OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Ocala is home to multiple lively parks for the community to gather, socialize and connect. Each park has unique features, from a koi pond to a natural grotto overlook; here are Ocala’s top parks with plenty of activities and features for children and adults alike.

Brick City Adventure Park

Brick City Adventure Park was Marion County’s first purchase with the Pennies for Parks bond referendum. The park is free, pet-friendly and features a playground, a track field with soccer nets and football goalposts in the center for a multifaceted field, walking trails and access to White Cliff Cave with a guided tour. A small gnome hideout can be found in the base of a tree near the park for a fanciful touch.

The park is open daily from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. or sunrise to sunset and is located at 1211 SE 22nd Rd., Ocala. Learn more about the park here.

A beige building with large blue letter reading, "Brick City Activity Center," stands in an open field with two benches and trees of varying sizes around it.
A playground with a climbing net, large ropes, and a rock-climbing wall is surrounded by mulch in a wooded area.
A football goalpost and soccer net stand in an open field with a forest in the background and a track field around them.

Coehadjoe Park

Coehadjoe is free, pet-friendly and features multiple tennis courts, a basketball court, two small playgrounds with an obstacle course at one of them, picnic tables, painted hopscotches on pathways and multiple children’s activities such as climbable rocks and swings.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and is located at 4225 NE 35th St., Ocala. Learn more about the park here.

A decorative tree log stands with two branches reaching off the side. Baby swings hang from the branches.
A green sign on wooden supports in a forested area reads, "Coehadjoe Park."
A wooden playground with an obstacle course sits in an open field surrounded by trees.
Four picnic benches are crowded under a covered pavillion.
A paved pathway through a wooded area features benches on either side.
Three tennis courts line a paved pathway with a forest in the background.

Jervey Gantt Park

Jervey Grantt Park is free, pet-friendly and features an aquatic center, basketball court, football field, racquetball court, softball field, tennis court, volleyball court, pavilion, playground and walking trails. Attached to the park is M.O.M.S. Park and a dog park for reflection and animal entertainment.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and is located at 2200 SE 36th Ave., Ocala. Learn more about the park here.

A sign stands on the side of a road in the distance that reads, "Jervey Gantt Recreational Complex." Two trees are closer on either side of the sign.
A paved pathway with benches along it goes through trees and an open field.
A black gate with a sign in the shape of a dog bone has red letters reading, "Fore everyone's safety these rules are strictly enforced."
A yellow football goalpost stands in an open field behind a fence.
A board with flyers in it stands in playground with and open field, paved pathway and trees around it.

M.O.M.S. Park

Memories of Missing Smiles, also known as M.O.M.S. Park, is a memorial park dedicated to honoring children lost to automobile accidents. The park is free, pet-friendly and features memorials stones, benches and signs throughout the area to remember the children, as well as a poster board that features pictures of children. There are paved pathways, a koi pond for reflection, independent sections with benches and bird baths. A gate at the entrance features the names of the owners and their stories after losing their own children, reflecting the story and honor of the park.

The park is open 24 hours daily and is located at 3320 SE 17th St., Ocala. Learn more about the park and its story here.

A sign in a forest reads, "Welcome to M.O.M.S. Park." A second sign under it reads the rules to the park.
A large tree stands in the center of a paved pathway leading into a circle with trees surrounding the outside of the circle. Memorial stones are laid in the grass surrounding the tree and outer edges of the pathway.
A large gate with a pink heart has a sign on top that reads, "M.O.M.S." Two pillars on either side of the gate read memorial names.
Koi fish swim in the same direction in a small pond with leaves floating on top.
A "no fishing" sign stands in front of a dark pond.
A bench and bird bath sit along a brick-paved pathway in a forest area.

Scott Springs Park

Scott Springs Park is free, pet-friendly and features a playground, picnic tables under a pavilion, walking trails, an area with multiple ramps for biking, exercise equipment along the paved paths and wildlife throughout the area. A unique feature near the parking lot is a wooden walkway that leads to an overlook of a natural spring in a grotto with two small caves.

The park is open daily from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and is located at 2825 SW 24th Ave., Ocala. Learn more about the park here.

Children play on a playground while adults watch. An open field and trees surround the playground.
A pavilion stands near paved pathways with picnic tables inside of it. Trees surround it with a variety of colored leaves.
A small cave in stands above a watery area with rocks and wood around the ground.
A wooden overlook stands above a dried-out cave.
A wooded area has multiple wood ramps spread throughout the area with leaves scattered across the ground.

