Haile Village is the walkable town center at the heart of Haile, a traditionally planned town in Southwest Gainesville, FL. Haile is composed of some 2,700 fabulous single family homes, townhouses, condos and apartments.
Built with live, work, play (and eat!) as a focus and modeled after many of the Southeast’s most recognizable historic cities, living in the Village puts you within walking distance of everything from coffee shops and boutiques to preschools and pet clinics. The community is a 20 minute drive to the University of Florida and Shands, two of the region’s largest employers.
If we had to sum up what makes Haile Village special in a few words, it would be its family-friendliness, vibrancy, and traditional town planning. And between the Haile Farmer’s Market and the abundance of great restaurants, cafes and bars, it’s no wonder so many people are choosing to make Haile Village their home in Gainesville.
1. Family-friendliness
Haile Village is a family-friendly community. The town is zoned for Wiles Elementary, a highly rated school and one of the most diverse in Florida. There are three great preschools in Haile itself, and the town is dotted with playgrounds connected by tree-lined walking trails.
Public Schools Zoned for Haile
Elementary School: Kimball Wiles Elementary School-Al
Middle School: Kanapaha Middle School-Al
High School: F. W. Buchholz High School-Al
2. Walkability = Vibrancy
Haile Village is very walkable. “Brick sidewalks encourage walking to the nearby shops,” Southern Living notes, while “homes pull close to the street much as they did two centuries ago in Annapolis or Charleston.”
The Village’s walkability is the key to its vibrancy. You can walk to Haile Village Spa & Salon or The Village Jeweler, trips you’d have to get in a car to do in most suburban communities.
On Saturday mornings, the Haile Farmer’s Market attracts residents and visitors alike to its smorgasbord of farm-fresh produce, crafts, food and live music.
Annual festivals like Light the Village and Haile Oktoberfest, which fills up the streets with revelers, bands, food vendors and bounce houses, keep the festive vibes going year round.
3. Haile Farmers Market
Haile’s beloved Haile Village Farmers’ Market has been bringing together friends and farmers since 1998. Kick off your Saturday morning strolling the stalls of locally grown fruit and veggies, cheeses, breads, chocolates, and more.
Some vendor highlights would have to include:
- Swallowtail Farms for their fresh greens and eggs – their CSA serves 250 members and an apprentice grower program
- Chef Anthony’s Ambrosia for fresh pressed juice – Mr. Feelgood (prickly pear, muscadine grapes, coconut water, blueberries, starfruit, pineapple) is a favorite
- Vine Bakery for their slow fermented sourdough bread
- Price Creek Farm for their humanely-raised meats
That’s just a tiny sampling of what’s on offer. For a full list of current vendors and to get to know the folks behind the booths, check out the vendor profiles at the Haile Village Famer’s Market website.
The farmer’s market also hosts a rotating line-up of craft vendors offering everything from soaps to pottery. It runs from 8:30a.m. until noon.
4. Haile Village Restaurants
When you want to take a break from cooking, there are plenty of great places to grab a bite in the Village. Here are some of our go-to restaurants, bars and cafes.
Volcanic Sushi
We know Gainesville is no stranger to sushi, but Haile’s version will always rank in the big leagues. As regulars, we found it was incredibly easy to get to know the staff, their fish is always very fresh and their presentation of the food is always on point.
Haile Village Bistro
With a creative and varied menu, Haile Village Bistro’s food is always tasty and fresh. Their dessert case is stocked with about 20 options for deliciousness: cheesecakes, regular cakes, pies, tiramisu, cookies, tortes and more. The staff are super friendly and nice, and the atmosphere is casual and cozy. This place gets crowded but it’s worth the wait!
See our Top 5 Restaurants in Haile for more of Rabell’s favorite spots.
The Queen’s Arm Pub
Inspired by the classic British pub, this friendly neighborhood bar could become your own personal “Cheers”. We love the food and the cozy atmosphere. On nice days it’s great to sit out on the columned porch with the Village as backdrop. Desserts are made in house and super divine, especially the pavlova!
If craft beer is your thing, be sure to check out our Top 3 Favorite Brewpubs in Gainesville.
Patticakes in the Village
Patticakes is the kind of cafe where the staff know their customers by name — and their dogs names too. The atmosphere is lively and warm. It’s a family-friendly spot that’s also good for casual business meetings.
The windows of the cafe look out on a small park with a fountain and benches. They also have outdoor seating along the quaint brick sidewalks that make the Village so charming. The place fills up on weekends, so get there early if you want to stay and hang out.
5. Traditional Town Planning
Working closely with the town’s planners, builders have added homes, shops, stores and offices one building at a time, like a traditional town. Haile Village Center was always part of the master plan for Haile Plantation, which broke ground as a modern mixed use community in the 1970s.
With the addition of several distinctive communities of single-family estates anchored by Haile Village Center and Hawkstone Country Club, Haile now features more than 2,700 homes, multifamily buildings and commercial properties.
Homeowners can rest assured that the development’s footprint will remain compact, with lots of trees and green spaces to keep Haile beautiful into the future.
Haile Village Real Estate
When houses are listed in Haile, they don’t last long. Reach out to Rabell Realty Group if something below catches your eye. Our offices are located in the heart of Haile Village, at 5213 SW 91st Terrace Suite A, so don’t hesitate to stop by if you’re in the area and can’t contain your excitement. You can also contact us here.
To learn more about HOAs, the history of the development, and more, check out our Guide to Haile Plantation.
Interested in renting in Haile Village? You’re in luck. Our sister company KNR Property Management — also based in Haile Village — is your best resource for finding a rental in the neighborhood. Feel free to browse our listings and get in touch to schedule some tours.
We hope to bump into you in the Village soon!