There are many exciting attractions within approximate 100 miles of the Gainesville area.

Canoe the Santa Fe River in nearby High Springs or explore Florida wildlife at O’Leno State Park where the river runs underground for three miles.

Visit neighboring Micanopy, named after chief Micanopy of the Seminole Nation. Funded in 1821, Micanopy is believed to be Florida’s oldest inland town. Visitors can wander the city’s historic district or explore the Thrasher Ware house, home of the Micanopy Historical Society museum, and one of the 39 Micanopy sites listed on the national Register of Historic Places.

Fish off the pier at Cedar Key, where you can catch anything from sea trout to whiting to small sharks. This picturesque fishing village was the western terminus of the railroad to which Gainesville owes it existence.

Enjoy nature at Silver Springs, where you can take a jungle cruise, explore underwater life on a glass-bottom boat cruise, embark on a lost river voyage and view panther, bear, alligator and crocodile exhibits. The park also features live shows, children’s activities, a petting zoo and botanical gardens. In addition, Silver Springs has a regular concert series, with big-name entertainers appearing regularly. Also located within the park is Wild Waters, a water park containing a 450,000-gallon wave pool, several high-energy water slides and a children’s area.

Take a historical tour of the nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine. Founded in 1565-42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock- St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in North America. Visitors can explore sites such as the oldest house, the oldest wooden schoolhouse, the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas National monument and Ponce de Leon’s fountain of Youth. Other attractions include an authentic old jail, an alligator farm, ghost tours, an antique mall, trolley tours, a wax museum, a golf hall of fame and Ripley’s’ Believe it or Not.

Dive with the manatees in beautiful Crystal River, on Florida’s west coast. Containing just over 40 acres, Crystal River consists of nine small islands and several freshwater springs that come together in Kings Bay. Crystal River is also home to a national historic landmark, the Crystal River State Archaeological Site, where Florida’s Native Americans traveled to ceremoniously bury their dead. Dating back to 200 B.C. the complex is considered one of the longest continually occupied sites in the state.

Learn about outer space at the Kennedy Space Center, located on the west coast of central Florida, near Cape Canaveral. The space center features an international space station center, three IMAX theaters, a launch status center, a rocket garden containing actual rockets launched into space and a full-sized Replica of a NASA space shuttle, the Enterprise. Kennedy Space Center also offers several restaurants and concession stands, and a gift shop with space memorabilia, collectables and gifts.

Gainesville is also within a two-hour drive to major cities such as Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa including attractions such as Walt Disney World, Epcot, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens.