Transportation
The Aviara Apartments are located approximately two miles southwest of the University of Florida’s southeastern corner. Heading north on SE 16th Avenue and then turning right onto SW 13th Street and making the sharp left onto SW Archer Road will take you to the intersection of SW Archer Road and SW 16th Street in approximately five minutes. This area is home to the College of Dentistry, the College of Medicine and the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. Turn right off SW Archer Road to enter the southern edge of campus. An alternate route is to take SE 16th Avenue to SW 6th Street, making a left turn to enter the eastern edge of campus.
If you don’t have a car, you can take the 2.5-mile walk or bike ride to reach the center of campus near Hume Hall. Take SE 16th Avenue and make your way to Museum Road, which cuts directly through campus. If you prefer to take the bus, cross SE 16th Avenue from the apartment complex to catch a route 16 bus in front of the In the Pines Apartment complex. Get off in seven stops at Beaty Towers, which is on the eastern edge of campus near the housing office.
There is only one bus route that covers this area of Gainesville, and that’s route 16. If you catch the northbound bus, it will make a loop through the university campus before heading back south. The southbound bus turns left on SW Williston Road and makes a loop in a residential area before heading back. If you want to venture into other areas of Gainesville, you can connect with alternate bus routes from campus.
Things Nearby
While you can walk a mile or two to reach some restaurants from the apartment complex, it’s more convenient to depend on a bicycle or private vehicle when living in this area. There is a barbecue truck and a rib shack a short distance away, but most restaurants, bars, shopping centers and entertainment venues are more than a mile out. Since the area isn’t heavily covered by public buses, it’s best to have at least a bicycle to cut down on the time that you spend walking.