I want to start this story a little differently — with a photo of me as a child on my home-trained, hand-me-down horse, Missy. We did a bit of everything together — hunter jumper, dressage, and even some eventing.
Horses weren’t just a hobby growing up; they were part of my everyday life and my earliest sense of independence. One of my very first businesses involved selling eggs and delivering them by horse — reins in one hand, cartons carefully balanced — convinced I was already an entrepreneur. Even then, I had big dreams… though I could never have imagined what I’d be walking into decades later.
Fast forward many years, and I found myself touring a property that left me completely speechless — built to fuel the dreams of horsemen and women from around the world. A stunning complex so complete it has its own gas station, church, campground, farrier, chiropractor — you name it, it’s there. A true dream destination for horses and the people who love them.
The timing felt fitting as we enter the Year of the Horse. In the lunar calendar, the Horse represents strength, forward momentum, independence, and ambition — qualities that felt embedded in everything I was seeing. And as someone who grew up on horseback and now spends her life designing complex experiences for groups and organizations, discovering this place as the new year approaches felt quietly symbolic.
Because what has been built in Ocala is not just an equestrian venue.
It’s one of the most ambitious, thoughtfully developed destination resorts and meeting environments I’ve encountered anywhere in the U.S. — and one that many in our industry may not yet realize exists.
Built From the Ground Up — By Design
World Equestrian Center exists where it does because it could.
With wide-open land and no legacy infrastructure to work around, both The Equestrian Hotel and The Riding Academy Hotel were constructed as brand-new, ground-up concrete builds. No retrofits. No inherited limitations. Instead, the campus was designed intentionally for scale, durability, and longevity.
That solid concrete construction gives the entire property a sense of permanence you feel immediately — while the interiors layer in warmth, luxury, and personality through materials, art, and thoughtful design.
Exhibit Space That Changes the Conversation
The scale here is undeniable.
World Equestrian Center features two indoor exposition centers, each approximately 132,300 square feet, offering more than 264,000 square feet of contiguous indoor exhibit space. These are true expo halls — soaring ceilings, professional freight access, and infrastructure built for serious trade shows.
When I visited, one of the halls was housing a full indoor motorcoach show. Seeing large coaches displayed comfortably indoors was a lightbulb moment. These spaces are ideal for:
Auto and motorcoach shows
Heavy equipment and machinery exhibitions
Dealer meetings and product launches
Consumer and trade expos
Large general sessions and banquets
In theater-style configurations, the halls can accommodate up to 6,000 attendees — firmly convention-center scale, without the cold convention-center feel.
A Rare Equation: Massive Space + Luxury Hotels
This is where World Equestrian Center becomes truly rare.
There is no economy or limited-service hotel product on campus.
Instead, planners have access to 600+ upscale and luxury guest rooms on site, including:
The Equestrian Hotel (approximately 248 rooms), the flagship luxury property
The Riding Academy Hotel (approximately 390+ rooms), still full-service and upscale, ideal for groups
Both hotels reflect a clear commitment to quality and consistency:
Kohler fixtures are used throughout both properties
Sub-Zero refrigerators are standard in guest rooms
Guest rooms at The Equestrian Hotel may feature carpeted floors, with marble finishes in the bathrooms, depending on room category
Guest rooms at The Riding Academy Hotel feature porcelain tile flooring that resembles wood, with marble finishes in the bathrooms
And then there are the views.
Rooms on one side of The Equestrian Hotel overlook the show rings, offering a front-row seat to daily competition and activity below — a detail that reinforces how seamlessly hospitality and equestrian sport are woven together here.
The Equestrian Manor: Meetings, Elevated
Only just days open when I was there in January, The Equestrian Manor introduces over 61,084 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space, designed primarily for ballrooms, meetings, weddings, and large-scale events.
Trade shows and exhibitions remain well served by the separate expo halls — a smart and intentional division of function.
The boardroom alone is outstanding — easily one of the most impressive I’ve seen in a conference or convention environment. Purpose-built, beautifully proportioned, and anchored by a substantial statement table and genuinely comfortable upholstered chairs, it feels more like a private executive suite than a hotel meeting room. This is a space designed for long conversations and real decision-making.
Three Destination Restaurants Inside the Conference Center (Yes, Really)
This is a detail that genuinely stopped me — because it’s incredibly rare.
Inside the same building as the meeting and conference space, The Equestrian Manor houses three full-service, destination-quality restaurants, including two rooftop concepts:
The Polo Pony – contemporary American dining
Genievieve’s – an elegant rooftop Italian restaurant
The White Willow – a sophisticated rooftop dining experience
In my years touring conference centers and convention venues, I honestly can’t recall seeing another conference facility where the meeting building itself houses multiple standalone restaurants of this caliber. These aren’t conference catering outlets — they’re places you would happily visit even if you weren’t attending an event.
And then there are the restrooms.
These may be the best conference center bathrooms I’ve ever seen. When was the last time a planner took a selfie during a site visit — with their sales rep — in the restroom? That happened here.
Finished in marble, paired with Kohler fixtures, generous layouts, and impeccable design, they feel far more like a luxury hotel or private club than a conference facility.
Small detail. Huge signal.
Art Everywhere — With Personality
Another detail that deserves attention is the art.
Throughout The Equestrian Manor and The Equestrian Hotel, art is everywhere. While the pieces may not all be by a single artist, the collection clearly celebrates horses, dogs, and the lifestyle surrounding them.
It brings warmth, humor, and humanity to very large spaces — ensuring the resort never feels sterile or overly corporate.
Dog and horse lovers, you will feel right at home.
Access & Airlift: Easier Than You’d Expect
Despite its peaceful, removed setting, access is straightforward:
Orlando International Airport (MCO): approximately 1.5–1.75 hours by car
Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV): approximately 1 hour away with limited commercial service
Ocala International Airport (OCF): just 5 miles away, serving private, corporate, and charter aviation
Ocala International Airport is actively working through a long-term master plan focused on infrastructure upgrades and future growth — particularly relevant for corporate jets and charter traffic tied to large exhibitions and dealer programs.
Who This Destination Is — and Isn’t — For
World Equestrian Center–Ocala is not for every group — and that’s exactly why it works.
It is ideally suited for groups that require a disproportionate amount of meeting or exhibition space relative to their sleeping room block — the kinds of programs most hotels quietly shy away from. Here, those groups aren’t a challenge. They’re the point.
And critically, the hotel product remains firmly in the luxury category, meaning scale never comes at the expense of guest experience.
The Takeaway
World Equestrian Center–Ocala is a rare, intentional destination resort — built from the ground up, constructed to last, and designed to solve problems most venues avoid.
It’s not trying to be everything to everyone. But for space-hungry, high-expectation groups that demand both operational muscle and five-star hospitality, it’s something truly special.
Sometimes the most impressive destinations are the ones you didn’t realize you were overlooking.
The Conference Center (Manor)
Equestrian Hotel Lobby
Guest Room View - Equestrian Hotel
Guest Room Tour - Equestrian Hotel
