THE BEST college towns have a few things in common: culturally vibrant downtowns with shopping and globally-influenced dining, unique arts and culture scenes (particularly music), and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Farmer’s markets, local history, and local events like movie nights, al fresco concerts, and yoga in the park are what bring residents — temporary and permanent — together.
We’ve searched for the best college towns across the nation, and these are our favorite ones.
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University of Georgia has been around since 1785 and is one of the country’s oldest public land-grant universities. People here have always known how to let off steam after hanging up the lab coat.
Athens knows how to take work-life balance to the extreme. Students cover everything from cranking out lab reports and papers while studying at a college dedicated to fitness. Thanks to the UGA’s gym, the Ramsey Center, students can rent outdoor gear and paddle board on Lake Herrick, or hit the trails of north Georgia.
There is no shortage of barstools and music around R.E.M.’s hometown, with more than 80 bars in a 1-mile radius. Before going out, eat dinner at one of the many ethnic restaurants. Keep your eyes peeled once you get to the bars. Alton Brown has been known to drop in for a drink.
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Where to stay: The Graduate. 295 E Dougherty St.
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It’s easy to fall for Bozeman. Just 45 minutes north of Big Sky, this is the place for adventure enthusiasts. Hiking, fly fishing, skiing and both road and mountain biking are all easily accessible from downtown.
After romping outside, take a rest day at the Ellen Theatre, a restored vintage venue dating to 1919. The stage hosts plays, as well as the Bozeman Film Society, and the theatre shows a mix of independent movies and cowboy flicks.
Montana State University, the state’s largest school, is located between the Bridger and Spanish Mountains. This campus is home to the Museum of the Rockies, which houses the United States’ largest dinosaur collection. Bozeman is one of the top locations in the world for the number of T. rex fossils found.
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Where to stay: The LARK. 122 W Main St.
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Greenville’s foothill location is just an hour from Nantahala National Forest and the clear waters of Jocassee Lake and gorges. Furman University students aren’t the only ones to call Greenville home. US Cyclist George Hincapie is now a local (there is amazing biking here). Another local celebrity is popular chef Greg McPhee.
Greenville is also known for its arts. Wander through galleries on the first Friday of each month. Introduce yourself to local artists at the Greenville Center for Creative Arts, a former mill filled with studios for rent and the presenter of the Brandon Fellowship. Artisphere is an annual event during the second week of May with art, music, and learning experiences.
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Where to stay: Embassy Suites by Hilton Greenville Downtown Riverplace. 250 Riverplace.
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Memphis is the birthplace of the blues and rock ‘n roll, Aretha Franklin, and Stax Records. Southern grit is hard to find, but Memphis’s deep roots are dripping with it.
Much like its museums, history sits at every corner. Time disappears at the National Civil Rights Museum where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot, and in Ray Charles’ regular room at Ernestine & Hazel’s, a brothel turned bar. Don’t skip Beale Street. B.B. King’s Blues Club and house bands are worth visiting.
Rhodes College has been a part of the community since 1848. Its location in the heart of downtown is picture-perfect — with a Harry Potter-like dining hall. Memphis’s Greenline — a rails to trails project — provides a link to the great outdoors, easily accessible from the campus.
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Where to stay: Madison Hotel. 79 Madison Ave.
Photo: Shutterstock/Sean Pavone
Hartford, Connecticut has two private colleges, the University of Hartford and Trinity College, and is also home to Connecticut’s only public law school, the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Hartford’s historic ties including Mark Twain’s House, the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe and the country’s oldest newspaper to be continuously published. The town is also a center for the arts. The United States’ oldest public art museum — the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, the country’s largest hand-painted ceiling mural found in the Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall, and Real Art Ways, can be found here.
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Where to stay: Goodwin Hotel. 1 Haynes St.
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For students interested in chemistry, agricultural, physical, and social sciences, North Dakota State University in Fargo — ranked among the top 100 research universities in these fields — is a bargain at 11 percent less tuition fees than other regional schools.
Fargo has 75 shops and 59 restaurants; however, the unexpected places are what make this city center. Shops like Nail Bar, with boozy Pedi’s, and Hotdog! Pet Salon are fun. Keep a stroll (or “roll” thanks to the bike share program) through downtown interesting with a search for the best community projects like Alley Fair, the 5th street public garden, and the Piano Project.
Visitors looking for sightseeing can head to Bonanzaville to experience the pioneer life or the Roger Maris Museum for the baseball enthusiast.
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Where to stay: Hotel Donaldson. 101 Broadway N.
Photo: Shutterstock/Sean Pavone
Santa Fe is a small town with a renowned art scene, which has two arts and design universities, a graduate school specializing in art therapy counseling, and a branch college of the University of Cambridge.
There are dozens of galleries and interactive, experiential venues like Meow Wolf, the Museum of International Folk Art, and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. The Spanish Market, the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market and the Traveler’s Market all bring vendors to one place for a glorious blend of cultures.
Locals also know how to stay active with outdoor adventure sports. For an adrenaline rush, head to Dale Ball Trails for 20 miles of views along hiking and biking trails.
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Where to stay: Hotel Santa Fe, Hacienda & Spa. 1501 Paseo De Peralta.
This laid-back little town, home to the second-oldest campus in the California State University system, has a relaxed vibe and lots of outdoor recreation options. Upper Bidwell Park, just northeast of the city center, has 2,500 acres of hiking and biking in fields of wildflowers and some awesome swim spots. An easy but highly rewarding walk to Bear Hole, the local favorite, ends with a clear pool dotted by natural rock formations.
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Where to stay: Hotel Diamond. 220 W 4th St.
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Calvin College, a Protestant liberal arts college established in 1876, is known here for its Ecosystem Preserve. The school’s 4,000 students can study and conduct research here, but the center is also open to the community for observing nature and wildlife.
Dubbed “Beer City,” Grand Rapids has the Ale Trail with more than 60 craft breweries. Art and design have a strong presence, with exhibits at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, ArtPrize, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum — the only LEED Gold certified museum for its environmental design. The Meyer May House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is also open for tours.
Visit Fish Ladder Park, a concrete structure for passersby to watch migratory fish like salmon make the leap upstream. And you can check out Richard Nixon’s White House taping system inside the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
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Where to stay: CityFlatsHotel. 83 Monroe Center St. NW.
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Less than two hours south of Portland, Corvallis, Oregon is the home of Oregon State University, the largest college in the state. With college students making up half the population, finding fellow students isn’t difficult. Hiking, biking, and paddling are also easy to find. The landscape surrounding the town makes visiting wineries easy. When summer rolls around, the Linn-Benton farm-to-table dinner series is worth the price and reservation. Da Vinci Days is an arts and science festival that doubles as the perfect opportunity to break into something new while celebrating the region’s technological, educational, and artistic advances.
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Where to stay: The Hanson Country Inn. 795 SW Hanson St. 