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 .......

Parties on Election Night

Election night is tomorrow night and the Democratic and Republican parties are hosting parties for the candidates and voters in Alachua County.

The party for the Democrats, will be held at The Gainesville Woman's Club. Cynthia Chesnut informed me that they are trying to have all Democratic candidates at one site, including Ken McGurn, Rod Smith, Marihelen Wheeler, Chuck Chestnut, Hutch Hutchinson, Mike Byerly and Jesse Irby. 

I spoke with a young girl who plans to attend the party tomorrow night and watch the votes come in. 

VIDEO: Florida Museum of Natural History: Wicked Plants Exhibit

The Florida Museum of Natural History on the University of Florida's campus is an amazing museum for any time of year.

However, they do host special exhibits throughout the year. This Halloween season, they have a Wicked Plants exhibit. 

Visitors can step into a spooky haunted house set-up where plants hold all the power. The exhibit featuring more than 100 plants and thrilling two and three dimensional interactive games, creates an eerie environment to educate and entertain.

I spoke with a few ladies who came to the exhibit on Halloween day. They were not only looking to celebrate the holiday, but they were gardeners looking to learn a little something. This video will show you all about the exhibit, and offers another exciting hidden treasure of the city of Gainesville to keep you entertained. ENJOY! And Happy Halloween!

Let's Talk Eats

What does absolutely everyone love to do? EAT FOOD!

After living for awhile in Tampa, I will say that Gainesville, Florida definitely puts up a fight for us foodies looking for the best grub.

Here's just a few hot spots you have to hit:

Let's start with pizza, because lets be honest, I don't think there is a person on this planet who doesn't enjoy some -ZA. There are two places to grab a slice that I would suggest:
1. Satchels!

Satchels has great pizza, but this place is a great choice because of the atmosphere. As you can tell from the picture, the inside of the restaurant is very unique.
The funky van you'll see as a sort of decoration outside will already set the vibe. You can spend the whole time you're eating looking around at all the crazy decorations.
The pizza, sold my the slice or by pan, is also thick, oily and absolutely delicious.




2. Leonardo's By The Slice! This place is Gainesville famous, so you have probably heard of it before. Leonardo's has been sitting on the corner of University Avenue and 13th Street for decades. There are a few Leonardos in town, but this one is the easy, quick, delicious one you want. They might just have the best tasting pizza in town, and definitely don't leave without getting the garlic knots.

Let's talk breakfast!

3. The Metro Diner on 34th avenue is a must.

This place is as diner as a diner can get. They've got all the classic breakfast favorites and they do your southern fried breakfast very well.
There is a diner feel on the inside and nice patio seating on the outside.
Just the other day, I went in the morning when it was cooler outside. Sitting outside in the 70 degree weather was amazing, and the service is awesome.
(PS: If you're looking for quick, Bagels Unlimited is an awesome bagel breakfast place right next to Metro Diner.)



Another breakfast hotspot:
4) Peach Valley Cafe! This place is extremely unique, serving things like apple fritters dipped in icing and pumpkin pancakes. The only down side to coming to Peach Valley is that it will take you an hour of looking over the menu to narrow down what you want to just five items.


A final must-try is Chuy's Mexican restaurant.

This is as good as Tex-Mex can get in my opinion.
The price is right with complimentary chips and salsa, and 5$ house margaritas.
The plates are HUGE so be prepared to take left-overs or to leaved stuffed.
The burritos are whopping and the enchiladas feed two and everything is served with two sides.
As you can tell by the picture, the inside is decorated with cantina lights and Mexican decorations and the atmosphere is a lot of fun.



So go grub out in Gainesville and report back to tell me what you thought! I hope you have gained a healthy pound or two by the end of this list.

Waldo Farmer's and Flea Market

"The Waldo Farmers & Flea Market is north central Florida’s largest flea market. We provide over 50 acres of open marketplace so that everyone can find great deals."

Vendors from the flea market say they have 40,000 people that shop here each weekend. With over 1,000 vendors on both sides of Highway 301, The Waldo Farmers and Flea Market is the ideal location for your next garage sale or to shop until you drop on the cheapest, bargain shopping you've done in awhile. 

