Hidden Gems of Gainesville

The Retirement Home for Horses at Mill Creek Farm is probably one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to. It's 335 acres of land is kind of like a sanctuary for horses in need. They currently have 140 horses that are all retired at the farm. All the horses come from different backgrounds; a lot of them worked for police stations and sheriff departments, some were sadly abandoned or simply because an owner couldn't take care of the horse anymore. Each horse lives out their lives in peace and tranquility with care and attention...and plenty of food. Many horses that arrived at the farm sick and frightened, or suffer emotional scars from abuse and neglect are examined by a vet, and they are given specialized care and attention. They check on their health regularly. I went here on my 21st birthday, and it was so beautiful, and I didn't want to leave. Everyone who works at the farm is a volunteer, and they are very informative about each horse. You can visit th

Hey readers! On Friday, September 28, I went to a new Vietnamese restaurant in Gainesville called Red Rise Kitchen. It's on 35th Blvd. and Archer Road. The new restaurant opened up about a month ago, and business is booming for them. I got the chicken noodle pho and the lemongrass grass grilled meat with steamed rice. For a drink, I tried the coconut shake, and it was amazing! Make sure to get there a little early before the dinner rush, they are already getting very busy!  (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. View this post on Instagram Good food is all the sweeter shared with good friends. • • • My friend, Ampi and I went to the new Vietnamese restaurant in Gainesville called Red Rice Kitchen. A post shared by Tessa Bentulan (@tessabentulan) on Sep 29, 2018 at 7:02pm PDT

Once you walk into the Blackadder Brewing Company, you feel like you just boarded "The Black Pearl" from P irates of the Caribbean. Chris and Sissy Hart are the owners of the company. Brewing has been a part of their lives for more than a decade. Collectively, they have earned over 30 medals in beer competitions throughout Florida and the US. This couple knows how to serve a good beer! The Brewing Company is also partly a restaurant and great place to bring your kids. They have a seating area throughout the restaurant, and the bar is in the back of the place. They have board games, televisions and an area to play darts. A cool feature they added was a water dispenser that is the same as when bartenders get a beer from the tap.  This place will surely make you happy from both the inside and outside. Make sure to give the place a visit and let me know what you think!  Hours: Sun: 1pm-8pm Mon: Closed Tues - Thurs: 4pm-9pm Fri: 4pm-10pm Sat: 12pm-10pm

Happy Fall! For many states around the nation, many people are looking for news coats and might already be dressing in sweaters. Here in Florida, it's still hot as heck! The temperatures are still hitting in the 90s, and if you're looking to cool down, I got the spot for you. Devil's Den Spring is natures natural wonder that has been transformed from a simple scuba diving site to a world-class tourist attraction. This underground spring inside a dry cave has been home to many extinct animal fossils dating back to the Pleistocene Age. Not only can you swim here with your friends, but you can snorkel and scuba dive! They offer scuba diving seven days a week with a proper certification level of Open Water or above. Luckily for snorkelers, no certification is necessary. You can enjoy the day with your family and explore everything this natural wonder has to offer. If you want to spend more than one day there, you can! They offer cabin rentals, and up to four people c

Hi everyone, This weeks post is a little different than what I usually talk about. We are going to discuss the show, "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown." Bourdain was 61-years-old when he committed suicide in Northeastern France about four months ago. To many people, he was more than just a cook; he was a travel companion, a friend and the guy who was up for any adventure. In the 11th and last season of the show, Bourdain visits Kenya with Kamau Bell in one of the episodes. Bell is the face of the show, "United Shades of America." In many interviews leading up to the episode, Bell said he really felt a close friendship was beginning to bloom with Bourdain. I believe this show relates to my blog because they travel to countries around the world, visit fun attractions and eat! Now, I know I only talk about places to travel in Gainesville and the surrounding areas, but I think this can give inspiration to all those adventurists out there! There are s

Who would have thought that in a small city like Gainesville, we would have an elephant sanctuary! Well, it's not actually in Gville, it's in Williston. Two Tails Ranch   was founded in 1984 by Theodore Svertesky, and Patricia Zerbini joined his adventure a year later. The ranch started with 10 acres 1 barn and 1 yard and has grown to have 67 acres, 3 main Barns, 9 yards, and much more! Elephants are at the ranch for all different reasons; some are retired from shows, temporary boarding, and some for training or medical reasons.  Not only can you play with elephants but they have other exotic animals that include  Grant Zebras Tortoises, an Ostrich, Emu, Cockatoo, and Parrots!  In 2009, Patricia decided to open the ranch to the public to have educational programs available for both elephant lovers as well as professionals in the elephant field. She felt the need to have a facility where people could get up close and personal and get a first-hand experience with these exotic

Hey, readers! My name is Tessa Bentulan, and I am so excited to create content for you all. This blog is about the fun activities around the Gainesville area; things you would not usually do with your friends but are totally worth it - the hidden gems. These remarkable destinations are going to make you want to take photo's and show them off on your Instagram! Once a week I will post about an amusing destination waiting for you to explore.  Before I start posting the extravagant locations, I'll tell you a little bit about myself. I am a senior at the University of Florida. I am studying Telecommunications, and I am on the news track. I am very involved with the Journalism and Communications Schools, Innovation News Center (the newsroom). I am an anchor and producer for Morning Edition and All Things Considered, I am an editor for the UF's news show, First at Five, and I am an anchor/producer for News In 90. I do all the while taking five classes! I have a lot on my pl