Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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.

Activities & attractions in Gainesville

Matheson History Museum
Museums•Free

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 September
Estimated hotel price
$111
1 night at 3-star hotel
Gainesville in September
Estimated hotel price
$111
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 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Gainesville include American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Air France. The shortest domestic flight to Gainesville departs from New York and takes around 5h 23m.

Car

Another option to get to Gainesville is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 96 miles from Gainesville. You’ll find branches of Advantage and America Car Rental, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Gainesville Commuter Lot Parking Garage, located 1.6 miles from downtown Gainesville. Gainesville is also a commonly used station, and is 0.4 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Gainesville, you’ll arrive at Gainesville Regional (GNV), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Gainesville include American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Air France. The shortest domestic flight to Gainesville departs from New York and takes around 5h 23m.

Car

Another option to get to Gainesville is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 96 miles from Gainesville. You’ll find branches of Advantage and America Car Rental, among others, in Orlando.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Gainesville Commuter Lot Parking Garage, located 1.6 miles from downtown Gainesville. Gainesville is also a commonly used station, and is 0.4 miles from the city center.

Airports near Gainesville

JAXJacksonville
DABDaytona Beach
ORLOrlando All airports

Airlines serving Gainesville

KLM
Good (1,410 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,570 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,009 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,515 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,044 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,784 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,015 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,010 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,407 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,486 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (868 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,444 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,289 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,575 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,058 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,335 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,135 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,281 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,400 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Gainesville

Where to stay in Gainesville

Average rates range from around $150 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $118 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include AC Hotel by Marriott Gainesville Downtown and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gainesville I-75. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Gainesville, with prices from $50 to $344 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Gainesville are about 70% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Gainesville by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Gainesville

Most booked hotels in Gainesville

See all
Drury Inn & Suites Gainesville
3 stars
Excellent (9.4, 2400 reviews)
$119+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Gainesville, FL
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1313 reviews)
$90+
View
Hotel Indigo Gainesville-Celebration Pointe By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 714 reviews)
$103+
View
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1119 reviews)
$89+
View
Doubletree by Hilton Gainesville
4 stars
Good (7.5, 997 reviews)
$94+
View
Red Roof Inn Plus + Gainesville
2 stars
Good (6.9, 2068 reviews)
$65+
View

Renting a car in Gainesville

Renting a car in Gainesville costs $52 per day, on average, or $104 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Gainesville is the Dollar branch at 3880 Northeast 39th Avenue, which is 4 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Gainesville.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Gainesville is Intermediate (Honda Civic or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Versa or similar) are, on average, 59% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Gainesville costs $52 per day, on average, or $104 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Gainesville is the Dollar branch at 3880 Northeast 39th Avenue, which is 4 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Gainesville.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Gainesville is Intermediate (Honda Civic or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Versa or similar) are, on average, 59% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Gainesville

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$28/day

Economy

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$29/day

Compact
Find car rentals in Gainesville