ABC's of Gainesville: Here are some premier local places, people that make up the city

Gainesville is a unique city that offers a lot to residents and visitors alike. Whether it be nature hikes, local food, museums, or sports, there is always something to do.

Though the city has so much more than 26 subjects to offer, we've narrowed down some favorites to their corresponding letters of the alphabet.

Here are the ABC's of Gainesville:

A - Art

Professionally painted murals line the walls of downtown Gainesville. Artists, as well as those who aren’t so skilled, are free to express themselves on the Gainesville graffiti wall, a 1,120-foot wall on 34th Street that serves as a legal graffiti place. The Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art is a place to go for more official paintings and art exhibits.

B - Bats

Across from Lake Alice on the University of Florida’s campus are the UF bat houses, originally built in 1991. They are the world’s largest occupied bat houses, according to the Florida Museum, with a capacity of 750,000 bats and an estimated population of between 450,000 to 500,000 living there. Bats have also been seen flying out of crevices in the walls of the stadium and the Reitz Union at dusk.

C - Craft Beer

Beer lovers in Gainesville have a plethora of places to choose from with local and standard drink options. Local favorites include First Magnitude Brewing Company, Swamp Head Brewery, Blackadder Brewing Company, Cypress and Grove Brewing Company and Orange and Brew in the Reitz Union. World of Beer, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse and Miller’s Ale House are popular chains with options.

D - Devil’s Milhopper Geological State Park

This state park costs only $4 per vehicle and immerses you in Gainesville’s nature. The park’s icon, a 120-foot-deep sinkhole, has been visited since the 1880s.  The park offers interpretive displays that teach visitors about the sinkhole and even hosts yoga sessions on the first Saturday of every month.

E - Eats

Gainesville is known for its local restaurants and bars. Well-known restaurants around the town include The Top, Loosey’s Downtown, Dragonfly Sushi and Swamp Boil. Quicker-service places like Mi Apa Latin Cafe, Flaco’s Cuban Bakery, Halo Potato Donuts, Burrito Famous and Satchel’s Pizza are also local favorites.

F - The Fest

This three-day, multi-venue underground music festival is held downtown during the last weekend in October. Visitors from around the country come to see a mixture of popular and up-and-coming punk, indie, folk, ska and hardcore artists perform. The event has been going on for more than two decades and attracts thousands of people from around the globe annually, making it the premier punk music festival in Florida.

G - Gatornationals

Start your engines for the annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag racing event, held every March at the Gainesville Raceway. In 2019, the raceway celebrated 50 years of NHRA drag racing. National records, such as the first 300 mph top fuel pass in 1992, have been broken here.

H - Hippodrome

Live theatre, films, gallery exhibits and special events take place in this former historic federal building in the center of downtown Gainesville, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Hippodrome also houses an art gallery that is available to Florida artists at no charge – but it is invitation only.

I - Ice Cream

There is no shortage of ice cream options around town. Whether you want a creamy dessert from a locally owned shop or a popular chain, Gainesville probably has it. Some options include Sweet Dreams Ice Cream, SweetBerries’ Frozen Custard and Karma Cream as well as chains like Kilwins, Dairy Queen, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, D’Lites Emporium and Culver’s.

J - Java

Options for caffeine in Gainesville leave us buzzing. If you are in need of some energy, or a quiet place to work, coffee shops such as Pascal’s Coffeehouse, Wyatt’s Coffee, CYM Coffee Co. , Opus Coffee, Coffee Culture and Volta Coffee, Tea & Chocolate are common choices. Of course, there’s always the standard Starbucks, Scooter’s Coffee and Dunkin’ Donuts for those in more of a rush.

K - Krishna

A $5 Indian buffet, Krishna Lunch, has been hosted at UF’s Plaza of the Americas by Krishna House members since 1971. The all-vegetarian food is served at The Plaza of the Americas Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and at Krishna House from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu varies but always consists of vegetarian entrees, sides and at least one dessert. Bhakti yoga can be practiced at the Bhakti Academy in the Krishna House through an immersive, temple life experience.

L - La Chua Trail

Linked to Paynes Prairie Preserve is a nature trail at the north end of the prairie. It leads to the Alachua Sink and the center of the prairie’s wetlands where you can see a plethora of alligators and migrating birds. Visitors may even spot wild bison and horses if they’re lucky. Elevated boardwalks and flat pathways take you around and over water – a portion of the trail is closed when Paynes Prairie floods, but the boardwalk remains open.

M - Museums

History surrounds Gainesville, and there are many places where it is on display. The Florida Museum of Natural History and the Harn Museum of Art are on the outskirts of the University of Florida’s campus and provide immersive experiences for adults and children alike. Another popular place is Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention, named after Dr. James R. Cade, UF professor and inventor of Gatorade.

All are affordable activities – the only one not free is the Cade Museum, which costs $15 for adults and $10 for children. If you come on a weekday, you will have to pay for parking for the Museum of Natural History and the Harn Museum of Art, and additional experiences may not be free.

