• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Any recommendations for college towns for working adults?

karmaforgotme

karmaforgotme

Member
Oct 27, 2017
893
Knoxville, TN
Just based on the outdoor part of your request you made I am going to recommend the college towns of Boulder, CO and Knoxville, TN. Both are gateways to National Parks (Rockies and Smokies), and have tons of outdoorsy type stuff to do (each have everything you requested plus tons more). Honestly Boulder, CO might be my favorite city in America. Knoxville has the bonus of mild winters and low cost of living.

Also I agree with Asheville, NC. That said I don't think it is a college town as I do a place like Athens or Knoxville (to be honest I think of Boulder as an outdoor town first). Asheville is just Asheville, and I love it.

Edit: To be clear I hate winters. So I am bias against more northern areas.
 
Hiphopopotamus

Hiphopopotamus

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,885
Tallahassee is a beautiful town, with lots of State jobs and relatively low housing prices in the burbs, but then you have to live in Florida
 
Cat Party

Cat Party

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,455
San Luis Obispo, CA, home of Cal Poly University, is one of the best places to live on the entire Earth.
 
inner-G

inner-G

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
14,473
PNW
Champaign IL (University of Illinois) is pretty nice for central IL and affordable.

Tacoma WA has several colleges and I would recommend it for living, but it's kind of big to just be called a 'college town'
 
OP
OP
Bigwombat

Bigwombat

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
3,416
karmaforgotme said:
Just based on the outdoor part of your request you made I am going to recommend the college towns of Boulder, CO and Knoxville, TN. Both are gateways to National Parks (Rockies and Smokies), and have tons of outdoorsy type stuff to do (each have everything you requested plus tons more). Honestly Boulder, CO might be my favorite city in America. Knoxville has the bonus of mild winters and low cost of living.

Also I agree with Asheville, NC. That said I don't think it is a college town as I do a place like Athens or Knoxville (to be honest I think of Boulder as an outdoor town first). Asheville is just Asheville, and I love it.

Edit: To be clear I hate winters. So I am bias against more northern areas.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

My wife was brainstorming this morning and was watching Jay cutler and Kristen cavalier and thought of Nashville. But we quickly chopped it off cause it's way too expensive and everyone is moving there. My wife's family has a cabin "nearish" Estes park and we swung through Boulder. We stayed in Denver last st Patty's day and we always enjoy it there.
Cat Party said:
San Luis Obispo, CA, home of Cal Poly University, is one of the best places to live on the entire Earth.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
As a kid from the 80s and 90s Cali always holds a mythical status. Been to San Diego and San Francisco. Love the nature of northern Cali even though that's no where near san Luis. Why do you love it so much? Are you from there?
 
Cat Party

Cat Party

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,455
Bigwombat said:
As a kid from the 80s and 90s Cali always holds a mythical status. Been to San Diego and San Francisco. Love the nature of northern Cali even though that's no where near san Luis. Why do you love it so much? Are you from there?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I grew up in Fresno and spent a lot of time in SLO, since it is only about 2.5 hours away. The thing about SLO is that it is just far enough away from both the Bay Area and SoCal that it still retains some charm.
 
bmdubya

bmdubya

Member
Nov 1, 2017
6,528
Colorado
I've been in Fort Collins, CO for almost 7 years and I love it here. It's got Colorado State, but the university isn't the identity of the town. Denver is an hour south, Wyoming is close by for great outdoor activities. Camping in Wyoming is pretty awesome. Plenty of great restaurants, one of the best brewery scenes in the country, good night life, etc. I don't see myself leaving here any time soon.
 
zulux21

zulux21

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,396
Dr. Feel Good said:
Madison is hands down the best college town if you can put up with winter. It's not even a contest.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's also quickly growing, especially in the tech sector right now.
I don't live directly in madison, but I moved into the area almost 10 years ago, and it's been a great area.
Plus, Badger brand food is typically good quality and low cost which is nice :P

like seriously...
BB_Fam_PK_8_Flour_Tortilla_480x480.png

are my go to tortilla shells because they are some of the best cost vs quality in the stores near me :P

the pretzels are solid as well.
 
OP
OP
Bigwombat

Bigwombat

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
3,416
bmdubya said:
I've been in Fort Collins, CO for almost 7 years and I love it here. It's got Colorado State, but the university isn't the identity of the town. Denver is an hour south, Wyoming is close by for great outdoor activities. Camping in Wyoming is pretty awesome. Plenty of great restaurants, one of the best brewery scenes in the country, good night life, etc. I don't see myself leaving here any time soon.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
images


Go Rams! Wasn't sure if this was a spin off on csu or Boulder. I guess cu Boulder
 
Border

Border

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,859

Deleted member 48897

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 22, 2018
13,623
Consider Las Vegas, NM. You know what they say. "Las Vegas. What happens here, I mean, no, really, what even happens here?"
 
Lukar

Lukar

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,466
Pickman said:
Can I interest you in a 64 ounce tub of Cheerwine and 2 cheese quesadillas for $3.29?

