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, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Gainesville departs from New York and takes around 4h 52m.

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, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Gainesville departs from New York and takes around 4h 52m.

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 (1,419 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,583 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,997 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,535 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,050 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,790 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,665 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,032 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,036 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,421 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,494 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,466 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (874 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,312 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,585 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,068 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,138 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,341 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,407 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Gainesville

Where to stay in Gainesville

Average rates range from around $144 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $140 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 $51 to $384 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Gainesville are about 79% 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, 2402 reviews)
$118+
View
Hotel Indigo Gainesville-Celebration Pointe By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 717 reviews)
$99+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Gainesville, FL
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1324 reviews)
$89+
View
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1119 reviews)
$67+
View
Doubletree by Hilton Gainesville
4 stars
Good (7.6, 1000 reviews)
$85+
View
Red Roof Inn Plus + Gainesville
2 stars
Good (6.9, 2069 reviews)
$59+
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

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$30/day

Supplier choice

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$33/day

Economy
Find car rentals in Gainesville