Welcome to the Swamp! Gainesville is the home of the Florida Gators….aka the University of Florida. Some may only think that this small town in Florida is just a “college town” but it has a lot more to offer. My husband had some work in Gainesville which allowed us to explore the city for about 3 months. Here are the top activities and restaurants we found!
Outdoor Activities
Depot Park
Take a walk, ride a bike or workout at Depot Park. This park has a ton of trails for you to explore! The trails are clearly laid out and you can pick from several that just make a loop around the park or you can go further down into the preservations that are near the park. If you get hungry after all that working out, there are a couple of permanent restaurants and some food trucks on site. It’s a very family orientated park with a small playgrounds for the young ones. They’ll even have some fun events on the weekends! Check out their website for the most updated information on current events and activities they offer.
University of Florida’s Football Stadium (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium)
This is the University of Florida’s football stadium and is located on the university’s campus. However, the campus is open for you to roam around as well as the stadium. Usually, colleges will not allow the public to enter their football stadiums unless there’s an event happening. However, the Florida Gator’s are very welcoming to the public and allow for anyone to visit and go inside the stadium during off season. This was great for those who love to work out and want a change of pace! A ton of people go during the weekend to run or walk up and down the bleaches to get some steps in. There are also spots inside the stadium for those that want to do some HIIT workouts, and you can even do a few laps around the stadium to get your jog on. Needless to say, there are a ton of workout opportunities at this stadium.
Restaurants
Wyatt’s Coffee
Need a break from Starbucks or want to try a local coffee place during your visit to Gainesville? Tryout this coffee shop. It’s a cozy little place with some great tasting coffee, matcha lattes and chai lattes. They have a few pastries if you get a little hungry. The are several tables inside for you to relax and enjoy your drink.
Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company
Who would have thought this city offered a sushi restaurant??? The decoration and atmosphere of the restaurant is great. They also have a ton of selection of not only sushi but other dishes for those that don’t particularly like sushi. Check out their happy hour to get some great deals.
Dick Mondell’s Burger & Fries
This little burger joint is great if you want a classic burger and fries. Both were very tasty and can we just appreciate their pun? There are a few benches outside with shade but no indoor seating. So would highly recommend visiting during the cooler season or just for take-out.
The Keys Grill & Piano Bar
The Keys restaurant is located in Celebration Pointe which is fairly new but has some great restaurant options and of course….an ice cream place. The Keys is a piano bar on the weekends and I loved the entertainment during my dinner. They start around 8pm, so try to get on the list before then to grab a seat for the performance. It really was a great time.
P.S. Head over to Kilwin’s for some ice cream or sweets!
Swamp Head Brewery
This is one of my husband’s favorite brewery ever! They had a great range of beers to choose from and a ton of seating. There are slightly less tables inside but the back patio is massive and has some great air flow. The patio looks over a huge grassy area and a lake. If you want to bring your dog with you, this is a great option! They’ll definitely have a ton of space to relax or play fetch.
4th Avenue Food Park
My husband and I discovered this place randomly after trying Dick Mondell’s. This area has a few small restaurants mixed with food trucks surrounding an outdoor seating area. This is another great place for pets and it’s very family friendly. We tried Sublime Tacos and OMG!!! They were fantastic. I wasn’t expecting much coming from Texas but these passed the test. If you’re craving some good tacos, I highly recommend this place. All the restaurants looked good but we just didn’t have time to try all of them out.
Gainesville was a fun small town to visit and experience what it has to offer. The city’s location is also within a weekend trip to some great cities (Orlando, Tampa, Charleston, Savannah). We visited Charleston for a long weekend and I have a full itinerary on my blog!
If you’ve been to Gainesville, what are some of your favorite spots? If you’re planning a trip to Gainesville, what are you looking forward to the most?
I’ve never been to Gainesville, but I’d love to visit! Thank you for this great guide!
Awesome post. True indeed, Florida is very welcoming to public. I enjoyed reading, stunning photos too. I’ve been to Fort Lauderdale, I love the vibe. Gainesville would be next.