travel leisure most beautiful campuses

The 15 Most Beautiful College Campuses Around the World

Suddenly, we feel like going back to school.

There are very few places where traditional Palladian architecture lives next to modernist theaters or lush woodlands surround Gothic-style halls as seamlessly as college campuses. Each academic building and green space plays an integral role in educating its students and visitors on the history of the college and its region. More importantly, the hallowed grounds help to shape each student into who they are as individuals. While there are many factors that go into selecting the right college, the campus's ability to inspire creativity and provide refuge should be taken into consideration.

We've searched throughout the world to discover the most beautiful college campuses with sprawling grounds that are just as highly regarded as their programs. From the base of Devil's Peak in South Africa to the rolling hills of Georgia, each of these beautiful college campuses pays homage to its origins while making way for an even brighter future.

University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England

Established in 1209, the University of Cambridge is regarded as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. Beyond its academic excellence, the campus is also known for its botanical gardens and architectural gems found on almost every corner. King's College, in particular, is often named one of the finest examples of late English Gothic architecture and features the world's largest fan vault. The River Cam also runs right through the city university, adding to the campus' picturesque views.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Masshucettes

Massachusetts Institute of Technology exhibits a diversity of architectural styles not seen on any other campus in the world. There's a neo-futuristic auditorium from Eero Saarinen, a Frank Gehry-designed modernist complex, and neoclassical buildings designed by William Welles Bosworth—just to name a few.

National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico

Works from some of Mexico's most renowned architects and artists can all be found in one place—the National Autonomous University of Mexico . The crown jewel of the largest university in Latin America is the central library designed by Juan O'Gorman which is covered in murals depicting the university's history. In 2007, the National Autonomous University of Mexico was named a UNESCO heritage site as it stands as a symbol of modernity in Mexico.

Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College 's campus boasts an eclectic collection of modern and Collegiate Gothic-style architecture, but there's one breathtaking element that makes the college stand out: a 425-acre arboretum filled with magnolia trees, hiking trails, and an outdoor theater. Just outside Philadelphia, the college's green oasis draws the attention of students, locals, and horticulturists from across the world. From the 200 varieties of roses making up the Dean Bond Rose Garden outside Parish Hall to the towering trees of Crum Woods, you're greeted with a bountiful display around every turn and corner.

University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa

The University of Cape Town is not short on impeccable views with the ivy-covered buildings and dramatic mountains of Devil's Peak in the background. At the center of campus, Sarah Baartman Hall stands as a sneak peek of the offerings found on the university's campus.

Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida

Nestled in the oldest city in the United States, Flagler College stands an a delightful example of the architectural vernacular associated with St. Augustine, Florida. The liberal arts school is housed in the former Ponce de León Hotel, which was built 1888 as a luxury resort under the direction of businessman Henry Flagler. Much of his original vision remains—including the ballroom, which now serves as a palatial dining hall with Tiffany stained glass windows.

Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea

Over its three campuses across Seoul, Kyung Hee University 's classical architecture gives another layer of interest to the ever-evolving city. Fragrant cherry blossom trees guide incoming students toward the regal admissions hall with its Corinthian-style columns and a bubbling fountain. The main campus also houses the Natural History Museum and Hye-Jung Museum.

Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia

Walking the campus of this quaint liberal arts college in rural Mount Berry, Georgia feels like you're visiting the set of a fairy tale movie. There's no short of natural splendor at Berry College , thanks to the more than 27,000 acres of forests, meadows, and lakes surrounding the campus. English Gothic-style academic buildings and serene reflecting pools add to the fantastical quality.

University of Coimbra in Coimbra, Portugal

Established in 1290 by King D. Dinis, the "General Study" was first established in Lisbon as a university for the arts, law, common law, and medicine. It moved to Coimbra in 1308, but it did not settle into its permanent residence at a palace overlooking the Mondego River until 1537. Today, the UNESCO World Heritage site's sun-bleached walls, botanical gardens, and Joanina Library give insight into the country's academic history.

Stanford University in Stanford, California

Stanford University embodies the quintessential American campus with its sprawling green lawns, California Mission-style. architecture, and tree-lined walkways. A list of heavy-hitting designers and architects helped mold the campus, including Frederick Law Olmsted who cultivated the prestigious school's flowerbeds and green spaces.

University of São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil

Brazil's most prestigious university features striking centuries-old architecture and tree-lined public squares—all with the sandy beach and mountains of São Paulo as its backdrop. In addition to its award-winning research institutions, the University of São Paulo houses a number of museums and art galleries such as the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Tama Art University in Tokyo, Japan

As one of Japan's most celebrated art schools, it's no surprise the Tama Art University would display jaw-dropping architecture and works of art. Architect Toyo Ito famously designed the school's library so that the vaulted concrete arches mimic the rolling hills of the campus.

Sorbonne University in Paris, France

It's hard not to fall for Sorbonne University 's beauty as the memorizing avenues and monuments of Paris's Latin Quarter are its playground. The research institute was established by Robert de Sorbon as part of the University of Paris in 1257. In 2018, the college officially merged with Pierre and Marie Curie University, establishing its own prestigious scientific institutions.

Tsinghua University in Beijing, China

Founded in 1925, the Tsinghua University currently sits on the former site of the Qing Dynasty's royal gardens. Because of this, the campus offers an ideal mix of traditional Chinese architecture, peaceful reflecting ponds, and cutting-edge academic labs.

Oxford University in Oxford, England

A walk through the grounds of Oxford University , the oldest university in the English-speaking world, feels like a visual history lesson on architecture and art. Since it's considered a "city university," its facilities are spread all across the town's center, resulting in a medley of building styles from Saxon to Postmodernist. One of Oxford's most recognized and noted buildings includes Radcliffe Camera, a Palladian library dedicated to scientific publications.

Sarah DiMarco (she/her) is the associate editor at VERANDA, covering all things design, architecture, art, gardens, jewelry, travel, wine and spirits. She also manages social media for the brand.

The 12 Best Luxury Luggage Pieces of 2024

How to Spend a Perfect Weekend on 30A

The Most Remote Destinations on Earth

How to Spend the Perfect Weekend in Jackson Hole

The Most Expensive Luxury AirBnBs in the World

The 15 Best Travel Purses to Carry You in Style

Paris's Most Beautiful Churches and Cathedrals

How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Phoenix, Arizona

Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Paris’s Left Bank

11 Places in the U.S. to Learn About Black History

The 8 Best Luxury Babymoon Destinations

15 Beautiful College Campuses

Campus beauty can impact a student's college decision, experts say.

Scott Hargrove |

Campus beauty and design matter.

One way some universities are able to stand out and attract students is with the beauty of their campus. The aesthetics of a campus can sway students in their college choice.

“When you go to a college campus to decide where you’re going to get your education and spend a lot of money, you’re actually selecting your home for the next four years," says Kevin Cooke, leader of the Higher Education Center of Excellence at Gilbane, a construction company that handles building projects for U.S. colleges and universities. "What you see and what your first impression is is really important.”

But what makes a college campus beautiful? That's in the eye of the beholder, says Stefan Hyman, associate vice president of enrollment services at San Diego State University .

“I don’t know that there’s a single recipe for a beautiful campus that’s going to appear that way for every single student, because not every student has the exact same goal and priority list in terms of what they’re looking for," he says. "In general, I think if there’s one term that sums it up, it would be a campus that has some form of character."

Here are 15 U.S. colleges that are known for touting a beautiful campus with attributes such as stunning architecture, a picturesque setting or eye-popping landscaping.

(Baylor University) |

Baylor University (TX)

Baylor University features many buildings with Georgian-style architecture, giving it a uniform look across campus. Founded in 1845, the campus sits in the heart of Waco in central Texas. Pat Neff Hall, with its shiny golden cupola, stands as the the most iconic landmark. However, the campus features both exterior and interior beauty, as many buildings showcase ornate copper ceilings and other intricate designs. Waco Creek also runs through the campus and serves as a picturesque and relaxing spot for students.

U.S. News rank: 77 (tie), National Universities

Sarah Williamson |

Flagler College (FL)

Established in 1968, Flagler College 's roots trace back to 1888, when the Hotel Ponce De León was built by industrialist Henry Flagler, a co-founder of the Standard Oil Company. The hotel, which features Spanish Renaissance style architecture with a tan stucco facade and red tile roofing, was an early project of architects John Carrere and Thomas Hastings, who went on to design the New York Public Library and the House and Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C., according to the school's website . The interior features stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany. In 1968, Flagler College was established in St. Augustine, Florida, with the famous hotel serving as its main campus building.

U.S. News rank: 2, Regional Colleges South

(Rose Lincoln | Harvard University)

Harvard University (MA)

The oldest university in the United States, Harvard University offers a glimpse into the past when it comes to architecture. There are roughly 660 buildings that make up the Boston-area campus, showcasing hundreds of years of American architecture and innovative design. Massachusetts Hall is the oldest building on campus and features early Georgian-style architecture, with "simple construction, symmetry, and modest accents," according to The Harvard Gazette .

U.S. News rank: 3, National Universities

(James Brosher, Indiana University) |

• Indiana University—Bloomington

Nearly all of the buildings on the campus of Indiana University—Bloomington are made from local limestone, and the campus features about eight different styles of architecture. Many of the school's first buildings were created in what's known as Collegiate Gothic style architecture, a modified version of High Victorian Gothic, though other buildings feature styles such as Romanesque, Art Deco and Modern, according to the school's website . The building design creates a uniform look and feel as students stroll through campus, often passing through the Sample Gates, which were built in 1987 and now serve as the iconic entrance to the campus. Vibrant colors line the trees in the fall, while snow often covers the campus in the winter.

U.S. News rank: 72 (tie), National Universities

Kenyon College |

Kenyon College (OH)

The oldest private college in Ohio, Kenyon College was founded in 1824. Its Gothic-inspired buildings sprawl across a spacious 1,000-acre rural campus on a hilltop surrounded by trees and wooded areas in the central Ohio city of Gambier. Rosse Hall, built between 1829 and 1845 in Greek Revival style, is Kenyon College's first chapel, according to the Society of Architectural Historians . A fire destroyed it in 1897, and the building was later converted to a gymnasium and was renovated in 1975 to resemble its original form. It's now used as a 600-seat concert and lecture hall.

U.S. News rank: 31 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges

(Pepperdine University) |

Pepperdine University (CA)

“You can’t change the location," Cooke says. "Some of these colleges are very lucky to be in the location that they are." One school that can stake that claim is Pepperdine University in California. Formed in 1937 and situated atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, Pepperdine gives students and faculty a view most college students don't get. The university's buildings "were designed to complement the ocean-side setting by using a modern interpretation of the Mediterranean Revival style," according to the Los Angeles Conservancy.

U.S. News rank: 55 (tie), National Universities

(Salve Regina University) |

Salve Regina University (RI)

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Salve Regina University is home to seven mansions built during the Gilded Age, which roughly spanned from 1877-1896. The 80-acre campus, which is situated on the Atlantic Ocean, also features "more than 20 historic structures that have been sensitively adapted to meet University needs while also preserving their status as treasures of the 19th and early 20th centuries," according to the school's website .

U.S. News rank: 28 (tie), Regional Universities North

Suzanne Finch | San Diego State University

San Diego State University (CA)

Like many universities in California, San Diego State University features Mission-style design in its buildings, with white stucco facades and red tile roofs that blend in with the architecture of the city. The design of the campus plays off of its sunny environment, Hyman says, with open outdoor corridors lined with palm trees, flower gardens and buildings with large windows. Hyman says SDSU uses what's called "value-sensitive design," which demonstrates an intentional effort to accommodate the values and interests of the people it seeks to attract. One unique way it does that is by providing skateboard-specific lanes for skaters to navigate across campus. "The fact that you're actually designing the campus with skateboarding in mind is such a SoCal thing," Hyman says. "So it's not just the beauty, it's the character that's displayed in the values. Whether on a conscious or unconscious level, that impacts student perception."

U.S. News rank: 151 (tie), National Universities

Credit Linda A. Cicero | Stanford News Service

Stanford University (CA)

Another picturesque California college setting can be found at Stanford University , located in Palo Alto just south of San Francisco. Featuring a blend of Romanesque and Mission Revival architecture known as Richardsonian Romanesque, the general concept for the campus design was conceived by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in New York City, according to the school's website . Founded in 1885, Stanford University now spans nearly 13 square miles and is full of grassy fields, eucalyptus groves and rolling hills.

