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OK, so this doesn't exactly fit the criteria of the thread because it's actually IN the major city and not nearby, but the University District of Seattle, home to the beautiful campus (and subtly internationally renowned, academically) University of Washington, is one of the cooler, hipper, trendier ... and still funky, college town areas I've experienced, and that was 20 years ago. Lots of loft apts for students and others. Tremendous density, lots of artsiness, and a bunch of bookstores... It also is physically beautiful on the south shore of Seattle's northern peninsula jutting into the bay. Oh, and did I mention how beautiful UDub's old-school (Eastern-looking) Gothic style campus is? Again while many academics around the world rate UW highly, it doesn't have that public in-your-face reputation a UCLA, Berkeley, Michigan or UNC (or even UTA) has, but it certainly could because it's got a lot going for it; not the least of which is the fact it sits in this highly attractive, world-class city.
And very well served by mass transit. It already had routes of Seattle's excellent trolley bus system, which entered the subway, now shared with Link LRT trains, but a year or so ago, a Link subway stop was built adjacent to campus (with a further extension to the north under construction) making downtown minutes away (and Sea-Tac airport 35-40 minutes).
This is why I chose T-Town, and that's coming from an Ex-College Athlete. When it comes to fun and entertaining activities, that T-Town/Birmingham combination is unmatched. Same goes for Chapel Hill and Raleigh; I remember days where we used to be in NCCU, I very much enjoyed myself.
I've only been to Boulder. It's a really nice town with the mountains being so close and the lively Downtown. It's too expensive and not very diverse though. From what I can tell, Ann Arbor looks like it has good built form. I'd like to visit
I am obviously bias since I live there, but College Park is great. It is inexpensive compared to the rest of the DC area, has a great university, close to DC, has tons of transit and bike lanes, and it is changing for the better with all the new development.
I've only been to Boulder. It's a really nice town with the mountains being so close and the lively Downtown. It's too expensive and not very diverse though. From what I can tell, Ann Arbor looks like it has good built form. I'd like to visit
Boulder is nice for like one, maybe two demographics of people lol.
I agree about Bloomington, and to a lesser extent West Lafayette. Muncie is a dump outside of the campus and even ISU campus in Terra Haute is pretty bad, and SMotW and Rose-Hulman are much better schools in that area.
It's true that Indy has several satellite college towns all within about the same distance. Even smaller colleges like Anderson Univ, IU-Kokomo, Indiana Wesleyan-Marion are like collegetown-esque/lite.
I voted for Athens, because I love the music scene there. When I was traveling in a band we would play in Athens just after Chattanooga and it is a great town. I didn't get any ATL vibe there at all. It has been nearly 11-12 years since I've been to Athens, so it's probably been swallowed by ATL sprawl by now. Hopefully it retained some of it's awesome character.
Every time I've revisited Athens(and probably helps my uncle, aunt, and cousin live there), I've always greatly enjoyed Athens a lot. I find it hard to believe fast food restaurant The Varsity decided to shut down their Athens location not long after the COVID pandemic began, but otherwise when I've street viewed Athens, this city seems largely the same as I remember.
And I doubt the ever expanding Atlanta area sprawl, will change Athens much. I know there's a little bit of sprawl near Watkinsville(slightly southwest of Athens), but Athens still seems similar to how I remember it being like.
And btw, agree with what you said that Bloomington(Indiana University, IU) and West Lafayette(Purdue) aren't bad, but that Muncie was a dump outside Ball State's campus. I haven't visited Terre Haute(where Indiana State U is), so can't comment on that college or Terre Haute.
On a side note, I also really like Ann Arbor and Morgantown a lot, myself. Just a slight preference for Athens, of all the places in this poll. Btw I did really like how hilly Morgantown is as a city, and the interesting restaurants/bars Ann Arbor has(i.e. Zingerman's Deli, and yes I double checked how that place was spelled myself).
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