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5 Small College Towns with Big Spirit

You don’t have to be an alum to enjoy all the fun on and off campus in these college towns

orange rooftops of court house buildings in santa barbara california
Students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, take advantage of the proximity to the Pacific Ocean.
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By

Adam Pitluk,

 
AARP
Published March 02, 2023

By now you’ve seen enough of those “best of” college lists to know that Charlottesville, Virginia, and Eugene, Oregon, are great college towns to visit. You Googled “great college towns to live in” and Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Boulder, Colorado, were on the list. And you know that Columbus, Ohio, and Gainesville, Florida, have crazy fun fans. Of course, the biggest colleges in the country have a lot going on in their respective towns — that’s why every best-of college list contains the usual suspects. 

But this list is different: These five college towns have populations of less than 110,000 people, so they might be off your radar, but they boast year-round school spirit and interesting activities for a weekend getaway. These towns are also less than 100 miles from major cities so you can enjoy a game and the energy of college life without straying too far from the airport. 

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appalachian state university campus at night in boone north carolina
Appalachian State is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone, N.C.
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Appalachian State University   

Boone, North Carolina

Team: Mountaineers 

In-state comrades Duke and University of North Carolina (UNC) receive a lot of attention for their homes in Durham and Chapel Hill, respectively. But App State — as it's known — has more pastoral surroundings. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains (and about 85 miles northeast from Asheville), App State is an outdoor lover's haven with miles of hiking, biking and walking trails meandering through the Appalachian Mountains and through quaint downtown Boone (population 18,000). The school is known nationally for its commitment to sustainability in three areas: economics, environment and equity. If you visit in the fall, take your Frisbee or football to ​​Sanford Mall in the middle of the red-brick academic buildings. Then head over to Kidd Brewer Stadium — which received a $50 million facelift in 2020 — and catch a football game. The school has been an ESPN darling ever since the football team upset the fifth-ranked Michigan Wolverines in 2007. Or skip the stadium and head to the 120-foot outdoor bar at Appalachian Mountain Brewery (with an attached patio, heated in the winter) to play cornhole and enjoy a Boone Creek Blonde Ale made with local honey and other year-round and seasonal brews.

Where to stay: The moderately priced Horton Hotel and Rooftop Lounge has the only rooftop bar in town and offers amazing views of the surrounding mountains. Bonus: Downtown parking — a guaranteed tailgating spot —is included with the stay. 

the fountain outside the union station museum in ogden utah
Ogden, Utah, the home of Weber State University, is about 35 miles north of Salt Lake City.
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Weber State University

Ogden, Utah

Team: Wildcats

One of the most spirited college cheer squads in the country is the purple and white of the Weber State University Wildcats. The WSU Spirit Squad came as close to perfection as possible when the cheer team scored a 98.507 (out of a possible 100) to win the 2021 NCA and NDA Collegiate National Championship. Of course, students and locals in Ogden (population 87,000) are festive year-round, in part because of the bucolic setting of their picturesque campus. Located about 35 miles north of Salt Lake City, this town is in the foothills of some of the best skiing in the country (Snowbasin, Powder Mountain and Nordic Valley). In the summer, the El Monte and Mount Ogden golf courses are popular with golfers of all skill levels. Ogden is also home to the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park, which features life-size models and a paleontology lab. 

Where to stay: The Alaskan Inn offers rustic cabins connected with walking paths in Ogden Canyon.  

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bellingham washington near boulevard park
Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., is close to the Canadian border.
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Western Washington University

Bellingham, Washington

Team: Vikings

The town of Bellingham (population about 92,000) is close to Seattle and is on most tourists’ radars as it is the main launch point for ferries leaving the lower 48 destined for Alaska via the Inside Passage. Whatcom County is also home to six different locations on the Cascade Loop, which is a major draw. Indeed, this part of Washington, just a stone’s throw from the Canadian border, hosts two of the most bucket-listed scenic drives: Chuckanut Drive and Mount Baker Highway. And to think, more than 15,000 lucky students get to call this backdrop “home.” Western Washington University, although not as readily on the tips of sports’ fans tongues as, say, Alabama, won a bragworthy seven team championships in 2021–22, and it was the winner of the 2021–22 Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Sports Championship. 

Where to stay: The Fairhaven Village Inn is located in the heart of the Historic Fairhaven District. The 22 rooms, including one suite, offer views of the village green commons area or the harbor and bay, and it is a sporty 12-block walk through the fabulous South Hill neighborhood from campus. 

the university of alabama campus. and bryant denny stadium in tuscaloosa alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium stands out on the University of Alabama’s campus in Tuscaloosa.
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​University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Team: Crimson Tide

Not much needs to be said about Crimson Tide football: They’ve won 18 national championships and their alumni's legacies are evident in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, from Bart Starr to Ozzie Newsome and Derrick Thomas. Tuscaloosa (population just over 100,000), which is only an hour from Birmingham, has the boisterous sports bars, but the city is also home to a thriving arts scene. The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater sits on 15 acres on the banks of the Black Warrior River and is the largest outdoor theater in West Alabama. Impressive acts range from Hank Williams Jr. to the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center features rotating exhibits from local artists and students. To watch a game, head to the Avenue Pub and order the pork rib eye sandwich served with housemade Parmesan cream sauce. 

Where to stay: The Alamite Hotel is smartly furnished and comfortable, but the main draw is the location: The hotel is within walking distance of Bryant-Denny Stadium and the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. 

a shopping center in santa barbara california
A shopping district in Santa Barbara, Calif., features restaurants and boutiques.

​University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California 

Team: Gauchos

Think back to your college experience and all the fun times spent with friends at the student union, in the commons or on the quad. Now think of how much cooler your college experience would have been if your student commons was Goleta Beach, your union was Campus Point, the UCSB surfer’s beach, and your quad was the Funk Zone, a district of boutique tasting rooms, cafes, galleries, and shops that cater to Santa Barbara’s local community and UCSB’s students. Students don’t go to Saturday matinee movies: They go to the REEF, a marine lab with touch tanks that is open and free to the public on Fridays and Saturdays. Take a stroll through pedestrian-friendly downtown Santa Barbara and stop at Barbareño for the Santa Maria tri-tip BBQ. 

Where to stay: The moderately priced Mar Monte Hotel is 12 miles from campus and just steps from the beach. The colorful on-site restaurant, Costa Kitchen & Bar, serves bright dishes such as Penn Cove mussels and whole roasted branzino. 

Adam Pitluk is an award-winning journalist and book author. He is the group publisher of Midwest Luxury Publishing and Groom Lake Media. 

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