3 Best Places To See in Gainesville, FL

“Kanapaha Botanical Gardens covers 68 acres of a non-profit facility composed of 24 major collections, visually accessible from a 1 ½ mile paved walkway. The garden is adjacent to the nearby 250-acre Lake Kanapaha. The garden is a premier wedding venue in Gainesville with indoor and outdoor rentals for wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions, meetings, retreats, conferences, and other social functions. Kanapaha walkways are largely wheelchair accessible, and benches, gazebos, and other rest stations are liberally spaced throughout the facility. Kanapaha hosts many special events throughout the year, including a Bamboo Sale and North Central Florida's premier horticultural event, the Spring Garden Festival. Except during special events like their Spring Garden Festival, dogs are permitted on leashes.”

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“Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is a 10-acre zoo that is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The zoo is coordinated by ten full-time staff members and is home to over 70 different species of animals. Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is maintained by about 100 students enrolled in the college's premier Zoo Animal Technology program. The zoo connects people with wild animals and helps them learn about and conserve wild animals in their natural habitats. The public can visit any day of the week and see the amazing things they do for animal conservation and human education. The zoo aims to transform passion for turtles into effective conservation actions through a global network of living collections and recovery programs. Tourists can enjoy the Bald Eagle, White-throated Capuchin monkeys, American alligators, Matschie's tree kangaroos, and parrots, to name a few. Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo also hosts a variety of family-friendly and community events throughout the year.”

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“Harn Museum of Art aims to inspire, educate, and enrich people's lives through its art exhibitions. The museum is in the UF Cultural Plaza area southwest of campus. The Harn is a 112,800-square-foot facility, making it one of the largest university art museums in the South. The Harn Museum is the most prominent fine art museum in the greater north-central Florida region. Harn Museum of Art demonstrates its commitment to being a cultural resource through free admission and art-centered experiences. The museum is well known for developing high-quality and relevant exhibitions drawn from its collection of 13,300 artworks, many of which have toured across the United States. Harn Museum of Art offers free admission for all visitors. Parking is free for all visitors.”

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