Gainesville – 5 Things to See & Do

Finding the Hidden Gems in this Mid-Florida City

Sometimes staying away from the normal vacation towns is a very good idea. You get to experience something new, expand your list of places you’ve been, probably spend less money than a ‘tourist’ town, and discover hidden gems and hideaways along the way. This was our experience when we visited Gainesville – 5 Favorite Things to See and Do.

Gainesville is a college town, home to the University of Florida, although there is more to it than just the college. It has lots of natural beauty, culture and a lively downtown. Only 2 hours from the Atlantic beaches, like Daytona Beach, and less than 1.5 hours from Cedar Key and the Gulf coast, Gainesville has a lot to offer for those looking for something off the beaten path. Following is a list of our hidden gem finds and some favorite recommendations.

1. Nature Reserves:

The area in and around Gainesville is home to over 15 nature parks, state parks, and nature preserves encompassing thousands of acres of land. It is definitely a nature lovers realm. And the first of our Gainesville – 5 things to see and do. Although, all of the parks are worthy of a visit, we are sharing two that we enjoyed during our visit to Gainesville.

• Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park:

Whether you love wildlife, hiking, birding or just enjoy open space and nature, Paynes Prairie Preserve has it all. It is definitely a ‘birders’ paradise. Cranes, Ibis, Commorants, Great Blue Heron, many different duck species along with songbirds and migrating birds. There are paths that take you around various ponds, rivers and lakes, some with bridges crossing the water to get even closer to the birds.

If you want to spend the day hiking, there are 8 trails throughout the park to discover. And you might even catch a glimpse of roaming bison or wild horses. (Although, we missed them on our visit) There are usually alligators and deer as well. You could easily spend all day there hiking the trails and checking out the birds and wildlife.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• Sweetwater Preserve:

This is another wonderful nature reserve with plenty of hiking, wildlife, waterfowl and birds. This county preserve has 3 miles of trails for both hiking and cycling. Bring your camera, (or your cell phone), and catch some amazing shots!

• 

• 

• 

2. Great Downtown Shopping and Dining:

#2 in the list of Gainsville – 5 things to see and do is the lively downtown. There is something for everyone when you stroll through the lively downtown Gainesville. Although, there are many bars and restaurants to choose from, we found two we really enjoyed.

• Dragonfly Sushi Restaurant and Bar

We stumbled across this great place because of the outside bar. We had great service and the bartender did an excellent job finding just the right drink when I wasn’t sure what I wanted. And the sushi looked amazing.

• Volta Coffee, Tea & Chocolate

A local favorite coffee shop with great espresso drinks and coffee from specialty roasted beans. And don’t miss the fresh baked goodies. A perfect place to spend a relaxing hour or more.

3. The Hippodrome State Theater:

Culture and the arts are an important part of this town and why the Hippodrome makes the list of Gainesville – 5 things to see and do. The Hippodrome is a regional professional theater housed in the old post office/courthouse. A beautiful building worthy of the awesome performances it hosts. From professional productions by local actors, to national tours and even local productions, an evening at the theater will definitely be a great experience.

We got to see Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol’ presented, and it was fantastic. Performed in a 3/4 round, with the actors often conversing with the audience, it was a highlight of our holiday season. This theater is a definite must do when you are in Gainesville.

4. Buddist Temple:

This is one of the hidden gems we mentioned. The Buddhist Temple and the huge statues are a wonderful sight to see. Just off SE 15th Street, these massive statues honoring the Buddhist beliefs are a striking, albeit unusual, site amongst the houses and forests of the neighborhood. But it is worth a drive to see them. It is a serene place of prayer and retreat, so reverence and respect is appreciated when visiting the temple.

• 

• 

• 

5. Chopsticks Cafe Restaurant:

Away from downtown is a wonderful Asian restaurant, Chopsticks Cafe, that sits next to a quiet lake. They serve an eclectic selection of dishes from China, Korea, Japan and Thailand. The view is great and the food is so good!. Yum! They even graciously accommodated when our friend brought his own gluten-free noodles for them to use instead of the house noodles. And the servers we all great too! Visit on a warm evening, sit outside on the deck and have the best spot to enjoy the sunset and the yummy Asian food.

• 

• 

---

So that’s the roundup of some hidden gems and recommendations for Gainesville, Florida. Sometimes it’s the less popular, more down-to-earth places that make for the most wonderful experiences. I hope you get a chance to experience this Mid Florida gem.

Did I miss any of your personal favorites? If you have any of your own Gainesville suggestions or any comments on the post, I’d love to hear them. Drop me a comment below!

Did you love the post? Did it spark some ideas about places to travel? Then don’t miss any more good stuff! Subscribe to our blog below and you’ll receive new content delivered right to your inbox. And we promise…no spam, just fun and inspiration. 🙂

Email Address First Name Last Name

Count Me In!