Your Dog-Friendly Guide to Ocala/Marion County
Beautiful weather year-round and an endless outdoor playground, Ocala/Marion County offers open arms to your canine friends.
From beautiful trails and rivers to a vast amount of dog-friendly dining and parks, here is some inspiration for things to do with your pup in Ocala/Marion County.
Dogs In Downtown
All you need is a leash for your furry friend to explore Downtown Ocala. Downtown Historic Square, Citizens Circle, many restaurants, and more are all dog-friendly. Your pup will love racking up steps as you explore all this city has to offer. On Saturdays, visit the Downtown Ocala Farmers Market with your pup and check out some of the puppy product vendors as well as fresh local produce.
Dog-friendly Special Events
World Equestrian Center
Some folks in the Horse Capital of the World® love dogs just as much as their horses, and the World Equestrian Center (WEC) is no exception! You can spend the whole day at WEC with your pup walking the grounds, enjoying lunch, watching one of the events and more. You can even rent a golf cart and let your dog ride around with you.
WEC also serves as a canine show venue! Ocala will be hosting the 2024 Flat Coated Retriever Society of America National Specialty.
Horse Shows
In addition to WEC, when spectators visit the equestrian events such as Live Oak International, HITS and the events International 3-Day Event, expect to see dogs of all breeds! Walking the beautiful grounds of these massive farms and seeing the magnificent horses might even be more fun for your pup.
Pay attention to the events happening when you visit, because many are dog-friendly, including the the Ocala Arts Festival and the First Friday Art Walks.
![](https://ocala.imgix.net/images/blog-images/Dog-at-silver-springs_77a996cadb6acd997fdd4924ba23cc85.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=320&s=30c1087f0bfd2394ead486ff4c7a306a 320w, https://ocala.imgix.net/images/blog-images/Dog-at-silver-springs_77a996cadb6acd997fdd4924ba23cc85.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=540&s=9da0f5294f73f00d274be4e3b35ad74d 540w, https://ocala.imgix.net/images/blog-images/Dog-at-silver-springs_77a996cadb6acd997fdd4924ba23cc85.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=768&s=8ac00317d8191b48e29561320ce644a1 550w)
Given that Ocala/Marion County is the Horse Capital of the World®, and a family-friendly destination, the entire community is welcoming to furry friends, with many hotels that are pet-friendly. Check out our all the lodging and camping options in the destination at OcalaMarion.com/where-to-stay.
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Fall Festivities in Ocala/Marion County, Florida
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Top 10 Must-Sees in Ocala/Marion County
There is a LOT to explore when you visit Ocala/Marion County. So much so, in fact, that it can be…
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The Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant12189 S Williams Street
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Rainbow Springs State Park19158 SW 81st Pl Rd
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Rainbow River Kayak Adventures11463 N Williams St
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Get Up and Go Kayaking at Rainbow Springs20750 River Drive
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Letty Towles Dog Park2299 SE 32nd Avenue
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Ocala Dog Ranch440 SW 110 Avenue
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