I encourage you to visit and explore. The story of Shalom Park from their website: As with most great achievements, Sholom Park began as a vision, born in the hearts of Sidney and Ina Colen. Inspired by a visit to Boston Gardens, Sholom Park was created for a purpose; to provide a place where the pursuit of inner peace and learning may be enhanced and enjoyed. The park was named after Sidney Colen's grandfather, Sholom, which is also the Hebrew word for peace. The park does not serve a political or religious agenda or belief system After years of conceptualizing the vision, a master plan for the park was developed in 1999 and the park concepts began to take shape. In 2001, horticulturist, Steve Curl was hired to oversee the final design and construction of Sholom Park as the vision came to life. On October 17, 2004, Sholom Park celebrated its grand opening and ribbon cutting along with hundreds of friends and supporters. Hours: 8 AM - 5 PM Address: 7110 SW 80th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34481 Phone: 352) 854-3677 Email: info@sholompark.org Wheelchair accessible *** Bike racks available *** read more

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Wow! WoW! Wow! I think this park is profoundly under the radar and simply not well known enough. This isn't just some playground with a path. In fact, there is no playground equipment at all. What it does offer, though, is everything one could want in a natural setting. You can walk for a little while or lose yourself in it for much longer. The paths are easy, accessible, and thoughtfully laid out, with enough variation to keep things interesting from start to finish. It never feels repetitive, which is rare. The labyrinth was genuinely enjoyable, with multiple points of interest throughout. Subtle shifts in sound and visual texture keep you engaged, yet everything remains grounded in simple nature, shaped by the hands of men.. nothing artificial or forced, just an intentional design that draws you in. The crowning glory moment for me was the Zen garden. I cannot remember the last time I felt that level of calm and stillness. It has a way of centering you almost immediately. I would have stayed longer, but I needed a restroom, which unfortunately was closed at the time. This is a place I will return to without hesitation. My mother has yet to see it, and I already know she is going to love it. read more

Wonderful, quiet garden for a stroll with friends or a baby. The Koi pond is a big attraction with a fish food dispenser that requires quarters. The Zen garden is well designed and peaceful. Even in the middle of a summer day it was lovely underneath all the cover. Free to all. read more

What an astoundingly beautiful park near On top of the world in Ocala. The long, winding drive to the parking area is absolutely beautiful. And the parking area is the hub. Theres a gated park that has a fountain, walking thru that, you get to walk the labyrinth in contemplation. It truly is a spiritually refreshing walk. The Zen garden is simply a work of art. They maintain it as a meditation garden, so its a quiet zone. There is a large open space, perfect for gatherings and picnics. Theres a great big walking trail with shady benches ever 20 feet or so. The pomd with the koi is nice, the fish are large, but the water is stagnant and smells bad. Those fish are HUGE! I LOVE THIS PARK read more

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Shalom Park is an amazing park that honestly is a must-see when you are in Ocala, Florida. The park itself is stunning. They have various gardens across the property that are tranquil and serene. They have decent parking and there are plenty of benches to sit back and enjoy just being there. The koi pond is really nice and the zen garden is cool. One favorite part was a sign that summed up enjoying life and knowing death is a part of it. I would definitely recommend Sholom Park and I give it five stars. read more

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It's so amazing I made a video about this park! Sholom Park https://youtu.be/_4PWd70iwSs read more

Beautiful park but they might want to remove the "kid friendly recommendation as active children aren't encouraged. Serenity and peace are the key words. read more

This is an amazing getaway for peace, self reflection, and serenity. The park is kept surprisingly clean, it's very spacious, and very quiet. An evening stroll here is a great outlet to unwind. An ideal place for picnics or dates, as there are plenty of quiet places to sit and relax read more

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A little bit of heaven . Peace and quiet and the beauty of nature all around you. The chapel covered with jasmine is unbelievable in the spring. The perfume is beautiful and everywhere. Giant Crinums are everywhere. Quiet brooks, 20 foot tall bamboo, a new oriental garden. This park is a treasure. Don't miss the huge pond where you can buy kibble for the Koi. Take a walk and breathe deeply. The calm is waiting for your stressed and busy self. And it's free!! read more

Very beautiful park, but they don't allow dogs there which is very sad because I would go there every day. It's about 5 miles from my house. A very serene place to be and meditate and a walk around the lake or a pond. The staff there is very kind and they keep it clean. read more

Sholom park is a great place for a morning walk. The grounds are well manicured and the different sections all have unique vibes to them. read more

Sholom Park - Parks Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Very peaceful place to roam around. Lots of benches, shade and paved trails. Impeccably well kept up. Safe and secure. No pets are allowed, so if you want to sit down in the grass, you don't have to worry that dogs have recently relieved themselves where you're sitting. Plenty of parking and no charge/fee to enter. read more

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We got the chance to walk around the new Zen Garden at Sholom Park today. It is a beautiful addition and worth a visit! read more

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Sholom is a Hebrew greeting meaning "Peace" and that is exactly how this park makes you feel. My father-in-law brought us here one morning and I have returned a couple of times now. This is truly a hidden gem here in Ocala. There are over two miles of paved walking paths throughout the park, a beautiful labyrinth, 250 types of plants and trees and the park sits on 44 acres. It is privately owned but open to the public. I enjoy walking the paths and this last visit we enjoyed lunch while sitting by the pond watching ducks, turtles and herons. They host various events through out the year such as The Fairy Festival which was in early March. They also have yoga in the park and are featuring some live music in May. Lucky residents to have such a beautiful park! read more

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Beautiful park in Ocala Loved the peacefulness and serenity. Wonderful walking paths and plenty of benches to sit on. There is no fee to visit the park. read more

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Nice random break in our day. I found this under "gardens" search while at my moms in Ocala. It's a free park and is 2 max miles in walking. But it's a nice walk with old trees, cute signs with sayings, flowers, and signs that leave you with thoughts to ponder. They have a little labyrinth walkway that goes over a man made peaceful sounding babbling brook Plan on spending 30-45 minutes here or up to a few hours if you want to sit, ponder, meditate or reflect. They are adding a zen garden that was under construction read more

Beautiful and peaceful . A thoughtful place to be in nature and wonderful source of inspiration, rejuvenation, and relaxation.