U.S. News rank: 3 (tie), National Universities

(Swarthmore College) |

Swarthmore College (PA)

Located southwest of Philadelphia, Swarthmore College is centered around Parrish Hall, a Victorian-era building constructed in 1868 that was the first building on the campus. The Scott Arboretum is a popular spot to visit, featuring gardens of hydrangeas, lilacs and tree peonies and countless other trees and shrubs, according to the arboretum's website . The campus also features an outdoor amphitheater with multiple levels of lawn-covered stone tiers shaded by tulip trees. Throughout the school’s 425 acres are many wooded areas and trails for walking.

U.S. News rank: 4, National Liberal Arts Colleges

Photo by Glenn Asakawa | University of Colorado

• University of Colorado Boulder

As visually appealing as the campus itself may be, with its sandstone buildings and tile roofs in a romantic Italianate style, perhaps one of the biggest perks of attending the University of Colorado Boulder is the view of the Rocky Mountains in the distance. Fans attending evening football games at Folsom Field are often greeted with a sunset just behind the mountains, creating a picturesque setting for college football. Those with outdoor hobbies like hiking or skiing can feel right at home in Boulder.

U.S. News rank: 97 (tie), National Universities

(Matt Cashore | University of Notre Dame)

University of Notre Dame (IN)

Inspired by Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, many of the buildings on the University of Notre Dame 's campus in South Bend are modeled after Gothic architecture. A highlight is the Main Building, with its iconic gold dome, which stands at the center of campus and tells the storied past of this famed Catholic university. The current building, built in 1879 after the previous building was destroyed by fire, is the third structure at that site, according to the school's website . Today it primarily houses offices for administration, though some classrooms remain. It previously served as a spot for teaching, dining and living. The dome, which features a 19-foot, 4,000-pound statue of Mary, was added in 1882 and re-gilded in 2005. The Fighting Irish football team dons golden helmets as a nod to the dome.

U.S. News rank: 18 (tie), National Universities

Mario Morgado |

• University of Vermont

Founded in 1791, the University of Vermont is the fifth-oldest university in New England. Its 460-acre campus features buildings constructed in a variety of architectural styles. The Old Mill — which now serves as the home for the economics, English, geography and political science departments — is one of the oldest building on campus. The university's first college building once occupied the site where the Old Mill is now, but it was destroyed by fire in 1824, according to the school's website .

The campus itself sits near Lake Champlain in the middle of Burlington, which is located in northwest Vermont. Snow typically covers the campus in colder months, while vibrant and colorful trees line the campus in the fall. "I think it’s very hard to beat the four-season type environment when you think about campuses like UVM or even the Harvards of the world,” Cooke says.

U.S. News rank: 121 (tie), National Universities

Dan Addison |

• University of Virginia

Founded by former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University of Virginia's iconic red brick buildings and white columns were inspired by Greco-Roman architecture and Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladia, according to the Cultural Landscape Foundation , a nonprofit landscape heritage advocacy and education organization. Anchored by the famous Rotunda, Jefferson's Academical Village has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university’s Charlottesville campus also features examples of postmodernist architecture.

U.S. News Rank: 25 (tie), National Universities

Katherine Turner | University of Washington

• University of Washington

Situated next to Lake Washington in Seattle, the University of Washington gives students a big-city experience along with a taste of just about everything associated with the Pacific Northwest – lush greenery next to a large body of water with views of mountains in the distance. From various spots on campus, particularly Rainier Vista, you can catch a view of Mt. Rainier to the south. In the spring, a line of 30 Yoshino cherry trees blossom, lining the liberal arts quadrangle with a bright shade of pink, according to University of Washington Magazine .

(Hero Images | Getty Images)

Other Campus Resources

Learn more about college living by checking out the U.S. News guide to campus resources . Connect with U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter to get more advice on making the college decision.

Jonathan Steinberg | University of Washington

Colleges With Beautiful Campuses

• Baylor University
• Flagler College
• Harvard University
• Kenyon College
• Pepperdine University
• Salve Regina University
• San Diego State University
• Stanford University
• Swarthmore College
• University of Notre Dame

More From U.S. News

10 College Campuses With Working Farms

Colleges That Offer Healthy Dining

15 Colleges Close to the Beach

2024 Best Colleges

Search for your perfect fit with the U.S. News rankings of colleges and universities.

You May Also Like

Toward semiconductor gender equity.

Alexis McKittrick March 22, 2024

March Madness in the Classroom

Cole Claybourn March 21, 2024

20 Lower-Cost Online Private Colleges

Sarah Wood March 21, 2024

How to Choose a Microcredential

Sarah Wood March 20, 2024

Basic Components of an Online Course

Cole Claybourn March 19, 2024

Can You Double Minor in College?

Sarah Wood March 15, 2024

How to Avoid Scholarship Scams

Cole Claybourn March 15, 2024

Ways to Maximize Campus Life

Anayat Durrani March 14, 2024

8 People to Meet on Your College Campus

Sarah Wood March 12, 2024

Completing College Applications on Time

Cole Claybourn March 12, 2024

The 56 Prettiest College Campuses in America

By Timothy Latterner , CNT Editors , and Jessica Cherner

From the late 19th-century stone cottages of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania to the myriad Spanish-style buildings at the California Institute of Technology, some of the prettiest college campuses in America boast some of the world’s best architectural masterpieces. And whether the collection of stylish structures are centuries-old or brand new, they offer more than a simple place to study and sleep. In fact, many of them—especially those whose design was conceived by famous architects—were built to inspire.

Here, we’ve gathered 56 of the most show-stopping college campuses in the United States, from California to Vermont. So if you’re applying to college or graduate school and need some visual inspiration to inform your decision, consider this list your go-to guide. Otherwise, if you happen to be in the same city as one of these storied institutions, do yourself a favor and stroll around campus. Who knows? You might learn something.

This gallery was last published in August 2018. It has been updated with new information.

Auburn University, Alabama

Easily one of the most recognizable buildings on campus, Samford Hall stands on Auburn University’s former central building, known as Old Main. In 1887, Old Main burned down and Samford Hall, which still stands today, was built. Ever the sentimentalists, the architects behind the new building used salvaged bricks from Old Main.

Until the late 19th century, Samford Hall served as the university’s main academic building and library. Today, however, the historic structure houses the institutions administration offices.

Airforce Academy, Colorado Springs

While many of the prettiest college campuses have a uniform design across their buildings, service academies add to that with a student body outfitted in strictly enforced uniforms as well. At the Air Force Academy, the mid-century master plan for the school, managed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, brought the beauty of modern design into the institution. The Cadet Chapel is one standout example: The angular, pointed, religious building was contested at first, but is now considered one of the centerpieces of the campus and was designated a National Landmark in 2004.

Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts

Come for the education from this “Little Ivy,” but stay for the myriad of colors during the fall foliage season. Walking around the campus, it’s easy to look around and mistake any view for a painting of New England seen in a museum—and the 500 acres of the campus that is designated as a wildlife sanctuary don't hurt.

Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York

Bard’s mishmash of architecture makes it truly one of a kind. Wander between Blithewood Manor’s walled Italian gardens, the Greek Revival-style Hoffman Memorial Library, and Frank Gehry ’s titanium-clad, contemporary Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. The intentional hodgepodge (the library is actually three styles: Greek Revival, postmodern, and brutalist) always surprises.

Jessica Puckett

Kimberly Wilson

Sarah James

Harrison Pierce

Baylor University, Waco, Texas

Of all the Georgian architecture on Baylor’s campus, the Draper Academic Building is the most beautiful of all, sitting on the edge of Burleson Quadrangle. But we’d also suggest beating the heat in the McLean Foyer of Meditation inside the university’s Armstrong Browning Library. It’s designed, oddly enough, after London’s opulent Leighton House Museum .

Berry College, Rome, Georgia

It may be one of the nation’s smaller colleges with just 2,000 students, but Berry College’s campus is anything but cramped. The campus covers 27,000 acres dotted with lush greenery and beautiful, gothic buildings. The Ford Dining Hall is the college’s most memorable feature—uproot the building and its neighboring English Gothic-style dorms to the British countryside , and they’d be right at home.

Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Thanks to its Collegiate Gothic architecture, you can see nods to Oxford and Cambridge all over Bryn Mawr: the towers and gables of the Marjorie Walter Goodhart Theater, the open courtyard of the Cloisters, and the beloved Pembroke Hall, where original fireplaces still roar in the winter. For the best campus experience, visit for its annual May Day celebrations when students dance around the school’s maypoles.

Colgate University, Hamilton, New York

Colgate's upstate New York campus is perfect for leaf-peeping in the fall—its 575 acres of hills are dotted with 2,300 trees, including sugar maples. The school's oldest building, West Hall, dates back to 1827, and was crafted by both faculty and students from stone mined from the school's own quarry. The campus also has 10 miles of walkways, ideal for walking on a nice spring day.

Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York

With New York City’s restaurants just a train ride away, the Culinary Institute of America removes will-be chefs from the bustle of the city, placing them on a serene campus on the edge of the Hudson River. Many of the school’s beautiful brick buildings can be recognized by the names of their donors, many of which are the country’s leading hospitality and food sources: Hilton, Marriott, and Colavita, among others.

College of the Desert, Palm Desert, California

The College of the Desert doesn’t hide anything with its name, and yet there’s a strange beauty to this school. No, old stonework and buildings coated with ivy will not be found here. Instead, the school is on one of the most beautiful college campuses, surrounded with meticulously crafted palm trees, mid-century styled buildings, and expansive views of the Coachella Valley (yes, that Coachella), Joshua Tree , and Mount San Jacinto State Park.

Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire

Built around a lovely five-acre plot of manicured grass known as the Green, two of the oldest surviving buildings on campus are Wentworth and Thornton Halls from the 1820s—a stark contrast to the campus's modernist Hopkins Center designed by Wallace Harrison, the architect behind New York's Lincoln Center and United Nations Building. While there’s no bad time to visit this Ivy League institution, it’s definitely worth packing layers for winter’s cold spells.

Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Duke University is dominated by Collegiate Gothic buildings, most notably the towering, 210-foot-high Duke Chapel, with a 50-bell carillon, three pipe organs, and seating for no fewer than 1,800 people. But it's the Duke Forest and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens that are the real highlights here—the latter was designed by celebrated American landscape designer Ellen Biddle Shipman, and is filled with a world-class array of irises, palms, and roses.

Flagler College, St. Augustine

Not many college campuses can claim that they used to be a luxury hotel, let alone one that hosted Mark Twain, President Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, Martin Luther King Jr., and Zora Neale Hurston. The Ponce de Leon Hotel opened in 1888, and was one of the first buildings in the country to open with built-in electricity. As you'd hope, the college has maintained the entire structure, right down to the Tiffany stained glass windows. Go in the summer to experience it in full vacation mode as it was intended.

Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina

The most striking feature of Furman’s lakeside campus is the six-story Florentine bell tower, but the Asia Gardens are the real treat. Thanks to the South’s warmer climate, the weather allows for a wide array of Japanese and Chinese plants to grow lush. The free garden is filled with bamboo, azalea, Japanese maples, and more—making the walk to class in that humid Southern heat a little more pleasant.

Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Walking around Washington, D.C. , it’s easy to feel a sense of awe at the city’s history. And all of that energy is also channelled through Georgetown, which is home to some of the brightest students in the country—many of whom ultimately move across town to work in the capitol. Few things beat being atop “The Hill,” looking down over the Potomac River, or standing in the shadow of Healy Hall, a National Historic Landmark designed by the same team behind the Library of Congress.

Gonzaga University, Spokane

Nestled along the sunny side of the state in Spokane, Washington’s Gonzaga University may have the best of both worlds with the natural wildlife of the Pacific Northwest, minus the rainfall that rival Washington State usually experiences throughout the school year. The 152-acre campus is dotted with handsome, brick buildings along the Spokane River, and changes with four distinct seasons—a point of pride for the West Coast school.

Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 

People criss-cross Harvard Yard— the university 's beautiful historic quad—all day long, but it's the quieter nooks, archways, and quads that make this Ivy Leaguer stand out. Students dine in Annenberg Hall, the closest thing on this side of the Atlantic to the Hogwarts great room, and take their books to Dudley Garden, a little eden between Wigglesworth Hall and Lamont Library. If these names sound like something you’d read in a story about a fictional school, it’s because these halls and buildings often inspired them. (Don’t miss watching the sunset over the Charles River.)

Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio

Perhaps more than any other school, Kenyon College is the definition of a “liberal arts” college. With a healthy mix of outdoor art installations, natural forests and greenery, winding walkways, and old stone buildings, this campus looks perfectly suited for a movie about a creative’s college life. (Maybe that’s why the 2012 indie film aptly titled “Liberal Arts” was set here.) The school is beautiful inside and out, with several academic halls boasting a mix of century-old stone, wooden beams, and modern glass in old-meets-new designs.

