This place had great reviews on Yelp so I went for it! It was slightly underwhelming for what the…read moreother reviews were saying. It was an experience to be in the rural country area of Florida. Time stops here so don't expect everything to be as the time slot shows. It's a dirt road out to a house with a little old sign that barely appears to be the business. We pulled in and looked around for the owner and eventually found him preparing everything for our ride. It took some time standing around waiting for some of this family to arrive to go on the ride with us. In the mean time we let the goats and chickens and horses. All the horses look well taken care of and all the animals seem happy so that was a good sign. There's a definitely a moment of "what did I get us into" when we pulled up to the barn and saw the behind the scenes and waited around a bit for them to load everything up into the trailer. We followed them to the trailhead in our car and then saddled up and headed out. I've been on better trails before for the ride so it was a bit underwhelming, but the Florida foliage was unique and pretty. Our guide was training a new lead horse so we had a few jumpy moments, but he knows what he's doing and showed us his training skills. All our horses were very well behaved and felt safe to be on. Overall, it's definitely a novice business and nothing special, but the opportunity to interact with some real country folks made it feel authentic and was neat.

Makin' Tracks Trail Rides is a family owned business and you truly feel the love and warmth of the…read morecommunity and love the workers and stable hands give to the rides. I really recommend this ride to anyone! they do a 75$ hour dry trail ride and a 120$ 3 hour ride where you spend one hour riding to the river an hour litterly swimming with the horses and an hour coming back ! We did the dry ride and will def be back for the swimming with the horses. Thank you for showing my mom and i a great time!!

We could not have had a more perfect day for our sunrise ride on the beach. Their beautiful…read morehorses are well taken care of and they have horses for all experience levels. Our guide Aidesen was pleasant and you could tell how much she loved her job. I would give this 10 stars!!!!!

What a great way to spend an hour riding on the beach. Great price & guide was awesome &…read moreknowledgeable about her horses & scenery. Easy to find. Don't hesitate if you have no riding experience. The horse does all the work or stays in line. Book it while you in Amelia. Bring an apple to reward your horse and tip your guide.

What an amazing experience! Lived in Florida for six years and this has been by-far one of the best…read moreexperiences in Central Florida. We made an inquiry online and same day, Beki called us and helped us make a reservation online for the next day. The ranch was easy to find and very beautiful when you arrive. We were greeted by Hannah who was also our tour guide. She thoroughly explained how to properly ride the horse, gave us an agenda beforehand and made sure we were safe throughout the trail. She took some awesome photos of us too. Any question I asked, she answered. Hannah was very informative, kind and patient with us. Her passion for horses illuminated the tour. So glad she was our leader! The horses, May, Marigold and Willow - wonderful. They were professional and well taken care of. The horses on the ranch are super healthy and didn't give anyone problems. They are just as happy as us guests. Can't wait to come back.

We took a guided trail ride through the swamp sunflowers. Our experience was wonderful! The…read morehorses are well-trained and gentle. We only ride occasionally but felt very comfortable. The ranch is beautiful and peaceful. Lots of animals to see. Staff is very welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly. Everyone is committed to making sure you have a great time! Highly recommend!

We booked our horse adventure for my wife's 70th birthday and had one of the best experiences ever…read more Jennifer & Jay were amazing hosts and are very knowledgeable about their horses and their personalities. Also, Jennifer took tons of photos that she later sent to us so we could enjoy the moments without concerning ourselves with being on our cameras. Highly recommend!!!!

Jennifer is a great guide. You can tell she takes such good care of her horses. We had age ranges…read morefrom 12 to 40+ with various riding experience and she made us all feel really comfortable. I highly recommend booking with Jennifer. She took SO many pictures that it was hard to choose a favorite.

We loved spending time with the horses, we didn't ride we just did the horse tour. There was 2…read moreguides, one was Jason and he was amazing. So knowledgeable about the horses, interactive and very sweet. Spent a lot of time talking with everyone and was great with the horses. The other guide seemed to be rather mean with the horses.i didn't catch his name, as after he came over and interrupted while I was spending time with a horse to show someone how "if a horse likes you you can do whatever to it" and while he was roughing up the horses, the horse got nippy with him and he hit him pretty hard on the nose. If it weren't for the second guides actions it would have been a perfect 5 star visit but I can't overlook those actions.

We signed up our 3 teenagers (grandkids) who have never rode before. They learned a lot and loved…read moredoing it. They loved the horses and the lovely two workers (sorry don't remember their names) were excellent guides and teachers. They were very patient. We did go in the middle of July and it was hot. We will definitely try to do it again in the future but perhaps when it is cooler. The trail is wooded and the area where you mount and dismount is covered with trees so that helped. The way of contact thru email is not always desirable but I didn't think important enough to take off stars. It is a small run business and having someone man a phone is costly on a business so we won't complain.

Had a great time zip lining! What a unique experience in Florida. The instruction at the beginning…read morewill set even first timers up for success. Thanks to our awesome tour guides Kay and Jeremey!

