🏈 Best/favorite college towns

[bamaraider]

Mods, if you feel this should be in the forum "The Quad", feel free to move it if you want too.

Anyways, since its the off-season and there really isn't much to chat about, here's a thread to discuss some of your favorite college towns you've been to or would love to go visit. You can post pics of your favorites parts of the city, describe your experiences, and really just chat on why its such a good college town.

I'll start, Athens Georgia.

While their fans are a bit..."strange" in their own way, Athens is absolutely gorgeous to me. My last visit to Athens was in 2003 when I went up to 'Bama play them. It wasn't as big as it is now, but the downtown was still similar and still modern. I got occasional "barks" from their fans, but I also got greetings from all over and ended up hanging out at Broad Street at some bar for the game. Their campus is absolutely amazing. Almost got lost trying to find my way out of it. Its not as open really as Tuscaloosa, but there is still a good amount of space to hang out and tailgate. Looking at it now, I will definitely comeback there to hang out.

 

[BamaFan334]

I echo bamaraider's sentiments about Athens. I grew up about 45 minutes from Athens and was raised a Georgia fan. It wasn't till I got into school at Alabama that I became an Alabama fan. Anyways, Athens is a great town with an amazing campus. I was recently in Athens to see a concert at Georgia Theater with my little sister, whom goes to Georgia, and we saw JJ Grey and Mofro. EXCELLENT band, so I suggest everyone take a listen to them. I had my Alabama hat on and had nothing but a great experience, just like the thousand other times I have been. Even ran into a handful of other Alabama fans. Roll Tide. The campus itself is hilly, but full of trees and greenspace, which makes it a beautiful place. Tuscaloosa is beautiful, but it's simply different than Athens, but both are beautiful in their own right. The nightlife in Athens can't be rivaled by any other SEC team in my eyes. The ability to choose what you want and find it in multiple places is where they separate theirselves. I suggest Boars Head, Generals, JR's, and for the sake of my friend, Cloud. Lame name, but a pretty cool bar that he owns. Tuscaloosa could benefit by someone buying a space and simply revamping it instead of allowing it to look like a run down ghost town in spots. I've had the idea of doing it, but have only made it as far as drafting my business plan and speaking to agents about space.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

There are a number of really cool Southern towns around, some with colleges, some not so much. Columbia, SC has a nice strip that runs roughly in between the capital and campus down to the river called The Vista. Plenty to do there. Ashevile, NC and Greenville, SC both have neat downtown areas, although the schools in those towns don't really impact them enough to be known as college towns. If it wasn't for SCAD, Savannah wouldn't be what it is today, so I guess you could call it a college town...

RTR,

Tim

 

[planomateo]

I visited Fayetteville a few years ago, really liked the area.

Austin, TX would be at the top of my list. Pretty hard to compete with it if you ask me.

 

[bamaraider]

I visited Fayetteville a few years ago, really liked the area.

Austin, TX would be at the top of my list. Pretty hard to compete with it if you ask me.

Austin is different though. I would label it as a college town though because the college and the downtown are literally connected together. But its also a place where you can take out UT and the city itself is still pretty amazing. I won't lie, as bad as I hate Texas fans and really their program, I would live in Austin in a heart beat. Low crime rate, BEAUTIFUL river, and a ton of restaurants, bars, and others to see.

 

[bamaraider]

There are a number of really cool Southern towns around, some with colleges, some not so much. Columbia, SC has a nice strip that runs roughly in between the capital and campus down to the river called The Vista. Plenty to do there. Ashevile, NC and Greenville, SC both have neat downtown areas, although the schools in those towns don't really impact them enough to be known as college towns. If it wasn't for SCAD, Savannah wouldn't be what it is today, so I guess you could call it a college town...

RTR,

Tim

the barn actually has a nice set up downtown on college street. The city is pretty nice actually until you realize there isn't shit to do outside of college street.

See I would say Columbia is a great college place in that area, but I mostly look at the the colleges where if you take them out, the city probably wouldn't be that great. Tuscaloosa comes to mind, though now they're really doing a lot down there to make it just more than a College town.