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 

Packed to the brim with old stone buildings, Lehigh's appreciation of the arts is no secret. Chosen alumni, dating back to the school’s founding in 1865, are cast as sculptures atop the campus’s buildings (no small shoes to fill). The school is also home to the Lehigh University Art Galleries which has over 16,000 works, including some by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Gustave Courbet, and Marsden Hartley. Step into the sculpture garden, where art students are often spotted sketching the pieces as practice.

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

Just off the coast of Lake Michigan , Northwestern’s 240-acre campus appeals to students, who take advantage of the chance to yacht or kayak along the waterfront in summer, and cozy up in lounges through frosty nights in the winter. Settled in the pretty town of Evanston, just a short ride from Chicago , the school also incorporates some of Chicago’s impressive architectural feats, with halls designed in Victorian Gothic styles and just enough ivy growing up the sides of each of them.

Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

Covered in trees and grassy hillsides, Oberlin College has a certain music in the air as one strolls across campus—though perhaps that’s just the sound of students rehearsing around every corner. The school has become a bastion for the creative, with everyone from playwrights to composers flocking to Oberlin for the highest form of artistic education. The practice continues even between classes, as musicians spread out on the lawn with friends and casually pick, strum, and play for hours.

Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton has that classic college aesthetic down: Old buildings, shady trees, and manicured lawns in a perfect shade of green characterize the campus. And though it sits between Philadelphia and New York , it’s far enough that it feels serene and remote. Many of the original buildings, done in the classic Collegiate Gothic style, are still used as dorms (thankfully updated inside), and everyone from politics to physics students get schooled inside buildings designed by 20th-century greats like Frank Gehry, I.M. Pei, and Rafael Viñoly. For anyone making the most of their visit, the record store in nearby Princeton Junction is an essential stop.

Rhodes College, Memphis

Built in the heart of Memphis in 1848, this school is a monument to stone buildings. The campus always looks immaculate, in no small part thanks to the school’s heavy emphasis on community service. But another reason the campus stands out? The stone buildings that wrap around the central quad are composed of various stones in different shades of warm natural colors, making each facade appear like a mosaic baked in the Southern sun.

Salve Regina University, Newport, Rhode Island

Tucked in between the summer home mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, Salve Regina has nothing but charm to give its visitors and students. The school was founded over a century ago as a place to care for the nation’s poor by a wealthy Dublin expat named Catherine McAuley, who had devoted herself to the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1831. Today, the school reflects a scenic New England sensibility, for those who want to overlook the water while studying everything from accounting to world religions.

Southern Methodist University, Dallas

The Southern Methodist University campus is famous for its vast green lawns where faculty regularly hold outdoor classes. On game days, head to the tree-lined stretch called the Boulevard, where you'll find football tailgating (or "boulevarding,” as it's known here). This is no “pull up your pick-up in a parking lot” affair either, as tailgating is considered the most important meal of the day: Alumni and students mingle under white tents filled with couches, flat screens, and chandeliers, over elaborate spreads of food and drink.

Stanford University, Stanford, California

Despite being just a stone’s throw away from some of the biggest tech companies in the world, Stanford doesn’t look like the modernist utopia that it is for some. Aesthetically, the school features a Spanish Colonial style in its buildings, like the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for Performing Arts and the Memorial Church replete with enclosed courtyards, red tile roofs, and sandstone walls. Though the school was badly damaged during an earthquake in 1906, Stanford chose to keep its classic style when rebuilding.

SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, New York

Set in Western New York, near Buffalo, the State University of New York Geneseo campus is a beautiful one. A quick Google search will return photos of bushy green trees and green lawns, sure, but that’s not the Geneseo you need to see. Winter, when the campus is covered in a pristine blanket of white snow (an average of 51 inches a year), is even more picturesque. While the architecture of Sturges and Fraser Hall, a more modest blend of Georgian and Collegiate Gothic stylings, stand out in the summer months, it's when they’re contrasted in a brilliant white snowfall that really leaves an impression.

Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York

Whether it's sledding down gentle hills in the harsh winter months or flocking out into the quad when the weather starts to change, the upstate New York town of Syracuse has a lot to offer students. You'll find them on the slope in front of Crouse College, a Romanesque revival-style castle that proudly overlooks campus, and laying out on the quad beside the ivy-covered Bowne Hall, Carnegie Library, and Hendricks Chapel (the latter was modeled after the Pantheon). Look out for the modern glass facade of Newhouse 3, one of three buildings within Syracuse's communications school—the First Amendment is inscribed on the outer west wall.

United States Military Academy, West Point, New York

The United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, has a certain uniformed beauty to its campus—and that’s not counting the plethora of men and women in uniform marching around the campus. From Trophy Point, visitors can look out over the Hudson River where some of the most famous generals and presidents in American history once stood as student cadets. In fact, many of the buildings are now named after them, like the campus’s theater, Eisenhower Hall. For the best time to see the school, visit in the fall when the leaves change.

University of California, Los Angeles

The University of California Los Angeles is a Bel Air oasis, the kind that makes you forget the Los Angeles traffic you sat in to get there. You won't want to miss the Romanesque Revival Powell Library and Royce Hall (both of which are modeled on Milan's Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio). The real winner though is UCLA's Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden. It's one of the best in the country, with 70 works on display including pieces by Auguste Rodin, Alexander Calder, Hans Arp, and Barbara Hepworth.

University of Chicago, Chicago

Seven miles south of the city's downtown Loop, the University of Chicago campus was designed to resemble Oxford University, though it's now home to one bold exception: the ultra-contemporary, 2011-designed Joe and Rika Mansueto Library, set underground and topped with an elliptical glass dome. Look out for the mammoth Henry Moore sculpture, Nuclear Energy , a few feet away, which sits on the site of the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. Some of the most impressive homes in American architecture can be found just a few blocks away, too, like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House.

University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri

Mizzou, the first public university west of the Mississippi, is most widely known for its powerhouse athletics program and expansive academic options. But the main campus is also, in its entirety, a designated botanic garden. There's a lot to take in: Neoclassic and Neo Gothic buildings (some of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places), ornate facades and columns, a butterfly garden, and numerous pedestrian and bicycle paths. The six stone columns at the center of the quad are still standing as relics of the former portico of Academic Hall.

University of Notre Dame, Indiana

People who are heading to Notre Dame typically like one of two things very, very much—football and religion. While the academic rigor of the theology program at Notre Dame is well known, plenty of students also see the school’s football team as their own religion of sorts. But the campus is also celebrated as well: Did you know that the team’s golden helmets are a nod to the campus’s Main Building dome? The gold dome quickly becomes a focal point of any tour, as do the various statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary which blesses the Grotto.

University of San Diego, CA

This southern California school’s Plateresque buildings are a perfect backdrop to the expansive green lawns of the campus. While the school is a short drive from the beach, students often roam the grounds, where Spanish design influences in everything from architecture to landscaping—all with the California-cool attitude that draws students and locals alike to San Diego in the first place.

University of Southern California, Los Angeles

With classic red-brick buildings, weeping willows, and students sprawled out on grassy knolls year-round, the University of Southern California feels like everything the movies told you college would be—and not only because so many movies have used this Los Angeles–based campus as their set. Doheny Library is a favorite spot on campus, thanks to its dramatic, high-ceilinged study halls and elegant nooks and crannies spread over several floors. But the real highlight is the courtyard of the Cinema School (thanks to donations from none other than George Lucas and Steven Spielberg) which lays it on thick with sun-drenched Mediterranean architecture—and some of the campus's most fascinating people-watching.

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

For a state university, University of Utah makes the most of every one of its 1,535 acres in the Wasatch Mountain Range. With lush green spaces in the warmer months, and plenty of fields blanketed in snow as the weather grows colder, Utah’s massive campus requires shuttles to get to and from certain points. An edible garden on campus, sponsored by the school’s sciences and sustainability departments and managed by student volunteers, sells some of its harvest at campus farmer’s markets, with the rest donated to charity Feed U.

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 

Students write odes to “Vandy” in springtime, when the university's canopy of trees drop a blanket of pink and white flowers on pathways, urging everyone to take their homework outside to the lawns. Postcard-perfect Kirkland Hall, with its red-brick clock tower straight out of a doo-wop scene, is a stately backdrop to it all. Not to mention, just a short walk outside the campus gates, the city’s best chicken (found at McDougal’s on Belcourt Avenue, no contest) is readily available to bring back on campus.

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia

While many old colleges are clad in beautiful stonework, the buildings on Virginia Tech’s campus all feature the locally sourced “Hokie Stone.” Brought to the campus from nearby limestone quarries outside Blacksburg, Virginia, the renovation of the school’s buildings dates back to the university’s fifth president during the turn of the 20th century. At the time, the school’s buildings were primarily made from brick, and university president Joseph D. Eggleston sought to use limestone of the area to model buildings closer to institutions like Oxford and Cambridge.

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest's Reynolda Campus blends the built and natural worlds with steeples and domed roofs peeking out above the ground’s lush greenery and treelines. The quad earns major bragging rights, flanked by the gorgeous Wait Chapel and titular Reynolda Hall buildings, but the botanical aspects of the campus are the true stars here—don't leave without taking a walk through Reynolda Gardens, made up of 125 acres of wetlands, fields, forests, and trails.

Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

Spanning 316 acres in Middletown, Connecticut, Wesleyan University features a prominent display of Greek Revival architecture throughout its 340 buildings. The main quad is surrounded by four beautiful buildings: Harriman Hall, Shanklin Hall, the former Hall Chemistry Building, and the main attraction, Olin Library—all of which were designed by legendary architecture firm McKim, Mead, and White, the creators of Penn Station and the Brooklyn Museum, among other triumphs.

William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

There’s more than just pretty old buildings on William & Mary’s campus. The school plays host to the oldest collegiate building still standing in the United States, with the Sir Christopher Wren Building built between 1695 and 1700. The school’s history reaches back to the earliest days of the nation, too. Three presidents have attended the school: Jefferson, Monroe, and Tyler. The origins of the school began as a royal decree from King William III and Queen Mary II, making it the second oldest college in the country, after Harvard. That level of history is spread throughout this campus and gives visitors a look into the past at every turn.

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven isn’t exactly an idyllic college town, but Yale University’s sprawling campus makes up for it. With buildings designed by the likes of Eero Saarinen, Paul Rudolph, and Philip Johnson, Yale’s main campus is among the most stunning in the world. In fact, one of the most eye-catching structures is the Osborn Memorial Laboratories, built in 1913 by architect Charles C. Haight.

Though it was built more than a century ago, Osborn Memorial isn’t even one of the university’s oldest structures. Some of them, including Connecticut Hall, were built shortly after the school opened in 1701. Connecticut Hall, designed by Thomas Clap in the 1760s, is the only surviving building on Old Brick Row.

Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia

There are few towns more charming than Lexington, Virginia, which is home to Washington and Lee, one of the country’s oldest universities. Originally opened in 1749 as the Augusta Academy, Washington and Lee is a small liberal arts college that boasts around 2,000 undergraduate students.

One of the most beautiful buildings on campus is the Lee Chapel, which is named after Robert E. Lee, the university’s president from 1865 until 1870, was built in the mid-19th-century. His son, however, suggested the Victorian design. The chapel may be a religious building, but it was also Lee’s main office, the treasurer’s office, and the main library.

The rest of the campus is just as quaint. The Colonnade, for instance, is a row of small brick buildings, all of which are designated National Historic Landmarks.

Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri

Walking through Washington University in St. Louis’ main campus, otherwise known as Danforth, is like a stroll through a small European town . Most of the buildings, including Green Hall, are Gothic-inspired structures clad in pale bricks. Plus, several of them are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Though Danforth isn’t as old as the original downtown location, which was where WashU stood between 1853 until 1905, most of the buildings predate the 20th century.

The new campus, Danforth, was carefully planned by the prestigious landscape architecture firm Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot (the same group behind Atlanta’s Piedmont Park), who took over nearly 200 acres west of the original campus.

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

Easily one of the University of Texas at Austin’s most distinguishing landmarks, the 307-foot UT Austin Tower was completed in 1937. The Beaux-Arts-style structure was designed by French-American architect Paul Cret to serve as the central library for the college’s 62,000 students. Like any university library with an impressive book collection, the stacks are enormous, rising 27 stories above the reading rooms on the ground floor.

