Daycation

Glamping In The Great Outdoors

Enchanted Oaks Farm and Lakehouse

By Danielle Veenstra

Featured on the billboards of Times Square for American Eagle, inside cozy cabin coffee table books, and on thousands of Pinterest boards, a gorgeous glamping site in Ocala has been making a huge impact.

At a time where confined spaces present more dangers than ever before, Enchanted Oaks Farm and Lakehouse gives people an opportunity to connect with nature and with each other without worries—or a tent. The property hosts three small triangular cabins, a treehouse, two mini cabins, two farmhouse apartments, and a floating cabin on the lake. All spaces are air-conditioned except for the cabin on the lake, making “camping” in Florida 100-degrees easier.

Stepping into the tiny cabin, filtered outdoor light from its transparent siding reveals a tidy and cozy bedroom. A queen bed fills half the room with enough space left over for two people to stand side-by-side but not much else.

For extra room, the transparent siding can be lifted open to the outdoors, creating a perfect breakfast patio or an after-dinner dance floor.

However, if tiny living is too tiny, the farmhouse apartments and loft are other affordable options that have full kitchens, multiple bedrooms, and dining areas.

The wedding venue slash Instagramer’s paradise slash campgrounds is surrounded by the best of old Florida’s plant life and Cassie Peech’s dreams.

“I looked for the perfect spot for five years,” Peech, owner of Enchanted Oaks Farm, says. “When I saw this land, I knew it was special.”

A country road lined with fauna and fence will suddenly open to a lush landscape. Dozens of 100-year-old oaks shelter an expanse of sloping green grasses. The centralized lake is dotted with clusters of lily pads as tall, stalky herons, and smaller egrets nibble on dinner. Super-sized Monstera, Taro, Palmettos, and Creeping Vines drip over branches and sprout through every available space that hasn’t been built upon.

An outdoor dining space with enough seating for 25 people sits beneath a covered pergola twined with soft fairy lights. It looks over the lake on one side and on the other are the triangular cabins and a converted event space filled with gauzy fabrics and hand-built furniture.

In the acreage beyond, peacocks roam the back fields. In the front, horses, cows, goats—even a zebra and wallaby—all have their own pieces of land waiting for new visitors to slip them extra feed. The space has smaller gathering spots including fire pits, rope swings, comfy outdoor couches, a makeshift café, and blankets to create your own space.

And to think, all of it started with a $600 loan.

A native to Kentucky, Cassie Peech was a single mother working at a sawmill for $7.50 an hour. It wasn’t the life she wanted and so she made a change with a little fatherly guidance.

“I went and bought a business suit with my dad’s money,” Peech says, “and he bought me a little briefcase with a paper pad and we sat down to work out a business plan.”

Her father taught her how to create a business proposal, about structuring a business, and became her first investor for $600. She took that money to start her own photography studio which she soon outgrew and then moved to New York. She worked 10 seasons for New York’s Fashion Week then moved again to Florida and became a Disney Fantasy Wedding photographer.

After 1,000 Disney weddings, Peech hung up her camera to start her own businesses. She now owns a wedding company in Orlando, rents on AirBnB, and manages Enchanted Oaks Farm and Lakehouse.

“I started it all with $600,” Peech says. “This is the next phase of my life.”

Her father built the tables that fill the event space, the frames are from antique shops from her hometown, and her mother helped her organize what is now a campground built by her family for families.

Tamy and Alan Naccarratti snuggled close in the center of one of the tiny cabins as clicks from a camera punctuated the silence. The lifted transparent wall on the tiny cabin provides a beautiful photo opportunity as soft light fills the room.

The couple celebrated their nine years of marriage with a photoshoot and a weekend stay at the farm. They kayaked the Silver River, ate in downtown Ocala, and relaxed in nature.

“I spent unforgettable moments here,” Tamy says. “I’m going back home with a recharged battery, ready to conquer more.”

The farm is far enough away from the city to be deeply quiet at night but close enough to reach back out to civilization. The welcome email guests receive before their stay includes local attractions and dining options. For those who are visiting, this roadmap gives guests a chance to explore the nearby small businesses and state parks, bringing a lot of commerce to the area.

And with over 3,000 guests so far, Peech’s farm has seen many national and international visitors.

“Some of the kids that come out here it’s like they’ve never been out in the country,” Peech says. “It’s so much fun to see people try to start a fire for the first time. It’s a family experience.”

For guests that are new to camping, Enchanted Oaks Farm gives them a leg up. Not only are on-site “tents” air-conditioned cabins, but Peech and her workers will also help with starting campfires, feeding farm animals, using the charcoal grill, and more.

But for the most part, exploring and trying new things is the exciting bit. Peech encourages people to meet the animals on the farm. Zippy the zebra will walk up to the fence for a selfie. And Pumpkin the wallaby will hop on over for a scritch.

The farm even has a scavenger hunt that includes activities like “go stargazing” or “picnic on a farm” or “make a friend.”

The plan for the farm started out as a wedding venue and morphed into a family-friendly “glamp” site. For Cassie Peech it holds greater meaning as camping was the only thing her family could afford growing up. And her dad was obsessed with camping, nature, and all things cabin-related. Unfortunately, he passed last year before he saw the American Eagle campaign and the 10,000 followers on Instagram.

Cassie Peech

But before he did, he had a message for his daughter.

“I just wanted to tell you I’m really proud of you—that was the last thing he ever said to me,” Peech says. “I just wanted my dad and mom to be able to see that I did it. And I did.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Enchanted Oaks Farm & Lakehouse 889 SW 165th St., Ocala (808) 223-8660 enchantedcamping.com Tip: Don’t forget to bring: sunscreen, bug spray, drinking water, food, carrots (for the animals), camera, matches, and body wash!