Want an amazing day plan a day at The Canyons Zip Line! We…read morebooked the 9 Zip Line and two top bridge experience. Our guides were knowledgeable and had such awesome personalities that made our experience memorable!!! We felt completely safe and just took in the whole experience!! If you are considering going don't miss it!!

Darling fun and warm experience. Owners are fantastic…read more Animals are great with tons of education and interaction. Reasonable prices for groups. Personal attention. Plan on an hour or more.

We were looking to have a fun day and we decided come here! We made reservations a day before for…read more12:30pm. We drove a hour to get here from JAX. It was sorta in the country with the road leading to the farm was a gravel/dirt road. If you have a truck have fun on the road but if you have a low trim car like me, go slow! The GPS brought us straight there. We walked to the stalls area and was greeted by Kirk by all the reviews you know he is a man of knowledge for animals! He helped us a lot with riding and have a fun time. The kittens and dogs on his farm are the sweetest they can be! People drop them off at his farm or he finds them abandoned and gives them a nice home to stay at. Before we left he gave us about a dozen eggs for free which we enjoyed a lot! I will be back for more fun! Don't forget to leave a tip!

Great experience both 2 legs & 4 legs! 2 adults with 2 girls -8& 10, on the casual ride. 100%…read morerecommend! Nice women teaching us and guiding us. Horses were obviously well loved and well trained. Can't wait to return!

I love this farm. My daughter has been riding here for 3 years. She has learned dressage, jumping…read moreand her favorite western, specifically barrel racing. I love that horsemanship is a big focus. Learning how to care for and respect the large animals is so important and give her more confidence in her riding. She has a great bond with her friends that she has made there and has even grown into a position of volunteering during summer camp. Giving the knowledge she has learned back to little kids with the same wide eyes that she had many years ago. She is truly a horsey girl now. Thank you to her trainers and Regina for allowing a safe and inclusive place for her to spend half her life.

There information is not updated. They take in walk ins for day visits according to their website…read morebut the farm was closed when we arrived. We came from Jacksonville and had spoke to someone on the phone before hand only to be dismissed At the gate. This was very disappointing to my family. We wanted to visit the farm and horse ad its stated on the site that we could. Update your website so your not waisting peoples time

I serendipitously stumbled upon Diamond Oaks Farm when looking for a birthday trip for my soon to…read morebe 13 year old. Jamie was responsive and accommodating from the very start. The house we rented was extremely reasonable for the cost, beautiful original flooring, great kitchen for cooking, covered porch to enjoy the rain & play games. The idea of being able to enjoy the ranch life first hand & ride during the stay is genius, we really unplugged and reset ! Equestrian Jen gave us an immersive experience connecting with the horses & it was according to my daughter the best birthday gift of her life. Jen's equestrian knowledge is obvious yet she remains down to earth and is an skilled teacher. She taught us an impressive amount in the time frame but always held the horses best interest as highest priority,revealing her genuine love for this magnificent animal. Overall, to see my daughter smile the way she did at the end of her 3 day experience was something I'll never forget. Tears where shed when we left but I told her don't worry we will be back ! Thank you to all the amazing people & beautiful horses at Diamond Oaks Farm for giving us a vacation with memories that will last a life time. We will most certainly be back as soon as possible. My smaller children loved watching the horses from the windows in the house and running in the lush yard covered by gorgeous trees. Really Jen & Jamie are doing Amazing work spreading the healing power of getting in touch with a slower pace of life. If you have a teen that loves horses or you do yourself, do not miss this place. Can't recommend enough ! Also nice that the springs are a 30 min drive and make for a killer afternoon getaway in the Florida National Forest

You have to bring water!! It is a nice little trek over to…read morethe grassy part of this natural vista, but the summer Florida sun does not abate itself. There is even a stand with pamphlets and two very nice people manning it, to answer your questions. I imagine there are more alligators to see early in the morning, but I went around 10:30a. A nice long boardwalk with one place to sit and get shade from the great ball of fire in the sky. Beautiful trees, remnants of alligator eggs, and water fowl feeding and foraging. I can imagine that the Alachua sink would be more active, after a big rain. I will def go there a day after a big storm, to see the action of the earth!

La Chua Trail is hands down one of the many great spots in Gainesville for wildlife viewing and…read morestunning scenery. Whether you're a birdwatcher, a photography enthusiast, or just someone who loves a peaceful walk through nature, this trail delivers. We visited in February for one of the Rim Ramble ranger-led hikes, which started around 10 AM. Our guide, Ranger Wes, was fantastic--full of historical facts and insights about the landscape that truly enriched the experience. He painted a vivid picture of the area's past while pointing out key features of the ecosystem. The trail itself is easy to navigate and offers an incredible mix of open wetlands, boardwalks, and views of Alachua Lake. Wildlife was everywhere--majestic sandhill cranes & alligators basking in the sun. The early morning mist over the prairie gave everything a magical, almost prehistoric feel. If you're visiting between November and March, I highly recommend joining one of the ranger-led hikes (most Saturdays) to get a unique experience. Whether you go solo or with family and friends, La Chua Trail is an unforgettable slice of Florida's wild beauty. Tip: Bring binoculars, wear comfortable shoes & long pants , and bug spray. Come early for the best wildlife sightings!