The main campus features more than 150 buildings, including seven museums and 17 libraries, making it a solid choice for a long stroll.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor’s University of Michigan may be more famous for its academic program and top-tier football team than it is for its Gothic-inspired aesthetic, but the beautiful buildings scattered throughout the massive campus are worth an extended glance or two. The law school, for instance, is where the university’s architectural tour de force, Allan F. and Alene Smith Library, resides.

Though it looks like it’s been standing for at least several centuries, the stone structure known as the Law Quad, with its iconic arched doorway, was opened in 1934. It boasts a similar look to the university’s oldest still-active academic building, Mason Hall, which was built nearly a century earlier.

Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Situated in its namesake Pennsylvania town , Swarthmore College was founded in 1864 and many of the buildings still standing on campus were built shortly afterward. In fact, Parish Hall, built in 1869, was the first building on campus. Technically, it burned down a decade or so later, but it was rebuilt to look exactly like the original. The Escheresque-style building separates the academic buildings from the residential ones on campus.

The college is most famous for its idyllic gardens, including the Scott Arboretum, a 300-acre preserve that houses colorful flora and trees. The pièce de résistance, though, is the outdoor amphitheater whose stone steps are draped in greenery.

Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont

Though there are talks about replacing Middlebury College’s most beloved first-year residence hall, Battell Hall, the circa 1955 white clapboard building is cloaked in ivy in the warmer months. Most of the buildings on campus are much older, though, including the perfectly symmetrical Painter Hall, the oldest Vermont college building still standing. Starr Hall, along the Old Stone Row, was originally built in 1860, but it mostly burned down (on Christmas Eve, no less), and was rebuilt four years later. Today, it is a dormitory.

The small liberal arts college with under 3,000 students and its series of charming cottages and manor-like structures is spread across 350 rural acres. The winter months may be unforgiving, but its worth it for a few weeks of unparalleled fall foliage.

Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon

Founded in 1867—originally as the Albany Collegiate Institute in Albany, Oregon—it was relocated 75 miles north to Portland in 1938. Four years later, the institution officially changed its name to Lewis & Clark College, after its namesake explorers’ famed expedition through the U.S. With about 2,000 undergraduate students across 137 forested acres, Lewis & Clark College is home to some of the most beautiful buildings, including the Herman Brookman, and Rogers Hall-designed Frank Manor House, which now houses the office of undergraduate admissions.

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Indiana University’s flagship campus, the Bloomington location has enough academic buildings to host the college’s 40,000 students. Though there is seemingly constant construction on campus, many of the structures are historic and date back to Indiana University’s reconstruction in the late 19th century. Plus, the institution sits on nearly 2,000 acres, more than half of which is dedicated green space.

Not to mention, the campus was built on top of a bed of both Salem and Harrodsburg limestone, and many of the older buildings are made from local materials.

Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Howard University, founded in 1867 by its namesake General Oliver Otis Howard, is one of the country’s few historically black institutions for higher education. Though the campus is chock-full of historic buildings, including the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, the Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall, and the Founders Library, many of the structures, designed by architect Albert Cassell, are relatively new.

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Perhaps the most prominent building on Florida State University’s campus, the Westcott Building, was erected in 1910 and served as the college’s administration building. In 1936, however, it was renamed the James D. Westcott, Jr. Memorial Building for the former Florida Supreme Court justice. The building, and the massive fountain in front of it, both sit at the entrance of the university to welcome visitors and students to campus. Today, the fountain is considered a symbol of unity and heritage of the university.

Though a decent amount of buildings pre-date the university, none of them—most of which are redbrick—are not from the 19th century.

Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 

One of Emory University’s most distinguishing architectural elements is its quad, which is shaped like a glass Coca-Cola bottle. Emory has a unique relationship with the beverage giant because, in 1979, the company’s president offered a massive amount of Coca-Cola stock to the university.

Nestled along the grassy length of bottle-shaped quad is the Michael C. Carlos Museum, which was founded in 1876. The museum, one of the oldest in the state, houses objects from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Near East, and Africa. Like the museum, many of the college’s buildings, constructed using limestone, were part of Pittsburgh architect Henry Hornbostel’s Beaux-Arts plan for the Atlanta institution.

Elon University, Elon, North Carolina

Split into seven neighborhoods, the 656-acre Elon University, in a small North Carolina town of the same name, is home to some of the country’s most spectacular architectural marvels, including those situated within the Historic Campus. Comprising six buildings, the oldest part of the university is perhaps the most charming on campus. All six, which were built between 1907 and 1929, were designed in the same Colonial Revival style.

California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

With an acceptance rate of just over six percent, the California Institute of Technology, known locally as CalTech, is one of the most exclusive institutions in America. Founded in 1891 in Pasadena, the university’s buildings are spread across 124 acres outside of downtown Los Angeles.

Boston College, Newton, Massachusetts

Boston College doesn’t boast a traditional college campus. Instead, the 19th-century university’s buildings are scattered throughout the city along the Charles River. The main campus, called Chestnut Hill, features a collection of 120 buildings overlooking the reservoir.

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Wellesley College named among America’s most beautiful campuses in the US by Travel and Leisure

• Published: Jun. 25, 2021, 8:28 a.m.

Houghton Memorial Chapel, Wellesley College

• Tristan Smith | [email protected]

Travel and Leisure released its annual list of the nation’s most beautiful college campuses and a Massachusetts college made the cut.

Wellesley College was ranked at 19 of the 25 featured.

The Massachusetts all-women liberal arts school, and Hillary Clinton’s alma mater, placed right above Virginia’s College of Willam and Mary and underneath the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Wellesley’s expansive 500-acre campus is said to be “another world entirely, with pathways that meander through sprawling meadows, groves of conifers and hardwoods that surround tranquil Lake Waban.”

It’s Victorian-period brick buildings gather under the wooded hillsides and green colors flourish year-round. Wellesley’s “Several greenhouses, lush with tropical, subtropical, and desert plantings” illuminate throughout Massachusetts’ extensive winters.

The historic college, founded in 1870, was an easy pick for the travel site .

Stanford University tops the 2021.

Related Content:

• All-women colleges double down on mission as enrollment dwindles
• ‘The greatest equalizer’: Massachusetts educators pitch early college expansion as lawmakers review post-pandemic life
• State universities in Massachusetts will require students to get COVID vaccine

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

4 Midwest Schools, Including 1 in Illinois Make List of ‘Most Beautiful College Campuses'

The list comes from travel + leisure magazine, by francie swidler • published april 28, 2023 • updated on april 28, 2023 at 1:09 pm.

As the 2022-2023 school year comes to a close, many hopeful college freshman will be heading off to colleges and universities across the country in the fall.

But only some of those campuses have been dubbed "the most beautiful."

Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.

"America's most beautiful college campuses don't just attract prospective students and their families," a recent report from Travel + Leisure magazine reads. "Tourists flock to these impressive institutions to admire their perfectly manicured lawns, stunning architecture, and noteworthy landmarks."

The report, which came out earlier this year, ranks the "25 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the U.S." The list includes a handful of campuses in the Midwest -- including one in Illinois -- as well as multiple schools in California, New York and Florida.

Topping the list, without surprise, is Stanford University, located near Palo Alto, about 35 miles outside San Francisco.

"The entryway to Stanford's 8,180-acre campus is arguably the grandest of any beautiful college campus," the description says. "A mile-long, tree-lined Palm Drive leads up to the expansive green oval Main Quad, surrounded by red-roofed buildings and the campus's crown architectural jewel, Memorial Church, with its striking mosaic façade."

While the No. 2 spot was snagged by a rural college in Georgia, No. 3 on the list went to The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

Chicago's migrant website obscures details on where $300 million was spent

What would a shift to La Niña mean for Chicago summer?

"It's hard to miss the glistening golden dome of  Notre Dame's  Main Building, not to mention the Neo-Gothic Basilica of the Sacred Heart that defines this Catholic school founded in 1842," the report says. "Besides gorgeous architecture, the campus is chock-full of lush quads, where students congregate to kick back when they're not in class or at the football stadium."

The next Midwestern school to make an appearance is Kenyon College in Ohio at No. 12, followed by the University of Wisconsin - Madison at No. 18.

Coming in at No. 21 is the University of Chicago, located in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood.

According to the report, the south side campus is a bit of an architectural marvel, blending "traditional English Gothic style with the modern designs of Eero Saarinen and Mies van der Rohe across 215 acres that include an official botanical garden."

And keep an eye out for details, the list adds. "Many of the gargoyles on the ivy-covered buildings date back to 1893, when the campus was constructed."

See the full list of 25 here .

This article tagged under:

Southeast Asia

North America

• Central & South America
• Middle-East
• Australia & South Pacific
• Luxury Awards
• Family Travel
• Solo Travel
• Beaches & Islands
• Zodiac Travels
• Wellness & Spas
• Accessories
• Points and Miles
• #TheGreenEdit
• T+L Tastemakers
• Sustainable Travel
• T+L Experiences

Destinations

These Are The Most Beautiful Universities In The World

These are the most beautiful universities in the world you must visit because of their scenic campuses with gorgeous architecture..

By: Pallabi Bose Published: Dec 16, 2022 12:00 PM UTC

High school is over, and it’s time to embark on a new journey. Teenagers are set to map their future by selecting the best colleges and universities. The most established universities, from Stanford University to Oxford University, not only offer the best programs but also feature the most breathtaking campuses.  Check out our curated guide if you’re planning to study abroad or want to drop by these spectacular campuses.

Some of the top-class colleges and universities in the world are known for their architecture, lush greenery, scenic landscapes and soothing ambience that enables the creative and innovative minds of students to flourish. Moreover, the rhythmic collaboration of nature and buildings has made these campuses famous tourist destinations.

So, even if you have left your college days behind years ago, you can still visit these sprawling campuses on your next holiday as some of these make up for the greatest destinations for architecture buffs and avid travellers.

Related Stories

These Are The 5 Best Luxury Shopping Malls In Bangkok For The Ultimate Experience

The most spectacular university campuses you can visit on your next holiday, stanford university, us.

Besides being one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Stanford University has an exceptionally beautiful campus in Silicon Valley, California.

Former California governor and senator Leland Stanford and his wife Jane Stanford founded this coed institution in 1885 in remembrance of their only child. The Stanford family gave their favourite residence Palo Alto Stock Farm to the university, and it still carries the nickname The Farm.

Architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who is also famous for designing Central Park in New York, built the central idea of the university grounds. While the style of the campus showcases Romanesque and Mission Revival architecture, the place is dotted with several rectilinear sandstone buildings. They are all joined by covered arcades formed by successive arches.

With over a 33-sq-km area comprising nearly 700 major buildings, the campus accommodates more than 16,000 students. Visitors and students are greeted by the one-km-long road lined with 160 Canary Island Palm trees. Named The Palm Drive, it serves as the entrance of the university. The paved road leads to the Oval, which is known for its emblematic gardens and expansive manicured lawns.

Further enhancing the aesthetics of Stanford University are the Quad buildings designed in two rings. These are separated by areas for sandstone arcades and small courtyards meant for relaxation between classes or having lunch. This area leads to the Memorial Court, which is adorned by red rose beds and crisscrossing pathways. Do not miss Rodin’s “Burghers of Calais” sculptures that were erected in 1981 and the drinking fountain that makes for Instagram-worthy clicks.

Other remarkable places like Oregon and Meyer Courtyards, beautiful gardens and the rolling hills add to the grandeur of the colossal architecture. There is no hesitation in saying that this campus is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.

University of Coimbra, Portugal

King Dinis founded the first university of Portugal in 1290. Although it was initially in Lisbon, it was transferred to Coimbra in 1308. Eventually, it was moved to the city of the River Mondego in 1537.

Though it was restricted within the borders of the Royal Palace in its early days, the University of Coimbra has three campuses throughout the city, lending it the name “University City.” You can still notice the royal patronage in areas of the university.

The main campus of the university, the historical site of great architecture, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. The mediaeval and modern architecture sits on the riverside, overlooking a scenic landscape. It is one of the oldest universities in the world, and its three campuses have over 25,000 students.

The Baroque Library, one of the richest and oldest European libraries, adds more glory to the university campus. The beauty of 16th-century architecture and the majestic interior of Saint Michel’s Chapel will surely catch your attention.

A 200-year-old botanical garden, the oldest and one of the most splendid iron-glass architectures of the great greenhouse, innovative science museums, and a digital planetarium add more charm to the university campus.

