Find Vacation Rentals in Gainesville, Alachua County

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Gainesville Information

Gainesville is a quaint college town with plenty of charm and entertainment for every age. This north central Florida destination is home to the University of Florida Gators, the largest and oldest university in the state. Gainesville has warm summers and mild winters and the wildlife, including alligators and exotic birds, can be seen year-round. Tom Petty, Tim Tebow and Joaquin Phoenix are just some of the famous people who have called Gainesville home, and it’s no wonder they did. Gainesville has been rated as the #1 place to live and as one of the best places to “live and play.”

No trip to Gainesville can be complete without a tour of the University of Florida (UF), where many of the buildings are historic. Catch a game in “The Swamp” to see the Florida Gators play and join the party at a UF tailgate. UF is famous for the creation of the sports drink Gatorade, so if you get thirsty there should be plenty around. The Harn Museum of Art is located on campus and is famous for its historic artifacts and art exhibits. Also check out the UF Bat House, where nearly 150,000 bats fly out of at sunset. Downtown Gainesville has fantastic shopping and restaurants and an exciting nightlife. There are also many nature activities in Gainesville including the Devil’s Millhopper and several botanical gardens. The Devil’s Millhopper is a sinkhole that explorers can hike down to and see waterfalls and a vast amount of wildlife. The Morningside Nature Center and the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens will get you of the city to see why northern Florida is one of the most beautiful places in the country.

Gainesville is within a two hour drive of three major cities: Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa. These cities have so many things to do in a day trip, or if you go for a couple days. Orlando is known for its theme parks including Disneyworld and Universal Studios, but it also has many museums and outdoor activities. See Tampa’s NFL team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or spend the day at the beach. Tampa has perfect beaches for families, but if you’re feeling really adventurous you can venture out to Clearwater or St. Pete Beach, which are about an hour east Tampa. There are also shorter trips to other quaint Florida towns like Williston or Palatka. Williston is around a 30 minute drive and is popular for its springs and historic Main Street.

Whether you choose to spend all of your Gainesville trip in the city or take a short day trip, we make it easy to find the perfect place to stay. We offer Gainesville vacation rentals and short term rentals throughout Gainesville, which is popularly nicknamed “Hogtown”. Rent an apartment near downtown Gainesville or University of Florida to be in walking distance from some of Gainesville’s best shopping, dining and entertainment. For a bit more quiet, try booking a vacation rental outside of the city, where you'll be close to the botanical gardens and Newnan’s Lake. Wherever you decide to stay in Gainesville, you can compare rentals in the area by price, ratings, reviews and more on Tripping. Book your Gainesville vacation rental today!

Gainesville is close to major Florida highways including US 301 and Interstate 75 that can get you anywhere quickly. The city also has the Gainesville Regional Transit System which will take you anywhere in the city you need to go. The “Gator Aider” is a shuttle service for fans going to Gator games and many destinations are in walking distance if you stay downtown. The Gainesville Regional Airport can get you to a connecting city in the area or you can fly out of the Jacksonville International Airport.