Built about 15 years ago with the "pennies for parks" campaign you can see how the citizens of…read moreOcala's pennies can really add up!!! This is the perfect secluded, off the beaten path park without going into the gompass. It was named after Seminole Chief Coehadjoe as the Seminoles were not only prominent in the 1800's in the state but particularly here also. There is still a small tribe left today. The pavilions are perfect for a special event to cook out at and can be rented out in advance. I've been to several reunions here. Tall whispering pines surround you and make every part of the park serene and breezy. Tennis, racquetball, basketball and volleyball are some of the activities here. I really love coming out on the large grassy picnic area to just chillax with a sandwich and take in all the fresh air. You're still in the city but you'd never know it. Big brother is always watching as the Sheriff has a trailer here, which is always a good thing!

While we were touring around the city of Ocala, the hubs and I stumbled upon this oddly named park…read more There are courts for everything; basketball, tennis, racquet ball and more. None were busy at the time of my visit. Nice clean area too

Walking the trails was peaceful and scenic, with lots of shade and chances to spot wildlife (we saw…read morea few monkeys in the distance, which was wild!). The whole park is well-maintained, and the staff were helpful and friendly. Whether you're kayaking, hiking, or just relaxing by the springs, it's a great day trip that feels like a little escape into old Florida.

I liked this state park enough to buy a handsome t-shirt in the gift shop. The shirt doesn't say…read moreFlorida on it anywhere which is pretty funny to me and actually makes me like it more. The waters here are absolutely lovely but even on a weekday in late December they were pretty heavily traveled. It might not be fair but the place being clogged with so many of my fellow pesky humans is the only thing that keeps me from putting SSSP in the vaunted five star category. I kayaked the river and saw birds and a gator. Bout time I saw a Florida gator in the wild! Only took five visits. I also got right over a manatee. I thought they were a big rock til they started moving. I could have clubbed em with my oar if I wanted to though it seems like that would be not just cruel but stupid, too. At any rate, no wonder they're endangered. Poor sluggish, dumb creatures. There were quite a lot of other kayakers and canoeers on the water. The guy dressed like Santa was pretty hilarious but for most of the trip I was denied the splendid isolation I longed for. Needless to say, the glass bottom boat tour didn't appeal to me, even with the clear view down. Beautiful scenery, though. Checking in and out was quick and painless even if the separate entrance briefly threw me for a loop. Afterwards I hiked a shorter trail and it was pretty mid, nothing special. For a while it ran too close to a road which kind of ruins the whole thing for me. And there was the aforementioned gift shop, chock full of wares. There was another t-shirt I liked a lot and had trouble choosing between the two, always a good problem to have. It's the end of the review here and I probably should have said this at the beginning but the entrance sign is just lovely, very classy and retro. I can see why this is a local icon but as an out of state visitor I don't know if this place has the staying power for many repeat visits for the locals. I was glad I came here once though. Funny to think this park is what Stevie Nicks wanted Lindsey Buckingham to be. Jk.

I drove through here on the way home from the Panhandle. It reminded me of what I thought Florida…read morewas like when I was a child growing up in Massachusetts. Forrests and springs, fishing, canoeing, swimming, and yes, gators. There are over 400,000 acres in the Ocala National Forest. It needs more than one visit to fully explore this wonder. There are many opportunities for camping and backpacking. I want to come back soon to go on a nature hike. Like Dave O. says, this is the wilderness so don't be naive. You must go in prepared with water, protein snacks, and emergency supplies. This is not Disney, this is the real Florida adventure.

Another spot of beautiful nature in Wild Florida…read more I love going on nature hikes, and this trail has plenty of wildlife and plants to see. Even with the paths seeming wild and free, they're easy to follow and I wasn't afraid of getting lost.

I often come to this park since it's close by. It's a 21 acre park with a natural spring Grotto…read morewhich is very beautiful and relaxing. It has a playground and children's exercise equipment that adults can use as well. Just a few things but they are fun. There are picnic areas, pavilions, lot's of trails for walking, hiking and even a health trail and a small cave! There is a bike section that include a skills area/jump lines a berm and a skinny ! There are areas where you can fly kites and go for a run. This is a park for the nature lover and for everyone to see. Many families come here but it's never appeared crowded due to how spacious and the variety of activities. There is even a little free outdoor library box at the entrance. Restrooms for everyone and lot's of parking! I need to get more pictures my phone was on 1 percent. I will definitely go and get pictures soon! The park is opened from sunrise to sunset ! Address: 2825 SW 24th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34471 Phone: (352) 368-5517 I hope that you will visit and enjoy the park as much as I do!

Two things set what would be a pretty average park in bland surroundings apart - the scenic grotto…read morewhich it's named after (go ahead and call it a sinkhole and not a springs if you want; it's still cool and unique in my book) and the Jordan Shapot painted panels lending the place a bit of culture and history. The bike trail is smooth but boring. It just circles the big field with picnic tables and playground equipment without even a small diversion into some woods. I had my dad's janky garage sale bought bike so I wasn't about to attempt the ramps and obstacles they have set up for mountain bikes. The deck next to the grotto could be bigger but there was no one down there when I went so that wasn't an issue. I could see how it could be though. It's a nice little spot of serenity. So if you get sick of the rat race come hang here with the turtles. (I didn't see any but I hear they got em.)

A small oasis in an industrial area of Ocala. It is not a big park by any means, but it offers a…read morepeaceful getaway from the day to day stress and let's you exhale the stress of the daily ground and relax. The trees here are a stunning canopy over the property, allowing the sun to peak through and let's visitors choose to bask in the sun or revel in the shade. There is a small lake, a children's playground, and clean restrooms. I was happy that I stumbled across this little park. Sometimes a wrong turn can prove to be a blessing and this was certainly one of those times.

