(from the August/September “Performer”)
North Central Florida has plenty of natural beauty, historic sites, beaches and parks to visit if you feel like extending your stay and enjoying some of what the Sunshine State has to offer.
Some local highlights include:
1. Silver Springs State Park (glass bottom boat rides) www.silversprings.com
2. Rainbow Springs State Park (hot springs, kayaking) https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/rainbow-springs-state-park
3. Santos/Belleview Trail (biking and hiking trails) https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/santos-trailhead-campground
4. Farm tours of Ocala https://www.farmtoursofocala.com/
5. Don Garlits museum of drag racing https://garlits.com
6. The Gypsy Gold Farm https://gypsygold.com/
7. The Appleton Museum of Art https://www.appletonmuseum.org/
8. Ocala National Forest https://www.fs.usda.gov/ocala
9. Withlacoochee State Forest https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Withlacoochee-State-Forest
10. Canyons Zip line and Canopy Tours https://www.zipthecanyons.com/
11. Ocala Civic Theatre https://ocalacivictheatre.com/
12. The Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park (Gainesville) https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/devils-millhopper-geological-state-park
13. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (herds of wild horses and bison) https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/paynes-prairie-preserve-state-park
14. The Gulf Coast and its beaches and fishing
15. The Atlantic Coast and its beaches and attractions, for example, St. Augustine – the oldest, continuously-inhabited settlement established by Europeans in the continental United States.
Note: there is a veterinary clinic on-site at WEC that includes boarding and grooming facilities for dogs if you want to board your dogs and go sight-seeing for a few days.