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See the Swamp

The Swamp is an experience in itself. It is crazy loud and the fans are as hostile as ever

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Tour around Campus

UF has a great campus with moss hanging from the trees, towers, and wide open areas

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Reason to Celebrate

With several national championships in the last few years, it seems UF has always had something to celebrate

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Awesome Bars

Nightlife is rocking here in Gainesville, read more below

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The Gator Nation

Fans love to do the Gator Chomp

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Gatorade

This drink for electrolyte-depleted athletes was invented here

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University of Florida

Float the Santa Fe

Out of Gainesville, run up I-75 to exit 399, and head west on 441 towards High Springs.  Once you get into High Springs, follow signs towards Ginnie Springs.  Stop at a gas station along the way and grab a lot of beer and ice.  Once you get to the springs, have them rent you an inflatable boat along with all your tubes, just throw the beer and ice in and float down the Santa Fe River for hours.  Some people float Ichetucknee Springs, but it’s a state park, and they try pretty hard to keep alcohol out of the park.  If you are looking to save some money and avoid the adm

A Student's Guide to Gainesville

Gainesville is a great college town and is all set up for easy access to a good time, no matter where you are or when you visit. There are plenty of bars, clubs, and restaurants for you to enjoy that are right near the University.

Hotel Overview

Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.452" N, 82° 20' 21.6312" W

Obviously the best place to stay when visiting UF is with a friend on a couch or even a floor. The only time I have been there, six friends and I, spent two nights sleeping directly on a hard wood floor, but the price was right.

If you do need a hotel the closer to campus, the better. There is a variety of standard hotels that all will meet all your basic needs so it just becomes a competition on price.

Click on the map below for more information!

Nightlife Extended

Here are some other popular bars in Gainesville:

08 - Simply put, 08 is Gainesville's answer to the country bar. 

Jack's is a dive bar with amazingly cheap drinks and lots of laughs.

Brothy's is an Irish pub.

The Speakeasy is a cool, little bar; that is, if you can find it.

The Top has great food and is home to scene kids and hipsters at night.

Stubbie is a beer bar which offers around 200 different beers for the beer aficionado. 

Calico Jacks

3501 SW 2nd Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 2.718" N, 82° 22' 33.1212" W

Home to the best wings in town – is a good place to catch a game.  Alternatively, those looking for a sports bar can head to Mothers or Happy Hour, which has pool/billiards. Also, they have incredible drink prices with Happy Hour All Day Every Day

Rue Bar

110 S Main St
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 3.3984" N, 82° 19' 30.0864" W

The bar is home to a selective crowd while and the bar has a stunning interior. It is really upscale overall, but is a great place to go if you are getting sick of the normal scene.

Lillian's

It always has live bands and is a nicer and more upscale kind of bar. It is great for Thursday nights.

Gator's Dockside

3842 W Newberry Rd # 1A
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 9.396" N, 82° 22' 53.1192" W

The bar is known by locals as a great 'bro bar.' You can't beat their TV setup. They have 3 large projector screens that have to be 30 feet tall on the main wall and lots of other 50 inch plasmas hanging around.

Gator City

1728 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.5852" N, 82° 20' 42.7884" W

On Friday Nights this is definitely the place to be. The bar is huge with pool tables and a bar in the back. In the front you will find a few more rooms and one huge room with a stage. This is where the action happens with people dancing all night and listening to the music roar. The thing to do here is to order a pitcher, forget the cups, and just drink straight out of it for the rest of your night.

Salty Dog

1712 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.5888" N, 82° 20' 41.8992" W

For those looking for a more laid back atmosphere, Salty Dog is a good, old fashion dive bar which is located close to the stadium. 

The Swamp

1642 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.5852" N, 82° 20' 38.328" W

For those looking for a sports bar The Swamp is the place to go. It can be very crowded on game days, but is definitely a good time. It has an outside sitting area as well a cool inside and upstairs.

