The Horse Capital of the World Simply Obtained Its Second Luxurious Lodge — Right here’s What It’s Prefer to Keep

Central Florida has an extended historical past of being neglected by vacationers sure for the Gulf Coast to the west, the Panhandle, and the state’s Atlantic-facing seashores (learn: anyplace with lovely Florida seashores lapped by salt water). However intrepid vacationers trying to divert from the state’s storied coasts know that to see a few of Florida’s most attractive, rolling landscapes and ethereally lovely freshwater springs (rivaling Mexico’s cenotes), detouring inland within the Sunshine State is the place it’s at.

And that’s the place The Driving Academy Lodge, sister property to The Equestrian Lodge, enters the image as an idyllic vacation spot for a distinct Sunshine State trip.

Located within the coronary heart of the state’s horse nation in Ocala (about 90 miles northwest of Orlando), the property had its mushy opening in mid-March of 2024 and formally opened April 1, simply in time for the World Equestrian Heart — the biggest equestrian advanced within the U.S., sprawling throughout 400 acres, and the motels’ house — to host the U.S. qualifier for the Longines League of Nations, a serious equestrian showjumping occasion.

With 390 rooms in comparison with The Equestrian Lodge’s 248 rooms, The Driving Academy is bigger than its sibling and caters squarely to the dog-friendly and family-friendly crowd. (It is also only a 10-minute stroll away via the pedestrian-friendly grounds.)

All rooms are pet-friendly, and 250 are outfitted with two queen beds and a settee, making all of it the simpler to welcome households past two or three individuals.

Whereas The Equestrian Lodge nods to formal, European-inspired aptitude, The Driving Academy, which has a barely lower cost level, was designed to really feel extra informal, says Rick Owens, the senior designer at Roberts Design Group, which is behind the resort’s very turning into appears.

“We took conventional equestrian motifs however added extra intense hues just like jockey silks — vibrant greens, purples, navy blues, and vibrant butternut colours reflective of saddle leathers,” Owens informed Journey + Leisure. “The usage of these brighter, sturdy plaids provides a pop to the darker leather-based sofas and offers a more energizing, extra present really feel.”

Throughout an antiquing journey to a furnishings market in Excessive Level, North Carolina, Owens mentioned his group noticed an vintage carved picket horse signal at the back of a store with “Driving Academy” on it.

“We knew it was an indication in regards to the resort’s identify since we have been initially struggling to consider one thing,” he mentioned. “What do you identify one other property following The Equestrian Lodge? This unimaginable vintage simply actually solidified that.”

There are clear hyperlinks between the 2 properties, after all — maybe most obvious within the many nods to canines, essentially the most beloved pets of the motels’ proprietor. However whereas oil work of canine portraits dominate The Equestrian Lodge, The Driving Academy’s considerable art work skews extra informal and eccentric, with canines dressed up as jockeys, riders, and professors within the work, prints, and sculptures displayed within the public areas and visitor rooms.

“It has this kind of collegiate yearbook vibe to it that performs into the academy side rather well,” Owens added.

Floor has already been damaged on the street-facing facet of The Driving Academy for an 80,000-square-foot outside purchasing venue to return that may function roughly 30 new retailers, two rooftops, an occasion area, and 4 new eating places, which is able to begin opening in mid-2025.

For now, come to take pleasure in The Driving Academy’s beneficiant and opulent rooms, attractive pool, and all of the facilities, eating places, and spa space on supply at The Equestrian Lodge, too — only a scenic stroll (or golf cart tour) away via the oak-lined grounds of The World Equestrian Heart. 

Learn on for T+L’s full evaluation of Ocala’s latest luxurious resort.

The Rooms

All 390 rooms have wood-like ceramic tile flooring, marble loos with rainwater showers, outsized closets designed to accommodate all of the attire horse individuals usually must journey with, and luxurious Bellino Italian linens on the beds. We’re speaking severe room to unfold out in these lodging, too, with the smallest amongst them (a king studio) sprawling throughout 439 sq. toes. A two-bedroom suite is greater than 1,100 sq. toes.

Additionally, a perk for the canine-loving equestrian set: In contrast to its older sibling, all rooms on the Driving Academy Lodge are dog-friendly for a one-time price of $100 per canine as much as 75 kilos.

Of the rooms, 250 are one-bedroom suites with two queen beds and a separate pull-out couch in one other room that may be closed off with a door, accommodating six individuals — good day, massive households! Playful art work incorporates animals: canines dressed as jockeys, chinchillas parading atop zebras, you identify it. There are delicate equestrian touches, too, equivalent to Ralph Lauren stirrup sconces, customized trophy lamps, and customized leatherwork on throw pillows harking back to a bridle and reins. In-room espresso makers and Sub-Zero mini-fridges spherical out the residential touches.

