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Northwest Gainesville

Northwest Gainesville is known for quiet, tree-lined neighborhoods and a family atmosphere.  The boundary starts at 8th Avenue and heads north to 39th Avenue.  It extends west from 13th Street all the way to Santa Fe College.  It’s home to many Santa Fe students, college professors and other local residents, as well as some nice shopping areas.

 

Perks: This large area has a nice variety of homes and condos for sale or to rent.  While the area has a good variety of apartments, you will not be able to find the massive student housing communities that are common in other areas of town.  The only exception to this is in the immediate vicinity of Santa Fe College. 

 

Northwest Gainesville is very quiet and picturesque – think “suburbia” with more trees (and more centrally located).  For example, the east/west Glenn Springs Road is lined with oak trees; NW 16th Avenue runs parallel and features crepe myrtles in the medians. 

 

There’s also usually less traffic in this area.  On the southern border, 8th Avenue is a popular east/west corridor that has less traffic and stoplights than University Avenue.  And both 13th Street and 43rd Street are popular veins for traveling north/south.

 

In Northwest Gainesville, you can find everything from large chains like Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and Publix to specialty boutiques.  Centrally located, Thornebrook Village is home to things like a gourmet bakery, specialty grocery store, chocolatier, salon, jewelry stores and women’s boutiques.

 


Things to Consider: Some parts of this area of town don’t get as much bus service as more student and UF-central locations, so a car would be useful.  Due to the mostly quiet neighborhood atmosphere, there aren’t as many restaurants, bars or chain stores to choose from.  And most of your neighbors would likely be adults or SFC students, as it’s more removed from the UF mindset that dominates the areas south of it.

 


How to Get to School: Most people heading to UF or Santa Fe College would likely take a car or bike to school.  RTS does serve the area with bus routes that can be more or less convenient, depending where you live.  Specifically, the 10 and 43 run through Northwest Gainesville from SFC to UF.  Other routes are the 6, 8, 15, 29.

 


Attractions: Northwest Gainesville offers the Gainesville Community Playhouse right in the middle, plus the walking trails of Alfred A. Ring park in the east and Devil’s Millhopper State Park just northwest of the area.  Magnolia Parke hosts the Greater Gator Beer Festival, and the SFC Planetarium and Zoo are pretty unique too.

 


Businesses: Favorites include the delicious Southern comforts of Adam’s Rib Co, the gourmet grocer Fresh Market and the Bagel Bakery in Millhopper Shopping Center.  Gator Domino’s has two locations in this region: one on NW 39th Ave. and another on the SFC campus.


Gator Dominos NW Gainesville pizza delivery

Gainesville Apartments in this Neighborhood
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Find the right neighborhood for your future apartment with the Swamp Rentals neighborhood guide.

Archer Rd

Rolls & Bowls is a great place to get lunch or dinner here in the Archer Road area. With delicious sushi & a huge selection of bowls, it’s a quick way to get a great meal.  The Archer Road area has TONS to offer the students who live here.  There are dozens of popular student communities and even more restaurants and shopping centers. This section of town is THE place for grabbing a bite or stopping for a quick trip thru Target or Wal-Mart.

 

The center of activity in this area, is Gainesville’s busiest intersection – Southwest Archer Road and Southwest 34th Street.  Nearby Butler Plaza is the largest retail center in North Central Florida – home to more than 100 stores and restaurants. You’ll find well-known stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Lowes, Publix, Old Navy and more. Plus restaurants like Outback Steakhouse, Chili’s, Gainesville Ale House, Dominoes, and Moe’s.  The Caffeine Bar at Ben & Jerry’s is another popular hangout in the Archer Road area featuring specialty lattes, coffee drinks, and of course Ben & Jerry’s famous ice cream.

 

The Archer Road area offers many large and popular apartment communities…well known for their student-focused pool parties and events. The center of the UF campus is a 5 to 15-minute drive away. Many students who live in this area own a car, but there are plenty of bus routes for students who need to catch a ride to class. And those who live just south of campus near Shands Hospital can ride their bike or simply walk across the street.


Downtown:

Dragonfly Sushi is one of Gainesville’s most iconic restaurants, located right in the center of downtown, by the Hippodrome. They’re known for their sushi, sake & original Japanese-style appetizers and their fun informal lounge atmosphere.

 

Home to a handful of cool boutiques, Downtown is also home to other locally owned restaurants - like Emiliano’s Café, Liquid Ginger, and Manuel’s. Downtown is also Gainesville’s cultural center featuring art festivals, a weekly farmers’ market and the Hippodrome State Theater.

 

Downtown has the liveliest nightlife in Gainesville with dozens of bars & clubs within a few blocks of each other.  There are lounges like Speakeasy and Lux or dance clubs like Sharab & Spaank. There’s also late night Restaurant/Bars like Market Street, The Top & The Shooting Star. And if you like live music, check out Common Grounds. Downtown has something for everyone when it’s time for a fun night out.

