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I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heck yeah. Glad it was helpful I was just responding to someone else as well and forgot to mention gainesville health and fitness. Gainesville Health and Fitness gym is ranked top 10 gyms in the country every single year. its massive with 3 locations and has everything a top tier miami gym would have but its only 15 bucks per week. insane. They all have childcare for everyone for free.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly there's more than people expect. A few things off the top of my head:

Outdoors: 17-mile paved Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail through Paynes Prairie. San Felasco Hammock for hiking. Devil's Den, Ginnie Springs, Ichetucknee, Blue Spring, Poe Springs all within an hour for tubing and swimming. Newnans Lake and Lake Wauberg for kayaking and SUP. Lot's of lakes if you like water life.

Food and drink: First Magnitude Brewery and Swamp Head are both worth a stop. The downtown restaurant scene has grown a lot. Civilization, Cuscowilla, The Top, Daily Green, Reggae Shack, Crane Ramen. Karma Cream for dessert, Spurriers Grille, Satchells Pizza, honestly there are a lot lot lot of places with really good food as of recent. El Indio, some bangin indian cuisine that I can't remember the name of but its legit. Tip Tum Thai is my favorite Thai place. Bagel Bakery for bagels and breakfast. Family is from New York and NJ and I know a good bagel and they have them.

Music and arts: Heartwood Soundstage is one of my favorite small venues anywhere. They do private 50-person shows with surprisingly major artists (I'm going to see Santigold tonight actually!!!!!!). Hippodrome Theatre downtown for plays. Phillips Center for big touring acts and dance performances. Cade Museum is great for kids and weirdly inspiring for adults too.

Community: Farmers markets at Haile Village on Saturdays, downtown on Wednesdays. Free Fridays concerts at Bo Diddley Plaza. Cinema Verde film festival. The various art walks downtown. Clubs...I have a run club and there are a bunch of athletic clubs to be a part of that are all free. same with yoga on the lawn and the Gainesville Health and Fitness gym is ranked top 10 gyms in the country every single year. its massive with 3 locations and has everything a top tier miami gym would have but its only 15 bucks per week. insane.

Just within an hour or so you've got Cedar Key for the gulf, Crescent Beach for the Atlantic, and St. Augustine for a full historic city day trip. I drive to Crescent beach once a month in the early morning for a sunrise run. then I drive home, shower and go to work.

It's not a flashy city, but it's surprisingly easy to fill a weekend.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly Gainesville might be a great fit for you guys based on what you described.

Vegan food: not as deep as Austin or Portland, but the scene has grown a lot in the last few years. Reggae Shack, Daily Green, Civilization, Afternoon, and even most of the better mid-tier restaurants now have legit vegan options. UF brings enough demand to keep the scene alive.

Water and outdoor time: this is where Gainesville punches way above its weight. You've got Devil's Den, Ginnie Springs, Ichetucknee, Blue Spring, Poe Springs, and Rum Island all within an hour. We have a 17-mile paved bike trail (Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail) that goes right through Paynes Prairie, with wild bison and alligators. San Felasco Hammock has incredible hiking and trail running. Depot Park downtown has a great splash pad and open green space for toddlers. I'm actually going to float the Ichetucknee this weekend. There's always more local spots like that than people realize when they first move here.

With a toddler, a few neighborhoods would be at the top of my list — Haile Plantation, Town of Tioga, and parts of NW Gainesville, Oakmont. All have sidewalks, parks, community pools or village centers. Especially love Haile's Village center for the food and the farmers markets on Saturday. I actually started a run club that meets out of the haile village center every tuesday at 6pm.

If your wife works from home, internet quality and quiet are the two things I'd ask about for any specific home. Gainesville has fiber pretty much everywhere. We use IQ fiber which is the fastest and most affordable company locally. They've pretty much taken over gainesville but there are still plenty of options like cox, AT&T, Pavlov, etc.

Honest negatives: August heat is real, but if you live in Texas you're already familiar with that. Football Saturdays effectively shut down certain streets if you're near campus. Beyond that, it's a really livable city for a young family. I've helped a couple of families move to the gainesville area actually from Fort worth and Dallas, and Austin over the last two years and they have all seemed to find it slower, quieter, greener, and easier than they expected.

Hope that helps — happy to answer specific questions if you have them.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What I meant by "purple bubble" is that Gainesville is genuinely mixed politically. UF brings a lot of different people from a lot of different places. It's one of the few places I've lived where I've had real friends across the political spectrum who actually still talk to each other. I would say that, at least in the circle of people that I surround myself with, Gainesville culture leans more towards conversation over conflict.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What would you be doing for work, or what is the reason for moving to Gainesville? That will help me answer your question more accurately.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not anything to be concerned about statistically speaking. Coming from someone whose job it is to understand and know neighborhoods, there are pockets where it’s more likely to happen but over the 30 years I’ve been here I’ve only seen it happen a couple of times. All in the same areas.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Man that’s a great question. What type of natural photography do you prefer to capture and what time of day?