N - News

Some may say print is dead, but not in Gainesville. There are always a variety of professional news outlets to choose from locally. The city is also home to the state's premier journalism college at the University of Florida.

Whether readers want to pick up the Gainesville Sun, Mainstreet Daily News, Independent Florida Alligator or Santa Fe College's Saint Bernard newspaper, it’s easy to find physical copies of what’s happening in your backyard all around town. Digital-only outlets like TV-20 and WUFT also provide free coverage for locals.

O - O’Dome

This 10,500-seat arena named after University of Florida alumnus Stephen Cornelius O’Connell is the Stephen C. O’Connell center, commonly referred to as the O'Dome. It was built in 1980 and is home to many Florida Gators sports games – basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, swimming and indoor track and field, to name a few. The arena also holds university-wide events like graduations, summer camps, concerts, new student preview and private events.

P - Parks

Nature parks, trails and playgrounds are all throughout Gainesville. Because Hogtown Creek and other bodies of water flow through the city, a variety of parks centered around streams, wetlands and rivers can be visited. The city has also taken steps to improve parks through the Wild Spaces and Public Places projects, which aid in restoring, renovating and upgrading current community spaces.

Q - Quarterbacks

Three Heisman-winning quarterbacks have made a name for themselves playing for the Florida Gators: Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow. The three even have statues outside the football stadium.

Steve Spurrier even has his own restaurant in Gainesville, Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille, in Celebration Pointe, while Tebow opened a juice bar. Spurrier's restaurant pays homage to the second Heisman winner with their “Chicken and Wuerffel” brunch entrée.

Another Q worth checking out: A Gainesville native's food seasoning brand is on store shelves and expanding to more

R - Rainesville

Gainesville, like much of Florida, is known for its sudden onset of rain and has earned its nickname because of this. Social media pages and even a WordPress post have been created by residents expressing their frustration with the fast-paced weather changes. You can also get a Rainesville shirt on Amazon. If you go out, especially in the summer, you’d better bring an umbrella.

S - The Swamp

The UF’s beloved football stadium is an iconic location here in Gainesville. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, referred to as “The Swamp” was built in 1930 and is said to be the largest stadium in the state of Florida, with an 88,548-person capacity. Although it has been given many facelifts throughout the years, the stadium is planned to undergo a massive reconstruction in the coming years.

More about the stadium's renovations: What could Florida get for a $400 million (at least) renovation of The Swamp?

T - Tom Petty

What can be said that hasn't already been said before? A few murals in Gainesville honor the rock 'n' roll legend Tom Petty who first cut his teeth in Gainesville. Born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, Petty once worked for UF as a janitor before becoming the famous musician he is remembered as.

He was honored by the UF School of Music in spring 2023 with an honorary doctor of music degree in his name. His famous “I Won’t Back Down” song is now a tradition; it is played at every Florida Gators football home game with the crowd singing along.

A class about Tom Petty? Petty 101: Class to focus on late musician

U - University of Florida

Gainesville without a doubt would simply not be what it is without UF. The pride and joy of Gainesville, and what many may consider Florida’s superior university, was founded in 1853 and officially opened as we know it today in 1906. UF attracts tens of thousands of students, visitors and fans from all over the world.

V - Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurants

There are food options for almost anyone in Gainesville, including many vegan and vegetarian choices. Places with vegetarian foods include One Love Café, Indian Street Food Reggae Shack Café and the Krishna Lunch. Otherwise, Curia On The Drag, Plantology at Midpoint Park & Eatery, Suki’s Vegan and the Vegan Gator Food Truck are all popular vegan choices.

W - Ward’s Supermarket

You don’t have to shop at a chain grocery store to fill your fridge and pantry in Gainesville. Ward’s Supermarket started as an open-air stand in 1951 and has grown into a family-owned and operated grocery store, moving to its current location in 1991. They aim to have the lowest farm-to-table time possible and sell high-quality, local foods.

X: Railroad X-ing

Trains and tracks use to cut through the middle of Gainesville but mostly were abandoned in the mid-to-late 1900s. Now, where railroads used to lie, are converted nature trails, bridges and sidewalks. The Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail follows a rail bed first laid from Palatka toward Gainesville in 1881, which was eventually acquired by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company in 1902. Depot Park in Gainesville was also once a rail yard and transportation hub for the many trains that passed through the city.

Y - The Yearling Restaurant

This restaurant was established in 1952 and is named after the popular American novel “The Yearling” by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It immerses diners in old southern comfort with its eccentric decorations and food options. It’s tucked-away in Cross Creek and built down the street from Florida author Rawlings’ former home.

Z - Santa Fe Teaching Zoo

Mammals, amphibians, birds, reptiles and invertebrates call this 10-acre zoo home. Around 100 Santa Fe College students and 10 full-time staff members care for native and exotic species such as the American alligators, bald eagles, Asian small-clawed otters, Key deer, white-throated capuchin monkeys, red ruffled Lemurs and a Matschie’s tree kangaroo.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Tom Petty, UF, local eats make up the ABC's of Gainesville