Fort King National Historic Landmark

Nice walk. Needed the Exercice. "You looked in the mirror lately?" I enjoyed this Fort. Property was clean. Well cared for and maintained.

Free small historical site that packs a lot in. There is a trail to walk and the recently constructed fort replica gives you something to look at and facilitates a better understanding of the early days of this site. However, the best part has always been the public engagement that they provide. They regularly hold classes and lectures, created an ax throwing field for the local club, started a community garden to demonstrate pioneer gardening, and hold periodic festivals. Check their calendar of events.

The grounds are open every day, but the Visitor Center and Archaeological Resource Center are only open Friday and Saturday.

Leashed pets are allowed.

Went on a tour during one of the evening programs and was not disappointed. This is an awesome spot to visit and bring the kids. Lots of great information about the historic site and much more to come.

We stopped here to kill some time before another attraction in the area. The fort and the grounds were open, but the visitor center did not open for another hour or so. We were not able to check that part out, but the grounds were well maintained and the signs were very informative throughout. It was a good place to kill some time, but the fort itself did not have much to see inside.

10/13/23
Parents, are you looking for a large area with both grassy knolls and canopied forests for your kids to run free?

If your answer is, "Yes!" -- a visit to the Fort King NHL is in order.
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Fort King has a long, winding history from the early half of the 19th Century, especially 1820-1850.

⭐. After being designated as National Historical Landmark (NHL) in 2004, the site was submitted to extensive archeological analysis for historical artifacts.
⭐. In 2017, Fort King's walls and fortifications were rebuilt.
⭐. Unlike museums and many historically significant parks, visitors have full access to the fort and its two parapets.
‼. This is the place to set the kids loose!

🧓. Several docents answered questions fully and enthusiastically.
👴. Additional professionals, i.e., a geologist and archeologist, are on-site, actively cataloging archeological remnants discovered on-site.

As long as you have a smart phone, you're good to go. You are guided using the QR codes and you're able to learn much about the history of Fort King and the Seminoles.

Grandsons loved it, so did I. Greeted by lovely lady at museum, great display of artifacts and they don't mind if the kids touch, even encouraging them to do so. Next a walk through the fort itself, kids loved going upstairs in tower. Finally we hiked the 1 mile trail, beautiful shady and quiet, a small stream kept the kids attention, flora and fauna abound. Plenty of serene spots to sit and have a snack. Really nice day out with kids. Informative, gorgeous and free!

I love history and this is a great place to stop for a quick history fix. They have archeological digs that are ongoing and a museum to display their finds. The replica fort was enjoyed by the kids as was the rebuilt blacksmith shop.

This is a pretty small historic fort with a little museum, but they hold so many great events and classes. We’ve attended several historic homesteading classes there, which were wonderful. Their festivals and reenactments are fun and educational. All of the volunteers are fantastic. This place is such a gem.

Great re-creation of the original Ft King. Historical markers with good information. The visitor center is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but you can still walk around and in the fort as well as the block houses. Very interesting site with archeological digs still going on.

Whomever takes care of this place does an excellent job. The grounds are very well maintained. My hubby and I had a blast exploring the grounds, the garden area,, going into the fort, enjoyed the trail just behind the fort, and found the plaques very informative about what life was like here at the Fort.

Very good place to picnic. to walk, and be in contact with nature. Historic place.

Enjoyed the "Lantern Tour" this past Saturday evening. Very informative and enjoyable. Many dressed in "period costumes" while explaining the history surrounding Fort King. A must for those who enjoy the history of Florida

This is a really cool reconstruction of the fort (they're still working on it). It's set in a nice little park.
It displays an interesting part of Florida's history.

Great trail. Well marked. The fort was pretty cool and it was open. Picnic areas, benches, maps, and a decent but neglected home garden. Plenty of flowers. Dog friendly trail.

This place is a hidden gem! Wow! So much history! There's a Fort, museum, garden, nature trail, spring, & archeology museum. The main museum is kid friendly where the children can dress up which is very kool. There's picnic tables if you'd like bring a packed lunch. The bathroom was clean. Staff extremely friendly and very knowledgeable!!! I highly recommend checking them out! Did I mention it's FREE to visit!! They do have a donation box if you'd like to support.

This place is really good and fun to be at. They give you a good understanding of what happened and the demonstration they put on was realistic as it could be, but it was still cool. Inside of the fort was really interesting to see the clothing, animal skins, pottery, and kitchens they had in the fort. Going up into the watch tower, also gave a great view and how they seen when people tried to attack back then.

Went for a wildlife night for kids. They did an awesome job.

Love the interpretive displays and mock-up of the actual fort at this historic site. My understanding is that this place will have even more to offer as time goes on. Kudos to the City of Ocala for what's been done in the last 20 years, and I'm looking forward what's new in the future.

Replica of Fort, It was raining we did not go inside, pretty park with picnic tables. Definitely worth seeing on a clear day or during scheduled events