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Florida Gators: Top Parking Spots in Gainesville on Gameday

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Without question, parking can be one of the biggest headaches you experience on a gameday, regardless of location. Our goal? To try and make your visit to Gainesville as painless as possible when it comes to finding the perfect spot before seeing the Florida Gators.

We talked with Nick de la Torre and Corey Bender of On3’s Gators Online to get an idea of some of the best places to park the car on gameday.

Single Game Parking

Gainesville Woman’s Club

  • Location: 2809 W. University Ave.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 1 mile
  • Price: $30 (varies)
  • Website

If you’re looking for a great tailgating spot relatively close to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Gainesville Woman’s Club is a great option. The premises offers indoor restrooms — which is worth the price alone. Be sure to look at the calendar, though, as the Woman’s Club will restrict parking if it’s hosting an event.

CampusView Church

  • Location: 2720 SW 2nd Ave.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 1 mile
  • Price: $30 (varies)
  • Website

Right beside the Gainesville Woman’s Club, you can find the CampusView Church. It’s also within a mile of the stadium and provides fans the opportunity to set up a smaller tailgate on gamedays.

Southwest Downtown Garage

  • Location: 105 SW 3rd St.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 1.4 miles
  • Price: $1-$5 per hour
  • Website

The Southwest Downton Garage is a slightly further walk, nearly 1.5 miles away from “The Swamp.” Be advised, a new policy states that parking is prohibited from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Thursday-Sunday. This might not be a great spot for night games.

Flavet Field Lot

  • Location: 2307 Woodlawn Dr.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 0.5 miles
  • Price: $30-$60
  • Website

Looking for something a little closer to the stadium? No problem. The lot around Flavet Field is within a half-mile of the stadium — a great location for those hotter or rainy days. You’re probably going to pay a little more for the location, though.

Levin Law School Lot

  • Location: 309 Village Dr.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 0.8 miles
  • Price: $30-$60
  • Website

Another of UF’s general parking locations on campus. It’s a little further away than Flavet Field but it’s closer than some of the other parking areas mentioned.

Season Passes

First Lutheran Church

  • Location: 1801 NW 5th Ave.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 0.6 miles
  • Price: Inquire for details
  • Website

First Lutheran Church actually offers both season-long passes and day-of parking options. You’ll have to visit the website and add your name to the wait list if you’re looking for the price of a season-long parking pass here. However, folks wanting a parking spot on the day of the game will pay $25 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Roberts’ Stadium Club

  • Location: 16 NW 18th St.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 0.3 miles
  • Price: $525
  • Website

A parking area that checks all the boxes is Roberts’ Stadium Club. It’s close to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, offers 24-hour security, is located near the nightlife and has restrooms on every floor. It’s a little pricier than most, but you’re getting quite a bit for your money.

Parker Elementary School

  • Location: 1912 NW 5th Ave.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 0.5 miles
  • Price: $154
  • Website

Like First Lutheran Church, Parker Elementary School provides fans with both single-game and season-long options. Gator fans can lock up a parking spot for the season for under $200 or can make a gameday decision — though single-game rates vary.

UF Booster Parking

  • Location: Surrounding Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: Varies depending on location
  • Price: Inquire for details
  • Website

The other option to securing a season-long parking pass is to become a booster for the Florida Gators. If that’s your desired route, you’ll have a dozen different lots to choose from — though there’s no guarantee you’ll receive access to your top choice. Admittedly, this option isn’t for everyone, but it’s still something UF offers.

Park and Ride

Want to avoid most of the hassle of finding a parking spot near the University of Florida campus? There are actually locations where fans can park in larger areas off campus and take a shuttle to the stadium through Gator Aider. It comes at a reasonable cost, too, with the price at $10 for a single game shuttle service and $50 for the season. Parking is free.

Shuttles will run to the stadium starting three hours before kickoff. After the game, they’ll run from the fourth quarter for one hour after the game has ended. The locations for the shuttle service are as follows:

Oaks Mall

  • Location: 6419 W Newberry Rd.
  • Pick Up/Drop Off: Southwest corner of mall parking lot
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 4 miles
  • Website

There are over 130 stores and restaurants at Oaks Mall. So, if you arrive early — or stay late — you can enjoy a little shopping and dining on gameday.

Celebration Pointe

  • Location: 4949 Celebration Pointe Ave.
  • Pick Up/Drop Off: Behind Regal Cinemas Theater
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 4.7 miles
  • Website

Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille, Bass Pro Shops, Regal Cinemas Theater and plenty more are located at Celebration Pointe. Plus, there’s typically a variety of live entertainment. You can enjoy more than just football if you’re parking here on Saturday.

UF Park and Ride #2

  • Location: 3450 Hull Rd.
  • Pick Up/Drop Off: Behind 3450 Hull Rd.
  • Distance to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: 2.5 miles
  • Website

There isn’t as much excitement as the other two shuttle stops here, but it is the closest to the stadium, making for a shorter shuttle ride. Nothing wrong with that, right?

More Things to Know

Because parking at Gainesville can be a little disjointed, many recommend arriving to town around four hours before kickoff to secure a spot, especially if you want one closer to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Plus, several roads are blocked off prior to the scheduled start time, so you could find yourself in a congested mess if you’re arriving late.

Here are a few other things to know before heading to Gainesville to see the Gators in action, per the UF website:

  • Parking is not permitted on the grass or sidewalks in general parking areas. Violators may be towed.
  • Several roads are closed off 3 hours prior to kickoff. You can see the complete list here.
  • Gator Aider Shuttle Passes can be purchased online.
  • UF’s website provides the best routes to find your parking lot on gameday.
  • Parking and tailgating begins at 6 a.m. on gamedays.