The 10 Best Nature & Wildlife Areas in Central Florida, Central Florida

Sholom Park is a non-profit, privately owned, 44-acre botanical garden in Ocala, Florida. Opened to the public in 2004, the park features more than 2 miles of paved trails and more than 100 species of plants and trees. Sholom Park seeks to become a model of land stewardship and the preservation of open space for education and public enjoyment. Guests are invited to experience a true feeling of serenity, contentment, joy and inner peace.

Exotic Animal Experience is a TOTALLY interactive, hands on experience with exotic animals including lemurs, kangaroos, muntjac deer, kinkajou, bush baby, wallaby, fainting goat, zebra and most recently, our ADORABLE sloths, Saki and Blossom, our precious baby camel Baby Girl. All visits are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, and only offered n the mornings. We offer group visits or private visits, please see our website for more details as far as current pricing and animals. Because of the extreme interaction we DO have an age restriction in place, and ask that you PLEASE visit the website for all details on the age restrictions and pricing. ALSO, please remember to call to schedule your visit before driving out without an appointment, visitation is strictly limited for the animals well being. Treat yourselves to a once in a lifetime experience like no other! Be prepared to fall in love many times over, as each animal will steal your heart with his/her silly antics and sweet personalities!

The CATalyst is an extraordinary human-animal interaction experience that teaches people to shift from feeling stressed to calm in seconds. What make the encounters so unique are the teachers: lions, tigers, cougars, and leopards. In a safe and controlled environment, participants come face to face (safely through fences) with majestic creatures and learn how to let go of stress instantly.

National parkland consisting of 383,220 acres of various landscapes, including highlands, coastal lowlands, swamps, springs, lakes and ponds.

18,000 acres of preserved land in cental Florida providing refuge to many plants and animals such as the Florida black bear, river otter and American alligator.

Open 7 days a week, from sunrise to sunset. 1650 acres of various wetland habitats with wide berm roads throughout for walking, biking, or horseback riding. Passive recreation activities include photography, bird and wildlife viewing, nature observation and trail hiking. Tram tours available to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, between 9 am and 3 pm, and are on a first come first served basis only. The Orlando Wetlands Park was created by the City of Orlando Public Works Department, Water Reclamation Division, to provide advanced treatment for reclaimed water. No pets, hunting, fishing, motorized vehicles or boating allowed.