FLORIDA PLACES AND DESTINATIONS:
SILVER SPRINGS
Silver Springs - "Nature's Theme Park", the Ocala National Forest, rolling green fields of horse farms, historic districts and city streets canopied by 100-year-old trees, outstanding golf courses, friendly communities, crystal-clear rivers, and fresh-water springs. This, coupled with the subtropical climate, is what makes Marion County a vacation land year-round.
Marion County's land and waters offer a wealth of recreational opportunities. Several outstanding attractions reflect millions of years of life. The most impressive is Silver Springs, the largest artesian spring system, by water flow, in the world. Here, evidence of prehistoric animals goes back more than a million years; traces of man a mere 10,000. For more than a century the springs have been a tourist attraction - Florida's first - with early visitors arriving by stagecoach and steamboat.
Today, visitors of all ages enjoy the 350-acre nature theme park at Silver Springs and the adjacent Wild Waters water park. The park's world-famous Glass-Bottom boats offer a window on the underwater life and magnificent formations of Silver Springs. Other cruises on the park's waterways offer views of Florida wildlife, as well as more exotic environments and the wild animals that inhabit them. At every turn are exciting and educational experiences from the world's largest American crocodile to the long-necked giraffe.
Nearly three-quarters of the Ocala National Forest is in Marion County. The Forest offers 383,573 acres of unique ecological sites, trails, natural springs with designated trails for horseback riding. Specially marked walking/hiking trails are located throughout this wonderful resource. Lake Eaton Sinkhole and the Lake Eaton Loop are only two of the trails that allow the visitor to explore the area on easily traveled interpretive trails.
Fore Lake Recreation Area is a day use and camping area that is open year-round. A 250-foot sandy beach provides swimming and sunbathing opportunities. Fishing and boating in small, non-gasoline powered craft are allowed, and a fishing pier is at the southeast corner of the lake.
One can't be in Marion County without becoming aware immediately that this is officially the "Horse Capital of the World." Horses are big business in Marion County. More than three-quarters of Florida's 600 Thoroughbred breeding and training facilities are located in the Ocala area. The county is one of only four major Thoroughbred centers in the world, and is equal to Lexington, Kentucky; Newmarket, England; and Chantilly, France. Each spring, for five weeks, the "Horse Shows in the Sun" (HITS) stages one of the largest hunter/jumper shows in the United States. Several horse farms welcome visitors to tour. Visitors who bring their own horses can ride forest and greenway trails.
Photo: Visit Florida
