The Villages to Micanopy 49-mi, 54-min
Ocala to Micanopy 27-mi, 31-min
Gainesville to Micanopy 12-mi, 18-min

Pronounced: [MICK · uh · NO · pee ]

Glancing down side streets you get the feeling of lingering intrigue, there is lots going on in these woods around Micanopy and there always has been. Locals refer to it as "the town that time forgot" and they work dilligently to preserve this. Named after the chief of the Seminole nation Micanopy has attracted filmmakers to it’s picture perfect kicked around southern town feel. Doc Hollywood and Cross Creek were both filmed under the moss draped oaks.
    Tom Petty was once a resident. Stylish adventurists from South Florida can’t seem to get past the place in their later in life shift from leaving the city to renovating Cracker houses and opening a quaint business.
    The best time to visit is on the weekend when day trippers wander through the antique stores and artist studios. Micanopy is a favorite place for college students to take mom and dad for the afternoon while visiting in Gainesville.
    If you like the vibe and want to spend the night, the Hurlong Mansion Guest House is the obvious choice as it guards the entry to the town from Highway 441 on the main street (N.E Cholokka Boulevard). Most guest rooms open onto the broad colonnade that wraps the two story mansion with out-sized Corinthian columns. The Herlong Suite at $189 looks like the best value as it commands the front right corner of the house on the second floor with views of all comings and goings. Vintage bathrooms, leaded glass windows, fireplaces and all of the original woodworking transport you back in time. 
    Another option is the Micanopy Inn a few miles west of town at the I-75 exit for Micanopy. This is your typical two story park-in-front of your room roadside motel. The cavernous antique barn and a nude waitress breakfast joint are other attractions on that end of town.
    For lunch or dinner our favorite is Blue Highway at 441 on the east side of Micanopy. With a biker bar feel inside and out, they serve great pizza and specialty sandwiches. We have never been dissapointed in all the years of visiting this joint.
     Although you may not spend the whole day exploring this very small town there are other attractions nearby such as Paynes Prarie Preserve, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings House Museum State Park and, of course, Gainesville is only a few minutes past Paines Prarie, with lots of other activities to fill out the day and evening.