Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is a city of 145,702 people in Alachua County, Florida, founded in 1853.
Why visit Gainesville
Townapedia lists 91 museums and landmarks, 70 parks and trails, 204 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 20 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Regal Royal Park Stadium 16, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Newell Hall and A. Quinn Jones House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 43°F.
Weather in Gainesville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Gainesville
Gainesville is a city in and the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States. It is the most populous city in North Central Florida with a population of 141,085 at the 2020 census, while the Gainesville metropolitan area has an estimated 360,000 residents. Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the third-largest public university campus by enrollment in the United States as of the 2023–2024 academic year. The university is represented by the Florida Gators sports teams in NCAA competitions.
From the Wikipedia article Gainesville, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do20
Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
School · 1.9 mi
Center at the University of Florida
Emerging Pathogens Institute
School · 2.9 mi
Research center at University of Florida
Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
Zoo and aquarium · 5.5 mi
Zoo in Gainesville, Florida, United States
Theatre Strike Force
School · 2.2 mi
Improv and sketch comedy troupe at the University of Florida
University of Florida
School · 2.2 mi
Public research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States
University of Florida Cancer and Genetics Research Complex
School · 2.9 mi
Research center at the University of Florida
University of Florida Center for African Studies
School · 2.1 mi
University of Florida department
University of Florida Center for Latin American Studies
School · 2.1 mi
Academic center at the University of Florida
University of Florida Southwest Recreation Center
School · 3.1 mi
Sports facility at the University of Florida
Gainesville Community Playhouse
Cinema and theater · 2.4 mi
4039 Northwest 16th Boulevard, Gainesville
8 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks91
Newell Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
1700 Stadium Road, Gainesville
24/7
A. Quinn Jones House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic house in Florida, United States
Anderson Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic building on the campus of the University of Florida, USA
1507 West University Avenue, Gainesville
Bryan Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic building in Gainesville, Florida, United States
1384 Union Road, Gainesville
Buckman Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
University of Florida campus
132 Buckman Drive, Gainesville
Hippodrome State Theatre
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Theater in Gainesville, Florida, United States
J. Wayne Reitz Union
Monument and historic site · 2.3 mi
686 Museum Road, Gainesville
Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa,Su 09:00-21:00
Norman Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic academic building on the eastern campus of the University of Florida
1221 Southwest 5th Avenue, Gainesville
Peabody Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
At the University of Florida
1500 Union Road, Gainesville
The Hub
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Building part of of the University of Florida campus
1765 Stadium Road, Gainesville
.jpg){kind=link}
Thomas Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic building of the University of Florida in Gainesville
133 Fletcher Drive, Gainesville
Baird Hardware Company Warehouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Building in Florida, United States
79 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds70
Westside Recreation Center
Park · 1.9 mi
1001 Northwest 31st Drive, Gainesville
Mo-Fr 09:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-17:00
Fred Cone Park
Park · 4.1 mi
Park in Alachua County, Florida, United States of America
Morningside Nature Center
Park · 4.6 mi
Park and nature center in Gainesville, Florida
Linder Stadium
Sports field and stadium · 2.1 mi
2237 Southwest 2nd Avenue, Gainesville
38th Street Park
Park · 2.3 mi
3816 Northwest 14th Place, Gainesville
sunrise-sunset
58 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes204
Karma Cream
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Coffee, Ice Cream · 2.1 mi
Karma Cream is a locally owned ice cream café opened in 2009.
607 West University Avenue, Gainesville
Tu-Fr 08:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 10:00-16:00; Mo 08:00-16:00
Arashi Yama
Restaurant · Japanese, Sushi · 3.0 mi
4780 Northwest 39th Avenue
Tu-Th 11:00-15:00, 16:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-15:00, 16:30-22:00; Su...
Bento
Restaurant · Asian, Sushi, Chinese, Japanese · 1.8 mi
150 Northwest 13th Street, Gainesville
Mo-Th,PH 11:00-22:30; Fr,PH 11:00-23:00; Sa,PH 11:30-23:00; Su,PH...
Bento Cafe
Restaurant · Japanese, Asian · 2.7 mi
3832 Newberry Road
Su 11:30-22:00; Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-22:30; Sa 11:30-22:30
Beque Holic
Restaurant · Korean · 2.8 mi
3812 Newberry Road
Mo-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-23:00; Su 11:30-22:00
China 88
Restaurant · Chinese · 2.6 mi
4217 Northwest 16th Boulevard, Gainesville
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 12:00-22:00
Esperanza Latin Restaurant
Restaurant · Latin American · 2.5 mi
2441 Northwest 43rd Street, Gainesville
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
192 more on the map.
History
There is archeological evidence, from about 12,000 years ago, of the presence of Paleo-Indians in the Gainesville area, although it is not known if there were any permanent settlements. A Deptford culture campsite existed in Gainesville and was estimated to have been used between 500 BCE and 100 CE. The Deptford people moved south into Paynes Prairie and Orange Lake during the first century and evolved into the Cades Pond culture. The Deptford people who remained in the Gainesville area were displaced by migrants from southern Georgia sometime in the seventh century. These migrants evolved into the Alachua culture and they built their burial mound on top of the Deptford culture campsite. When Europeans made first contact in the area, the Potano lived in the area. They were descendants of the Alachua culture people. European contact diminished the numbers of native peoples (through disease, enslavement, war) and Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Paynes Prairie area in the 18th century. The Spanish ceded Florida to the US in 1821.