Burrito Brothers

402 W. University Avenue
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.2468" N, 82° 19' 45.2712" W

It is definitely is a Gainesville staple (which locals swear by) serving delicious Mexican food. They make everything fresh and have delicious salsa to accompany your huge burrito. It is a whole in the wall place, but worth stopping by.

El Indio

407 NW 13th St
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 17.5608" N, 82° 20' 21.2604" W

It is a small, inexpensive Mexican fast-food restaurant that has the best chips, cheese dip and fish tacos in town.

Satchels

1800 NE 23rd Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 40' 25.7124" N, 82° 18' 4.1436" W

Located on 23rd street, offers the best pizza in town. Good pizza and fresh ingredients. Local place, local art, and a hippie vibe

leonardo's 706

706 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.4592" N, 82° 19' 54.8472" W

On select nights throughout the week, the local jazz club is Leonardos 706, which also serves as an upscale eatery and pizzeria. This is some of the best food in twons. You can go lunch or dinner both of which will be great. Try the Mona Lisa Chicken or a flavorful pizza.

On the Border

3100 SW Archer Rd
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 37' 44.3892" N, 82° 22' 8.3604" W

For those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of University Avenue, Mexican restaurant provides a nice alternative. You can create your own combo with chicken flautas, empanadas, enchiladas, tacos, and more. The food is really good and the atmosphere is very cool.

Tijuana Flats

1720 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.5888" N, 82° 20' 42.3456" W

Great Burritos, they have a hot sauce bar so you can make it as spicy as you like. It is located walking distance from the Bars and UF Campus.

Bento Cafe

3832 W Newberry Rd
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 9.2304" N, 82° 22' 52.6692" W

It is close to campus on the west side of town, offers sumptuous Asian fare. The sushi is always fresh and they offer a delicious “Sushi of the Month”

Pita Pit

1702 W University Ave # C
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.5924" N, 82° 20' 41.3412" W

While not the most popular restaurant among most review sites, Pita Pit scores high marks with college students for its hours of operation and is open past 2 a.m.

Five Star Pizza

210 SW 2nd Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 0.9576" N, 82° 19' 36.7464" W

It is open 24 hours a day.  At 5 a.m. when this university town winds down and starts looking for greasy pizza, many call Five Star Pizza and get a super cheap, super good pizza. Alternatively, vendors from Five Star Pizza can be found walking around University Avenue around 2 a.m. (when the bars close) selling large pizzas for $5-$6.

The Swamp

1642 W University Ave
Gainesville, FL
United States
29° 39' 7.5852" N, 82° 20' 38.328" W

For those looking for a sports bar, The Swamp is the place to go. It can be very crowded on game days, but it is definitely a good time. It has an outside sitting area as well a cool inside and upstairs.

Experience The Rock Scene

Gainesville- a.k.a. 'Gainesville Rock City' in some circles –is the birthplace of bands such as No More and Less Than Jake.  The rock scene is supported by venues/ bars such as Common Grounds (the largest), 1982 Bar, Tim and Terry's and The Atlantic (a dance club on various week nights and a show venue on weekends – call ahead to check the schedule).

Go Out

Regardless of the time of year, there's something for everyone in this college town.  University Boulevard (a.k.a. "University") serves as a hub of activity and provides a useful point of reference.  The stadium is situated at one end of University.  Walking along University in an area known as Mid-Town, there are more bars than you can shake a stick at.  Heading yet further along University towards the downtown area, there are numerous bars, clubs, and restaurants.

Go to a Game at "The Swamp"

In the last few years the Gators have been dominant on the football field. Attending a game at “The Swamp” is an experience that every visitor should have. Game weekend are filled with tradition and passionate fans will drive in from all over the south. During the game the stadium will be roaring as the team scores. You will see 90,000+ fans do the gator chomp in rhythm while screaming to support their Gators.

