During golden hour with water bottles in hand, City Girls Who Walk take on Gainesville’s trails and end with new friendships formed.
The club builds community for women and LGBTQ+ people in Gainesville who want to achieve wellness goals in a safe environment. Many people, especially women, can feel unsafe walking by themselves. The walking club gives them a chance to do so together.
“The mission of the group is to provide a space for these two communities,” said 27-year-old club founder Michelle Marino.
The idea started in 2022, when Marino was in Arizona for an internship. She came across Phoenix Babes Who Walk, a female walking club, and she loved the sense of community it created.
When she came to Gainesville, she decided to make her own. City Girls Who Walk can be started in any city that doesn't already have one, she said.
The first walk didn’t take place until May 2025. Starting a new club can be nerve-wracking, Marino said, and can take a few years to come to fruition. Her first walk saw 45 people, which has been a consistent number since.
Walking groups have even made their way to the Saturday Night Live writers’ table. The Teyana Taylor-hosted episode on Jan. 24 highlighted a walk club. Unlike the skit, City Girls Who Walk GNV isn't a competition — it’s collaborative.
Marino said the club is a way for people to socialize, gain more discipline, dedicate time for themselves and get up and move. She said it’s rewarding to see people get something out of it, and the club motivates her, too.
Dozens of people in comfy sweats, puffer jackets and leggings trickled into the meeting spot Jan. 28, this time at First Magnitude Brewing Company.
Marino told them to find a walking buddy and start with icebreakers. The group immediately started connecting with each other. They discussed where they came from, what they do for work, their family and if they have pets.
“If you came alone, you now have a new friend,” Marino said. “So find someone you haven't connected with, whether it's the person to your right or to your left.”
Once everyone had someone to walk side by side with, Marino grabbed her speaker and began blasting music from female pop icons like Tate McRae and Addison Rae. The group set off into the chilly, shaded Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, their low ponytails swaying as they walked. As everyone found their pace, clusters of people who kept the same speed stuck together on the trail.
“I just like the idea of getting outside and having a planned activity to hang out with friends. It seems like a good excuse to socialize,” said Hollyn Belhart, the 31-year-old owner of Over the Rainbow Veterinary Hospice & Home Euthanasia.
“Also to meet like-minded women as well,” added 29-year-old Chandler Findley.
It was many people’s first time at the club, including Bri Wade. While it can be intimidating to walk up to someone random, these women made fast friends. Wade found the club on TikTok and invited her friend Reilley Poulin.
One of the things they bonded over was the difficulty in moving to a new place and finding friends outside of the work environment.
“We're here for work, and we work a lot, but we don't really have community outside of the office,” Wade said. “It was nice to see something new and get out and meet new people and do something fun.”
The club is opening to more than just walking events. Adding to the wellness goal of the club, there will be a mat Pilates class partnered with 616 Pilates on Feb. 11.
City Girls Who Walk post information about their next walks on Instagram @citygirlswhowalkgnv.
Contact Teia Williams at twilliams@alligator.org. Follow her on X @teia_williams.
Teia Williams is a journalism student and in her second semester at The Alligator. She is a lifestyle and general assignment for The Avenue. In her free time she is constantly reading, going to concerts, or talking about her favorite celebrities.