Fat Patty's is where its at, tho. Gotta get that vampire killer and leak garlic from your pores for 3 days like a science experiment.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Fat Patty's was my first good meal after getting my wisdom teeth pulled last year. It was my first time eating there. The garlic was a bit much, but fuck they were good. The closest one is in Barboursville though, and it's right next door to a Steak and Shake, which is factually better. :P
 
OP
OP
Bigwombat

Bigwombat

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
3,416
Pickman said:
Can I interest you in a 64 ounce tub of Cheerwine and 2 cheese quesadillas for $3.29?

Fat Patty's is where its at, tho. Gotta get that vampire killer and leak garlic from your pores for 3 days like a science experiment.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
LukarWuff said:
Fat Patty's was my first good meal after getting my wisdom teeth pulled last year. It was my first time eating there. The garlic was a bit much, but fuck they were good. The closest one is in Barboursville though, and it's right next door to a Steak and Shake, which is factually better. :P
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

They letting you guys burn your couches on your front lawns again in Huntington? That was down right unpatriotic them making you stop that.
Or was that WVU?
 

YourFriend

Member
Nov 15, 2017
196
I'll second Tempe. Been to AZ a couple times now and Tempe seems to be a pretty nice place already and still seeing a lot of development. Summers will be hot, but you have numerous hiking opportunities within a half an hour drive and there is a man made "lake" that seems to have a lot of activities. The light rail goes right into Downtown Phoenix and you are also close to Old Town Scottsdale. They say the job market is really strong there, but I don't have too much experience looking there.

I also have a friend in Madison who loves it, but I don't want to be anywhere near the cold.
 
Lukar

Lukar

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,466
Bigwombat said:
They letting you guys burn your couches on your front lawns again in Huntington? That was down right unpatriotic them making you stop that.
Or was that WVU?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Not sure. I've only been here a few years. I think my boyfriend's mentioned that before though.
 
FnordChan

FnordChan

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
769
Beautiful Chapel Hill, NC
Chapel Hill, NC is practically the platonic idea of a college town, but real estate is expensive enough that practically speaking you'd want to live next door in Durham anyway. Lots of stuff to do, so long as you don't mind driving - Chapel Hill's transit system works great, mind you, but outside of there it's a lot less optimal - and you're okay with being bludgeoned by humidity in the summer. You're three hours from the beach, four hours from the mountains, and there are Waffle Houses and Cook Outs waiting for you. So, if you are looking for a college town to relocate to - or, at least, cities that are chock full of colleges - keep the Triangle in mind.
 
Antrax

Antrax

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,305
Oxford, MS
Athens, GA
Knoxville, TN
Edit: Yeah, I'll second the Triangle.

I just moved last year from Oxford to Boston, and damn, I miss a lot of things. College towns rule.

Soapbox Killer said:
What's a college town? What makes it such?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Personally, I think the town has to be defined by the college. Like, I roll my eyes if a "Best College Town" lists places like NYC, LA, Nashville, etc... since those places don't exist because of any school there.
 
Prinz Eugn

Prinz Eugn

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,393
muteKi said:
Consider Las Vegas, NM. You know what they say. "Las Vegas. What happens here, I mean, no, really, what even happens here?"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I'm from NM and I forget about Highlands basically all the time. Las Cruces would also be a pretty terrible place by OP's definition, super un-walkable (and not really that much of a college town).
 
Pickman

Pickman

Member
Nov 20, 2017
2,266
Huntington, WV
LukarWuff said:
Fat Patty's was my first good meal after getting my wisdom teeth pulled last year. It was my first time eating there. The garlic was a bit much, but fuck they were good. The closest one is in Barboursville though, and it's right next door to a Steak and Shake, which is factually better. :P
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

If you ever get into Huntington you've gotta try The Peddler. Gastro pub with solid burgers and rendered duck fat French fries. They have their own brewery on site and make some amazing beers, too.

Bigwombat said:
They letting you guys burn your couches on your front lawns again in Huntington? That was down right unpatriotic them making you stop that.
Or was that WVU?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

That was WVU in Morgantown. Marshall are the ones who take a plane crash 40+ years ago very very seriously. I'm only a recent transplant myself so I don't get the reverence the locals show for it, but I guess in a city this small it touched a lot of families.
 
OP
OP
Bigwombat

Bigwombat

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
3,416
Soapbox Killer said:
What's a college town? What makes it such?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I guess my definition is for it to:
A) have a college(s)
B) have a desirable downtown
C) have activities that can be enjoyed in a wide variety of areas
D) shit that's mentally engaging i.e. museums, libraries, festivals, farmers/craftie type stuff, seminars

I'd like to live in a place like that that also is walkable and has natural outdoor activities.
 
Barzul

Barzul

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,965
My recommendations are Austin and Tampa if escaping the snow is a real priority. Plenty to do in both those cities and their identities aren't based solely on the colleges within them. I've in Conway, AR as well which isn't really walkable but does have great local utilities.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.