UF Overview

Overview

The University of Florida was founded in 1853, and has been recognized as a "Public Ivy" UF is currently ranked 49th overall among national universities in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report rankings. UF is also well recognized because its' researchers developed the famous sports drink Gatorade

Getting In

Location Subsection

  • Overview

    The University of Florida was founded in 1853, and has been recognized as a "Public Ivy" UF is currently ranked 49th overall among national universities in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report rankings. UF is also well recognized because its' researchers developed the famous sports drink Gatorade

    Getting In

    As the acceptance rate at the University of Florida has trended downward, the application process has become increasingly competitive. The university has a freshmen retention rate of 93%. For the first-year students that enrolled at UF in 2008, the median SAT score is 1240 - 1410, and the Median GPA was 4.1 - 4.4. UF's class of 2007 yield rate was at 57%, and looks to be very selective for coming years.

    Football

    The Gators' home stadium is Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, one of the largest and loudest football stadiums in the country. Florida Field was opened in 1930 and has been expanded several times to now hold over 90,000. The stadium is popularly known as "The Swamp", and was given the nickname by Steve Spurrier in the early 1990s, who quipped that "only the Gators get out alive." The Sporting News named Florida as the top college crowd in the nation and gave Florida Field the honor of the nation's loudest stadium. In 2007, Sports Illustrated ranked Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as the third best college venue in the nation, and was the first overall for college football.

    Celebrating 100 years of Florida football, the Gators finished the 2006 regular season with a record of 13-1, capturing the SEC Championship with a 38-28 victory over Arkansas at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Florida moved to second place in the Bowl Championship Series rankings and convincingly defeated the #1 ranked Ohio State University Buckeyes 41-14 for the BCS National Championship on January 8, 2007, in Glendale, Arizona. Starting quarterback Chris Leak was named the game's Most Valuable Player. It was the Gators' second consensus national championship, and made UF the first school ever to hold the Division I men's basketball title and the BCS football title at the same time. content via wikipedia

  • In the last few years the Gators have been dominant on the football field. Attending a game at “The Swamp” is an experience that every visitor should have. Game weekend are filled with tradition and passionate fans will drive in from all over the south. During the game the stadium will be roaring as the team scores. You will see 90,000+ fans do the gator chomp in rhythm while screaming to support their Gators.

  • Regardless of the time of year, there's something for everyone in this college town.  University Boulevard (a.k.a. "University") serves as a hub of activity and provides a useful point of reference.  The stadium is situated at one end of University.  Walking along University in an area known as Mid-Town, there are more bars than you can shake a stick at.  Heading yet further along University towards the downtown area, there are numerous bars, clubs, and restaurants.

  • Gainesville- a.k.a. 'Gainesville Rock City' in some circles –is the birthplace of bands such as No More and Less Than Jake.  The rock scene is supported by venues/ bars such as Common Grounds (the largest), 1982 Bar, Tim and Terry's and The Atlantic (a dance club on various week nights and a show venue on weekends – call ahead to check the schedule).

  • Out of Gainesville, run up I-75 to exit 399, and head west on 441 towards High Springs.  Once you get into High Springs, follow signs towards Ginnie Springs.  Stop at a gas station along the way and grab a lot of beer and ice.  Once you get to the springs, have them rent you an inflatable boat along with all your tubes, just throw the beer and ice in and float down the Santa Fe River for hours.  Some people float Ichetucknee Springs, but it’s a state park, and they try pretty hard to keep alcohol out of the park.  If you are looking to save some money and avoid the adm

  • Obviously the best place to stay when visiting UF is with a friend on a couch or even a floor. The only time I have been there, six friends and I, spent two nights sleeping directly on a hard wood floor, but the price was right.

    If you do need a hotel the closer to campus, the better. There is a variety of standard hotels that all will meet all your basic needs so it just becomes a competition on price.

    Click on the map below for more information!

No events have been submitted yet. Please click here to submit one.

