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 December
Estimated hotel price
$102
1 night at 3-star hotel
Gainesville in December
Estimated hotel price
$102
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 Atlanta and takes around 1h 11m.

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 Rent-A-Wreck 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 Atlanta and takes around 1h 11m.

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 Rent-A-Wreck 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 (1,499 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,926 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,889 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,409 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,304 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,922 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,180 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,572 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,594 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (903 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,750 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,559 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,728 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,930 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,188 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,387 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (401 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,205 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,430 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,275 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Gainesville

Where to stay in Gainesville

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include AC Hotels 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 $57 to $356 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Gainesville are about 74% 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 (9.3, 2514 reviews)
$118+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Gainesville, FL
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1440 reviews)
$84+
View
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1135 reviews)
$108+
View
HOM Hotel Gainesville, SureStay Collection by Best Western
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1606 reviews)
$80+
View
Doubletree by Hilton Gainesville
4 stars
Good (7.6, 1002 reviews)
$93+
View
Red Roof PLUS+ Gainesville
2 stars
Good (6.9, 2096 reviews)
$63+
View

Renting a car in Gainesville

Renting a car in Gainesville costs $70 per day, on average, or $141 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Gainesville is the Budget branch at 3400 Northeast 39th Avenue, which is 4 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 20% more expensive than at Gainesville Regional.

Expect to pay $4.47 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 $53.60 and $71.47. Intermediate (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Gainesville, while also 59% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Gainesville costs $70 per day, on average, or $141 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Gainesville is the Budget branch at 3400 Northeast 39th Avenue, which is 4 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 20% more expensive than at Gainesville Regional.

Expect to pay $4.47 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 $53.60 and $71.47. Intermediate (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Gainesville, while also 59% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Gainesville

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$22/day

Economy

Full-size

5 Adults, 2 Bags

$26/day

Full-size
Find car rentals in Gainesville