The Urban Gator

Gainesville City Guide

Your guide to Gainesville, for game day and every day.

Eats

Brunch, BBQ, late-night bites and parents’ dinner picks.

Eats

Things To Do

Museums, springs, sinkholes and gators.

Things to do

Neighborhoods

  • Midtown: the strip across W University Ave from campus. Bars and food, and the closest you can get to the stadium. MacDinton’s is here.
  • Downtown: Bo Diddley Plaza, the Hippodrome, The TOP, OAK and the Wednesday farmers market.
  • Celebration Pointe: on the west side of town. Spurrier’s, a movie theater, hotels and a game-day shuttle stop.
  • Butler Plaza, Haile and the Duck Pond: guides coming soon.

Where to stay

Book early for home football weekends.

  • Near campus: Hilton University of Florida Conference Center (southwest corner of campus, free parking) · Holiday Inn University Center (across from campus, rooftop pool) · Hotel Eleo (by a lake near campus)
  • Midtown / downtown: AC Hotel Gainesville Downtown (rooftop pool)
  • Celebration Pointe: Hotel Indigo and Hōm Hotel & Suites, close to the game-day shuttle

Getting around

  • RTS buses: UF students, faculty and staff ride free with a Gator 1 ID. Fares and routes
  • Airport: Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) has Delta and American flights. RTS Route 26 serves the airport.
  • Football Saturdays: use the game-day shuttle from Celebration Pointe or Park and Ride #2. $20 adults, $10 kids under 12.
  • Driving: Gainesville sits on I-75. Use Waze on game day to get around road closures.

Parents’ weekend tips

  • Book your hotel and dinner early on home game weekends.
  • Skip campus parking. Take the game-day shuttle.
  • Clear bags only at the stadium.
  • Plan a no-game day: the Florida Museum (reopens Nov 23), Kanapaha or Paynes Prairie.
  • Gainesville Regional Airport has Delta and American flights.
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