Gainesville works well for residency because the city is easy to live in while still offering college-town energy, outdoor access, springs, breweries, local restaurants, and quick escapes from the hospital.
Welcome to Gator Country
The University of Florida gives Gainesville much of its personality. Fall Saturdays revolve around Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — “The Swamp” — and Florida Athletics keeps the city busy year-round with SEC football, basketball, baseball, softball, gymnastics and more. Whether you arrive as a lifelong Gator fan or have never watched an SEC game, experiencing a Saturday in The Swamp is part of living in Gainesville.
Florida's Springs Are in Our Backyard
North Central Florida is home to an incredible concentration of freshwater springs and spring-fed rivers. Ginnie Springs is roughly 45–50 minutes from Gainesville and offers swimming, tubing, paddling, camping and diving along the Santa Fe River. Ichetucknee Springs State Park is about an hour away, where a crystal-clear spring-fed river makes for one of Florida's best tubing, paddling and swimming destinations.
Wild Florida, Minutes Away
You do not have to leave Gainesville to find the outdoors. Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park is in town and features trails descending into a massive limestone sinkhole. Just south of Gainesville, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park offers hiking, cycling, wildlife viewing and the unusual opportunity to see wild horses and bison on the prairie.
A Local Beer Scene Worth Knowing
Gainesville has a strong local craft beer scene with three breweries that each have their own personality. First Magnitude Brewing Company sits near downtown and draws its identity from Florida's freshwater springs. Swamp Head Brewery is a Gainesville staple with a large taproom and outdoor space. Cypress & Grove Brewing Company occupies a historic former ice plant and has become a neighborhood gathering spot near downtown.
More Than a College Campus
Downtown Gainesville and the surrounding neighborhoods offer restaurants, bars, coffee shops, live music and local businesses without requiring a trip to a larger city. Depot Park, the Cade Museum, the Florida Museum of Natural History, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens and Gainesville's extensive trail system provide plenty to do when you want something quieter than a football Saturday or a day at the springs.