Last but not the least, the Great Hall of Acts, which was the throne room till the 14th century, is one of the most regal sites on the campus. The carpet-like tiles on the walls, grotesque-motif-style wooden ceiling and portraits of Portuguese kings on the walls will leave history buffs in awe.

BITS Pilani, India

This world-class institute in India started as a patshala (meaning ‘school’ in Hindi) in 1901. Then it became a high school, a college and finally, in 1964, with G.D. Birla as the founding chairman, the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) was deemed an institute. It later became a prestigious university.

Spread over almost a 1.33-sq-km area, the BITS Pilani campus was in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, which has inspired many adoptions of Western practices over the years.

Lush and shadowy gardens, wooden pathways, a unique Saraswati Temple on the southern block and the striking visual of the clock tower at the top of the academic building make it one of the most beautiful university campuses in the world.

The research university also encourages a sustainable environment by using solar panels on the rooftops, water conservation techniques and recycling domestic waste. This magnificent university ground is home to 4,500 students.

The United States Air Force Academy, US

When the Air Force became a separate service in the US, the leaders demanded a distinguished school to train the cadets. So, in 1954, the government established the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Initially, it was an all-men school, but in 1980, the first class, including women, graduated from the institution.

It is a 75-sq-km campus in the lap of breathtakingly beautiful vistas of the mountains. The mid-century modern architecture hosts 4,000 cadets from across the country and trains them as future leaders.

Cadet Chapel is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country. 17 spires made of aluminium, glass and steel tower approximately 45.72 metres into the sky, making them one of the greatest creations of American academic architecture. Currently, the chapel is undergoing restoration, but it serves as a worship place for cadets of all religious beliefs. Alumni, US military graduates and officers can hold their weddings there as well.

If you drive to North Gate Boulevard and stop at the first overlook, it will allow you to see the majestic view of the academic buildings and the college campus. Barry Goldwater Visitor Centre is another tourist attraction to learn more about the history of the place and buy souvenirs. Additionally, half-kilometre-long hiking through the chapel trail will give some awe-inspiring mountain views.

While Harmon Hall showcases numerous historical statues and sculptures, the circular-shaped memorials bring a contrast to the ascetic look of the campus site. Arnold Hall, the planetarium, Doolittle Hall and Falcon Stadium are other stunning sites you can check out.

As a tourist, you can enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and hunting. They also have arranged scavenger hunts to keep your little ones engaged.

Oxford University, UK

Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Though the foundation year isn’t clear, its official website states that “teaching existed at Oxford in some form” in 1096.

The historic and cutting-edge modernised building attracts millions of tourists every year. While the oldest building on the campus site is the 15th-century Duke Humfrey’s Library (the oldest part of the Bodleian Library), the Blavatnik School of Government is one of the latest additions.

The campus of the university comprises several colleges, institutions, museums and libraries. For instance, All Souls College, located at the heart of the university, displays some of the best architectural marvels from the 15th century. Medieval buildings and the gothic interiors of the chapel are definitely a highlight of the campus.

Balliol College, located in the centre of Oxford, also showcases some contrast, as it has 15th-century architecture with a 19th-century façade at the front.

The libraries and museums, too, are spread throughout the city and open to visitors during the day. The first public museum in Britain, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History exhibits many instances of neo-gothic architecture.

Moreover, a walk in the Christ Church meadow, Oxford Botanic garden, Harcourt Arboretum and other university parks will bring you peace and tranquillity. The entire city portrays culture and history through its stunning architecture and lush greenery.

This world-class university with a picturesque landscape is home to more than 26,000 students from all over the world.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

Noticing the need for a research-based institute, Hong Kong leaders felt the need to build an innovative and world-class institute in the financial hub of China in 1989. The architecture of the campus can be described as unique and innovative and targets carbon neutrality and zero water waste.

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the 1082-sq-km campus on the Sai Kung Peninsula accommodates more than 16,000 students.

There are several attractions for tourists to enjoy on the university grounds. The Circle of Time, also famous as the Red Bird, is a magnificent red sculpture that represents the institution and the earliest scientific invention of mankind, the sundial.

The golden HKUST logo is another prominent attraction of the campus site. The Armillary Sphere is an ancient Chinese invention used for the measurement of the position of heavenly bodies. A replica of this astronomical instrument at the Fung Shu Chuen Promenade enhances the beauty of the campus. Moreover, One-World-Fountain, which represents the synergy of technology, harmony of nature and man, and worldwide communication, is the first-ever symbolic water sculpture of Asia.

The research university, located in one of Hong Kong’s havens, is a panoramic campus where the countryside charms coexist peacefully with a modernised lifestyle.

Flagler College, US

Only 6.5 km away from the Atlantic Ocean, the 0.19-sq-km campus, with a 0.8-sq-km athletic field, of Flagler College is one of the biggest tourist attractions of St Augustine.

The construction was originally designed as a hotel. Noticing the absence of luxury resorts in St Augustine, industrialist, railroad pioneer and entrepreneur Henry Morrison Flagler founded the Hotel Ponce de León in 1888.

Though the building was designed by two rookie architects, it was considered a marvel of architecture and engineering from the beginning. The immense beauty of the place caught the attention of many Hollywood filmmakers back in the day.

In 1957, the Florida American Institute of Architects recognised the masterpiece and included Ponce de Leon in the list of the nation’s 100 most important buildings. Now, the national landmark serves as the centrepiece of Flagler College. In 1968, a new era of the opulent Ponce de León began as the Flagler College and now more than 2,500 students study here.

The iconic structure has been preserved over the years and its unique features can be seen across the campus. While the Italian mosaic tile floors with oak woodwork and Numidian pink marble wainscoting in the lobby named Rotunda will welcome you inside the campus, the massive 1,320-square-metre dining hall can accommodate 300 guests. Its walls are adorned by Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows.

You can find many French and Spanish Renaissance décor and original artefacts from the hotel throughout the building. The orange-beige combination with tropical trees and large ponds brings the Spanish renaissance style to life. The pleasant vibe of the campus makes it all the harder to leave Flagler College.

University of Cambridge, UK

The fourth oldest university in the world and the second oldest university in the English-speaking world, the University of Cambridge was founded in 1209. But the first college was established in 1284 by the Bishop of Ely.

The University doesn’t have only one dedicated campus, but it also has 31 constituent colleges and numerous libraries, museums, sports centres and other facilities. Almost 24,000 students from 141 countries study at this prestigious and world-class institution.

The main campus of the university is in the centre of Cambridge city with many older buildings overlooking the River Cam. Dating back to the 14th century, the marvellous architecture of the colleges, especially the regal design of King’s College, catches the eye of every visitor.

The library of Cambridge, which first began in 1416, is one of the oldest university libraries in the world. The rich history of 800 years and the ancient architecture, statues, rich cultural diversity and well-kept museums attract tourists from all over the world.

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico

In 1551, the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico initiated the foundation of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). It is the largest university in Latin America, covering a 7.2-sq-km area and with over 3,69,000 students.

Also known as the National Autonomous University of Mexico , its main campus was built between 1949 and 1952. More than 60 architects, engineers and artists came together to create an exemplary monumental ensemble that represents 20th-century modernism and also refers to its pre-Hispanic past and local traditions.

Currently, it has become an important symbol of modernism in Latin America, which is a true embodiment of universal cultural values.

Trinity College, Ireland

Trinity College Dublin, also popular as the University of Dublin, was established by royal charter by Queen Elisabeth I in 1592. The style, design, and architecture were deeply inspired by the two long-established prestigious universities Oxford and Cambridge.

With a No.1 ranking, Trinity is the oldest university in Ireland and The Library of Trinity College has the largest selection of manuscripts and books on the island. 1200 years old Book of Kells, the manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament written in Latin and adorned with bright colours, is Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure. Built between 1712 and 1732, the Old Library has a 65-metre-long main hall. The walks on the leafy squares, cobblestone walkways on the trinity trails and historic architecture will leave you spellbound.

You can also stay on this beautiful university campus as there are many types of accommodations available for travellers across the world.

Other most beautiful universities in the world

Some notable mentions in Asia include St Xavier’s College in Maharashtra, India. Witness its Indo-gothic architecture, which was recognised by the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee as a heritage structure. Additionally, a trip to China’s Tsinghua University will take you to Qing Hua Yuan (Tsinghua Garden), one of the top tourist sites in Beijing renowned for its colourful display of flora.

Some other universities in the US with beautiful campuses include Boston’s Harvard University, which has several quaint walking trails and historical buildings showcasing old architecture. The university is also known for Harvard Square, River Charles and its magnificent libraries.

Meanwhile, Yale University’s iconic campus in New Haven has been a go-to place for filmmakers for years.

(Credit for the hero and featured Image: Stanford University)

This story first appeared on Travel + Leisure India

Related: 5 Heritage Bangkok Hotels With Interesting Histories

• beautiful university campuses
• breathtaking campuses
• oldest universities

Pallabi Bose

These Hidden Gems Are The Most Beautiful Places In Himachal, India

By Shaili Shah

Tokyo Vs Kyoto: Which City Should You Include In Your Japan Itinerary?

By Sharon Alphonso

Where To Travel For Your Songkran Vacation In Thailand

By Vichayuth Chantan

Find Joy In The Happiest Countries Of The World, 2024 Edition

By Pyusha Chatterjee

Five-Star Hospitality At 41,000 ft: Luxury Hotels That Offer The Private Jet Experience

By Yashita Vashishth

Here’s What You Can Do At Singapore’s Brand New Sentosa Sensoryscape

By Derrick Tan

Best Time To Visit Bhutan: Choosing The Perfect Seasons For Your Himalayan Expedition

By Shubhanjana Das

What To Do, Where To Stay And What To Eat: The Ultimate NYC Itinerary

By Chaitali Patel

Hong Kong Shopping Guide: The Best Malls And Streets To Shop For Every Kind Of Product

By Jianne Soriano

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest on travel, stay & dining.

You’re all set

Thank you for your subscription.

The official news site of the College of Charleston.

Cofc named america’s most beautiful college campus.

It’s official: The College of Charleston is the prettiest college campus in America.

The College was named the winner of  Travel + Leisure’s  “ Most Beautiful College Campus” contest on Thursday afternoon after two weeks of open online voting. Before polling closed on Thursday, CofC had nearly 20 percent of the vote and was several points ahead of the next top vote-getter, the University of Montana.

“The College of Charleston community has known for centuries that we have one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world,” said College of Charleston President Glenn F. McConnell ’69 . “I’m thrilled that renowned Travel + Leisure magazine has formally recognized the College with this No. 1 ranking and affirmed to everyone that our world-class beauty matches our world-class instruction.”

He added, “this recognition would not be possible without the incredible work of our talented grounds crew, led by Paty Cowden . She and her team deserve much of the credit for this unique and well-deserved honor.”

The College bested nineteen other universities across the country, including schools such as Princeton University, Duke University and the University of California Los Angeles. CofC was the only South Carolina institution in the contest. The photo of campus featured on the online ballot was submitted by sophomore Alison Rourk .

Students, families, faculty and staff have long lauded the College for its historic vistas, Spanish moss-adorned live oaks and its historic Cistern Yard.

Travel + Leisure  has also given high marks to the city surrounding the College. The media outlet   named Charleston the best city in the world in 2016 , and it has ranked the city, its restaurants, attractions and lodgings among the best in the nation.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

Related posts.

Data Science Major Pursues His Dreams in the FinTech Market

College of Charleston Photos of the Week

Kids on Point Executive Director Receives MLK Humanitarian Award

15 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the US

College Campuses

Our country’s most beautiful college campuses don’t just attract prospective students with their families. Tourists flock to these impressive institutions to admire their perfectly manicured lawns, gorgeous architecture, and significant landmarks. With their extensive collections of buildings, it’s no wonder that college campuses are architectural gems.

In the US, college campuses built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries feature beautiful, unified styles. Usually, the Collegiate Gothic movement drew from historical English buildings and the Federal, neoclassical, and Romanesque movements.

Campuses also have elegant landscape designs, whether perfectly manicured quads or natural woodlands. While most universities have included incredible modern builds by 20th-century architects in recent years, they’ve also worked hard to maintain their visual legacies.

We’ve searched throughout the country to find the 15 most beautiful college campuses in America, taking into consideration both architectural heritage and setting. Is your alma mater on our list? Read on to find out!

Ricarda is our very definition of a wanderer. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, she’s on a race to see and experience as much of the world as possible. She packed up her life one day and has been traveling by RV ever since, scouring the states to discover the many stunning views the US has to offer! Lucky for us, she’s also one of our senior writers so we get access to a lot of worth-telling insights about her amazing adventures.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

66 thoughts on “15 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the US”

You missed a good one. St Marys College in southern Maryland is gorgeous. Take a look

Thank you, Sherry! I actually went there and was SURE it was going to be on the list!