Gainesville was established in 1854 and named after Edmund P. Gaines. The town of Gainesville was incorporated in 1869 and chartered as a city in 1907. The University of the State of Florida was moved from Lake City to Gainesville in 1906 and its name was simplified to University of Florida in 1909.
From the History section of Gainesville, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Hampton Inn & Suites Gainesville-Downtown
Motel and hotel · 2.4 mi
101 Southeast 1st Avenue, Gainesville
Holiday Inn Gainesville University Center
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
1250 West University Avenue, Gainesville
Churches and places of worship109
Shady Grove Primitive Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Congregation B'nai Israel
Place of worship · Conservative · 2.2 mi
3830 Northwest 16th Boulevard, Gainesville
Saint Augustine Catholic Church & Student Center
Church · Catholic · 1.8 mi
1738 West University Avenue, Gainesville
St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church
Church · Orthodox · 1.4 mi
2444 Northeast 1st Boulevard, Gainesville
Creekside Community Church
Church · Free Evangelical · 1.2 mi
2640 Northwest 39th Avenue, Gainesville
Episcopal Chapel of the Incarnation
Church · Episcopal · 1.8 mi
1522 West University Avenue, Gainesville
Shopping34
Gas and EV charging17
Facilities Services Motor Pool
Gas station · 2.8 mi
1037 Magnolia Drive, Gainesville
Schools, colleges and libraries76
Healthcare19
University of Florida Health Shands Cancer Hospital
Hospital · 2.8 mi
1515 Southwest Archer Road, Gainesville
University of Florida Health Shands Hospital
Hospital · 2.7 mi
1600 Southwest Archer Road, Gainesville
Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center
Hospital · 2.9 mi
1601 Southwest Archer Road, Gainesville
University of Florida Health Davis Cancer Pavilion
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.8 mi
1535 Gale Lemerand Drive, Gainesville
Wise's Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.3 mi
708 Southwest 4th Avenue, Gainesville
Map of Gainesville
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 43°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 71°F | 46°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 76°F | 50°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 82°F | 56°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 87°F | 63°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 70°F | 7.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 72°F | 6.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 72°F | 6.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 69°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 82°F | 61°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 75°F | 51°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 69°F | 45°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Gainesville Rgnl Ap 74756 (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Alachua County has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-10-11: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-10-07: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-28: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-24: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Alachua 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Ocala 37 mi south, about 59 min by car
- Middleburg 37 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Lake City 39 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- On Top of the World 40 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Palatka 41 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Liberty Triangle 42 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Asbury Lake 42 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Silver Springs Shores 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Oakleaf Plantation 46 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dsg Gainesville 13th and University Intersection Approach 20050507, Unknown author, CC BY 2.0
- Gainesville High School (Florida), LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vitacea scepsiformis, seen in Gainesville, FL, Ninafundisha, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gville UF Newell01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- UFHistoricBuildingThomasHall, Douglas Whitaker at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
- UFHistoricBuildingBuckmanHall, Douglas Whitaker at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
- Gville UF Hub01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shady Grove Church Gainesville, Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5
- Hippodrome Gainesville, Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5
- Gainesville FL AQ Jones01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- UFHistoricBuildingBryanHall, Douglas Whitaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
- Gville UF Norman entr01a, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- UFHistoricBuildingPeabodyHall, Douglas Whitaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
- Gville UF Anderson02, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Salvia coccinea 100026563, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia coccinea 318679077, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia coccinea 318679082, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia coccinea 318679076, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Smilax pumila 100026839, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Tricholoma floridanum (Murrill) Murrill 315413, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus peliolepis 271807, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus luteoviridis Thiers 269786, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus imperialis (Speg.) Singer 386797, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus peliolepis (Speg.) Singer 269777, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tricholoma floridanum (Murrill) Murrill 315414, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus peliolepis (Speg.) Singer 271805, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus imperialis 386798, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Amanita roseotincta 432090, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus peliolepis 269778, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tricholoma floridanum (Murrill) Murrill 315412, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus peliolepis 271806, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus imperialis (Speg.) Singer 403290, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus imperialis (Speg.) Singer 386799, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus peliolepis 269779, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gymnopilus dryophilus Murrill 461888, This image was created by user Richard Kneal (bloodworm) at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- PJ Hansen, University of Florida, Ufpete, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lipsio with his six-legged friends.big, Lipsio, CC BY 3.0
- Satsuma+Vince+Abby, Lipsio, CC BY 3.0
- Grapefruit.ebola, Lipsio, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Polyergus lucidus casent0104430 dorsal 1, April Nobile, CC BY 4.0
_Murrill_315413.jpg){kind=link}
_Singer_386797.jpg){kind=link}
_Singer_269777.jpg){kind=link}
_Murrill_315414.jpg){kind=link}
_Singer_271805.jpg){kind=link}
_Murrill_315412.jpg){kind=link}
_Singer_403290.jpg){kind=link}
_Singer_386799.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.