But speaking on S.C, Clemson is boring to me. Been there once when I went out to Charleston a few years ago. Everyone says its like the barn but with a lake. I don't see it other than the similar buildings. Clemson is way smaller, more wide open, and really there is absolutely NOTHING to do out there.

 

[bamaraider]

I echo bamaraider's sentiments about Athens. I grew up about 45 minutes from Athens and was raised a Georgia fan. It wasn't till I got into school at Alabama that I became an Alabama fan. Anyways, Athens is a great town with an amazing campus. I was recently in Athens to see a concert at Georgia Theater with my little sister, whom goes to Georgia, and we saw JJ Grey and Mofro. EXCELLENT band, so I suggest everyone take a listen to them. I had my Alabama hat on and had nothing but a great experience, just like the thousand other times I have been. Even ran into a handful of other Alabama fans. Roll Tide. The campus itself is hilly, but full of trees and greenspace, which makes it a beautiful place. Tuscaloosa is beautiful, but it's simply different than Athens, but both are beautiful in their own right. The nightlife in Athens can't be rivaled by any other SEC team in my eyes. The ability to choose what you want and find it in multiple places is where they separate theirselves. I suggest Boars Head, Generals, JR's, and for the sake of my friend, Cloud. Lame name, but a pretty cool bar that he owns. Tuscaloosa could benefit by someone buying a space and simply revamping it instead of allowing it to look like a run down ghost town in spots. I've had the idea of doing it, but have only made it as far as drafting my business plan and speaking to agents about space.

Tuscaloosa is doing a lot to progress downtown. Their main problem is dealing with buildings with historic preservation and the fact that people want to spend their nightlife on McFarland or University Blvd. They're putting some apartment complex down there on downtown also a new hotel, so it should start to get better.

 

[planomateo]

Austin is different though. I would label it as a college town though because the college and the downtown are literally connected together. But its also a place where you can take out UT and the city itself is still pretty amazing. I won't lie, as bad as I hate Texas fans and really their program, I would live in Austin in a heart beat. Low crime rate, BEAUTIFUL river, and a ton of restaurants, bars, and others to see.

They are easier to deal with these days, I've never had that big of a problem with most of their fans. I have yet to watch a game at DKR...not sure why I haven't been down there to catch a game at this point.

UT is probably the best campus for a "big city" college that I've been to.

Live music, nightlife, overall vibe, great food, great city. Easily the best "big city" college I've been too...easy to understand why Texas recruits for itself.

 

[bamaraider]

They are easier to deal with these days, I've never had that big of a problem with most of their fans. I have yet to watch a game at DKR...not sure why I haven't been down there to catch a game at this point.

UT is probably the best campus for a "big city" college that I've been to.

Live music, nightlife, overall vibe, great food, great city. Easily the best "big city" college I've been too...easy to understand why Texas recruits for itself.

Agreed. Consistently rated as one of the best places to live in America.

Place I haven't seen yet though is Madison Wisconsin. WOuld love to go see a game there or just hang out there.

 

[BamaFan334]

Agreed. Consistently rated as one of the best places to live in America.

Place I haven't seen yet though is Madison Wisconsin. WOuld love to go see a game there or just hang out there.

My cousin moved to Madison for a job after he graduated from Georgia Tech, and he said it was a pretty great town. Lots of women, places to hang out and eat, and just a nice atmosphere. The only negatives were how much it snowed and how cold it was, the fact that everyone up there are Liberal as can be and you can't have a conversation with most, and their accents. Other than those things, he enjoyed his three years up there, but is glad he just moved back simply because of the weather aspect.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

the barn actually has a nice set up downtown on college street. The city is pretty nice actually until you realize there isn't shit to do outside of college street.

See I would say Columbia is a great college place in that area, but I mostly look at the the colleges where if you take them out, the city probably wouldn't be that great. Tuscaloosa comes to mind, though now they're really doing a lot down there to make it just more than a College town.