  • For those looking for a sports bar, The Swamp is the place to go. It can be very crowded on game days, but it is definitely a good time. It has an outside sitting area as well a cool inside and upstairs.

  • It is open 24 hours a day.  At 5 a.m. when this university town winds down and starts looking for greasy pizza, many call Five Star Pizza and get a super cheap, super good pizza. Alternatively, vendors from Five Star Pizza can be found walking around University Avenue around 2 a.m. (when the bars close) selling large pizzas for $5-$6.

  • While not the most popular restaurant among most review sites, Pita Pit scores high marks with college students for its hours of operation and is open past 2 a.m.

  • It is close to campus on the west side of town, offers sumptuous Asian fare. The sushi is always fresh and they offer a delicious “Sushi of the Month”

  • Great Burritos, they have a hot sauce bar so you can make it as spicy as you like. It is located walking distance from the Bars and UF Campus.

  • For those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of University Avenue, Mexican restaurant provides a nice alternative. You can create your own combo with chicken flautas, empanadas, enchiladas, tacos, and more. The food is really good and the atmosphere is very cool.

  • On select nights throughout the week, the local jazz club is Leonardos 706, which also serves as an upscale eatery and pizzeria. This is some of the best food in twons. You can go lunch or dinner both of which will be great. Try the Mona Lisa Chicken or a flavorful pizza.

  • Located on 23rd street, offers the best pizza in town. Good pizza and fresh ingredients. Local place, local art, and a hippie vibe

  • It is a small, inexpensive Mexican fast-food restaurant that has the best chips, cheese dip and fish tacos in town.

  • It is definitely is a Gainesville staple (which locals swear by) serving delicious Mexican food. They make everything fresh and have delicious salsa to accompany your huge burrito. It is a whole in the wall place, but worth stopping by.

  • For those looking for a sports bar The Swamp is the place to go. It can be very crowded on game days, but is definitely a good time. It has an outside sitting area as well a cool inside and upstairs.

  • For those looking for a more laid back atmosphere, Salty Dog is a good, old fashion dive bar which is located close to the stadium. 

  • On Friday Nights this is definitely the place to be. The bar is huge with pool tables and a bar in the back. In the front you will find a few more rooms and one huge room with a stage. This is where the action happens with people dancing all night and listening to the music roar. The thing to do here is to order a pitcher, forget the cups, and just drink straight out of it for the rest of your night.

  • The bar is known by locals as a great 'bro bar.' You can't beat their TV setup. They have 3 large projector screens that have to be 30 feet tall on the main wall and lots of other 50 inch plasmas hanging around.

  • It always has live bands and is a nicer and more upscale kind of bar. It is great for Thursday nights.

  • The bar is home to a selective crowd while and the bar has a stunning interior. It is really upscale overall, but is a great place to go if you are getting sick of the normal scene.

  • Home to the best wings in town – is a good place to catch a game.  Alternatively, those looking for a sports bar can head to Mothers or Happy Hour, which has pool/billiards. Also, they have incredible drink prices with Happy Hour All Day Every Day

  • Here are some other popular bars in Gainesville:

    08 - Simply put, 08 is Gainesville's answer to the country bar. 

    Jack's is a dive bar with amazingly cheap drinks and lots of laughs.

    Brothy's is an Irish pub.

    The Speakeasy is a cool, little bar; that is, if you can find it.

    The Top has great food and is home to scene kids and hipsters at night.

    Stubbie is a beer bar which offers around 200 different beers for the beer aficionado. 

  • Gainesville is a great college town and is all set up for easy access to a good time, no matter where you are or when you visit. There are plenty of bars, clubs, and restaurants for you to enjoy that are right near the University.
    gainesville bar by djrue

Top Events

March 8, 2012 7:00 pm
Knoxville, TN

 SAE Boxing tourney is one of the oldest and largest fraternity events in the country.

