I spent my undergraduate years in Charlottesville, Virginia (Go Hoos!)—a charming town that happens to be home to one of the most picturesque college campuses in America. If I’m being totally honest, living among Charlottesville’s rolling hills, historic architecture, and lively downtown was the deciding factor in why I decided to attend University of Virginia.
I am willing to concede, however, that there are other college towns across America that are just as charming as C’Ville. This week, we take you to Oberlin, Ohio, with its hip vintage shops and leafy trails—and an abolitionist history that inspired one of the country’s most celebrated novelists. It’s the first story in what might turn into a regular feature here at Nat Geo—profiling the best college towns in the U.S. Which one do you think we should explore next? We’d love to get your ideas.
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PICTOR PICTURES SHUTTERSTOCK
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The founders of Oberlin envisioned a utopian community amid the farmlands of northeast Ohio. Today, this jewel of a town within easy reach of Cleveland is filled with cool vintage shops, scenic trails, and historical markers commemorating its role as a “gateway to freedom.”
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This is true Ireland. … Travelers come because it’s not overly developed for tourism, so you’re not meeting huge crowds, you’re getting to talk to and learn from locals. |
— Ailish O’Donnell Ivory, resident of the Glen of Aherlow, in the heart of Ireland’s Ancient East
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MEGAN VARNER, GETTY IMAGES
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The American South’s best-kept secret is a paradise for travelers looking to spot the more than 1,000 species of flora and fauna that call the refuge home, among them American alligators, American black bears, and sandhill cranes.
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Closer to Tunisia than mainland Italy, it has brooding black cliffs, aquamarine bays and roaring winds. Early autumn is the best time to visit, when the heat has mellowed, the beach-going crowds have largely departed, and the harvest is in full swing.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY KILIII YÜYAN
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National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan follows the water, meeting the makers, guides, and creators whose craft is inextricably intertwined with the rivers, lakes, and tides that shape Maine.
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