The Ocala area represents a unique combination of history, horses, and culture that is surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural environments you will find anywhere. Sprinkle in the collection of interesting shops and restaurants in Ocala's downtown district and you will find Ocala to be the type of place where no one struggles to find something to do!
Here are some of the best places to retire in Ocala today.
Ocala 55+ Communities
On Top of the World
At On Top of the World, active adults will find all they dream about and so much more. Located in beautiful Ocala Florida, On Top of the World residents can enjoy any schedule that suits their tastes – from activity packed to unhurried.
Leisure amenities include 54 holes of golf on three courses, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a 14-acre R/C flying field, bocce, racquetball and basketball courts, fitness center, health club and spa, restaurants, cultural venues, and much more.
Residents can also participate in over 175 clubs, leagues, hobbies, and lifelong learning opportunities.
New homes are of quality construction, often exceeding ENERGY STAR criteria while offering comfort, convenience, and a wide variety of design elements.
There are about 20 different floor plans available with prices ranging to suit every budget starting in the $200k’s.
What's nearby:
Downtown Ocala: 11.2 miles
Paddock Mall: 8.4 miles
Silver Springs State Park: 20 miles
Appleton Museum of Art: 15 miles
Circle Square Cultural Center: 2.5 miles
Del Webb Stone Creek
Stone Creek is a Del Webb Florida community of 3,800 attached villas and single-family homes in Ocala, Florida. Residents here have access to first-class amenities like the 60,000 square foot social and recreational complex. The community is also home to an 18-hole golf course designed by Terry Doss.
Homes at Stone Creek are available in many different models that range in size from 1,133 square feet all the way up to 2,634 square feet.
What's nearby:
Downtown Ocala: 12.6 miles
Paddock Mall: 8.7 miles
Silver Springs State Park: 18.8 miles
Appleton Museum of Art: 16.9 miles
Circle Square Cultural Center: 2.9 miles
JB Ranch
With construction that just started in 2017, JB Ranch is one of the newer 55+ communities in the Ocala area. Plans here call for a total of 346 single-family homes, and the list of amenities includes a community clubhouse, fitness center, and outdoor pool with patio seating.
Homes range in size from 1,641 to 2,034 square feet and include many of the most popular features on the market today.
What's nearby:
Downtown Ocala: 11 miles
Paddock Mall: 8.2 miles
Silver Springs State Park: 17.4 miles
Appleton Museum of Art: 16.5 miles
Circle Square Cultural Center: 3.2 miles
Ocala Preserve (Partial 55+)
Ocala Preserve is a 623-acre community of 1,600 single-family homes located in Marion County, Florida. Amenities here include a 17,000 square foot clubhouse with a state-of-the-art fitness center, a zero-entry resort-style pool, and an 18-hole championship golf course.
New homes at Ocala Preserve are available in six different collections that range in size from as small as 1,320 square feet up to 2,370 square feet.
What's nearby:
Downtown Ocala: 6.8 miles
Paddock Mall: 8.2 miles
Silver Springs State Park: 12.1 miles
Appleton Museum of Art: 10 miles
Circle Square Cultural Center: 11.9 miles
Not in Ocala (But Not Too Far)
The following communities may not be in Ocala, but they are well within striking distance and close enough to Ocala to grab a bite to eat, catch a show, or visit any of Ocala's various attractions.
Arlington Ridge (43 miles to Downtown Ocala)
With a planned total of more than 600 single-family homes, Arlington Ridge has been a large part of the local community of Leesburg, Florida since construction began in 2005. Residents here enjoy access to large-community amenities like an 18-hole championship golf course, a massive community center, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a resort-style swimming pool, and a 50-seat community theater.
New construction buyers at Arlington Ridge can choose from multiple builders, which means that there are dozens of home styles and floorplans available here.
Lakes of Mount Dora (47 miles to Downtown Ocala)
Located just north of Orlando, Lakes of Mount Dora is a gated community of 950 single-family homes that combines 178 acres of lakes with New England-style architecture. Amenities here include an 18,000 square foot clubhouse complete with a fitness center and a banquet facility. Then there is the resort-style pool and hot tub outside.
Lakes of Mount Dora offers a few different ranch-style homes that range in size from as small as 1,263 square feet all the way up to something as large as 3,700 square feet.
The Villages (22 miles to Downtown Ocala)
With more than 60,000 attached villas, manufactured homes, and single-family homes, The Villages is one of the largest active adult communities in the entire world. With three different town squares, more than 35 community centers, more than 80 different pools, and more than 50 different golf courses, the list of amenities available to Villagers as residents are affectionately known goes on for days.
