-Silver River for kayaking is great because you have a chance at seeing monkeys. There are a few different stories as to how the monkeys got there but I will leave that for you to find out from a local. This is my first recommendation of places to Kayak because the river has a lot more nature and no houses along it versus the other rivers.

-Tubing or Kayaking down the Rainbow river is always fun. Aquatic Wilderness Adventures is a great place to rent both.

-Juniper Springs is for the more advanced kayakers & canoers.

-Pontoon boat tour on the Withlacoochee is a very relaxed way to see some nature and learn a little bit about Central Florida. Mike, the tour guide, i think knows everything. Its relatively inexpensive and a great option for a more relaxed activity.

-KP Hole at the Rainbow river or Rainbow River state park are great places to go swimming in springs. There are some fees that you should be aware of and directions which you can find here.

-Another boat tour that is quite fun but more fast paced is airboat tours. These can be quite controversial because many airboats go over land and places in which animals lay nests and it kills the animals or cracks the eggs. However, the one that I took stuck to the water only and took us out to the gulf where we saw dolphins! But you should do the research and make your own decision on whether you should support airboats or not. I have grown up in Florida and never taken an airboat ride so I wanted to take one at least once. River Safaris in Homosassa was a great place to take an airboat ride.

 

 

Food & Drink:

-First Watch is a great local place in Ocala with a good breakfast and lunch. They have a good variety of fresh foods and diets.  I got the Market Veggie sandwich without cheese and it was great.

-The Front Porch in Dunnellon is a great little place that a tourist would never notice or even be willing to try. It's not the prettiest looking from the outside but it has some of the best southern food AND Cuban sandwiches. If you haven’t tried Okra before then you can order the fried Okra. I personally like their pressed Cuban sandwiches but you can also get a half Cuban sandwich and a bowl of Spanish bean soup (also a good recommendation). They also have delicious and very southern pies for dessert.

-Carmine's is a small Italian Restaurant which has good quality food but the highlight is actually the wine. They have a very heavy pour when you order wine so you practically get 2 glasses for the price of one. If you are a wine drinker and like Italian food then this is the place to go.

-Crazy Cucumber is another good bar/restaurant for lunch and dinner. It's got healthy options on the menu too. They have covered outdoor seating and a bar which is both indoor and outdoor.

-Pepe’s is a super good Mexican restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It sits inside a Hispanic grocery store so again, it's one of those places that doesn’t look so nice at first glance but the food is definitely worth it. Its authentic and feels like it was home cooked just for you.

 

Budget:

-I won’t mention more but Pepe’s is a very inexpensive restaurant so this is where you should go if you are on a budget.

-Much of the outdoor activities can be inexpensive as long as you are not renting anything. If you have your own bikes then Santos or Rails-to-Trails is free. Swimming or kayaking is free or in some areas a small parking fee. Many of these places also have campsites which can be an inexpensive option compared to hotels.

-Ocala is also 1.5 hours to Daytona Beach. A quick day trip to the beach is always a good budget option.

-Another super fun day trip is to The Villages. You are going to laugh when I tell you what this is. It is the largest retirement community in the US. So why am I suggesting this as a fun day out? First, there are 3 different "town squares" in the Villages, all which have a different theme. My personal favorite is Paddock Square, Brownwood because it looks like an old western town. Pop into the movie theatre to see that it is decorated like the inside of a barn. Market Square, Lake Sumter Landing is a bit more built up and has more shops as of right now so you may like to walk around this one for longer. All of them have bars & restaurants on the square with nice covered outdoor space to sit and watch all of the golf carts riding by. Yes, golf carts. This is my second reason why The Villages is a fun day out. They aren't your average golf cart. They have golf carts which look like old Model Ts, convertibles, decked out in sports gear, etc. You name it and there is probably a golf cart decorated like it. 

 

Shopping:

Shopping local is my passion. If I can support small businesses I will do it. If I can support businesses with good ethics I will do it. Here are some of my favorites.

-Young Vogue is a baby and kids store downtown. I don’t have kids but I have even found things in there for myself. For instance: They have silicon straws and I have been looking for a replacer to throw away straws. They also have an assortment of wet bags. If you don’t know what wet bags are then you should. They are great for wet clothes like bathing suits or THINX (for you women who own them). They are also good for liquids that you are afraid may leak. Young Vogue also sells blankets and throws that are SUPER SOFT and not all have childish patterns on them. Now if you have a baby or know someone who is about to have one. You need to pick up a gift here.

-A random side note: If you like lipstick that never wears off (i swear it lasts ALL DAY even with lunch) then you will like LipSense which is also sold at Young Vogue.

-Earth Fare is a great grocery store with tons of natural foods. They are very similar to Whole Foods but at a much more affordable price. They have bulk items like raw honey, beans, grains, tamari, they have a juice bar and a food bar which includes soups that you can take home pre made if you aren’t up to cooking.

-I mentioned Pepe’s Mexican above under restaurants but they also have a grocery store with goods from countries in central America. Lizano salsa is a sauce that is used on everything in Costa Rica. I fell in love with this sauce when I traveled there and Pepes is one of the places that sells this sauce.

 

Downfalls:

-The personal downfall I have is that you have to drive everywhere. But this is the same in all of Florida so as long as you have this expectation I guess it's not a downfall.

-I also don’t like how people judge books by their cover. This is an old town with old buildings but kind people behind every single one. If you take the time to go into one restaurant or store I mentioned regardless of the way it looks I think you’ll find some kind people and good quality product for you behind those doors. Ocala is most famous for its horses. This is 100% horse country but there is so much more to discover and appreciate here.

-The last downfall (for someone in their 30’s) is that this is Retirement haven. Much of the people living here are retired over 55ers and many of them are very conservative. This sometimes means that you will stick out among the crowd.

 

Travel Details:

My dad lives here so these are all different activities I have done throughout the last 3 years as I have visited. I usually spend 3-4 days in Ocala at one time and during May, June, July or Aug. However, I grew up 2 hours south of Ocala so the weather tips are for year round weather.