The three day event attracts 3,000+ students from all over the south east. It has been going on annually for the last 28 years occurring in the last week of February or the first couple weeks of March. In 2012, SAE Boxing Tournament is March 8th, 9th, and 10th.  The tickets are $15 a night or $35 for the 3 nights and the proceeds normally raise over $70,000 for charity.
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April 23, 2012 10:00 am
Oxford, MS

The Double Decker Arts Festival is definitely the most exiting weekend at Ole Miss in the spring. “Taking its name from the town's authentic double decker bus imported from England in 1994, the festival brings together visitors and residents alike for a daylong celebration of music, food, and the arts held on the picturesque Courthouse Square of Oxford Mississippi.” Double Decker has been known to draw more than 50,000 people in attendance; making it another Mississippi spring day that you cannot miss!

April 2, 2012 3:00 pm
Oxford, MS

Want to see overweight, out of shape High School Heroes strap back on the pads? How about beautiful sorority girls competing for the cheerleading championship?

March 17, 2012 10:00 am
Baton Rouge, LA

The St’ Patty’s pic by bethanykingDay Parade in Baton Rouge is one of the biggest St’ Patty’s day celebrations in the country and a great reason to head to LSU for a weekend. The parade starts at 10:00 A.M. on March 14th, 2009 and will be a rocking party all day long.

April 14, 2012 3:00 pm
Tuscaloosa, AL
If you are a Bama fan, wish you were, or just want to head to T-Town for an awesome weekend then this is the time to go. The Crimson Tide had a great season last year as they rose back to being a top competitor at a national level.
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This is the biggest event of the spring at Bama and draws fans from all over the South. It is very similar to going to a Bama game during the fall except for one major difference, everyone everywhere you look is a Bama fan.

April 24, 2012 6:00 pm
Knoxville, TN

Volapalooza is a free concert hosted at Fiji Island in Fraternity Park at The University of Tennessee. This annual event normally takes place at the end of the school year and draws about 1,000 UT students for the night of fun. In the past the All Campus Events committee has been able to bring in some pretty big bands like Ben Folds, Cake, and Dashboard Confessional.

April 30, 2012 9:49 pm
Fayetteville, AR

 
 
Row Week at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville

Each spring, a phenomenal music opportunity draws thousands to the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville campus.  Students gather just before finals to celebrate and enjoy a variety of music from country to urban to hip-hop and more.

March 26, 2012 12:00 pm
Charlottesville, VA

UVA SPRINGFEST 2011 on Nameless field

UVA Springfest is one of the biggest events hosted at UVA each year. It is a huge concert held at Nameless field in late March or early April. They have had some great acts in the past like Ben Folds and Ok Go. They have not announced who they have this year yet, but continue to check back here or post it in the comments if you find out.

April 20, 2012 2:00 pm
,

Vanderbilt’s Rites of Spring concert, or “Rites” as VU students like to call it, is an annual concert series hosted on campus to celebrate…you guessed it…the start of spring.

It is hosted on Alumni Lawn which also plays host to Vanderbilt Graduation and other large events. It is the perfect area because it is in the center of campus and surrounded by picturesque trees. In the past, Rites has hosted big name bands creating an excuse for students to have a 3-day party instead of studying for finals.

It draws a huge crowd

October 31, 2012 3:09 pm
Chapel HIll, NC

Halloween is enormous in Chapel Hill. The city shuts down the main drag, Franklin Street, and people from all the surrounding towns and colleges descend upon Chapel Hill for a night of debauchery. It is a really fun time as there are often upwards of 80,000 in the streets enjoying themselves.

February 24, 2012 12:00 am
New Orleans, LA

Every February, people around the world gather to celebrate Mardi Gras

A tradition of parades, masks, beads, dancing, and of course drinking.  With celebrations all over the world, the headquarters for this “holiday” is in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The week long  event builds in size and celebration each day before ending on Fat Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday).

October 16, 2012 10:00 am

Check out Bridge Day!