Sholom Park

Sholom Park is not pet-friendly but is free to enter and features ponds where guests can feed fish under a gazebo or sit at a bench to watch a fountain or wildlife. It also features a pavilion covered in vines, a relaxing Zen garden for a quiet space for reflection, an olive tree promenade leading to the pavilion, multiple walking trails, plenty of open field for picnics and a stage for events.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and is located at 7110 SW 80th Ave., Ocala. Learn more about the park here.

A sign that reads "Sholom Park" stands in the middle of bushes with tall trees in the background. An open green field is visible in the distance.
A brown-red bridge built over a small stream with grass, trees and pathways surrounding it. The stream is lined on either side with rocks of varying shapes, sizes and white to grey colors.
A canopy covered in the greenery shades concrete benches lined up with an open arch on every side.
A blue-grey statue of a man holding a map in front of a large tree surrounded by trees, bushes and dirt.
A fountain spray water out from the center of it onto a green pond in Sholom Park. Green aquatic plants float directly behind it. In the farther background, tall trees line a walking path that stretches around the pond. Pink flowers are seen to the left just in front of the trail.
Grey pebbles in a pattern around large rocks with a wooden rake sits in small pattern. A white concrete path surrounds the rocks.
A long concrete pathway leads to a shaded canopy with greenery surrounding it. Trees and benches line the pathway with the trees providing their own canopy of shade over the benches and path.

Silver Springs State Park

Silver Springs State Park is a pet-friendly park with an entrance fee of $2. The park features walking trails, a small kids activity area, a covered overlook at the river, a shopping plaza and has a variety of wildlife that can be seen throughout the trails and along the river. For those who can spend extra, the park also offers glass-bottom boat tours, the Silver River Museum, canoeing, paddleboarding, kayaking, camping and a historical pioneer village for seasonal viewing.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. with hours varying for the glass-bottom boat tours and pioneer village with main entrance located at 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs. Learn more about the state park here.

A brown sign reads, "Florida's Silver Springs" in bold white letters with trees surrounding it.
People are on a clear river surrounded by green trees. In the foreground, a man and a woman are in a tandem kayak. In the background, a glass-bottom boat with "Silver Springs, FL" written on the right moves through the water and a solo kayaker is seen paddling nearby.
Several people paddle in individual kayaks on a clear river surrounded by dense green forest. Tall trees in a dense forest stand on the shore with spanish moss hanging from them.
People walk and gather in a shaded outdoor shopping and dining area. Signs above indicate locations such as "Paradise Ballroom," "Rest Rooms," "Snack Shop," "Springside Café," and "Discovery Center." A food cart selling pretzels is positioned along the walkway, and some visitors are seated at tables near storefronts. The area is surrounded by green grass and trees.
A hollow tree trunk integrated into a wooden built-in bench through a boardwalk. The boardwalk is surrounded by dense green forest and protected by railings with wire mesh.

Tuscawilla Park

Tuscawilla Park is free, pet-friendly and features a playground, a sidewalk trail around Tuscawilla River for a view of its fountains, an art park with works from local creators displayed throughout a walking path, multiple sports fields, a bridge over water for a view of fish, fishing, a stage for events, wildlife surrounding the area for a scenic view and an old train station for a fun look at the trains passing through.

The park is located at 829 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala and is open 24 hours daily. Learn more about the park here.

A close-up of a brown plaque mounted on a light-colored wall reads "Tuscawilla Park, Est. 1916" in gold lettering, with a decorative flourish in the middle. A blurred background shows a street, trees, and a building.
A small wooden free library box in a park with the words "BRING A BOOK TAKE A BOOK" painted on the side. A red bench sits nearby, and a covered picnic area with people is visible in the background. Trees and a white car are in the distance.
A body of water with a small fountain spouting water out in upward dispersal. Green grass and trees surround the water with a metal sculpture on the right and white and gray buildings directly behind the spouting water.
A brown duck with white under its wing and red around its eyes sits on a short, downward hill overlooks a body of water with a hill in the background.
A pergola structure in a park supported by four gray columns labeled “TRUTH,” “FAIR,” “GOODWILL,” and “BENEFICIAL,” with a flowering tree growing at its center. A red brick building and clear blue sky form the background.
A metal sculpture features various abstract geometric shapes, including a large screw-like form, curved elements, and reflective surfaces. In the background are trees, a train track, a fence, a building with a mural of runners and parked semi-trucks.