Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
MICANOPY
A must-do day trip from Gainesville, Micanopy (pronounced mickuh-noh-pee) is the old-
est inland settlement in Florida. Starting out as an Indian trading post, today it's a trading
post for antique hunters. Its moniker, 'the town that time forgot,' fits: hulking oaks drip-
ping with Spanish moss converge over wide streets of stoic brick buildings. The half-mile
main drag, NE Cholokka Blvd, looks like a movie set - Doc Hollywoodwas filmed here in
1991, and residents have never forgotten! Enjoy a leisurely browse through its dozen or so
antique shops, galleries and cafes, and be sure to bring your camera.
Two miles north on Hwy 441, wild horses and bison roam the 33-sq-mile
Paynes Prair-
ie Preserve State Park
( 352-466-3397;
www.floridastateparks.org/Paynesprairie
; 100 Savan-
nah Blvd; per vehicle $6; 8am-sunset). This slightly eerie preserve's wet prairie, swamp,
hammock and pine flatwoods have more than 34 trails, including the 16-mile Gaines-
ville-Hawthorne Rail Trail, slicing through the northern section. The 3-mile La Chua Trail
takes in the Alachua Sink and Alachua Lake, offering alligator- and sandhill-crane-spot-
ting opportunities. Just north of the visitor center, climb the 50ft observation tower for
panoramas. Campsites cost $18, and include water and electricity.
NE Cholokka Blvd; r $119-189), sitting on the northern edge of Micanopy like a king surveying
his fiefdom. It's impeccably manicured, and the mansion's 2nd floor boasts two endless
porches, perfect for relaxing with a cool drink.
Sleeping
Prices soar during football games and graduations, when a minimum stay may be required
and rooms fill rapidly. Many inexpensive motels are just east of UF, along SW 13th St or
on approach roads. Just east of downtown, the historic district has a handful of elegant
B&Bs in restored Victorian homes.
Zen Hostel
HOSTEL
352-336-3613;
www.zenhostel.com
;
404 SE 2nd St; dm $25, r $35-40;
)
Look for the Tibetan prayer flags decorating the porch of this rambling yellow house,
which feels like an old-school 1970s commune: chickens in the yard, barefoot children,
