North Florida

North Florida's Top Places

Gainesville, FL

Gainesville is located in the central area of North Florida, in Alachua County, and is the largest city in the area with a population of over 275,000 in the greater metropolitan area (Alachua and Gilchrist Counties).

Gainesville is widely known for visual arts, music, sports, and more. Gainesville has two large, annual art festivals, numerous museums, theaters, and performing arts centers. Gainesville is also where many popular musicians and bands started, including Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, members of The Eagles, Less Than Jake, and Sister Hazel.

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the fifth largest university in the United States. The University of Florida Gators compete in the Southeastern Conference of the NCAA and has won 40 national team championships for basketball, football, men's golf, and women's tennis.

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville is located on the east coast of North Florida, is the county seat of Duval County, and is the most populous city in Florida with a population of over 1.5 million in the greater metropolitan area (Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, and Baker Counties). Jacksonville is also the most populous city in the southeastern United States and the largest city by land mass in the continental US.

Jacksonville is a hub of entertainment, leisure, and culture. Home of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, the NCAA Gator Bowl, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, The Art Walk, The Beaches, and numerous museums, Jacksonville has something for everyone.

Osceola National Forest

The Osceola National Forest is a United States National Forest in North Florida that features woodlands, swamps, and a wide range of wildlife. Birds, alligators, black bears, tortoises, cougars, skunks, bobcats, coyotes, and more call Osceola National Forest home.

Camping, hunting, fishing, swimming, hiking, horseback riding... the Osceola National Forest is a recreational gem with over 300 square miles of adventure.

St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine is a city in the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area and a popular tourist destination in North Florida due to its historical significance. Located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, St. Augustine was founded in 1565 and is the oldest, continuously inhabited European settlement in the United States. St. Augustine was settled by the Spanish and was the capital of Spanish Florida for over 200 years.

St. Augustine features a wealth of historical structures and national landmarks, built between the 1600s and 1900s, that still stand today.

North Florida Counties