How could you have overlooked The University of Notre Dame?

Notre Dame is the prettiest though Princeton is close.

Don’t forget about The College of Charleston, downtown Charleston SC

Yes, My great great great grandparents graduated from there before moving to La. The chapel there is beautiful.

Not to include West Point Academy is travesty not only is it set in beautiful setting it has produced our country’s greatest leader’s maybe she go there and see and read the history of the men that graduated there,her list is irrelevant.

Ricarda should have visited the military academies…..at least one of them should have been listed.

Hmm all Ivy League schools? Only two out west? Obviously never been to CU Boulder. One of the most beautiful campuses in the US. Maybe you should wander west of the Mississippi .

Not all the Ivy League schools made the list – Cornell is noticeably missing… and there are more than two western schools listed!

CORNELL is probably the most beautiful campus in the country. To omit it from this list is ridiculous!

You overlooked one of the most beautiful College campuses of all – Cornell University!

And how Cornell missed the cut (along with West Point) is baffling

great idea Britt

CU should have been on the list. Almost all the buildings have matching beautiful stone, wonderful walkways, scenic pond,etc. The ones on the list sometimes have one or two great buildings but not a coordinated campus like CU.

Can’t believe Berry College, Rome,Ga was. Not listed. You missed. Beauty!!

Georgetown Grad. like Naval Academy and some others as well.

Your list lost credibility when you didn’t even include Pepperdine University anywhere on your list, which continually wins awards annually for its stunning vistas and architectural beauty. Situated high on a hill in Malibu, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it is undeniably one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.

Right on Kelly!

Amen! 20,000 acres of beautiful rural property. A wonderful waterwheel and gorgeous buildings funded by Henry Ford.

I was fortunate to spend my undergraduate years at two of the listed Universities, UVA and Sewanee. I remain extremely proud of both, and the care that the trustees and alumni have takeover the years to maintain the beauty of the campuses (known as “The Grounds” at UVA and “The Domain” at Sewanee). Perhaps the unique names attached to these make people more aware of their architectural and historical Legacies. In spite of massive expansion since I matriculated in the late 50s and early 60s, they remain true to this legacy. Thank you for this article.

Auburn University! Auburn, Alabama. Tons of history, clock tower. You missed one there too!

Not even close! Yes, these are colleges with some beautiful buildings, but certainly not as beautiful as almost any of the military academies., for instance. They combine beautiful architecture with beautiful locations. West Point sits high on the Hudson River with spectacular views north and south. The Rocky Mountains provide a spectacular backdrop to what one might say is a bit too ’60s “contemporary ” architecture, but it works. The Naval Academy has the Chesapeake bay as its eastern boundary. They are also among the very best universities in the nation. Take a look.

Obviously its a matter of opinion, but Oregon State University has been named the most beautiful campus on the west coast for years. Lewis & Clark surprised me being on the list. Try googling OSU and you’ll see what Trip Advisor,f or one, sees. Its stunning, especially in fall.

Absolutely as a retired Army Veyeran I have seen all three academies West Point while on a training mission, The Aur Force Academy while stationed at Ft. Carson, CO and the Naval Academy from many miles driven around the area from duty stations and family living in the area.

Ivy League……what about William & Mary? Miami University (Ohio)? They’re twins. I know….everyone has they’re favorites, but this seemed very slanted.

THANK YOU. Ohio University in Athens is GREAT too….lovely in south-central Ohio. And Bethany College, Bethany, WV…gorgeous old-main gothic architecture. I was SURE it’d be on the list, also!~ GTJ

I think smaller-colleges are also underrepresented…Bethany College, oldest college in WV…Gothic Architecture…Ohio University, Athens, is also beautiful. Don’t worry…they missed a LOT of nice ones! G

Bethany is outstanding I’m a WV native

You really should not include those built by slaves.

Another beautiful campus is that of Miami University in Oxford, OH…

Indiana University in Bloomington should be on your list. Absolutely gorgeous.

None compare to the campus of the United States Military Academy, it is not even close.

United States Military Academy is not high on this list, I have been to all the Ivy Leagues and they don’t even compare with the campus at West Point.

Wow. Not a single one of the “Seven Sisters”. Doesn’t make any sense. Sorry.

I agree…I’ve always thought that Vassar was beautiful.

I have been to 4 of these beautiful campuses and attended one. They are all beautiful. America is blessed with many – maybe even most – of the most beautiful university campuses in the world.

With all of the Ivies you have included, you fail to mention Cornell. It easily surpasses most of the others you have included, and I have seen most of them. The setting alone, on the hills overlooking Cayuga Lake, sets it apart. I would like to see a full exposition of the standards you used.

Absolutely!!

Not having Indiana University in the top 16 is utterly ridiculous.

William and Mary? U Penn? Miami U?

Miami University, Oxford, Ohio should have been in the top 10. Miami is a gorgeous place. I’m just a little biased- I’m a proud alum.

WHITMAN is already number 1 on many other lists and there is no debate.

other beautiful ones missing from this list for sure. What about Kent State University in Ohio and a few in Michigan?

No Swarthmore College?! Whole campus is an arboretum. Big oversight.

There are other parts of the country besides the east coast. U of W Huskies aren’t even given a thought in this cavalcade of east coast universities.

Baylor in Waco , Texas.

You’ve never been to Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC, have you?

What about Cornell?

Miami University in Oxford Ohio should be on this list.

Can’t believe that you left out the most beautiful of all, Berry College in Rome, Ga.

If you are going to include dark and dingy Kenyon, you can’t exclude bright and beautiful Denison U. in Granville, Ohio.

The University of the South, Sewanee, TN (Sewanee College) is the most beautiful of all.

These are the architectural gems of the US. Although I went to Valparaiso University, (known as “THE POOR MAN’S HARVARD” FOR ITS ACADEMICS) I have been on ten of these campuses. They truly are some of the most beautiful. I’m surprised Cornell was listed.

No UCLA or Virginina Tech? Give me a break.

The U. of Wisconsin in Madison is beautiful. It sits on the shores of Lake Mendota. The school buildings line the slope of Bascom Hill–with views of the lake. You missed a beautiful campus. E.M. Dover

You totally missed it..University of Colorado..sitting in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with most beautiful architecture. Also, the university of Indiana campus with their unbelievable landscape. You’re stuck with your contributors.

Mount Holyoke College is a small gem in So Hadley, Massachusetts

Where is UCLA? Virginia Tech? (I’m biased here.)

You missed the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas It is a beautiful Campus. It is the only University that has all the Graduates names etched in Senior Walk.

This is a joke and obviously voted on by an elitist group. I believe I counted 5 Ivy schools in the mix and Stanford as well as Duke and U VA. This wasn’t a poll about academics but about beauty. Having been around this entire country and almost all of the universities you cited as wel as many, many more, your list is clearly biased. Visit Pepperdine University and tell me that there is a prettier campus anywhere in the US as you gaze out on the Pacific. Or view the setting of the sun from the hills of UC Berkeley. Or look out at the snow-covered Rockies from your University of Colorado residence. To me, these surpass any of the staid institutions you mentioned.

Sorry you did not include Agnes Scott College in GA!!

Most show just a small area. Many here look too over done. Now for example look at Delaware campus, there is beauty.

University of Washington in Seattle has one of the most beautiful campus, but either you don’t know or you ignore it.

SMU – Dallas, Texas

Follow us on:

Most popular, 9 surprising things not allowed on a plane 11 january 2023, 11 charming small towns to retire in america 30 may 2022, 13 remarkable train tours for railway fanatics 19 october 2021, 8 disgusting things hotels are still doing to save money 22 june 2022, related posts.

Stunning Destinations: 6 Budget-Friendly Spring Travel Ideas in the US

Looking for some budget-friendly spring travel ideas? USA Wanderers has got you covered! As the winter blues

10 Hidden Gems Among UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Are you looking for more traveling destinations? Check out these must-see UNESCO World Heritage sites:  Hello folks!

10 Beach Towns in the US That Are Shockingly Inexpensive

Which are the most affordable beach towns in the US? Life on a beach is alluring—long, relaxing

5 Incredible Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations If You Miss the Snow

As some would say, winter is coming, and we believe that in case you miss the snow,

7 Exquisite Must-Try Dishes on a Culinary Road Trip Across America

USA Wanderers presents: must-try dishes on a culinary road trip across America! I’m a foodie, and I

10 US National Park Road Trips With Breathtaking Stops

What are some of the best national park road trips in the US? The national parks of

12 for ’24: 2024’s BEST Monthly Travel Ideas (Part 2)

Welcome back to the best destinations for this year! You didn’t think we would forget the second

Top 10 Safest Low-Cost Airlines to Fly in 2024

Which are the safest low-cost airlines? Airlines do many amazing things. They coordinate thousands of flights per

Do not sell my personal information | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Contact | Subscribe | UnSubscribe |  BECOME A WANDERER |  OUR NEWSLETTERS

Made with ❤ by Inedit Agency

CA Privacy Policy | Request to Know | Request to Delete

• All News & Stories
• Berry College News
• Berry Stories
• Articles & Guest Blog Posts
• In The News
• Faculty & Staff
• Berry Magazine
• Athletic News
• SHARE A STORY
• Campus Life
• Student Enterprises

Travel+Leisure: America's Most Beautiful College Campuses

travelandleisure.com

Related Articles

Footer Menu

50 Most Beautiful College Campuses to Visit This Fall

While many colleges around the country have lovely campuses, fewer can boast having the natural beauty that comes with the changing of the seasons. Redness in the trees complementing the brick buildings, or giant Gothic-style halls on a backdrop of technicolor rolling hills — these images are emblematic of a typical American college experience.

To compile a list of the 50 most beautiful college campus, Stacker evaluated a mix of visitor reviews and top rankings from travel experts such as Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and more.

You won't want to miss these gorgeous schools, whether you're taking a college road trip or are simply looking to get in the autumnal spirit.

#50. Colby College - Waterville, ME

Considered a Wildlife Management Area by the state of Maine, the sprawling 714-acre Colby campus is a haven for nature lovers. Johnson Pond is a hotspot for spotting wild animals. The school also boasts a lush trove of over 1,800 trees, added to by the 128-acre Perkins Arboretum.

#49. Bowdoin College - Brunswick, ME

Despite its small size and student population just north of 1,000, Bowdoin’s Coe Quad, famous pine trees and Thorndike Oak (planted in 1802) still boast the impressive spectrum of colors that Maine is known for in the fall.

#48. Middlebury College - Middlebury, VT

Middlebury is snuggled in a beautiful landscape, with a view of Green Mountain and the Adirondacks. The campus itself is a sight to behold in the fall as well — home to a 250-year-old bur oak and adorned with the historic Old Chapel, Painter Hall and Starr Hall.

#47. Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH

During a visit by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953, he famously said of Dartmouth, “this is what a college should look like.” The 269-acre campus offers historic buildings like Wentworth and Thornton Hall, and everything from golden gingko trees to yellow Kentucky coffeetrees. Beyond the center of Dartmouth, the school owns 4,500 acres of land in the White Mountains and a whopping 27,000 acres in New Hampshire.

#46. Mount Holyoke College - South Hadley, MA

As we venture into the heart of New England, the prestigious women’s college of Mount Holyoke is a must-see. The 2,000-acre campus, designed by landscape architects Olmsted and Sons, offers visitors waterfalls, lakes, nature walks, a botanical garden and a fully-fledged art museum.

#45. Amherst College - Amherst, MA

Amherst is so proud of its fall colors that it holds an Annual Fall Foliage Walk/Run, a fundraiser benefitting underprivileged young scholars. Now in its 46th year, the Fall Foliage 5K Walk/Run lets runners, walkers and leaf peepers admire the spectrum of shades of the foliage.

#44. Wellesley College - Wellesley, MA

Another beautiful women’s college, Wellesley and its changing scenery can be admired from a spot overlooking Lake Waban or on a stroll through the college’s own botanical garden.

#43. Williams College - Williamstown, MA

Known as one of the top liberal arts schools in the country, Williams is a rural campus with incredible views of the Berkshires.

#42. Smith College - Northampton, MA

Smith’s colors are not only considered picture-worthy, but also worthy of celebration. Every year on Mountain Day, the school president chooses a gorgeous fall day and rings the college bells, signaling to students that they can take the day off from classes and enjoy the beauty around them. Many students go apple picking off campus.

