Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Ocala travel guide

Ocala Tourism | Ocala Guide

You're Going to Love Ocala

With a population of 56,315, Ocala is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Ocala has to offer.

Where to Eat in Ocala

If you’re looking for affordable options, Sky Fine Dining (3600 SW 38th Ave. Sixth Floor) and Mesa de Notte (2436 E. Silver Springs Blvd.) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Katya Vineyards (11 E Silver Springs Blvd) and Celebrity’s Soul Food - Ocala (2237 SW 19th Ave RD Suite 102) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Ocala.

When to visit Ocala

Ocala in August
Estimated hotel price
$100
1 night at 3-star hotel
Ocala in August
Estimated hotel price
$100
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Ocala in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 91.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 46.4 °F, with an average temperature of 57.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 8.3″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Ocala, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Ocala

Plane

Although Ocala doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Daytona Beach (DAB), which is located 65 miles from Ocala. Tampa Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air France, JetBlue, Delta and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Ocala departs from Islip and takes around 2h 49m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Ocala, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Ocala to Tampa takes 1h 45m and costs around $12 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Jacksonville, expect to pay about $22 for a 3h 07m trip. The train station in Ocala is called Ocala, and is located 0.5 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Ocala is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 64 miles from Ocala. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Ocala Pilot Travel Ctr - 2020 135th St, located 11 miles from downtown Ocala. Ocala is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city center.

Plane

Although Ocala doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Daytona Beach (DAB), which is located 65 miles from Ocala. Tampa Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air France, JetBlue, Delta and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Ocala departs from Islip and takes around 2h 49m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Ocala, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Ocala to Tampa takes 1h 45m and costs around $12 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Jacksonville, expect to pay about $22 for a 3h 07m trip. The train station in Ocala is called Ocala, and is located 0.5 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Ocala is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 64 miles from Ocala. You’ll find branches of Rent-A-Wreck and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Ocala Pilot Travel Ctr - 2020 135th St, located 11 miles from downtown Ocala. Ocala is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city center.

Airports near Ocala

TPATampa
DABDaytona Beach
ORLOrlando All airports

Airlines serving Ocala

Lufthansa
Good (7,409 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,386 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,367 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,961 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,737 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,966 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,925 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,925 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,339 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,622 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (850 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,156 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,486 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,117 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,251 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,896 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,324 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (998 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (359 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Ocala

Where to stay in Ocala

Average rates range from around $186 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $260 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include avid Hotel Ocala Downtown by IHG and Candlewood Suites Ocala I-75 By IHG. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Ocala, with prices from $47 to $453 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Ocala are about 72% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Ocala by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Ocala

Most booked hotels in Ocala

See all
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Silver Springs-Ocala
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 845 reviews)
$128+
View
Equus Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1964 reviews)
$59+
View
Hilton Ocala
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 643 reviews)
$131+
View
Holiday Inn & Suites Ocala Conference Center By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8, 1208 reviews)
$81+
View
Super 8 by Wyndham Ocala I-75
2 stars
Good (6.8, 1088 reviews)
$51+
View
Howard Johnson by Wyndham Ocala FL I-75
3 stars
Good (6.4, 2587 reviews)
$62+
View

Renting a car in Ocala

Renting a car in Ocala costs $68 per day, on average, or $205 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Ocala is the Budget branch at 1506 South Pine Avenue, which is 1 mile from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 50% more expensive than at Orlando.

Expect to pay $3.56 per gallon in Ocala (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $42.70 and $56.93. The most frequently booked car type in Ocala is Premium (RAM Pickup or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford Focus or similar) are, on average, 56% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Ocala costs $68 per day, on average, or $205 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Ocala is the Budget branch at 1506 South Pine Avenue, which is 1 mile from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 50% more expensive than at Orlando.

Expect to pay $3.56 per gallon in Ocala (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $42.70 and $56.93. The most frequently booked car type in Ocala is Premium (RAM Pickup or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford Focus or similar) are, on average, 56% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Ocala

Luxury

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$61/day

Luxury

Minivan

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$67/day

Minivan
Find car rentals in Ocala

Ocala Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Ocala city guide for the best Ocala travel tips. To help you organize your Ocala trip ideas, this Ocala visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.