Gainesville travel guide

Gainesville Tourism | Gainesville Guide

You're Going to Love Gainesville

With a population of 124.354, Gainesville is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Gainesville deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Gainesville

If you’re looking for affordable options, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Gainesville (6611 W Newberry Rd) and Prime & Pearl (4949 Celebration Pointe Ave) are great picks.

When to visit Gainesville

Gainesville in July
Estimated hotel price
$113
1 night at 3-star hotel
Gainesville in July
Estimated hotel price
$113
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Gainesville in June, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 89.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 53.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 7.1″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Gainesville, with an average rainfall of 2.1″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Gainesville

Plane

When flying to Gainesville, you’ll arrive at Gainesville Regional (GNV), which is located 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Gainesville include American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Silver Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Gainesville departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 1h 30m.

Car

Another option to get to Gainesville is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 154 km from Gainesville. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Budget, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Gainesville using RedCoach or Tornado Bus. From Orlando, the bus ride to Gainesville takes 177 km and will cost you around $58. From Tampa, the ticket costs about $104 for a journey of 257 km. The most popular bus station is Gainesville Commuter Lot Parking Garage, located 2.6 km from downtown Gainesville. Gainesville is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Gainesville, you’ll arrive at Gainesville Regional (GNV), which is located 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Gainesville include American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Silver Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Gainesville departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 1h 30m.

Car

Another option to get to Gainesville is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 154 km from Gainesville. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Budget, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Gainesville using RedCoach or Tornado Bus. From Orlando, the bus ride to Gainesville takes 177 km and will cost you around $58. From Tampa, the ticket costs about $104 for a journey of 257 km. The most popular bus station is Gainesville Commuter Lot Parking Garage, located 2.6 km from downtown Gainesville. Gainesville is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 km from the city center.

Airports near Gainesville

Airlines serving Gainesville

Lufthansa
Good (4,689 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (954 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,604 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,264 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,587 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (489 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,598 reviews)
Air France
Good (980 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,106 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,433 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,971 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,967 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (227 reviews)
Finnair
Good (857 reviews)
LOT
Good (677 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (928 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,168 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (837 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (411 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Gainesville

Average rates range from around $168 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $126 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Gainesville

Most booked hotels in Gainesville

Drury Inn & Suites Gainesville
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, 1455 reviews)
$127+
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Gainesville, FL
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1161 reviews)
$102+
hom hotel + suites, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1174 reviews)
$91+
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 391 reviews)
$132+
Red Roof Inn Plus+ Gainesville
2 stars
Good (7, 192 reviews)
$70+
Super 8 by Wyndham Gainesville
2 stars
Good (6.4, 765 reviews)
$57+

Renting a car in Gainesville

Renting a car in Gainesville costs $58 per day, on average, or $116 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Gainesville is the Hertz branch at 3620 N. Main Street, which is 4 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Gainesville.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Gainesville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Gainesville is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) are, on average, 47% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Gainesville costs $58 per day, on average, or $116 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Gainesville is the Hertz branch at 3620 N. Main Street, which is 4 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Gainesville.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Gainesville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Gainesville is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) are, on average, 47% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.