Transportation
It’s also a prime home location if you prefer to live in cheap apartments near UF but work or study in other parts of town. This region is known for its excellent access to highways and expressways. State Route 24/Archer Road runs along the southern end of campus and the Shands Medical Complex, providing a convenient expressway through much of Gainesville. State Route 24 also links you to Interstate 75, a 10-minute drive from Shands and the southeastern corner of campus. I-75 links you south to Miami and north to Georgia. For more distant travel, you’re less than 20 minutes away from Gainesville Regional Airport when you live near Shands Hospital.
For easy north-south travel around town and the region, 13th Street/US 441 also runs along the eastern border of the neighborhood.
This is also a good place to live if you don’t have a car in town. Dozens of local and regional bus routes provide service here, and there are countless bus pick-up points in the neighborhood. Do you need to head to north Gainesville? That’s no problem; you can pick up a Route 8 bus to the northern Walmart Supercenter. Do you want to catch a performance at downtown’s Hippodrome? Hop on a Route 17 bus. In all, there are 14 bus routes serving the Shands Medical Complex area, as well as the B, D and F Later Gator bus lines for late-night weekend transit.
Shopping and Entertainment
With State Route 24/Archer Road and 13th Street/US 441 running through the neighborhood, you can be assured that shopping, dining and entertainment are plentiful here. Along 13th Street, you’ll find local favorites like Blue Gill Quality Food, Adam’s Rib Co. and Steak ‘N Shake. Along Archer Road, there are more fast food joints and restaurants, including Jimmy John’s sandwiches, Chuy’s, Taco Bell, Panera Bread, TGI Friday’s, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Dunkin’ Donuts.
The options are even more abundant near the intersection of Archer Road and I-75. Entertainment in this area includes the 14 theaters of Regal Cinemas Gainesville and bountiful shopping. Crafters enjoy the proximity of JoAnn’s and Michael’s, and techies like the convenience of the AT&T Store and Best Buy. This area is also where you’ll find the most grocery and fresh food options, with Trader Joe’s and Publix just two of the food stores in the neighborhood.
Apartments
A variety of apartment communities is located in this neighborhood, making the most of the area’s close proximity to university and local services. Many of these options are perfectly suited for undergraduate and graduate students, like cheap apartments. These communities offer perks such as furnished units, roommate matching services, Gator.net access and swimming pools. Because most apartments in this neighborhood cater to the student population, rent prices are generally affordable.
