Gainesville Lifestyle
Gainesville, located in Alachua County, Florida, is home to Florida’s largest and oldest university.
The combination of a vibrant college-town and protected natural beauty, the city of Gainesville, Florida lives up to Alachua county’s motto “where nature and culture meet.” Gainesville is renowned for its quality education, athletics excellence, and the pure variety of cultural events and venues. Residents can enjoy a variety of fine dining and shopping options, or spend the day taking in the more than 30+ miles of biking and hiking trails available in the area.
Gainesville fosters a vibrant art commuity.
Home to renowned art institutions such as the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, located in the UF Cultural Plaza area in the southwest part of campus, the 112,800-square-foot-facility is one of the largest university art museums in the South. Additionally the community offers several art galleries including the University Galleries at the University of Florida and The Artisans’ Guild Gallery. The performing arts community is also very well represented including venues such as Univeristy of Florida Performing Arts, The Hippodrome Theatre, and the Star Center Theatre.
A hub for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers
The Gainesville area offers some pretty spectacular attractions for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Home to seven Florida State parks, as well as many other recreational parks and trails, there is always something to do or see. Paynes Prairie Preserve, became Florida’s first state preserve in 1971 and is now designated as a National Natural Landmark. The park offers eight trails providing opportunities for hiking, horseback riding and bicycling, including the 16-mile-long, paved Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail. Here visitors can observe free roaming bison, wild horses, alligators, and almost 300 species of birdlife. For those who prefer to learn about nature in a more controlled setting The Florida Museum offers the opportunity to enjoy free flying butterflies and moths of the world in their Butterfly Rainforest Exhibit.
Go Gators!
Last but certainly not least, The University of Florida is the catalyst that makes Gainesville such a universally appealing city. The college attracts people of many different backgrounds and cultures creating a diverse landscape of residents. The college has a 2,000-acre campus and more than 900 buildings, including the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum-certified building in the state of Florida. Famed for their athletics programs, UF not only leads the SEC, but scores a top-10 national ranking in Academic All-Americans. Academically speaking, the college offers a library of 30 certificates, 100 undergraduate majors and 200 graduate programs including Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine. The UF Shands Hospital was rated #1 hospital overall in Florida and is among the nation’s best hospitals in nine medical specialties.
Want to know more about Gainesville?
Check out the Guide to Greater Gainesville’s FUN FACTS!
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