Meals and Drink

For now, there’s just one onsite meals choice at The Driving Academy, a gourmand market, which is an effective choice for a lightweight breakfast or lunch to go. Hit The Tack Room, proper off the foyer, for Starbucks espresso drinks, grab-and-go charcuterie platters, gourmand salads, and a mushy serve machine the children will beg to hit each time you stroll in. You’ll be able to order breakfast gadgets on the counter, together with smoked salmon, bagels, avocado toast, cinnamon rolls, croissants, quiche, and English muffin sandwiches. From 11 a.m. onward, nachos, chorizo flatbreads, baked rooster wings, Bavarian pretzels, and smoked brisket grilled cheese sandwiches are additionally obtainable.

Friends at The Driving Academy can stroll or request a complimentary shuttle to succeed in The Equestrian Lodge and the eating choices scattered round The World Equestrian Heart that embody Mexican and Italian counter-service eating places, Filo’s Mexican Cantina and Viola & Dot’s; an cute sweet and ice cream store referred to as Miss Tillly’s Lollipops; Ralph’s Burger & Sandwich Store; and extra upscale choices just like the pub-style Yellow Pony and steakhouse and seafood restaurant, Stirrups. Don’t miss bringing the household to Emma’s Patisserie for a candy deal with within the type of freshly baked macarons and different attractive European-inspired pastries and sandwiches. 

Actions and Facilities

Loads of lounge chairs encompass The Driving Academy’s freeform swimming pool, which is on the coronary heart of the resort in an outsized courtyard full with a separate water splash space for teenagers and an outside fire that’s a stunning place to collect within the evenings. Two health facilities on-site at The Driving Academy have all the fashionable gear and free weights you want.

Friends even have entry to the pool at The Equestrian Lodge, surrounded by lovely oak bushes and residential to an onsite cafe and bar referred to as Horse to Water, the place the Palomino punches, Mai Tais, and frozen cocktails circulation.

Renting a golf cart from the resort’s fleet is a enjoyable strategy to set out exploring all the property, shaded with old-growth reside oak bushes, and the place there’s often some horse occasion or one other taking place at one of many many arenas. Of the attractive close by freshwater springs to discover inside a half-hour drive of the resort, bookmark Rainbow Springs State Park, which is superb for swimming, and Silver Springs State Park, excellent for a ship cruise down the river. Each have waters teeming with fish and turtles that appear to glow turquoise from inside.

The Spa

Whereas there’s no spa onsite at The Driving Academy, friends can ebook scorching stone massages, collagen-boosting facials, decadent wraps, pedicures, hair styling, and extra at The Equestrian Lodge’s 7,000-square-foot Calluna Spa, embellished in shades of purple as an ode to lavender. The spa’s 5 therapy rooms embody one designed for {couples}, and there’s a full-service hair salon onsite. 

Household-friendly Choices 

The World Equestrian Heart’s walkability and frequent schedule of occasions — they go all out for the vacations, together with Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Christmas, Easter, and extra — make staying at The Driving Academy family-friendly by nature.  Children love the soft-serve ice cream machines and an enormous array of ice cream sandwiches and popsicles on the market within the Tack Room, which they will seize and produce outdoors to take pleasure in at The Driving Academy’s colossal pool. And the children’ splash pad space, embellished with colourful outsized critters, is its solely little watery wonderland to discover collectively, too. 

Accessibility and Sustainability

The property options ADA-accessible resort rooms with roll-in showers and lodging for hearing- and visually-impaired friends. Greater than 700 reside oak bushes have been planted since development started on the 400-acre property, and if any have to return down, two extra are replanted to switch them. To preserve water, the World Equestrian Heart doesn’t irrigate turf areas past the Saint Augustine turf grass. All flowers on the property are from the proprietor’s farm, which grows greater than 650,000 annual flowers yearly — a mean of 90,000 annuals are planted onsite on the WEC annually.

Location

Onsite at The World Equestrian Heart, on the east finish of the property that’s being newly developed, The Driving Academy is only a 10-minute stroll or three-minute golf cart journey throughout the advanced from The Equestrian Lodge. Ocala may be reached in about 90 minutes (roughly 90 miles) from Orlando Worldwide Airport to the southeast. You’re greatest off renting a automotive should you don’t arrive right here in your personal car to profit from exploring the encircling area’s freshwater springs and the gorgeous downtown district of Ocala, about 10 miles (20 minutes) away, brimming with eating places, breweries, and retailers of its personal.

Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Rooms at The Driving Academy hover at a lower cost level than these at The Equestrian Lodge. However you’ll need to be sure you plan your keep round any main horse present collection’ should you’re not coming for these occasions (examine the occasions calendar). On the whole, off-peak months when room charges fall are Might, early June, late August, and September.