Just like the list of amenities, the list of floorplans available around The Villages is massive. You can pretty much find anything your heart desires in Florida’s most-popular retirement community. Homes here start out in the $200k’s, but there are also plenty of high-end options with prices ranging all the way up into the high-$1Ms.
Villages of Citrus Hills (30 miles to Downtown Ocala)
The Villages of Citrus Hills is a Florida Retirement Community with single family homes and maintenance free villas that have been built with today’s demanding baby-boomer in mind. But what makes the promise of Florida Retirement in the Villages of Citrus Hills truly come together for today’s new breed of active adult retiree is its extraordinary collection of world-class community country club amenities and extensive social activities.
A wide variety of homes and homesite packages are available.
Ocala History
The early history of Ocala can be summed up in one word: rebuilding. The earliest inhabitants were the Timucua Indians, who abandoned their settlement after being attacked by explorer Hernando de Soto. The area would then be inhabited by Seminole Indians before the US Army built Fort King near Ocala.
As settlers began to build a new community around the base, many plantations were built in order to take advantage of the optimal citrus growing conditions. On Thanksgiving Day in 1883, the entire downtown district was leveled by a fire and Ocala residents were forced to rebuild the town once again.
The 1900s saw Ocala evolve into the “Horse Capital of the World” when Rosemere Farm and Bonnie Heath Farm both began producing some of the best thoroughbred horses in the world. To this day, Ocala remains one of the world’s leading producers of thoroughbred horses.
Getting to Ocala
For driver's, Ocala is easy to get to because it is right off of I-75. If you plan to fly, don't be deceived by the fact that Ocala has an “International Airport”. Ocala International Airport is just a general aviation facility and serves only private and recreational aircraft. Passenger airlines have not flown there since the 1980's.
If flying in to Ocala, most people use Orlando International Airport (MCO) which is about 65 miles away. Gainesville Regional is a bit closer at about 35 miles away, but they only have a handful of flights from Atlanta (Delta) and Charlotte (American) each day.
Ocala Healthcare
With more than 400 beds, the biggest hospital in Ocala is AdventHealth Ocala. Other local options include HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, a 288-bed facility pretty much in the heart of Ocala, and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, a 186-bed extension of that on the west side of Ocala. Consistently one of the highest rated hospitals in Florida, UF Health Shands in Gainesville, is about 37 miles away.
Ocala Weather
Here’s a look at the average low and high temperatures in Ocala throughout the year:
| Month | Avg. Low | Avg. High |
| January | 46 | 68 |
| February | 50 | 73 |
| March | 56 | 78 |
| April | 60 | 84 |
| May | 68 | 88 |
| June | 72 | 89 |
| July | 72 | 90 |
| August | 72 | 89 |
| September | 68 | 85 |
| October | 58 | 79 |
| November | 52 | 73 |
| December | 47 | 68 |
Ocala Cost of Living
Ocala is typically regarded as one of the least expensive places to live in Florida. Last I checked, the cost of living index for Ocala came in at 83.8, with the average cost of living in the United States being expressed as a baseline of 100.
Florida as a whole comes in with a cost of living index of 102.8, so as you can see, Ocala looks pretty darn good in the cost of living department.
Things to Do in Ocala
The headquarters of culture in Ocala is the Appleton Museum of Art. This fantastic marble structure was donated to the Ocala community by Arthur I. Appleton, who was a very successful horse breeder. The museum originally contained Appleton’s personal collection, but has grown by leaps and bounds over the years to become one of the foremost art museums in the state of Florida.
The World Equestrian Center is a must-see, and a number of companies offer horseback riding lessons and trail rides. In addition to horseback riding trails, the entire area is also surrounded by miles upon miles of hiking and paddling trails.
If you are looking for something a bit more exciting, you will definitely want to check out The Canyons Zip Line & Canopy Tours. Racing down this zip line is sure to get your blood flowing!
Shopping in Ocala
Most shopping in Ocala probably takes place at the Paddock Mall. But Downtown Ocala is known for being an interesting collection of unique shops that sell everything from hand-made soaps to delicious baked goods. There is also a Farmer’s Market held in downtown Ocala every Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Are there condo fees or some other fees for the amenities in the 55 + community or is it included when you buy the home?
Most communities will have some sort of HOA and/or Amenities Fees.