Farwell but we hope not for long!

Every end is a new beginning... every trip is a new story!

The semester has come to an end... and if you have kept up with these hidden adventures of Gainesville, then you have probably been very busy.

It's time to relax. You now know Gainesville better then most! But the fun is never done. Even with all these posts, Gainesville still has so much left to offer that I wasn't even able to mention.

I've enjoyed finding different spots along with you, and showing them to you using different interactive formats. Next time I go to a new spot, I will try to make storify with multiple 360 pictures so that maybe you won't even need to travel there! Just kidding, it is still worth the trip.

If you're going home for the holidays, explore your city and bring back some hidden treasures from all around Florida and elsewhere!!

Adios!!

Holiday Time in Gainesville!

So who doesn't like the holiday season.... NO ONE! No matter what religion you practice, or what nationality you are, this season is a time to enjoy holiday cheer, take time off of work work to spend with family, shop until your hearts content and go to many holiday events that are held in every city in the country.

If you are in Gainesville for the holidays, boy are you lucky!

Here are five things you can do in Gainesville this month to make the most of the most wonderful time of the year:

1) Go see some Christmas lights!! Here's a video of some of the beautiful decorations you can find in this town:




2) The Ultimate Christmas Show at the Hippodrome Theater in downtown Gainesville!
The show, which plays from November 25th until December 18th, is meant to be everything you love about Christmas, "abridged". Critics say the show is "a complete delight" and "stunningly hilarious".

The show is family-friendly and meant to make you laugh. Click here for more information!

3) Winter Wonderland of Waterfalls: Go to the Florida Museum of Natural History to view amazing colored lights in the waterfalls of the Butterfly Rainforest. The event is running now until February 28th so you have got PLENTY of time to check it out.


4) Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol: On Sunday December 18th, only 8 days before Santa arrives, take the whole family to the High Springs playhouse! For $10-15 the description for the event reads: 

"Marley was dead, to begin with…"—and what happens to Ebenezer Scrooge's mean, sour, pruney old business partner after that? Chained and shackled, Marley is condemned to a hellish eternity. He's even given his own private tormentor: a malicious little hell-sprite who thoroughly enjoys his work. Desperate, Marley accepts his one chance to free himself: To escape his own chains, he must first redeem Scrooge. So begins a journey of laughter and terror, redemption and renewal, during which Scrooge's heart, indeed, is opened; but not before Marley—in this irreverent, funny and deeply moving story—discovers his own. 5) Holiday Chorus Show: The Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus will be giving a free Holiday Concert to thank the community for its support of their trip to Las vegas. The show will be on Saturday, December 10th at 3 P.M. It will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Gainesville.  Enjoy the holidays and make sure to go to an event or two in the area to support the community and get in the spirit.

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

My favorite part of the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville was the bamboo forest. You walk along a paved path for about a quarter mile through thick bamboo trees, you feel like you can't be in the state of Florida. 

The whole lot of the gardens is about a mile and a half long, winding through different areas of plants and butterfly gardens. It is so beautiful that they are known for hosting many weddings there. 

Kanapaha's signature plants are the Chinese royal bamboo and the giant Victoria water lilies and Asian snake arums. Although the gardens recommend visiting in the warmer months of June through September, anytime of year it is a beautiful place to see very unique flowers and plants. 

Here are a few silly pictures I took from my visit to the Botanical Gardens... Yes you can buy bamboo, and yes apparently people do carve on some of the bamboo, but don't worry most of the plants are not carved into. 

Here are some actual pictures of the garden to enjoy:

360 Photo: It's like you're there!

In my last post, I gave some insight about Gainesville's coolest new attraction: Depot Park.
However, the park has a lot going on and it's hard to picture how it is set up. I made a 360 picture so that you can somewhat take yourself to the park from inside your home.

I am hoping that truly putting yourself in the area and getting a feel for the landscape will make you even more excited to visit the park.

bubble

Click on the word bubble, and it will take you to the 360 degree picture!!

I hope seeing the park in this view will send you straight there this weekend. Enjoy and explore Gainesville!

Depot Park: NEW!

           If you've been in Gainesville for awhile and think you have seen it all, you might not know about Depot Park, which after months of construction, opened on August 20th.          The park cost about $6 million, and the city of Gainesville hopes it will serve as a fun space for adults and children. 


The playground area has different themes serving as a historical look through Gainesville's different cultures. The playground has a smokestack-like tower to climb on and tunnels made of faux pipes, representing Gainesville’s industrial side.
           

       

  If you're brining kids, dress them in clothes that can get WET! 
         Yes, there is a small waterfall and splash pads that squirt water from the ground. This really keeps kids of any age entertained for awhile and gives Depot a water-park type feel. 

If you're not on the playground, there is still plenty to do. There are places to picnic and rest under the pavilion, a beautiful view of the pond the is within Depot Park and short hikes around the surrounding area. You can take a stroll on the paved trail through the natural wetlands behind the pond. You can also grab a snack at the Depot General Store that has food, drinks and other goodies! 


There's plenty to do in Depot Park and it is a brand new attraction to Gainesville that as a resident, you have to show some love to. Bring your whole family or all your friends on a beautiful day. Depot Park also plans to construct a museum on the northern end, so take a trip now and next year when the museum is ready! I will keep the blog updated when that museum appears! Have fun and explore Gainesville, Florida. 

The Hipp Holiday Art Show

This Wednesday, November 23rd, come out to the Hippodrome in downtown Gainesville to shop from local artists or even just browse the art that people in our community are making! 

Nearly everyone will be off work for Thanksgiving and it is a perfect thing to show any family that is in town visiting.

It might even be the perfect place to buy some presents for people for Christmas. 

The list of artists is growing daily, and includes: Sara Morsey, Mark Chambers, Bryan Mercer, Nichole Hamilton, Warhol Caldwell, Jessica Lennon, Jessica Layne, Hurov Jason Potak and Tristan Whitehill.

So come out to support the community, listen to music, eat food and explore Gainesville!

Bat House!!!

Party with the bats in Gainesville:

Every evening at exactly sunset watch thousands of bats fly overhead as they leave their bat houses on the University of Florida campus. 

Every night, a few people will line up waiting for the sun to perfectly hit the horizon and BOOM! You will have hundreds and hundreds of bats flying around and above you. 

There are signs all around giving fun information about the bat colony you will be meeting face to face. 

So don't be late, because these little buggers wait for no one. At sun down, it's time to party!

............. AND THEN .......