I lived in Gainesville for many years and worked with organizations providing services in Ocala and other areas. As Rich and others have said, the city of Ocala is not very distinguished, but the surrounding countryside is beautiful - farms and horse country.
Ocala has a rapidly growing older retiree population, and home prices are more moderate than in south Florida. It is more of a "blue collar" community. Traffic on the main roads is quite congested. There are 2 hospitals literally across the street from one another and a surprisingly well organized community network of social service supports. There are several golf courses, the major chains, and a community college. Because it is inland (for Florida anyway), the summer humity is high and it can be 5 - 10 degrees hotter in Ocala and Gainesville than at the coast. OTOH, while it does get an occaisional winter freeze, the fronts often stop just above or just below Gainesville, so it is often a few degrees warmer than the neighboring northern city.
Gainesvile, just 40 minutes to the north is home to the University of Florida and a major teaching hospital. Thus, some very high quality health care, as well as sports and arts are easily accessible.