#41. College of the Holy Cross - Worcester, MA

The manicured 174-acre campus of Holy Cross sits on a hillside in Central Massachusetts. This beautiful location allows students and visitors to enjoy the crisp fall weather and marvel at the foliage of the registered arboretum on campus.

#40. Harvard University - Cambridge, MA

The oldest and one of the most prestigious schools in the country, Harvard boasts an impressive history and campus. It’s home to the High Victorian Gothic Memorial Hall, a national historic landmark and the famous Harvard Yard with its regal American elms. Nature lovers can also enjoy the 15,000 plants in Harvard’s vast Arnold Arboretum.

#39. Salve Regina University - Newport, RI

Sitting in the country’s smallest state, Salve Regina University is often overlooked. But the Neo-Gothic French architecture style of the campus and its striking ocean setting are worth a stop. Check out Ochre Court, an almost castle-like mansion dating back to 1892, the red sandstone McAuley Hall and the Elizabethan-style manor Wakehurst.

#38. Hamilton College - Clinton, NY

The millions who flock to New York City in the fall are only getting a tiny slice of the beauty that New York State has to offer come October. Hamilton’s serene atmosphere of more than 1,300 acres and brightly-colored trees is a perfect setting for a fall stroll.

#37. Cornell University - Ithaca, NY

Cornell’s F.R. Newman Arboretum is consistently ranked as one of the best in the country, so during the fall its beauty only increases. Also worth visiting is the Dean’s Garden to see Japanese maples and the views surrounding the Eddy Dam Bridge.

#36. Vassar College - Poughkeepsie, NY

The once all women (now co-ed) college in upstate New York is known for its stunning Gothic-style Thompson Library, with stained glass and buttressed walls. The school’s 1,000-acre arboretum is filled with a diverse crop of trees, in part thanks to Vassar’s Class Tree tradition. For almost 150 years, graduating classes have planted or adopted a tree on campus.

#35. Princeton University - Princeton, NJ

Princeton in the fall is striking even before you step foot on campus. The 0.7-mile-long stretch of Washington Road, an allée flanked with Princeton elms, along with the bridge over Lake Carnegie, provides a rather dramatic welcome.

#34. Yale University - New Haven, CT

A great way to take in all the fall beauty that this top university has to offer is by going on the Yale nature walk. You can spot red Japanese stewartia, sugar maples, mountain ash, oaks and more.

#33. Connecticut College - New London, CT

With a motto such as “ like a tree planted by rivers of water,” you can bet that nature is sacred to those at Connecticut College. Its 770-acre arboretum is used in more than 30 courses as a “living laboratory” for students.

#32. Georgetown University - Georgetown, D.C.

The oldest Jesuit university in the country, Georgetown’s hilltop location above the Potomac is a lovely stop right in the nation’s capital. The two green expanses of Healy and Copley Lawn, as well as Neo-Medieval buildings like Healy Hall provide a small oasis to admire the changing seasons within the bustling city.

#31. Swarthmore College - Swarthmore, PA

Farther west in Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College’s striking Scott Arboretum can be navigated easily by visitors. Online, anyone can access the Arboretum Navigator, a map containing each species of tree. The “Fall Foliage Tour” option lets visitors find the prettiest reds and oranges of the season.

#30. Pennsylvania State College - State College, PA

Penn State is home to several Heritage Tree Groves. These Heritage Trees are trees on campus “that have developed exceptional historical, cultural, and/or aesthetic value because of their age or their association with an important event or person.”

#29. Gettysburg College - Gettysburg, PA

Gettysburg often draws crowds for its historical significance as a battleground, but the changing landscape in autumn is a bonus. Students and visitors to Gettysburg College can enjoy the scenery in its quad, as well as at Stine Lake (not actually a lake, but a misnomer that somehow stuck).

#28. Bryn Mawr College - Bryn Mawr, PA

One of the first examples of the Gothic-style architecture trend on college campuses, this women’s college boasts beautiful buildings that complement the foliage around it. Marjorie Walter Goodhart Theater, the Cloisters and Pembroke Hall are exceptional examples.

#27. Haverford College - Haverford, PA

Along with a nationally recognized arboretum and gardens, Haverford has a 3.5-acre duck pond — a quaint spot to visit during the fall.

#26. Elon University - Elon, NC

Elon has gained national recognition as not only one of the loveliest college campuses to visit in the fall, but also year round. In 2005, the North Carolina gem and its lush grounds were designated as a botanical garden.

#25. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC

The large campus of UNC Chapel Hill hosts two large green spaces for students to gather, flanked with diverse species of plants and trees. The school is known for its 300-year-old “Davie Poplar” and outdoor Forest Theater, as well as the Old Well: a neoclassical rotunda based on the Temple of Love in the Versailles gardens of France.

#24. Duke University - Durham, NC

Those seeking awe-inspiring nature shouldn’t miss the 55-acres of landscaped and woodland plants that make up Sarah P. Duke Gardens or the Duke Forest. Notable sights include Duke’s century-old pastel-tinged willow oak and a 300-year-old red-brown “grandfather” white oak.

#23. Wake Forest University - Winston-Salem, NC

Just two hours southwest of Duke, Wake Forest University is consistently ranked as a top 30 university in the country. If you're visiting in the fall, be sure to visit the October glory red maples lining Hearn Plaza, a centerpiece of main campus, and the Blue Ridge Mountains 1.5 hours further west.

#22. Furman University - Greenville, SC

The oldest university in South Carolina is worth a peek, if not for its replica of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin, but for its Asian garden and the 40-acre spring-fed Furman Lake, overlooked by the school’s Florentine bell tower.

#21. University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA

The American Institute of Architects consider the lush landscape and buildings “the proudest achievement of American architecture in the past 200 years.” This is likely thanks to its singular Jeffersonian style, including the Palladian-style Rotunda, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

#20. The College of William & Mary - Williamsburg, VA

A academic leader in global sustainability, The College of William & Mary practices what it preaches by complementing classic architecture with natural surroundings. The Georgian and Anglo-Dutch-style buildings stand tall among the campus’ 1,200 acres of woodlands. Visit the Crim Dell Pond during the fall season.

#19. Washington and Lee University - Lexington, VA

The English poet John Drinkwater once said that the landscape surrounding this Virginia school was the most beautiful of any college in America. The school houses historical buildings, like the Colonnade and Lee Chapel (both are on the National Register of Historic Places). The surrounding natural beauty of the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains, as well as the Shenandoah Valley, provide a lovely stop on your trip south.

#18. Berry College - Mount Berry, GA

There’s much to explore at Berry College: with lakes, woodlands, mountains and over 27,000 acres of fields, it’s the world’s largest contiguous college campus. But if you’re short on time, the English Gothic-inspired buildings provided by Henry Ford (Ford Auditorium and Mary Hall) flanked by fountains and reflecting pools are worth a visit.

#17. Emory University - Druid Hills, GA

Sitting northeast of Atlanta is Emory University, a taste of the beauty the South has to offer in the fall. Take a walk through Fernbank Forest and the Natural History Museum to help take it all in.

#16. Kenyon College - Gambier, OH

Along with this Ohio school’s beautiful Gothic architecture, visible in Richard L. and Helen Thomas Hall and Old Kenyan Hall, Kenyon College also offers visitors and students the Middle Path — a walkway beneath the branches of massive sycamore, white oaks, beech, and maple trees that truly comes alive in the fall.

#15. University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN

Those visiting Notre Dame’s campus can enjoy trails and the natural beauty of various sweetgums, maples and yellow cucumber trees. Most spots in the “God Quad” provide lovely views of both St. Mary and St. Joseph’s Lakes.

#14. Indiana University - Bloomington, IN

To explore IU’s flagship campus is to enjoy a deep red brick path that goes from campus through Dunn Woods, which holds 80 species of trees. Among the colors of fall, the Student Building’s clock tower looks especially impressive.

#13. The University of the South - Sewanee, TN

Visitors can thank Sewanee’s elevated location on the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau for its spectacular fall foliage. Among the leaves, the school’s Gothic-style All Saints’ Chapel is an awe-inspiring structure, featuring a rose window based on the of the south transept of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

#12. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI

As we move further west, the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor (named for its bur oak trees) campus is a must-see. If you can’t fit seeing all 700 acres of campus and 16,000 trees (understandably), walk along the Huron River that runs through the grounds or visit the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

#11. University of Chicago - Chicago, IL

The University of Chicago may be an urban campus (located in Chicago’s Hyde Park), but many of the school’s Gothic-style buildings are worth a visit. In fact, many of its buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.

#10. Northwestern University - Evanston, IL

Tucked away from the excitement of Chicago, Northwestern’s Evanston campus has the privilege of sitting on the serenely beautiful Lake Michigan.

#9. Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO

This research university offers towering Gothic-style buildings among its 76 species of trees. Make sure to visit the red granite Benjamin Brown Graham Chapel and admire its stained-glass window, as well as Brookings Hall — a building flanked by lush green space and majestic trees.

#8. St. Olaf College - Northfield, MN

St. Olaf’s campus, or “The Hill,” features 325 acres of restored wetlands and native tallgrass prairies maintained by the school. Fall is a great time to visit the 15-acre Norway Valley, the oldest woodland area on campus that is full of native hardwood trees.

#7. Carleton College - Northfield, MN

From a seat at The Bald Spot on campus, you get a great view of serene collegiate life and fall foliage at Carleton. Leaves are especially striking near Lyman Lake or Cannon River — the perfect places to take afternoon strolls.

#6. University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, WI

UW-Madison is snuggled on the isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, providing a lovely natural setting to visit or study. The best places to take in more flora and fauna during autumn include the University of Madison-Wisconsin Arboretum (with over 100 varieties of trees), the Longenecker Horticultural Gardens and the 300-acre Lakeshore Nature Preserve.

#5. University of Colorado - Boulder, CO

The University of Colorado’s Boulder campus showcases the classic rugged beauty of Colorado with the Rocky Mountains as a stunning backdrop. The grounds themselves complement their surroundings, with both Gothic and Tuscan Vernacular Revival-style buildings.

#4. Lewis & Clark College - Portland, OR

Sitting atop Palatine Hill, Lewis & Clark College shares the lush 645-acre Tryon Creek State Natural Area, a delight to those who love to bike, hike and go leaf-peeping in the fall.

#3. University of Oregon - Eugene, OR

U of O is a prime example of northwestern, outdoorsy culture. Situated near the Willamette River, Mackenzie River, Cascade Mountains and, of course, the Pacific Ocean, there are endless opportunities to see technicolor leaves and awe-inspiring views of nature. Eugene itself is nationally known as a top green city, as well. Visitors should catch the university's Fall Street Faire, a three-day outdoor festival and farmer’s market.

#2. Whitman College - Walla Walla, WA

Whitman’s architecture is a mix of Victorian and more modern styles, enveloped in many trails, ponds and outdoor art to explore. The Walla Walla, Washington campus also has access to the Johnston Wilderness Campus, which is open to students for social and academic use.

#1. University of Washington - Seattle, WA

The University of Washington’s campus proves that the West can compete with New England in the fall season. Students and visitors can marvel at Mount Rainer from the Drumheller Fountain and soak in the beauty of the French Renaissance Revival style of Denny Hall. Peppering the grounds with color are 500 species of trees, including sweetgums, sugar and Japanese maples.

Trending Now

Best sitcoms of all time.

50 best colleges on the East Coast

50 best movies of the '60s

50 best crime TV shows of all time

The most beautiful college campuses in all 50 states

Posted: November 21, 2023 | Last updated: November 21, 2023

The United States boasts some truly stunning college campuses. These 50 beautiful universities earn top marks for architecture, green space, the surrounding landscape, or all three.

Auburn University – Auburn, Alabama

Established in 1856, Alabama’s Auburn University is home to several stately buildings including Samford Hall, beloved by students for its bright red bricks and beautiful clock tower.

University of Alaska Fairbanks – Fairbanks, Alaska

The University of Alaska Fairbanks ’ motto is Naturally Inspiring, fitting for a campus with a view of the Alaska Range, lots of golden aspen trees, and the striking Museum of the North, which was designed to resemble Alaska’s natural landscape.

University of Arizona – Tucson, Arizona

The University of Arizona campus in Tucson has several distinctive buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Old Main, built in 1887 in the Territorial and Queen Anne architectural styles.

University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, Arkansas

The University of Arkansas’s own Old Main is one of 15 buildings that make up the campus’s nationally registered historic district . The gorgeous Vol Walker Hall (pictured) houses the university’s school of architecture.