What a beautiful park! I Love visiting Sholom and walking the paths around the park. It's a great place to decompress and enjoy the beauty of nature. read more

While visiting my Mom recently she and a friend wanted to walk through Sholom Park and asked to to join them. What a beautiful park. Very well maintained, beautiful landscaping, and walking paths throughout the park - most of which brought us through spaces that were covered by the canopies of the trees. We ended up walking about 1 1/2 miles and I was very glad I joined them. There's a very nice little pond with a fountain where you can feed the Koi (there are also turtles) or just sit and enjoy the view. Parking seems to be plentiful there was a variety of people young and old and, from what I saw, people seem committed to keeping the park clean. I wish we had local parks like this in NJ. read more

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A great park with nice paths for a relaxing stroll. Meditate, enjoy nature, just sit on one of the many benches, this park is just beautiful. read more

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Nice little park filled with plants and animals. Seen a cardinal up close, a group of wild turkeys ran passed us, hawks flying above us, butterflies, bumble bees, there is a bat house, and a little pond with turtles, ducks and birds. read more

Sholom Park - Bush - Parks Near Me - Ocala, Florida

There is a new golf cart path in the works from OTOW to Sholom Park and continuing on to Stone Creek. An awesome place to visit, walk the pristine grounds, spend some time, relax on a bench...enjoy. The breeze was blowing the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. The koi fish were jockeying for a spot in the pond...mouths wide open competing for a fish pellet. Flowers are blooming. Light music was coming from an ice-cream bus in the parking lot. The bus name is 'Brain Freeze'. Our friend Theresa enjoyed Sholom and ice-cream read more

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This place is just beautiful and peaceful to walk or sit. Plenty of parking. Just big enough to walk around.

Beautiful and peaceful park. They have amazing concerts and events here all through the year.

A lovely park with paved paths to walk on through the beautiful landscaping. There are many benches where one can sit and relax and just enjoy nature. read more

Take the family here and walk through this peaceful park. A gift to the Ocala community and should not be missed by those passing through or those who live here and around the community. The gardens, flowers, trees and grounds are kept immaculate and well attended. There is a wonderful labyrinth with messages and inscriptions as you stroll around the various paths. Use it as a meditation park, soak up the views because you will come out refreshed. One thing: No dogs allowed. Enjoy read more

This is a beautiful park. The park is located in an area where you can enjoy visiting the koi pond and the incredibly clean and well maintained walking trails without the noise of traffic. The new Zen Garden, just recently opened, adds to the beauty and tranquility of the park. read more

Beautiful place for a tranquil walk. No pets allowed. Nice restroom availability. Check it out.

Nice place to walk. There's pretty plants along The walkways. Clean bathrooms. Nice and neat zen garden.

Shalom Park is a very beautiful place where it's quiet and people can go there to relax or read a book etc. The scenery is just gorgeous and serene. Just a wonderful place. read more

Sholom Park - That's me at Shalom Park - Parks Near Me - Ocala, Florida

What a beauty this park is. We really enjoyed a good stroll around the beautiful grounds. Very thoughtfully planned and beautifully maintained. Just a lovely place and great for those who need assistance such as walkers or wheelchairs. Paths are paved and they even have a rest room available. Nice nice nice park read more

Sholom Park - Endurance to park - Parks Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Pretty, but nothing really to do there. Not for kids. My kids were scolded for climbing on a tree. Pond is nasty, but has hungry fish.

Very nice place for a quiet walk in meditative settting. Just wished they allowed dogs.

Ocala's Sholom Park is truly beautiful and peaceful. It is far more than just a botanical garden in my opinion. I am not a super spiritual person but this is my kind of serene spot for reflection and appreciation of nature. It is a true gem. read more

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Beautiful, scenic, and peaceful! I love the plants, flowers, and trees that surround the park.

Nice park. Enjoyed the walking trails throughout the park. Quite and leisurely. Easy to get to and nice parking area.

Excellent place to meditate ‍ rest, enjoy a picnic, evening stroll or even a to just relax. Love this park!

A beautiful place to walk and relax. I found a nice spot and sat down for a bit and did some knitting. Great place to visit.

Positively a serene place to walk. If you are not a big walker, there are benches where you can sit and go to your happy place. You will feel transported to a place of peace and tranquillity. read more

This beautiful and peaceful park is located in suburban Ocala. I'm guessing that a lot of people don't know it even exists. We had a woman who lived nearby tell us that she lived nearby without realizing it existed. It's tucked away, on the edge of rural Ocala. It's a peaceful oasis where you'll find flowers, a koi pond, a forest path, a labyrinth path, and lots of flowers and trees to look at as you walk the paths. There is a bathroom on site, and many strategically placed benches. In the koi pond, you'll find koi and lots of turtles. There's a small covered deck near the pond where you can relax and feed the fish. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, finding refuge in the cool forest during the heat of the day, enjoying the flowers and the sounds of the many birds. If you live nearby, or are just passing through, take some time to visit this wonderful garden. read more

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