Local Directory — The Villages, Ocala & Central Florida
Restaurants, bars, venues, and more across the region
Carney Island Recreation & Conservation Area
ocklawahaOver 750 acres of sandhill islands, wetlands, and lakeside beaches on Lake Weir. Four miles of hiking trails, boat ramps, swimming, and picnic pavilions — plus regular sightings of deer, turkeys, and bald eagles. Entry is $7 per vehicle.
Ma Barker House
ocklawahaThe Ma Barker House is a 1930 Florida cracker-style home and the site of the longest gun battle in FBI history — the January 1935 shootout between the FBI and the Barker-Karpis gang that killed matriarch Kate "Ma" Barker and her son Fred. The house was floated across Lake Weir in 2016 to its current preservation site at Carney Island Recreation & Conservation Area, where Marion County maintains it as a historic attraction. Tours are available by appointment through mabarkerhouse.org.