But speaking on S.C, Clemson is boring to me. Been there once when I went out to Charleston a few years ago. Everyone says its like the barn but with a lake. I don't see it other than the similar buildings. Clemson is way smaller, more wide open, and really there is absolutely NOTHING to do out there.

When Lewis Grizzard coined that phrase over twenty years ago, aubrun and Clemson had far more in common in the sleepiness of their towns. The A-O city area has experienced more growth over the last twenty years in Alabama than perhaps any place outside of Shelby and Madison Counties. Lee County population has almost doubled since 1990. As east Montgomery expands, Lee County has benefited as it makes a commute from there much more manageable. Almost all new commercial development (Costco and all the big box stores, shops, restaurants, old Colonial building) have reached all they way out to the Mitylene exit 11. Montgomery proper will continue to get sucked dry by Lee and, to lesser extents, Autauga and Elmore.

RTR,

Tim

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Agreed. Consistently rated as one of the best places to live in America.

Place I haven't seen yet though is Madison Wisconsin. WOuld love to go see a game there or just hang out there.

I spent some time in Madison at a banking school over a couple of summers. Absolutely gorgeous, on an isthmus between two monstrous lakes, the student center is right on the water and they serve beer and brats. State Street is an excellent strip of activity, the market days around the capitol building are really neat, plus the big convention center was built from an old plan by Frank Lloyd Wright and is a nice spot, too.

On the political side, yes, Madison is very liberal, but the State is, on the whole, more conservative. A cab driver in Madison described it as "1,000 square blocks surrounded by reality".

RTR,

Tim

 

[BamaFan334]

A cab driver in Madison described it as "1,000 square blocks surrounded by reality".

Ha Ha, I like that description. That's pretty good.

 

[planomateo]

I thought most college towns were liberal...

 

[bamaraider]

I spent some time in Madison at a banking school over a couple of summers. Absolutely gorgeous, on an isthmus between two monstrous lakes, the student center is right on the water and they serve beer and brats. State Street is an excellent strip of activity, the market days around the capitol building are really neat, plus the big convention center was built from an old plan by Frank Lloyd Wright and is a nice spot, too.

On the political side, yes, Madison is very liberal, but the State is, on the whole, more conservative. A cab driver in Madison described it as "1,000 square blocks surrounded by reality".

RTR,

Tim

awrsome quote and story. Definitely going sometime soon.

 

[planomateo]

Was going to suggest going to the LSU game, but just remember they were playing in GB.

 

[bamaraider]

Watch them play LSU in a few years.

gonna be in GB at Lambeau right?

 

[planomateo]

Yeah, I originally posted that and then edited when I realized it was in GB/Reliant. Just a bad idea in my opinion, keeping money outta the local college town.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I am partial to Happy Valley. Great town in the middle of nowhere (literally). Friendly people, nice shops, great food, pretty scenery, good football. And everyone is decked in blue and white, and is Nittany Lion crazy. I've been to a few other college towns but none really stand out to me.

I have heard awesome things about Madison, and would love to live there for a bit at some point. I have also always wanted to visit Athens, Austin, and Seattle. Eugene is supposed to be a great college town as well.

My parents are in the process of retiring and are looking primarily at college towns, including such towns as Asheville and Greenville (NC).

 

[bamaraider]

I am partial to Happy Valley. Great town in the middle of nowhere (literally). Friendly people, nice shops, great food, pretty scenery, good football. And everyone is decked in blue and white, and is Nittany Lion crazy. I've been to a few other college towns but none really stand out to me.

I have heard awesome things about Madison, and would love to live there for a bit at some point. I have also always wanted to visit Athens, Austin, and Seattle. Eugene is supposed to be a great college town as well.

My parents are in the process of retiring and are looking primarily at college towns, including such towns as Asheville and Greenville (NC).

That's another place I have not been, College Park. My best friend is an Ohio State grad and says College Park is probably the best place he has ever visited for a sporting event. Happy Valley, the college is huge, and basically everything you could want in a city.