In addition to modern apartments and condos, there are also quite a few historic homes for rent in this area. You might need a car to get across town for major shopping trips but the trade-off is, there are lots of places within walking distance. If you’re headed to UF it’s only a short walk, bike ride or bus trip to campus. With so much going on, it’s easy to see why students and locals of all ages call this part of town, home.

 

Midtown:

Pita Pit is THE place to get a quick bite to eat in Midtown. They have all kinds of fresh pitas and they’re open all day and night, until well after the bars close.

 

Midtown is one of the most convenient places to live for students who want to be close to campus. UF is literally across the street and everything here is focused on the Gator-Nation.  The restaurants and retailers in this area cater specifically to students. You’ll find plenty of inexpensive and popular places to eat like Relish, Leonardos by the Slice, and Burrito Brothers —and lots of fun college bars. Campus is an easy walk from here, and students can be seen flocking to class at all times of the day.  When Football Season heats up, this is the center of it all with tailgaters and fans as far as the eye can see.

 

Midtown features lots of rental options for students, from new, larger apartment complexes to duplexes and single-family homes. Students who live here don’t NEED a car since the bus system is extremely accessible from this area. But if you have one, you’ll want to make sure your apartment has some kind of parking option lined up for you.

 

Northwest Gainesville

Want great BBQ at great price? At Adam’s Rib Company here in Northwest Gainesville, you can get delicious dinner plates, sandwiches specials, and of course, ribs. If you live anywhere close to here, you’ll probably find yourself becoming one of the many regulars.

 

Northwest Gainesville is known for its quiet, tree-lined neighborhoods and family friendly atmosphere. It is home to many Santa Fe Community College students, college professors and Gainesville residents.

You’ll find a nice variety of homes and condos for sale or rent in this area. Many cater toward families and professionals, but there are a few student oriented apartment communities right around Santa Fe Community College.

 

Restaurants and retailers in Northwest Gainesville are geared more toward the city’s permanent residents than to students. And although bus routes are available in this area … they aren’t nearly as frequent as those closer to UF’s campus. While Northwest-Gainesville is much more spread-out, it still has plenty to offer including large chains like Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and the Fresh Market as well as specialty boutiques like those found in the Thornebrook Village and Millhopper Shopping Center.

 

 

UF Sorority Row & South Gainesville

One of the busiest Domino’s in the world is right near Sorority Row, in South Gainesville. When you want pizza, this is the place to call. They’re open super late and of course, they deliver.

 

Students who live near Sorority Row and South Gainesville enjoy less traffic and a short trip to campus. This is an up and coming area that’s not as densely populated as some other neighborhoods. Most communities here are close to UF, the Sororities and Shands Hospital. Because there aren’t as many apartment complexes here, traffic is less of a concern. And the area’s most famous nature preserve – Paynes Prairie – is close by.  There are a handful of good stores and restaurants near Sorority Row and South Gainesville, but it’s easy to get to Downtown Gainesville or the Archer Road area from here.

 

Surrounding Areas within Gainesville & Alachua County

Tioga Town Center, in the Town of Tioga, is one of the communities surrounding Gainesville. Communities like this are home to many of Gainesville’s permanent residents.  The Town of Tioga and Tioga Town Center are west of Gainesville. This relatively new, planned development is designed to create a “front porch” neighborhood feel. There are homes and condos for sale here. The Tioga Town Center has a more urban feel with upscale apartments located above an array of higher-end shopping and dining.  It’s about a 10 minute drive from Gainesville.

 

Haile Plantation is southwest of Gainesville and contains a variety of neighborhoods, from large upscale homes to townhomes, condos and apartments. Considered one of Gainesville’s most premier places for families, Haile is well-known for being pedestrian-friendly and the Haile Village Center offers a nice variety of restaurants and shops. It’s about 10 minutes from campus, 15 minutes from downtown…though rush hour traffic is a concern here.

 

Northeast Gainesville & the Duck Pond:

Northeast Gainesville is one of the city’s most established neighborhoods. It’s known for historic homes, great architecture, lots of trees and a strong sense of community. Restaurants and retailers are few and far between, and mostly locally owned. Northeast Gainesville is free from campus traffic and close to downtown, but a bit far from places like Butler Plaza and the Oaks mall.

 

West Gainesville

Gainesville Health and Fitness, in West Gainesville, is the biggest and most popular place to workout in town. They have lots of cardio equipment, free weights, fitness classes, basketball courts and even an indoor pool.

 

This area offers easy access to campus and so much more. Business here is bustling and there’s never a shortage of options for shopping and dining since most apartments here are close to the Oaks Mall. There are also many popular student-communities here. Known for their huge pool parties and resident activities, apartment living in West Gainesville is rarely dull. Many local families and UF Faculty also live in West Gainesville’s family-friendly neighborhoods where there are homes for rent.  The Oaks Mall is a major destination in West Gainesville but there’s also other nearby  restaurants and shopping centers like Plaza Royale; which features a movie theater, Moe’s and Heavenly Ham. Other Gainesville areas – like UF and Archer Road - are easily accessible from here, however traffic on the main thoroughfares can be a bit heavy. Buses are easy to use in West Gainesville, but most students who live here choose to own a car as well.