Nature Lovers' Getaway in Orange Springs in Ocala

In the heart of Old Florida, this slice of welcoming country comfort is tucked away on over an acre of fenced and gated land dotted with grand-daddy oaks and fragrant pines. Sandhill Cranes are "frequent flyers" overhead, along with eagles and numerous songbirds.  You may even glimpse one of our resident tortoises. If you prefer a laid-back lifestyle, this is the vacation place for you.

The remodeled and updated interior has a fully-equipped kitchen and a full-size washer and dryer. We provide satellite TV with a DVR and DVD player, and you can access our high-speed Internet connection, from the rental unit with a fairly new computer or from our private office area, 300 feet away.

In your huge back yard are a picnic table, gas grill and a campfire ring. Whether you are looking for outdoor adventure or just a place to relax and get away from it all, make The Oaks your north central Florida home-away-from-home.

• Satellite TV with package upgrade option and DVR
• High-speed Internet access available 
• DVD player
• washer and dryer
• dishwasher
• fully-equipped kitchen with microwave, coffeemaker, Crockpot, etc.
• new queen-size bed in master BR; full-size in 2nd BR
• two baths, one with tub/shower and one with shower
• secure storage area for bicycles and other gear
• plenty of room to park your boat, ATV, motorcycle, etc.
• walking distance to Horseshoe Lake
• gas grill
• campfire ring
• private entrance with lockable gate

1. Shopping
Super Wal-Mart and a shopping mall in Silver Springs (about 20 minutes away).  Another five minutes and you're in Ocala, where you will find the usual chain restaurants, shopping malls, and everything you might need along with a very special kind of small-town friendliness that we're all real proud of!

Palatka, 25 minutes northeast, has a Super Wal-Mart, Publix and Winn-Dixie supermarkets, various restaurants, banks, drugstores, along with a pretty park on the St. John's River. Very little traffic, yet has most of your needs.

Gainesville: Shop till you drop--Gainesville has it all. About 35 minutes away.

Interlachen and Fort McCoy, each 10 minutes away, offer several restaurants, supermarkets, drug stores, dollar stores, a bank, etc. Small town fun and no traffic!

Organic farm ten minutes away offers fresh produce, free-range eggs and meats, craft items, workshops and other special events. 

Flea markets, antique stores and art galleries nearby.

2. Outdoor Stuff

Horseshoe Lake Park is a pleasant 10-minute walk from the rental. The park offers over 200 acres of oak hammock and pine woods with trails around a spring-fed lake where you can swim, fish, and canoe.

We border the Ocala National Forest, so bring your ATV or dirt bike and enjoy miles of trails. We're only ten miles from the new ATV trailhead. Of course, you can always hike!

Canoe or Kayak the Ocklawaha River or crystal-clear Juniper Springs, Silver River or Alexander Springs. Swimming and snorkeling are popular at Silver Glen Springs, where you can also canoe, hike, and picnic.

Fishing
Orange Springs is home to the nationally-famous bass fishing waters of Rodman Lake Reservoir. Orange Springs has a boat ramp where you can launch. A 30-minute drive or less will take you to numerous other good fishing spots. Cedar Key, on the west coast, is known for redfish and makes a good day trip.

Ocean Beaches
Enjoy a day at Flagler, Crescent, Ormond, St Augustine, Daytona or Cape Canaveral National Seashore. One to two hours drive, depending on beach. We like Crescent, about an hour away.

Biking and Hiking
Whether on foot or by bike, try the Gainesville-Hawthorne Rails-to-Trails through Payne's Prairie State Preserve and the Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area. (Watch for bison, wild horses, and even whooping cranes--really!) Marion County's nearby Greenway also offers trails for biking and hiking. And  the Florida Trail association welcomes "snowbirds" to join them on weekly hikes on the Florida Scenic National Trail.

More Attractions
*Countless Theme Parks in Orlando and Tampa, 2 hours away.
*St  Augustine, the oldest city in America, has over 60 themed
attractions.
*Silver Springs, with its famous glass-bottom boats, museum,
environmental education center, and Wild Waters fun park.

Ocala: Appleton Museum of Art and the Discovery Science and Outdoor Center, Civic Theatre, Silver Springs Concert Series, huge new library with many programs; natural history museum at Silver River State Park. Several movie theatre complexes.

Brand new zipline adventure park!

Gainesville: Home to University of Florida, this town boasts many attractions. Just a few: the Florida Museum of Natural History with its incredible Butterfly Rainforest, the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, the University Galleries, the Santa Fe Community Art Gallery, and the Hippodrome Theatre.

Medical
There are two hospitals in Ocala, one in Palatka, and  in Gainesville
there are a VA Hospital, the world-famous Shands Medical Complex, and
North Florida Regional.

RATES
Week $ 600 season; $ 500 off-season*

Month $ 1350 season; $ 800 off-season

Weekend (Friday-late Sunday) $ 250

Holiday weekend Friday-late Monday $350

Minimum Rental: two nights

Two-month minimum from January through April (i.e. January & February or March & April)

*Season is October through May. Off-season is June through September.

SAVE $200! Discount of $100/month for rental of more than one month.

One small dog allowed. Nonrefundable pet/cleaning fee  of $50 per month or per stay required. Sorry, no cats. Please inquire for further details.