And have you ever wanted to visit a Flea Market that was only active during the work week? Well this Flea Market is open Saturday and Sundays from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.. What more could you ask for? Very accessible if you ask me. 

Head on out to Highway 301 at 17805 US Hwy 301 in Waldo, FL for the day and score yourself some deals. 

Here's their website for more information!

Did someone say CLIFF DIVING?

That's right... Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're in Gainesville, Florida or Honolulu, Hawaii. You can cliff jump into the water at the Gainesville Quarries. Check out this video of people jumping off the cliff if you don't believe me!

It might look scary but this 30 foot jump looks like so much fun. Some friends of mine went last weekend. Even if you don't jump, there's a beautiful view out from the top of the quarries where you can picnic and spend the day. It will make you feel like you've traveled to Utah or Arizona for the day. 

If you do jump, be careful. A 50-foot jump may be a little uncomfortable when you hit the water for a newby, but it isn't life threatening at all. Worst we're talking about hear is a twisted ankle. 

Go west on Newberry Road and make a right on 202nd Street. Take it to the stop sign at NW 46th Ave and cross over to the dirt road. On the right will be a fence. Park your car outside of the fence. Then just follow the path.

It'll lead you to this view!! 

There;s is also a trial around the Quarries for the non-jumpers. The whole time you have a view over the cliff. 

So go check it out, jump if you dare (while being careful), bring a picnic, and show people this hidden treasure in Gainesville. 

Ginnie Springs

For this blog, I decided to explore Ginnie Springs this past weekend. I have been hearing about the springs for a few years and decided to go.
It was definitely worth it!

Ginnie is the perfect spot to rent a tube and float down the river with friends. People bring coolers down the river with drinks and food, people bring water proof speakers as well. It is almost like a party on the river. So be prepared when you go! Bring a floating cooler or bring your own floaties! I saw a few people who had huge rafts of people floating down the river. After paying the 20$ entry fee, there are pretty much no rules. You can float down the river with the current, or relax in the pool springs where the water is much lighter and beautiful! 

If you go on a Saturday like we did, be careful of the crowds. Although sometimes the crowds are fun. We made friends with people floating by with music. Also bring some string to tie to your friends tubes so that you can all stay together down the river. 

Ginnie Springs is just a 30 minute drive outside of Gainesville and an easy place to spend the whole day. Their is also camping at Ginnie if you decide to stay for a night or two by the river. Enjoy the outdoors while its hot in Florida and visit the springs!

Storify on Paynes Prairie

Bivens Arm: Hidden Trial of Gainesville

Bivens Arm is a lake and trial that is part of Paynes Prairie in Gainesville.
It is located west of US Route 441 and south of Archer Road. 

Bivens Arm is a unique environment, which supports a wide diversity of plants and animals. Tumblin Creek, drains into Bivens Arm creating this beautiful body of water. Bivens Arm overflows onto Paynes Prairie.

A beautiful trial takes you to and around the lake. It almost doesn't look like you are in Florida because of the thick trees and plants at your feet. I ran on this trail and around the lake. 

It is very marshy and the trees tower above. The length of the trail is 1.5 miles, but you can do it once, twice or even three times if you prefer to go on longer walks or runs. 

It is open 9-5 daily, and the people working at the front will tell you to be careful for alligators! All I say to that is Go Gators!!

Enjoy and explore this hidden treasure of Gainesville!!

Hello all! I am Evyn Moon. I am a college student studying telecommunications at the University of Florida. I have lived in Gainesville, Florida for almost 3 years now, and although it is a fairly small town it has TONS to offer. I have heard many people throughout the years say "Gainesville is nothing outside of the campus of UF." This just isn't true and in the next couple of weeks I can't wait to show you why this isn't true and the awesome hidden treasures that this small town has to offer.

I have always been one to seek adventure. Even when I spent 3 months in Atlanta this past summer, I found all the fun restaurants, hikes and fun spots to hang out as if I was a local. I enjoy finding the hidden spots in a town that tourists would never find. I hope to find the parts of Gainesville that are like this and to share them with you all.