Rainbow Springs Campground

The Great Outdoors

RV rentals in Marion County are your best bet for finding the RV that perfectly suits your camping needs. Once you've found it, start your exploration by heading for Goethe State Forest. This multi-use area which includes timber harvesting is named after its previous owner and has been the subject of an ecological restoration program since it was purchased. Other uses include wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation for the general public. The park has more than a dozen varieties of natural communities that include varieties of swamps, sandhills, and mesic tree stands, some of which are old-growth cypress and longleaf pine. Make certain you bring your camera if you decide to hike here, as the vegetation and resident wildlife should provide endless photo-ops.Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park is an intriguing destination as it is one of the largest state parks in Florida and is also only accessible by watercraft; there are no roads leading into the area. You can access the park by canoe, kayak, or boat from several boat ramps or rustic sites and have a birds-eye view of the salt marshes, mangrove islands, and tidal creeks that make up the area. One of the boat ramp areas has public restrooms and picnic tables; some of the other entry areas will require you to boat through the open Gulf area in order to reach the bay. There are several primitive campsites in the area that you can use on a first-come, first-serve basis; if you have any questions or concerns, you can ask the park rangers before you venture out.Citrus Wildlife Management Area is mostly located in Citrus and Hernando counties and is just west of Inverness. It's a part of the larger Withlacoochee State Forest. The landscape is largely made up of high-quality sandhills that provide refuge to red-cockaded woodpeckers, indigo snakes, fox squirrels, gopher tortoise, and white-tailed deer. It's a popular destination for fishing and hunting, so you should check to see if hunting is in season while you're there; you can also go there to enjoy hiking, camping, picnicking, and other activities.

Exploring The Area

As the sun prepares to set, you'll want to turn your attention to indoor activities such as dining, culture, and entertainment, and one popular place to seek them out is Ocala. You'll find a number of museums within the city, one of which emphasizes all things auto, from vintage trucks and muscle cars to antiques, jet cars, and separate engines. There's a museum of art if your interests are more refined and a downtown square where you can browse through boutiques and salons, appreciate the public art and cultural exhibits and choose from one of the many restaurants on hand.Gainesville is home to a butterfly rainforest where you can take a leisurely stroll while observing the insects and their habitat; also of interest is a bat house managed by the University of Florida which is one of the largest in the world with a population of around half a million. You can observe them when they exit the house at dusk. If mammals are of more interest to you, there is a wildlife conservation foundation that houses exotic and endangered animals that have been rescued. It also has a breeding center for the endangered animal species; there are more than two dozen species of animals altogether, and if you time your visit correctly, you may have a chance to observe the big cat feeding demonstrations.You'll find it all in Marion County and the nearby areas, with primitive outdoor areas, cultivated urban parks, culture, and much more. Camp at Rainbow Springs Campground and see for yourself everything that they have to offer.