Stanford University – Stanford, California

Nicknamed “the farm” for its origins as the farm of founders Leland and Jane Stanford, the campus of Stanford University is famous for its tan walls, red roofs, manicured quads, and the 285-foot Hoover Tower .

University of Colorado Boulder – Boulder, Colorado

It’s hard to match the stunning natural scenery of the University of Colorado Boulder, located at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The sandstone walls and red-tile roofs of the Italianate-style school buildings are especially lovely against this rugged backdrop.

Yale University – New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, was founded in 1701, but some of its most impressive buildings were constructed in the nineteenth century—these include the Gothic-style Phelps Hall and Dwight Chapel.

University of Delaware – Newark, Delaware

The lawn in front of Memorial Hall—an elegant building that commemorates the Delawareans who died in the First World War—is one of the most idyllic spaces at the University of Delaware ’s beautiful campus.

Florida State University – Tallahassee, Florida

The Collegiate Gothic architecture and the fountain of Westcott Plaza , the main entrance to Florida State University, make a great first impression of this attractive campus.

Berry College – Mount Berry, Georgia

Several movies and television shows have been filmed at Berry College in Georgia, including Sweet Home Alabama (shot at Oak Hill, the Greek Revival–style home of college founder Martha Berry) and Remember the Titans (shot at various locations including the Ford buildings, pictured here).

University of Hawaii at Manoa – Honolulu, Hawaii

The University of Hawaii at Manoa has an unbeatable location among the lush greenery of Honolulu’s Manoa Valley, a residential neighborhood near Waikiki Beach with great views of Diamond Head, a volcanic crater.

University of Idaho – Moscow, Idaho

The University of Idaho’s Moscow campus is situated in the bucolic Palouse hills of northern Idaho and is home to a sprawling arboretum and botanical garden.

Northwestern University – Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University’s Evanston campus , on Lake Michigan, is full of gorgeous old buildings like the Victorian Gothic–style University Hall and the distinctive tan-brick Annie May Swift Hall.

University of Notre Dame – Notre Dame, Indiana

The University of Notre Dame ’s campus includes gorgeous Collegiate Gothic buildings, famous landmarks such as the Golden Dome atop the Main Building, and leafy quads that burst with color in the fall.

University of Iowa – Iowa City, Iowa

The University of Iowa is home to the imposing Old Capitol building, formerly the seat of the state government and now a National Historic Landmark and museum dedicated to the humanities.

University of Kansas – Lawrence, Kansas

The University of Kansas’s main campus in Lawrence sits atop Mount Oread, where the school’s vivid red-tiled roofs peek above a landscape of evergreen and elm trees.

University of Louisville – Louisville, Kentucky

The University of Louisville ’s 287-acre Belknap campus, just south of downtown Louisville, scores points for its stately buildings and community garden.

Tulane University – New Orleans, Louisiana

Tulane University in New Orleans has elegant white stone buildings and plenty of space to relax on the large quads lined with oak and cypress trees.

Bowdoin College – Brunswick, Maine

This small liberal arts college in Maine has some beautiful buildings on campus, including the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

Loyola University Maryland – Baltimore, Maryland

Although Loyola University is in Baltimore, the 80-acre Evergreen campus feels like a sanctuary outside the city. There are more than 2,200 trees, and the Tudor-style Humanities Center (pictured) gives off a cozy vibe with its gables and half-timbered walls.

College of the Holy Cross – Worcester, Massachusetts

This small liberal arts college , founded by a group of Jesuits in 1843, is well-known for its beautifully maintained, terraced campus built on Mount St. James hill, overlooking the city of Worcester, Massachusetts.

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan

There are many beautiful spots on the University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor, but the most striking is the William W. Cook Legal Research Library (pictured), with its tall stained-glass windows and elaborate entranceway.

St. Olaf College – Northfield, Minnesota

The castle-like Old Main building is just one of St. Olaf College ’s attractions; the campus is also surrounded by 350 acres of woods, wetlands, and prairies.

University of Mississippi – Oxford, Mississippi

The University of Mississippi ’s campus in Oxford is a true beauty, with elm, oak, and magnolia trees surrounding its stately buildings, including the Greek Revival–style Lyceum, built in 1848.

Washington University in St. Louis – St. Louis, Missouri

The vaulted wood ceiling of the Law Library (pictured) is just one of many beautiful features of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

University of Montana – Missoula, Montana

At the foot of Mount Sentinel in Missoula is the University of Montana ’s handsome clock tower that looks over the Oval, a three-acre swath of grass and brick paths that marks the center of campus.

Creighton University – Omaha, Nebraska

Despite being bordered by downtown Omaha to the south and an industrial area to the north, Creighton University’s campus feels like a park thanks to a conscious effort by the school’s landscaping staff , who plant and care for more than 1,000 trees on site.

Sierra Nevada University – Incline Village, Nevada

Located on the shore of Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada University has some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, and buildings whose tall windows and exposed timber perfectly complement the mountain setting.

Dartmouth College – Hanover, New Hampshire

This Ivy League college is spread across 269 elm-tree-covered acres in the rural town of Hanover, New Hampshire, and has many picturesque Georgian-style buildings, some of which date back to the 1820s.

Princeton University – Princeton, New Jersey

Another Ivy League institution, Princeton University has a majestic entrance road lined with Princeton elm trees, along with plenty of Collegiate Gothic buildings with ornate arches and walls draped in ivy.

New Mexico State University – Las Cruces, New Mexico

New Mexico State University sits on a 900-acre campus in Las Cruces with Southwestern-influenced architecture and great views of the Organ Mountains.

Colgate University – Hamilton, New York

Colgate University , on the shore of the serene Taylor Lake in rural upstate New York, has ten miles of scenic roads and walkways and lots of beautiful old stone buildings.

Duke University – Durham, North Carolina

Duke University has been called a “ university in the forest ” because of the 7,200 acres of forested land within its massive campus, whose buildings were designed in the Collegiate Gothic and Georgian styles.

University of North Dakota – Grand Forks, North Dakota

The University of North Dakota in Grand Forks is home to a number of handsome brick buildings, many of which are built in the Collegiate Gothic style, with arched, divided-light windows and crenellated parapets.

Kenyon College – Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College is located on a hilltop in the village of Gambier, Ohio, where students can take advantage of beautiful hiking trails and attend classes in magnificent Gothic buildings.

University of Oklahoma – Norman, Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma in Norman has some fantastic outdoor gathering spaces, such as the chrysanthemum-covered South Oval, and elaborate architecture, such as the Cherokee Gothic–style Bizzell Memorial Library.

Lewis and Clark College – Portland, Oregon

Six miles from downtown Portland, Lewis and Clark College is full of natural beauty thanks to its setting atop the forested Palatine Hill. Frank Manor House, the Tudor-style mansion that serves as the college’s administrative center, is particularly impressive. The campus has also been ranked the greenest in the country by the Princeton Review .

University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania is another Ivy League school known for its spectacular architecture, with wide-open quads bordered by looming Gothic towers and stone archways.

Brown University – Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University is home to an eclectic mix of buildings that represent the Italianate, Beaux-Arts, and Brutalist styles, among others. The Venetian Gothic Robinson Hall (pictured) was dedicated in 1878 as the university’s library and currently houses the Department of Economics.

College of Charleston – Charleston, South Carolina

Just like the city of Charleston itself, this college campus is full of oak-tree-lined courtyards and grand old buildings (such as Randolph Hall, pictured). This romantic setting appears in scenes from the movies The Notebook and Dear John .

Augustana University – Sioux Falls, South Dakota

South Dakota’s Augustana University , a small liberal arts college, is home to elegant brick and stone buildings and the charming Beaver Creek Lutheran Church.

Rhodes College – Memphis, Tennessee

The campus of Rhodes College in Memphis is another example of the Collegiate Gothic architecture so popular among universities in the United States, but these buildings have a distinctive look thanks to the pleasingly uniform use of brown sandstone.

Rice University – Houston, Texas

Rice University is spread across 300 wooded acres in the middle of Houston and has an impeccably groomed quad surrounded by neo-Byzantine–style buildings.

Brigham Young University – Provo, Utah

Brigham Young University sits at the base of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains and is home to some striking modern buildings such as the J. Reuben Clark Law School (pictured).

Middlebury College – Middlebury, Vermont

Nestled among the pastoral beauty of Vermont’s Champlain Valley, Middlebury College has vast expanses of green space and lovely historic buildings such as the Old Chapel (pictured).

University of Virginia – Charlottesville, Virginia

The UNESCO World Heritage–listed University of Virginia in Charlottesville was designed by Thomas Jefferson, who conceived the Academical Village (pictured), an impressive collection of Neoclassical buildings arranged in a U-shape around a central lawn.

University of Washington – Seattle, Washington

The University of Washington campus is especially beautiful in cherry-blossom season and has a number of standout buildings, including the French Renaissance Revival–style Denny Hall and the Collegiate Gothic–style Suzzallo Library.

West Virginia University – Morgantown, West Virginia

The clock tower, slate mansard roof, arched dormer windows, and red brick are all iconic features of Woodburn Hall (pictured), the gorgeous Second Empire–style building on West Virginia University ’s Morgantown campus. The Hall is one of three buildings on Woodburn Circle, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

University of Wisconsin–Madison – Madison, Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin–Madison lies on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona and boasts some stellar lakeshore trails, along with some notable historic buildings such as the Neo-Renaissance–style Memorial Union and the castle-like Red Gym.

University of Wyoming – Laramie, Wyoming

Highlights of the University of Wyoming are its sandstone buildings—the most striking of which is the rough-textured, Romanesque Revival–style Old Main, the first to be constructed back in 1886—and the sprawling green field known as Prexy’s Pasture.

More for You

Blondie by Dean Young and John Marshall

Russia charges 4 men over Moscow concert hall terrorist attack

The 11 Rudest Things You Can Do In Someone Else’s House, According To Etiquette Experts

Stuart Varney: New York's leadership turned the city into a 'dangerous joke'

David Schoen: The definition of fraud here is different from anything we've ever seen

Linda Bean, an entrepreneur, GOP activist and granddaughter of outdoor retailer LL Bean, has died

Vinícius in tears over racism: 'I just want to play football'

Calling Out the Trans Madness, and Letting the Chips Fall

3 lies women have been told about their bodies, according to a female doctor

‘The Boondock Saints' Are Back; Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery Return As Boston Vigilantes As Thunder Road & Dragonfly Films Take Reins

What to do when your CD matures, according to experts

New York court agrees to hold off on collecting Trump's $454M fraud fine

13 Cool Facts

Report: Steelers to sign former Eagles WR

The Supreme Court Just Stepped Into Our Country’s Most Fundamental Minefield

At 17, she found out she was autistic. It's a story that's becoming more common. Here's why.

Here Are 6 Things White People Say That Highlight Their Privilege And OMG I Hear These Allllll The Time

Secret Menu Items From Your Favorite Restaurants

Are There Any B-36 Bombers Still Flying?

14 Facts We Never Knew We Didn’t Know

News and Events

Travel site names k michigan’s most beautiful campus.

Travel + Leisure Magazine  — a Time Inc. publication offering tips, news and information about destinations around the world — has named Kalamazoo College the most beautiful campus among colleges and universities in Michigan.

The article describes college campuses in each state as picturesque resources appreciated by nearly everyone in each college town, and not just residents, students, faculty, staff and alumni. They’re also worthwhile destinations for travelers.

“Kalamazoo College is probably best described as pleasant,” its article says of K . “Understated but attractive red-brick buildings make up the majority of campus structures: Hodge House , the president’s residence, is a good example.”

K is located about 140 miles from Chicago and Detroit. The Kalamazoo-Portage metropolitan area has 335,000 people, making Kalamazoo feel like a large city with the intimacy of a small town.

If you’d like to see our campus for yourself, find your opportunities for visiting Kalamazoo College or take a virtual tour today. You can also find directions to campus and information on lodging and dining nearby .

Furman makes T+L’s ’25 Most Beautiful’ list

Beauty isn’t everything, but we’ll take it. Furman University is counted among Travel and Leisure’s “25 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the U.S.” The magazine gives props to the bell tower, Place of Peace, golf course, Asia garden and more in its latest ranking.

Clearly Furman raises $68.5 million for student-athlete scholarships, facilities, and operations

Tollison highlights contributions of upstate women, paladins bobblehead makes debut at national bobblehead hall of fame.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes
• Attractions
• Universities
• Amusement Parks
• Festivals + Events
• Landmarks + Monuments
• Museums + Galleries
• Olympic Games
• Parks + Gardens
• Theater + Dance
• Zoos + Aquariums