Car Rental - Gainesville

 

Rent a car in Gainesville, Florida to be at the heart of this college town and its surrounding nature reserves. Home to the University of Florida, Gainesville has all the benefits of big city living for you to enjoy.

Our car rental office is conveniently located at Gainesville Regional Airport, where you can choose from a range of vehicles, including stylish sedans, compact two-doors and practical SUVs.

Collect your Gainesville rental car and explore the city at your own pace. Meander through bustling Downtown, filled with shops, restaurants and entertainment, or learn something new at one of the educational centers and museums on campus.

You’ll also be minutes from Florida’s wild landscape in your Gainesville rental car, including the 21,000-acre Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and the only park located in a sinkhole. From here, you’re also less than two hours from Orlando and Tampa.

Reserve your Gainesville car rental at Hertz and experience the very best that central Florida has to offer.

Gainesville Locations

A Quick Guide to Gainesville

A butterfly at the Florida Museum of Natural History

Florida Museum of Natural History

3215 Hull Road, FL, 32611

This state-sponsored museum is conveniently located on the UF campus and is a must-visit when in the city. Wander through the butterfly rainforest to see a kaleidoscope of colors created by the hundreds of free-flying butterflies and other creatures. Look out too for the internationally acclaimed fossil collections showcasing 65 million years of history.

Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Ichetucknee Springs State Park

12087 Southwest, FL, 32038

You don’t need to take your Gainesville rental car to the coast to find aquatic fun at this sprawling state park. With a collection of spring-fed rivers and swimming holes, you can cool off in the water or take to the rivers in a canoe. If you’re here in summer, try warm weather tubing – the natural lazy rivers are ideal for family fun in the sun.

Auditorium of a planetarium

Kika Silva Pla Planetarium

3000 Northwest 83 Street Building X, FL, 32606

Another campus offering, this time at Santa Fe College, spend a day exploring outer space at this fun-filled planetarium. Check the calendar to see when the next public performance is showing and sit back as the speakers take you on a journey to the unknown. There are also several shows and music experiences available for all ages.

AC Hotel Gainesville Downtown

151 Northwest 14th Street, FL, 32603

Stay smack in the center of Downtown at this modern Marriott hotel, just under 15 minutes from our Gainesville Airport car rental location. Take in the views of the university campus and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium from the rooftop pool, before retreating to your stylish room which features a smart TV, free Wi-Fi and local artwork.

Hotel Eleo at the University of Florida

1514 Southwest 14th Street, FL, 32608

This contemporary hotel is on the edge of UF campus, making it a prime spot for students and families visiting the university. Suites are spacious and sleek, with hypo-allergenic pillows, satin linens and a coffee maker. After a busy day exploring in your Gainesville car rental, head to the on-site restaurant for southern hospitality and Floridian food.

Herlong Mansion

402 Northeast Cholokka Boulevard, FL, 32667

Set just south of Gainesville, between two serene parks, this 19th-century bed and breakfast exudes character and charm. Each room is uniquely designed, with many featuring four-poster beds and fireplaces. Meanwhile, the veranda on the second floor has a swing bed perfect for soaking up the Florida sun.

The Top

30 North Main Street, FL, 32601

This Downtown restaurant is a favorite among students and locals alike, and it’s not hard to see why with a flavorsome menu of vegan, vegetarian and southern American fare. Sit indoors or outside and revel in the lively atmosphere as you work your way through Angus beef burgers, roasted eggplant and fresh gnocchi.

Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company

201 Southeast 2nd Avenue #104, FL, 32601

Head 10 minutes southwest from our Gainesville Airport car rental location and enjoy a hearty fusion meal. This contemporary restaurant combines a southern welcome with Japanese traditions for a truly unique dining experience. Take a seat and watch the chefs creating magic as they serve up a colorful array of tapas-style food, such as their short rib miso ramen and raw tuna tataki.

Satchel's Pizza

1800 Northeast 23rd Avenue, FL, 32609

Art meets pizza at this creative eatery featuring local crafts, live music and quirky stained-glass windows. Just park up your Gainesville rental car and soak up the electric atmosphere. Choose your seating – perhaps inside the iconic blue van, under a plane or in the greenhouse – and enjoy fresh pizzas, calzones and salads alongside their homemade sodas.

Driving In and Around Gainesville

  • Southwest Downtown Garage (32601) is an automated garage that’s open 24/7. Park your Gainesville car rental here for Hippodrome State Theatre and City Hall.
  • UF Visitor Welcome Center parking garage (32611) is open to visitors of the campus Monday to Friday, with both short-term and all-day parking facilities available for your Gainesville rental car.
  • Metered on-street parking is available throughout Downtown. Look out for decal zones, where a city permit is needed to park your Gainesville car rental.
  • Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major cross-state highway that cuts west of Gainesville. Use this route to reach Ocala and Tampa to the southwest.
  • Florida State Road 20 (SR 20) runs east to west, connecting northern Florida to the Florida Panhandle. It cuts through downtown Gainesville, heading east towards Hawthorne and Palatka.
  • Florida State Road 24 is another east-west highway, this time connecting Gainesville to Cedar Key and the west coast. Take it northeast to reach Gainesville Regional Airport.

How to Get From Gainesville to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

It takes around 25 minutes to drive to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park from Gainesville in your car rental:

  1. Leave downtown Gainesville south on South Main Street. 
  2. At the roundabout, carry on straight along South Main Street.
  3. At the end of the road, turn right onto Southwest Williston Road.
  4. After half a mile, turn left to join the US 441 South.
  5. Carry on for around seven miles, then turn left on to Savannah Boulevard.
  6. Follow the road around to reach the state park visitor center.

 

How to Get From Gainesville to Orlando

Orlando is approximately a two-hour drive from Gainesville in your rental car. Just join the US 441 south before merging on to the I-75. Then, join Florida’s Turnpike before exiting on to the I-4 into the city.