5 Ways to Spend Your Independence Day Weekend in Ocala/Marion County

The 4th of July is all about celebrating our freedoms, and what better way is there to do that than to enjoy Ocala/Marion County and our homeland with family and friends?

From outdoor adventures in the moonlight to honoring our veterans, here are 5 ideas for things to do in Ocala/Marion County to tap into the red, white, and blue this July 4th weekend.

1. Visit the Veterans Memorial Park

We get to enjoy a beautiful holiday weekend in our amazing country thanks to the bravery and sacrifices of our service members and veterans. A great way to honor them is to visit the Ocala – Marion County Veterans Memorial Park. The park has benches throughout, flags flying representing the branches of the military, monuments remembering heroes and more. A visit to the park is truly a must for Independence Day. We also encourage all our veterans, whether visitors or residents, to check out some of the veteran-friendly things to do in Ocala/Marion County.

2. Attend a Local Event

What is more patriotic than a local homegrown event? This year, among the independence themed events include:

Salute to Veterans Rodeo

Red, White and OSO Blue A Salute to Our Troops

Fireworks on Lake Weir at Eaton's Beach

3. Splash In the Springs

Make the blue in red, white and blue part of your day, by splashing into one of our beautiful springs! Silver Glen Springs, Juniper Springs, Salt Springs and Rainbow Springs make great spots for enjoying the Florida sunshine while keeping cool in the natural springs.

4. Taste Some BBQ

Pulled Brisket, mac n’ cheese and cornbread… nothing feels more like summer in the USA than good BBQ. In Ocala/Marion County, we are not lacking in that! Some of the locals’ favorite BBQ stops are

Big Lee's Serious About Barbecue in Ocala

Artman Country Smokehouse in Summerfield

Brick City Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar in Downtown Ocala.

The flavor does not stop there though… Ocala/Marion County has many more delicious spots to choose from. Check out all the dining options here.

5. Camp Under the Stars

Maybe you don’t have fireworks, but what about a campfire or shooting stars? Set up a tent and spend quality time with friends or family in our great outdoors under the stars at one of our many campsites. There are dozens of campgrounds in Ocala/Marion County, in places like the following:

Ocala National Forest

Rainbow Springs State Park

Silver Springs State Park

For a full list of all the sites, click here.

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