Entertainment in Gainesville
Gainesville is a very lively, student oriented city with many cultural and entertainment activities.
How to Find Out What's Going On top>>
You can look in several of the free local newspapers for calendars of events and listings for art openings, concerts, bars, and movies. Most of these papers can be found in student areas such as Library West, Turlington Plaza and the Reitz Union.
- The Alligator- Thursday edition, Detours section
- FYI Weekly- a new issue every Wednesday with movie reviews, concert
listings, restaurant reviews, entertainment news.
- Satellite magazine- a free monthly paper covering local politics,
Gainesville music scene and cultural happenings.
- Campus Talk magazine and InSite magazine- both are free
monthly papers with lots of student oriented articles and advertisements
for local bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.
- The Gainesville Sun- Friday edition, 'Scene' section. The local paper costs 25 cents if you buy a copy on campus, 50 cents if you buy it off campus.
You can also check the official UF calendar of events for information regarding UF and community activities at www.pr.ufl.edu/nwsevnts.htm or subscribe to the email newsletter at this website for email updates.
Gator Nights top>>
www.union.ufl.edu/gatornights/index.asp
Every Friday night from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., the Reitz Union hosts Gator Nights. This program offers free movies, popcorn and coke as well as late-night activities at the Reitz Union. A midnight breakfast bar is also a good reason to go to Gator Nights. All events are free with your Gator 1 card. Look for Gator Nights posters for the week's events or check the website listed above.
Movie Theaters top>>
Going to see a movie is a popular entertainment choice in Gainesville. You will discover this if you try to see a new movie and find that all the shows are sold out! There are two large movie theaters in town, Royal Park and Regal Butler Cinemas, as well as three smaller ones, the Hippodrome, the Reitz Union Cinema, and Gator Cinemas. Below is a listing of these movie theatres:
- Royal Park Stadium 16 Cinema
3702 Newberry Road
(352) 373-4277
- Regal Butler Plaza
3101 SW 35th Street (located behind the Wal-Mart on Archer Road)
(352) 336-0408
- The Hippodrome
thehipp.org
25 SE 2nd Place, downtown Gainesville
(352) 375-4477
- Reitz Union Cinema
www.union.ufl.edu/cinema
Located on the 2rd floor of the Reitz Union. Ask the Reitz information desk for a calendar of movies.
- Gator Cinemas
6741 W Newberry Rd. (Oaks West Plaza)
(352) 331-6949
*Remember to show your Gator 1 card to get a student discount on the movie ticket price.
Art Galleries and Museums top>>
The University of Florida's largest museum is the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art. The Harn is located at SW 34th St. and Hull Rd. The Harn has permanent collections of art as well as temporary exhibitions. The Harn also hosts guest lectures. Admission to the museum is free. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. www.arts.ufl.edu/harn.
- The University Gallery, located on campus in various
locations, houses
changing exhibits by students and faculty.
- The Florida Museum of Natural History is located in Powell Hall
on the western edge of campus near the corner of SW 34th St. and Hull Road.
The museum houses permanent exhibitions with fossils, Florida history,
and more. The webpage also features online exhibits and research categories: www.flmnh.ufl.edu. Admission is
free.
- The Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Reitz Union and features student, faculty, staff, and alumni exhibitions. Admission is free. Other local galleries are listed in the phone book under 'Art Galleries.'
Theatres top>>
To see plays, the Hippodrome State Theatre is the city's largest theatre. They offer discounted tickets and season passes for students. Check the papers for the latest productions or visit the website thehipp.org The Center for the Performing Arts is located on the UF campus next to the Harn Museum of Art at 315 Hull Road. The Center for Performing Arts hosts plays, classical and popular music concerts and dance performances. Check their website, www.cpa.ufl.edu, for a complete list. Other locations to see plays are the Acrosstown Repertory Theater, Constans Theatre on campus, and the Gainesville Community Play House.
Nightlife top>>
Gainesville has an active and varied nightlife scene, with much of the activity concentrated in the downtown area. You can check the student papers for listings and advertisements for the various establishments. There is a nightclub for almost every musical taste, from a large country nightclub to others featuring only electronic dance music.
Please make sure to read the Laws section of this handbook regarding specific Gainesville laws for nightlife and drinking, such as the 2 A.M. closing time and open container laws.
Areas of Interest in Gainesville top>>
There are many interesting areas of Gainesville that are surrounded by nature including:
- Devil's Millhopper State Geological Site
- Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
- Paynes Prarie State Preserve
- Hawthorne Trail
- Santa Fe Community College zoo
- Itchtuknee Springs State Park
The Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau's website (www.visitgainesville.net) lists all of these sites as well as many other interesting areas. There are several springs located just outside of the town of High Springs on County Road 340.
Trips Outside of Gainesville top>>
The Exchange Program Advisor has several detailed maps of Florida for you to reference if you're planning a trip. For trip planning online, visit www.flausa.com for hotel listings and lots of other information. You can also get directions and maps online form websites such as www.mapquest.com.
- Micanopy- just 11 miles south of Gainesville, this small town is the
second oldest town in the U.S. Micanopy has many historic homes and antique
shops.
- Cedar Key - a small fishing village on the West Coast located one-hour's
drive from Gainesville. Cedar Key is quaint, with shops and restaurants
around a fishing pier. An annual seafood and arts festival is held in October
of each year.
- St. Augustine - The oldest city in the U.S. located on the East Coast
about one and a half-hours from Gainesville.
- Ocala - Silver Springs attraction and Wild Waters water park www.silversprings.com/index-flash.htm
- Orlando - Disney/Universal/Sea World and lots of other tourist attractions. www.all-orlando.com
Daytona Beach - Visit the world's most famous beach, where vehicles are allowed to drive on the beach. www.daytonabeach.com
- Tampa - Busch Gardens Theme Park
- South Beach, Miami - lots of nightlife and restaurants!
- Key West - visit the Southernmost point in the U.S.