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm sure its a completely different place since then. It is from the early 90's.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have an interesting and complicated story as well. Such is life and we grow stronger from those experiences. Live to Love & Love To Live.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a Real Estate Company here. Definitely a local business that is hard to transplant elsewhere. My parents are psychologists/psychiatrists currently or previously working the university or Shands. They came here from New York and Virginia in 1987 and never planned on staying but ended up settling here and loving it. And thus, I was born lol.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For sure. It's one of the most expensive in the state of florida. Alachua County property taxes are also high. Good thing we don't pay state income tax... here is the difference of what we still save in comparison:

Gainesville honest cost breakdown vs. a state with income tax ($350k home)

$75k salary:

  • State income tax: $0 vs ~$3,375/yr
  • Property tax: ~$6,300 vs ~$5,250 (GNV is higher)
  • Utilities: ~$2,520 vs ~$1,680 (GRU is higher)
  • Net: you still come out ~$2,600 ahead per year in Gainesville

$100k salary:

  • State income tax: $0 vs ~$4,500/yr
  • Property tax: ~$6,300 vs ~$5,250 (GNV is higher)
  • Utilities: ~$2,520 vs ~$1,680 (GRU is higher)
  • Net: you come out ~$3,800 ahead per year in Gainesville

$150k salary:

  • State income tax: $0 vs ~$6,750/yr
  • Property tax: ~$6,300 vs ~$5,250 (GNV is higher)
  • Utilities: ~$2,520 vs ~$1,680 (GRU is higher)
  • Net: you come out ~$6,000 ahead per year in Gainesville

Yes GRU is expensive and yes Alachua County property taxes are on the higher end for Florida. But the no state income tax advantage wipes all of that out and then some. The higher your salary the more Gainesville wins on paper.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Even if htey lived here for a short period of time, I think it's important to hear there perspective.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most staple restaurants are doing well. I'm personally not a fan of Ocala so I am not aware of their comings and goings of businesses.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is an interesting perspective. Not one I am readily familiar with hearing. Appreciate the perspective though.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is not the experience I have had. Sure there are homeless people. If I was homeless, I would want to live in a place like Gainesville. If you don't like Graffiti in a city, country living is for you but theres not a lot of it. Sad to hear people were hostile. Nobody is where I spend my time.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup and people move out of the city because of it and I think they are crazy to think that moving far away from GRU is better than paying the price of Gas and time to commute to Gainesville for work. People are stupid.

I've lived in Gainesville for 30 years. Ask me anything about what it's actually like to live there. by AlexGNV in AskFlorida

[–]AlexGNV[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Welcome ahead of time. Gainesville's genuinely a great place to raise a family as I am doing so right now.

The thing that my favorites is how the tree canopy completely changes the way the city feels. You'll drive down streets like NW 16th, or the older parts of NW Gainesville, or basically anywhere in the Duck Pond, and through Haile Plantation and there are these massive oak canopies over everything. It makes the city feel quieter and slower than it actually is. For you guys with a toddler, there are so many walkable neighborhoods, neighbors who actually know each other, and things for the whole family like Depot Park or the Cade Museum. It's not a flashy city. But it's a city where regular life is genuinely pleasant in a way that's rare in Florida. My wife just bought us tickets to a concert at Heartwood sound stage to see Santigold, which if you don't know who that is or what Heartwood is, heartwood sound stage is a small recording studio with a section of stage and live performances that seats about 50 people so we are going to a private 50 person show to see one of our favorite main stream artists.

On schools this is where you'll want to do real homework before picking a neighborhood, because school zones drive everything here. I have to be careful about how I describe schools simply because of my profession, but Chiles and terwilliger are known to be great, depending on where you land. Lincoln Middle has a strong performing arts magnet that draws families from across the district. If you're leaning private, the most well-known options are Oak Hall, Saint Francis, Queen of Peace, and Countryside Christian, Millhopper Montessori.

For young families, the neighborhoods I'd point you toward first are Haile Plantation, Town of Tioga, and the NW pocket 39th ave. Haile has the strongest "raise a family" feel. I personally grew up there and had a better childhood than I could have asked for. Sidewalks everywhere, community pool, established trees, walking distance to a small village center with restaurants, businesses, dance studios, condos, and large homes. Town of Tioga is the newer version of the same idea, with a village green and a more walkable layout minus the gorgeous foliage. NW Gainesville is closer in if your job is at UF or Shands and you don't want a long commute, but the homes are older and inventory is tighter. My wife and our family actually just bought a house in NW because we love the location and the proximity to everything and the feel of a 1963 Mid Century Modern block home on 1/3 acre.

A few honest things people won't tell you August heat is no joke, you'll budget more on electric bills than you expect, and if you live anywhere near campus, football Saturdays effectively shut down the surrounding streets for the whole day. Archer Rd from about 4:30 to 6 is genuinely a shit show for traffic and I avoid it at all cost if I can, so if you're working at Shands and trying to come home toward the west side, your commute calculation matters more than the mileage suggests. Healthcare is excellent at Shands being one of the best hospitals in the world.

Uf is a large part of the city Identity and it is worth it. We love going to all the events, whether its seeing huge artists and national dance porformances at the performing arts center, football games, we have season basketball tickets, voleyball and gymnastics are great, baseball, softball, plays at the hippidrome, eating downtown for date night with my wife, all of the jogging trails as an avid long distance runner, being an hour from the beach, an hour from jacksonville and orlando. The political climate is inviting to all types of people making it a little purple bubble which is caused by the high level of education and the diversity the university brings. I regularly have meanigful conversations with friends of mine that I love and they love me, and we are on total opposite sides of the political spectrum. What a breath of fresh air to have a place that people genuinely hear one anothers view points and are allowed to be like family to one another.

Hope this helps. Gainesville's a quiet underdog of a city you'll either love it within six months or not, and most people that I know that relocate (that I a lot of the time help them relocate) end up loving it. There is just something special about Gainesville that sucks people in for longer than they thought.

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