Visiting Ocala, United States: Top Sights on Foot

Looking for things to do in Ocala, Florida? The city offers a mix of art, local history and distinctive religious landmarks, from the wide-ranging collection at the Appleton Museum of Art to historic buildings in and around the Tuscawilla Park Historic District. Neywo has a free audio guide for Ocala with four narrated places, available in 11 languages.

What to See in Ocala

Appleton Museum of Art

The Appleton Museum of Art brings together works from many cultures and periods in one collection. It is affiliated with and governed by the College of Central Florida, a relationship that has existed since 2004.

The museum holds more than 24,000 works of art and artifacts. Its collection includes European, American, Asian, African, contemporary and pre-Columbian art, offering visitors a broad overview of artistic expression. Temporary special exhibitions are also presented throughout the year, so the displays can change between visits.

East Hall

East Hall is a historic one-story redbrick building on the grounds of the Marion County McPherson Governmental Complex. It houses the Marion County Museum of History and Archaeology.

The building is also known as the Florida Industrial School for Girls. It was built in 1936 by the Public Works Administration and designed by architect Frank Parzaile. Its modest redbrick form is part of its character, and East Hall was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 1995.

Mount Zion A.M.E. Church

Mount Zion A.M.E. Church stands on South Magnolia Avenue and is the only surviving nineteenth-century religious structure in Ocala built of brick. The Gothic Revival church stands behind the site of an earlier white frame building.

Construction of the first brick church owned by a Black congregation began in 1891 under the supervision of Black architect and builder Levi Alexander, Senior. The building’s brickwork and Gothic Revival design connect it to Ocala’s religious and architectural history in the nineteenth century. Mount Zion A.M.E. Church was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on December 17, 1979.

United Hebrews of Ocala

United Hebrews of Ocala is a historic former Reform Jewish synagogue in Ocala’s Tuscawilla Park Historic District. Located at 729 Northeast Second Street, the building served as a synagogue from 1888 until 1976 and was later used as a Christian place of worship.

Its long religious history makes it an important part of Ocala’s built heritage and adds another perspective to the city’s historic places.

Plan More of Your Florida Trip

Ocala is part of Florida, where you can also explore cities such as Orlando, Mount Dora and Safety Harbor. For a wider itinerary, continue through the United States.

Explore Ocala with Neywo

Neywo’s free Ocala audio guide includes four narrated places. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages, making it an easy way to discover Ocala while walking independently.

Download Neywo and explore the city with its free audio guide.