There's an awesome park where you can crash on south Main, two minute walk from the kickstand.

i just booked rooms at the Days Inn University. I stayed at the Econolodge last here.

Anyone have any experience at that Days Inn? it seems nice enough.

Please be careful guys if you decide to stay there.

yeah if I'm thinking of the right park then as of right now I would really advise against it

lynch park

Out-of-towners need to realize something:

Violent crime is up, pretty much everywhere. Gainesville is not excluded. I'm not saying its a dangerous city, but you should take the normal precautions to avoid being the victim of crime.

The buddy system is as good an idea, as ever. If you and your buddy are equally shitstorm drunk, you are as good as defenseless.

There have been some people preying on drunk people and beating the shit out of them, when their guard is down. For funsies, not for money, even.

Additionally, the majority of our homeless were displaced when they were evicted from a plot of land on the edge of the city. So, there are more people wondering the streets here, asking for money and being weird. I deal with a normal run-in with a dozen bums each week while working at a bar. They are mostly non-violent, but they can be pretty crafty, as some of them are using all of their survival skills to stay alive day-by-day. A few of them dress better than your average punk kid and tend to be unsuspecting.

I'm not afraid to do any of the things I normally do in my town, but like I said, being alone late at night and drunk walking or biking is probably a bad decision. Sleeping is a public park is definitely more risky in this climate.

You've been warned. Sorry if I'm mothering. I want all of you to have the most epic time ever and also go home safely, come back here and talk about how awesome it was.

i'll def be packing heat

I'm glad you brought all of this up. When I did last year everyone said I was overreacting. I have several friends that went to the hospital in the last couple years that would say otherwise.

I'm becoming my mother. :cringe:

this is probably the craziest part of it, the people get the shit beat out of them and end up in the hospital when they only had $5 on them, and not like anyone would know because they just wait for the drunks to go by a dark area alone and jump them

the buddy system (or huge group) is your friend

Hands down, the Rush Lake Motel is the best place to stay. Ammenities include a nearby Steak 'n Shake, a marsh front view, bottle openers in every bathroom, front desk personell who don't mind a few prank phone calls, and a vending machine that offers free peanuts if you shake it hard enough.

How are the rooms? Not roach motel quality I hope

Time to start checking priceline or Orbitz this weekend or next.

Which of these hotels is nicer and closest? I need to find the perfect balance of both:

Days Inn sw 13th st.

Howard Johnson Express sw 13th st.

Red Roof Inn sw 42nd st.

Knights Inn sw 13th st.

Super 8 Motel sw 40th blvd.

Econo Lodge sw 13th st.

Newberry Inn and Conference Center w newberry rd.

Sorry, I don't know anything about those hotels because I've never had to stay in them. As for location do a google maps search from maybe the Holiday Inn to the other hotels to see how far away they are. I'm thinking that the hotels that everyone talks mainly about on here are what are closest.

You may find more answers in the Fest 8 "While in Gainesville" section:

http://www.thefestfl.com/board/viewforum.php?f=15

As well as on the Fest 7 "While in Gainesville" section:

http://www.thefestfl.com/board/viewforum.php?f=5

There are several hotel threads in both. The Fest 7 board is locked so you won't be able to ask questions over there.

I googled a lot last year and the clostest cheap ones I found were rush lake, days inn and best value inn, that are pretty much same distance, 30 min walk .. but not sure if I checked everyone on your list