Gainesville (Florida)

Gainesville is in North Central Florida. It is home to the University of Florida, and Santa Fe College.

By car

 * Interstate 75 runs north and south to the west of Gainesville.

By plane

 * American Eagle (Dallas Ft Worth; Charlotte NC; Miami)
 * Delta Connection (Atlanta)
 * Delta Connection (Atlanta)

Other nearby airports for flights to/from additional destinations are in Jacksonville, northeast of town along SR-24/US-301/I-10; and Orlando  located  southeast via I-75/FL-Turnpike/SR-528.

By bus




By bus

 * Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS), . RTS provides fast frequent service throughout the City of Gainesville and to some of the outlying areas.

Bus service is provided on more than 35 routes. Some bus lines provide service until 2AM on weeknights. Late night service, referred to as the Later Gator, is provided on some lines, Wednesday through Saturday from 8PM to 3AM.

Here's a breakdown on service levels:

Weekdays 6AM to 2AM (Most Serviced Lines), Service can run from every 8 minutes on most utilized lines to every 60 minutes on less utilized lines. Make sure to check individual schedules.

Saturdays: 7AM to 7PM on most lines. Service every 30 to 60 minutes. Special Late Night Bus service begins at 8PM and ends at 3AM. These buses run every 10 to 15 minutes.

Sundays: 9AM to 5PM, very limited service. Buses only run every 60 minutes.

During school breaks and the summer holiday, RTS service runs less frequently with most routes ending service by 11PM.

See

 * University of Florida, . These folks are serious about their football and basketball. A full calendar of entertainment in sports and the arts is available. For information on the school's sports teams, known as the Gators, see the dedicated website.
 * Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. University of Florida's stadium known as "The Swamp" seats over 90,000. It's one of the largest (and loudest) anywhere.
 * Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Florida's Stephen C. O'Connell Center has a reputation around the country – enthusiastic and friendly if you're a Gator...noisy, deafening and menacing if you're the opposition. Florida's student section, dubbed the "Rowdy Reptiles", has made the O'Connell Center one of the toughest places to play in the nation.
 * Lake Alice on the UF campus. Lake Alice is a sanctuary for alligators and birds. At dusk, bats that roost in a nearby bathouse fly out to feed on the insect life that the lake nourishes. A trip out at dusk to watch the cloud of bats is a popular local pastime.
 * The Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo. Tours by appointment.
 * Lake Alice on the UF campus. Lake Alice is a sanctuary for alligators and birds. At dusk, bats that roost in a nearby bathouse fly out to feed on the insect life that the lake nourishes. A trip out at dusk to watch the cloud of bats is a popular local pastime.
 * The Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo. Tours by appointment.
 * The Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo. Tours by appointment.
 * The Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo. Tours by appointment.
 * The Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo. Tours by appointment.
 * The Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo. Tours by appointment.

Buy
University of Florida Bookstore: Florida Gator fan gear and books.

Drink
There are bars all over Gainesville. It's traditionally known as a huge drinking town.

The town in general isn't quite as hip and wild as it once was. As admission standards at the university continue to rise, a different crowd has trickled in. But there's still plenty of diversity, and partying, in Gainesville.

The area referred to as mid-town, directly across the street from the school on University Ave., has some of the more traditional Gainesville bars. Grog House, Salty Dog, Balls, XS, and Gator City all share the same building. Almost any night of the week one can find great specials and large crowds. Nearby is the restaurant/bar Swamp housed in a former professor's house. It is a can't-miss both for the atmosphere and the decent food.

The downtown area is a combination of clubs and more laid back bars. Places like the Loosey's, Lillian's (a former music store) and Stubby's, a bar that features hundreds of imported beers, cater to an older crowd. Clubs such as :08 and Sky having dancing and music but are usually most crowded on "ladies' night."

Bars close at 2AM due to the "Rave Law", passed in the late 1990s when Gainesville became one of Florida's premier rave scenes. Last call can be as early as 1:30AM. After the bars close, roads can be dangerous due to drunk drivers.

Go next

 * Orlando is 1½-2 hours south. Take I-75 South to the Florida Turnpike, then East.
 * Jacksonville is 1½ hours north. Take US-301 North to I-10, then East.
 * Miami is 5½ hours south. Take I-75 South to the Florida Turnpike, then east to I-95, then south.
 * Atlanta is 5 hours north along I-75.
 * Tallahassee is 2½ hours West. Take I-75 North to I-10, then West.
 * Tampa is 2 hours south along I-75.
 * Daytona Beach is 2½ hours east. Take US-441 South to Ocala, then State Rd 40 East.