My 5 Favorite College Campuses

Last Updated on September 9, 2024 by Jill Schwitzgebel

As students pursue their college dreams, they will likely visit a variety of college campuses, searching for their home away from home.  I’ve had the privilege of visiting and touring college campuses all over the country, and even in a couple in different countries.  I’m sometimes asked what campus I thought was the prettiest or the ugliest or just which one I liked best? And I generally can’t answer those questions because it’s so hard to choose!  But, there are campuses that have stood out to me, for various reasons. So, below is my attempt to list some of my personal favorite college campuses, of the ones I’ve visited in person.

This list is not ranked in any way, and you can definitely feel free to disagree.  There are huge colleges and small ones on this list, and a couple in between.  Just like anything else, people have differing opinions about what makes a campus beautiful.  And, that’s how it should be – students shouldn’t pick any college because it made someone’s list of “Prettiest College Campuses” or “Best College Campuses, etc.  There are thousands of colleges in this country and  while I have seen more campuses than average,  it’s still a small percentage of them.  But, for now, here are my favorites:

University of Alabama

Okay, I will admit that I am a sucker for brick buildings with impressive pillars and tall, leafy trees on a college campus.  The last time I visited the 1,970 acre campus, they had

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recently completed a huge new science and engineering addition, which blended beautifully with the traditional historic buildings on campus.  The Quad in front of the library, which also is home to the beloved Denny Chimes tower, screams, “quintessential college campus,” to me.

The downtown area of Tuscaloosa adjacent to campus, also home to their football stadium, has tons of great little shops and all the restaurants students or their visiting families, could want.

University of Colorado, Boulder

Before I ever stepped foot on the 786 acre campus, I was charmed by the town of Boulder, with its gorgeous views.  I

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have heard the term “granola” used to describe Boulder, but the town is much more than that, from the charming historic homes to the busy shops and restaurants.

And after enjoying all that Boulder had to offer, I discovered a gorgeous campus with distinctive architecture (I had to Google it – “Tuscan Vernacular Revival” style) with sandstone-finished buildings with red tile roofs.  But it’s not just about the architecture – the views of the Flatirons from various spots on campus, are stunning.  And, the university has done a wonderful job of blending the old with the new throughout campus.

Northwestern University

I guess it’s hard to go wrong with a 240 acre campus right on the shore of Lake Michigan!  There are leafy, tree-covered paths leading you past buildings with plenty of Gothic details, giving students that traditional campus feel.  But, if you take the right path, it will lead you to a surprise – the newly constructed, contemporary-styled, Bienen School of Music, with its 5 stories of soaring glass walls overlooking Lake Michigan, one of several contemporary glass-walled buildings on campus. This is a campus that offers something for everyone, yet somehow still works together.

And then there’s the town of Evanston adjacent to campus, with its parks along the lake, and the beautiful historic neighborhoods within walking distance to so many restaurants and shops.  I hate the snow, yet immediately felt like I wanted to live there!

Washington University, St. Louis

“Wash U” is so impressive that it made my list even though we toured it on a day when the heat index was 113 degrees!  I think

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Wash U felt like such a surprise to me, as we pulled into their parking lot and I gazed at their entry. Wash U feels like this gorgeous little oasis in the middle of a city (though it is technically classified as a suburb of St. Louis).  The 167 acre university is adjacent to a wonderful, enormous city park that includes a zoo, in a historic part of the city, and it features an impressive entrance to a campus filled with gothic architecture.

I have not visited since the college undertook a $360 million dollar renovation project a couple of years ago, but I can only imagine how that project further enhanced the campus.

College of Wooster

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If you’ve been following me on social media for any period of time, you know I love the College of Wooster (affectionately called CoW) for its academics. But, it’s also one of my favorite campuses in general.  When one of my own kids visited and stepped on to the 240 acre campus, he declared it the most “college-y looking college” he had ever visited!  Students pass under the arch in iconic Kauke Hall when they first matriculate and again before they graduate under the trees in the lovely oak grove on campus. The campus is probably at its best in the fall, thanks to the variety of trees all over campus.

It’s not unusual to see professors walking to class from their nearby homes.  And, the downtown area has some excellent restaurants that you might not expect to find in a town of this size. So, don’t leave town without grabbing lunch or dinner!

Honorable Mentions

Indiana University, Bloomington
Pepperdine University
Vanderbilt University

Final Thoughts

I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve been mulling over this list for at least a year, trying to make up my mind about what colleges I would include. There are so, so many gorgeous campuses here in the US, and around the world!  The three “Honorable Mentions” on my list above were another difficult choice.  I realized that the area surrounding a campus had a big effect on my overall impression of the campus, as well.  And as I sat down to write this, I realized that I have some huge campus knowledge gaps – for instance, I haven’t visited any in the northwest US or in the state of Texas.  I need to plan some trips!

Keep in mind that this list is purely aesthetics-based, and not meant to be a commentary about anything other than that.  It’s not about academics, or the “vibe” or sports. But if you ever get a chance, I highly recommend at least taking a walk on the campuses of any of the colleges above.