You’ve probably heard or said, “I like UF, but there’s not a lot to do in Gainesville.” Well, just because you haven’t done anything in Gainesville doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do.
Gainesville has a vibrant environmental and cultural scene that we students need to get involved in.
Many students spend the majority of their days sitting in a library or lecture hall, so finding some moments outside to “touch grass” are all the more important. Gainesville and nearby areas are home to eight Florida state parks that offer you a variety of experiences and activities.
While it’s not always pleasant to go out in the Florida heat, there are laid-back options like picnicking or viewing different animals at Paynes Prairie Preserve. If you’re more of the adventurer type, you can bike, hike and camp at most parks. Each park offers a cheap and unique way to interact with nature and get you outside of the university campus.
To combat the heat, you can visit nearby springs and dive or float on the cool water. Ginnie Springs, Silver Springs and Poe Springs Park are all great choices. Paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing are all staples, and Silver Springs is known for its glass-bottom boats. That’s on my bucket list.
If you are an environmentalist and want to take your environmental involvement one step further, sign up for tree planting or litter clean-up. Imagining Climate Change is a UF initiative that goes out into the community and plants trees once a month in local parks. It’s a great opportunity to give back and do something positive with your morning.
I am not much of an outside person, but I love the arts. One of my favorite local spots I recently discovered is the Heartwood Soundstage. They host concerts and music festivals that celebrate cultures, icons and more. Local bands take the stage, playing musical styles from Indie to Latin to Rock and everything in between.
Since recently discovering the soundstage, I’ve attended the Jimmy Buffest Festival and Baila Gainesville. Both afternoons I got to enjoy live music, good food and community. My favorite part of these events was enjoying live music with people of all ages and walks of life.
Another great way to immerse yourself in the arts is by visiting The Hippodrome. Local actors and students perform a mix of well-known and campy pieces, all in the spirit of celebration and exploration into the performing arts. If you are a fan of films, they also screen movies — it is definitely not your traditional movie theater experience.
The Hippodrome sits in the center of downtown Gainesville inside of the historic Federal Building. The first time I stepped inside the building, I felt like I was transported to another century and loved taking in all the details that create The Hippodrome’s identity. In an effort to prioritize taking time off from school, I’ve already bought my tickets for the performance of “The Rocky Horror Show,” which is showing from Oct.17 to Nov. 2.
The food scene at Gainesville is another, very delicious, aspect of Gainesville culture that you should explore. The 4th Ave Food Park is a quintessential example of the cultural identity of Gainesville. This small plaza is home to some of my favorite local food spots, like Squarehouse Pizza and Opus Coffee. It is my go-to place to take visitors because of its unique environment and delectable dishes.
There’s also Tinker, a family-owned Latin restaurant, and one of my favorite underrated restaurants in the Gainesville food scene. It’s located on Main Street and has a second location at Tioga. As a South Floridian, I missed Latin cuisine and dishes, and this restaurant brought the taste of home to Gainesville. The atmosphere and dishes were amazing, and I can’t wait to visit again.
While it may not be New York or Miami, Gainesville still has a lot to offer. Confining the city to a sheer college town makes it easy to not venture outside of campus or UF events. Most of us are only here for four years, but by being an active resident of Gainesville, you are engaging with a community that continually welcomes students like you.
Emily Moreno is a 19-year-old UF BFA dance sophomore.
