But it’s not just dope to live in Austin post-grad as an adult-after all, it’s been named one of the most desirable places to live in the U.S.-it’s also equally as fun to live there amidst your college years. Austin, TXĪustin, Texas is known for so much-its country music, poppin’ bar scene, and of course, its cultural campaign to #KeepAustinWeird. However, it’s hard to ignore the Wildcats’ continual basketball success-after all their men’s basketball program is one of the best in the U.S 19.
The first university in the Arizona Territory, U of A is flanked by the Catalina, Rincon, Tucson and Santa Rita mountain ranges.
Tucson, AZīy far the most popular university in Tucson, Arizona is the University of Arizona-more popularly known as U of A-which was founded in 1885. Still, you’ve got beautiful weather, competitive sports programs, and many entertainment and cultural options as some of your top draws here. You’re in Gator Country as soon as you step into Gainesville! Home to the University of Florida, Santa Fe College, and City College of Gainesville, Gainseville has garnered a bit of a reputation as a party-school area. The outdoor shopping venue Church Street Market is perfect for students on a budget thanks to the many outlets and thrifting options on the strip as well as cute, small, local businesses. It’s all very walkable (except for a few pain-in-the-butt hills) and there are even bike trails along Lake Champlain. The area itself is big on music, art, and culture, and like many college towns, this one that’s governed by former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is also known to be relatively liberal. Nearby, there’s Burlington College, Champlain College, and the University of Vermont, so there’s a steadfast student population and as you can imagine, tons of breweries, nightlife, and coffee shops in town to sustain it. Though it may be hilly and also, super chilly in the wintertime, Burlington, Vermont is easily one of the best college towns there is. Home to Yale, New Haven also features a fun, student-friendly shopping strip, the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, and it’s also the birthplace of the hamburger. While Hamden itself has some pretty quality (and relatively safe) nightlife options, the city of New Haven is just a short QU-owned shuttle bus ride away, too. has many delicious food options when you’re not feeling the caf food. Across the street from QU itself, you have Sleeping Giant Mountain where students often frequent in the spring, summer, and fall to hike, walk, fish, or even swim. Giant hockey arena-slash-basketball venue on York Hill aside, the rest of the quaint little town of Hamden has become one of the cutest, safest college towns of the East Coast. Hamden, Connecticut may be most well-known for being the surrounding college town to Quinnipiac University (and of course, those iconic Quinnipiac Polls that everyone knows), and there’s good reason for that. In the way of culture, visit the Ackland Art Museum, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Morehead Planetarium & Science Center, Franklin Street, and more. But there’s more to Chapel Hill than sports, obviously. With the University of North Carolina being one of those main eight, there’s a high priority put on UNC’s basketball team. Madison, WIįoodies, pay attention! An up-and-coming hot-spot for food enthusiasts, Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the epicenter for about eight colleges in the area-five private, two public, and one community college that offers its students two-year degrees. All of Boulder is completely walkable, too, and when you consider that out of Boulder’s population of about 97,385, students make up about half the population. In town, you’ve also got the Pearl Street Mall, an outdoor shopping area abundant in coffee shops and book stores. Boulder is about a 45-minute drive away from the Red Rock Amphitheater, a famed (and physically gorgeous) concert venue in Denver.
(After all, Boulder is regularly voted one of the best outdoor towns in the nation, as well as one of the top cities for foodies.)īut good food and lots of outdoor recreational activities aside (rock-climbing, trail-hiking, biking, and more), there’s also a lot to do in town entertainment-wise, too. With two universities in town, Boulder has become an epicenter of student living and as an added bonus, it’s one of the healthiest towns in the U.S. In Boulder, Colorado, you’ll find The University of Colorado and the first Buddhist university in the U.S., Naropa University.