Looking to go out and about without breaking a sweat this summer? The city of Gainesville offers a plethora of indoor activities that appeal to a wide range of ages.
Here’s a list of some popular spots to be entertained while escaping the brutal summer heat:
Butterfly Rainforest
3215 Hull Road, Gainesville; 352-846-2000; floridamuseum.ufl.edu
On the outskirts of the University of Florida campus, in the midst of The Swamp, lies a rainforest. The Florida Museum’s Butterfly Rainforest, which can be accessed through the Florida Museum of Natural History, offers a semi-outdoors, shaded tropical scene for visitors to walk through with hundreds of free-flying butterflies along with birds, turtles and fish.
Staff are available to help answer questions and engage with visitors. A live butterfly spotlight is held Monday-Friday at 2 p.m., weather permitting.
Hours: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Cost: Adults: $14; Florida residents, college students, seniors: $12.50; Ages 3-17: $7.50; Ages 0-2, UF students, museum members: Free
Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention
811 S. Main St., Gainesville; 352-371-8001; cademuseum.org
The Cade Museum provides visitors with interactive exhibits, programs and activities focused on inspiring communities in Gainesville and beyond. The museum’s website said these exhibits are “intentionally designed to inspire visitors to tap into their own potential to invent and create.”
Information on upcoming exhibits and events can be found at: https://cademuseum.org/visit/exhibits/ and https://cademuseum.org/events/
Hours: 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.; closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Cost: Ages 18+: $15; Ages 5-17: $10; Ages 0-4: Free; College students, seniors: $12.50; Families with SNAP: $2 adults, children free; Cade Museum members, community partner members: Free
Escape rooms
With multiple companies to choose from, there’s no shortage of indoor escape games in Gainesville. Typically, these games run for an hour or longer and feature a thrilling, interactive way to escape rooms with certain themes. Some escape rooms around town include:
Hours: Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 10 p.m., Fridays from 5 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 3 p.m. to midnight.
Cost: $35 per person. Ages 13 and under: $15
Hours: Wendesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 9:30 p.m., Fridays from 2:30 to 10:40 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10:40 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Ranges, around $40 per person.
- Escapology, 4480 SW 32nd Road, Suite 10, Gainesville.
Hours: Monday through Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m., Fridays from 2 to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 9 p.m.
Cost: $38 per person
Hours: Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $38 per person
Florida Museum of Natural History
3215 Hull Road; 352-846-2000; floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Visitors of all ages can have fun, learn and explore at the Florida Museum of Natural History. With exhibits ranging from Florida’s fossils to South Florida Native Americans, there’s no shortage of fascinating things to see.
The museum regularly hosts special limited-time exhibits along with educational events. A list of events can be found at: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/calendar/
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
Cost: General admission is free. Additional cost for traveling exhibit and Butterfly Rainforest.
Harn Museum of Art
3259 Hull Road, Gainesville; 352-392-9826; harn.ufl.edu
Located in the same area as the Museum of Natural History is the Harn Museum of Art, which showcases a collection of over 13,000 artworks. Across 10 galleries, art collection themes include African, Asian, contemporary art and photography, among others.
There also are landscaped grounds and gardens surrounding the museum for visitors to enjoy.
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Art After Dark is held Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Free. Weekday visitors can expect to pay $4 for parking.
Hippodrome Theatre
25 SE Second Place; 352-375-4477; thehipp.org
Anyone can catch a theater show at the Hippodrome Theatre, lovingly known by locals as “The Hipp.” From live theater plays to films and comedy, the Hippodrome features multiple different shows to choose from (depending on who is performing there, of course).
It also offers classes, workshops and camps to teach young people about theater and acting. Additionally, there is an art gallery in the theater that hosts exhibitions. A list of upcoming events can be found on the event calendar at: https://tickets.thehipp.org/TheatreManager/1/online?calendars
Hours: Varies based on show. Box Office Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (or 30 minutes after the last event of the day begins).
Cost: Varies based on show.