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.

What a breathtaking location! From the parking lot, it doesn't look like much. They are redoing the…read moreentrance sign, and from the outside, it seems like the place might be pretty rundown. However, once you walk through, you are quickly transported. The entrance to the park is only two dollars per person, and honestly, in my opinion, they could charge just a little bit more. The glass-bottom boat tours run faster than you might expect, so if you have the time (which we didn't during our visit), opt for the longer boat ride; it doesn't cost much more. They also have little shops to explore and plenty of outdoor seating so you can take in the beautiful surroundings. If you're a water lover, make sure to plan ahead and reserve a crystal-clear kayak or paddleboard to enjoy the water--it'll be worth every penny. The only hiccup in our plan was that we booked everything on the day of our visit, so we ended up with a shorter tour on the glass-bottom boats and got locked into the last kayaking time slot. The woman at the reservation desk for the kayaks was not very pleasant. She told us that despite showing a 5 o'clock slot, they were no longer taking reservations. I showed her the option on my phone, but she still refused to let us sign waivers. Luckily, we found the manager in charge of the rental hut, who advised that we could still make our reservation online. I showed him on my phone, and although we'd have to pay full price and probably have less than an hour, that was perfectly fine with us since we were in the last slot. The lake was practically empty, so we had the entire waterway to ourselves--so beautiful and peaceful. Honestly, it felt like we were in another country, surrounded by nature. If you don't have the chance to kayak, there's also a walking path where you can see monkeys left behind from one of the movies that was filmed on location. We walked part of the path, and it was just as beautiful. Any chance my kids and I get to be outside in nature, we gravitate towards it, putting away our phones to enjoy everything around us. What a great way to spend your day and your vacation!

This park is such a peaceful, scenic escape. The walking trails are beautifully maintained, and the…read moreboardwalks give you the perfect view of the wetlands, birds, and wildlife. It's a great spot for a relaxing walk, photography, or just sitting quietly to soak in the view. There's educational signage throughout the park, which I loved, it's fascinating to learn how this place is helping the environment while also being so beautiful. It's super clean, safe, and free to visit. I would love if they had planted some flowers around and some plants so it has a better landscape. For a bit of the walk it felt like a desert land and like that had ripped out a lot of the plants and natural flowers but that's just my assumption. Whether you want a mindful stroll or just some fresh air and a gorgeous sunset, this place is a must-see. I'm already planning my next visit!

No entrance fee. So much to read and learn in this interesting 60 acre park. Plus there are photo…read moreops galore...have your camera handy. Tom and I spent the morning at this very interesting park. We walked a lot of the 2 & 1/2 miles of paved trails and boardwalks with occasional stops at different look-outs. There are many displays with information that are dotted thru out the park plus a huge tube-shaped structure that explains the logistics of what you'll encounter during your adventure. There are endless photo ops of interesting scenery, birds, ducks, turtles and colorful flowers. Huge trees draped with Spanish moss swaying in the welcome breeze...what a sweet way to spend a Florida morning.

No one answers the phone and the voice mail is full. It has been that way for months so don't waste…read moreyour time.

We had an amazing time doing the 2 hour Silver Springs river tour with Captain Debbie and Captain…read moreAdam. They were both very informative and made it a super relaxing and fun tour. They were also really prompt with getting back to us on scheduling and very accommodating to our schedule. We saw several different birds, alligators, manatees and monkeys on the tour. Thanks so much for making our last day in Florida a wonderful one!

This park is right by my daughter in law and son's apartment and in the downtown district…read more There is a small lake that you can take a nice walk , admire some of the wildlife or fish ( catch and release )It's very beautiful and nice anytime of year. There is a playground for the kids the Discovery Center which is a science museum for kids. There is lighted tennis and basketball courts to enjoy. There's even a baseball field and a racquetball court! Quite a lot for this park which is really a nice treat. It is also known as having rotating sculptures or art installations at Tuscawilla's Art Park as it is located in the park. Many people come here daily it's downtown and really a lovely place to enjoy. The main address: 800 NE Sanchez Avenue Ocala, Florida 34470 Tuscawilla Art Park address : 213 NE 5th st. Ocala, Florida 34470 Tuscawilla Playground Address: 836 NE Sanchez Avenue Ocala, Florida 34470 The Discovery Center Address: 701 NE Sanchez Avenue Ocala, Florida 34470 Ocala Parks and recreation phone number: 352) 368-5517. Discovery Center phone number: (352) 401-3900 Pavillion Rental phone number: { Booking space for events } (352)368-5509 Park Ranger phone Number: (352)789-1133 Enjoy your visit !

A nice smaller park, with a walking area around the pond. Ducks, egrets, turtles, lots of anhinga,…read moreand a few other waterfowl. Fishing is allowed but catch and release only. There are some interesting sculptures and beautiful trees. There is a playground, some benches, and a few picnic tables.

Jervey Gantt Park as a multitude of athletic fields upon its property. It also has a nice paved…read morewalking area that allows you to walk in a quiet area and, at least when I was here, it appears to be a pretty safe place. I would say that the multitude of athletic fields are probably why most people come here. They all appear very well maintained and overall this was a pretty positive experience. While I would not recommend coming here if you are looking more for a park type environments, these sport fields I am sure are very well received by the community. Again, if you're looking more for a park where you can hang out and chill, this is probably not the place. However, this serves the community well with all these sport fields and I'm sure that the neighbors and community love it. For that I am giving it five stars.

I come here (almost) everyday. It's peaceful and has lots of space. There's about two miles of…read morepaved trail. I tend to weave around the park multiple times. The park will stay lit till around 10pm; so you can run after dark.