College Town Getaways That Make the Grade

At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville brings together parks, natural areas, and scenic trails. Its brick-paved pedestrian mall covers eight blocks brimming with boutiques, bookstores, and ample outdoor dining. Take your pick among craft breweries, cideries, and the 40-plus wineries on the Monticello Wine Trail. On the outskirts, Monticello—Thomas Jefferson’s former home—is part of a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the University of Virginia.

Where to Stay: As Kimpton’s first-ever on-campus property, Kimpton The Forum Hotel reflects that legacy with Jeffersonian-inspired architecture, from stately white columns to its red-brick façade. The lobby feels like a lively communal living room, and the “backyard” is a five-acre arboretum and botanical garden that backs up to the Rivanna Trail.

History glows from every antebellum mansion and gas lantern in Charleston, a thriving port town founded in 1670. Snap photos at Rainbow Row—a series of Caribbean-inspired, pastel Georgian row houses—shop for Gullah sweetgrass baskets and local specialties at Charleston City Market and dine at downtown’s coveted tables.

Where to Stay: With a prime location near King Street and the College of Charleston, The Charleston Place is a dynamic social hub where locals and visitors gather. Restaurants serve modern Southern fare with live jazz; the infinity pool has a retractable glass roof that keeps it open year-round; and refined accommodations feature reading nooks and marble baths.

Princeton University has long attracted great minds, including physicist Albert Einstein and novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. While strolling the imposing Gothic campus, look for Nassau Hall (briefly the nation’s capital in 1783) and pop into the museum for a crash course in art history. High-end boutiques and artisanal treats are concentrated around Palmer Square, with indie seller Labyrinth Books on adjacent Nassau Street.

Where to Stay: Built in a former dormitory, Graduate by Hilton Princeton fully embraces local school spirit, from chandeliers resembling campus landmarks to orange-and-black, “Tiger tradition,” decor. The lobby could double as study space, with its stocked bookcases, brown leather couches, and a coffee bar.

On the eastern side of San Francisco Bay, Berkeley has a reputation for activism and counterculture, with the University of California Berkeley as its beating heart. It’s experimental in everything from pioneering research to championing farm-to-table food. Telegraph Avenue, the main stretch, features vintage boutiques and vinyl record stores. Book ahead for a table at Chez Panisse, founded by chef Alice Waters and credited as the birthplace of California cuisine.

Where to Stay: The historic Claremont Resort & Club delivers sweeping San Francisco views from its hilltop perch a mile from campus. Even more impressive are the facilities, including a spa and 40,000-square-foot fitness club with heated outdoor pools, tennis and pickleball courts, 75+ weekly wellness classes, plus a dedicated kids’ club.

At the base of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder counts about 45,000 acres of protected open space, 162 miles of trails, and more than 250 annual sunny days. No surprise, it draws a bevy of adventure enthusiasts—and inspires creativity, with sculptures and murals all around the walkable downtown. You might be browsing a gallery one minute and joining a tasting tour at an award-winning beer the next.

Where to Stay: Limelight Boulder is adjacent to the University of Colorado Boulder campus and just south of the Pearl Street Mall, a four-block historic pedestrian stretch. Its heated rooftop pool and hot tub are open year-round, while the interiors impress with works by Colorado-based artists. The hotel lounge is a community hub complete with a giant retractable window that opens to an outdoor patio.

Must be 21+ to drink alcohol. Please drink responsibly.

Classes first kicked off at UNC at Chapel Hill in 1795, making it a contender for America’s oldest public university. The campus charms with red brick pathways, a planetarium, and a botanical garden with an arboretum, plus lively Franklin Street along one side. Being part of the Research Triangle Park (which includes Durham and Raleigh) gives Chapel Hill a distinct intellectual edge, while the community spirit and access to nature keep the mood relaxed. You can explore local urban greenways as well as the 750-acre Carolina North Forest.

Where to Stay: The Carolina Inn is steeped in tradition, having welcomed guests to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus since 1924. Expect tasteful Carolina Blue accents, plus a bevy of events—from the quarterly All Booked Up series celebrating local writers to Fridays on the Front Porch, a spring and summer program of live music, craft cocktails, and themed eats.

This central coast town sits in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains and gives students at local Polytechnic State University an education in California living at its finest—with spectacular nearby beaches, seemingly perennial sunshine, wineries, and hiking trails like the “Nine Sisters,” a series of volcanic peaks offering panoramic coastal views.

Where to Stay: The 78 rooms and suites at Hotel San Luis Obispo sport a contemporary design, with pops of color, original art, and furnished balconies. Indulge in a salt sauna at the onsite Sol Spa, relax around the heated swimming pool in the garden courtyard, and soak up views from the rooftop bar. Tour the enchanting 18th-century Misson San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, steps from the hotel, and hit the Thursday evening farmers market, a block party with barbecue, music, and crafts.

About three hours north of New York City, Saratoga Springs became a popular escape for 19th-century high society, who came for the natural mineral springs—refreshing waters accessible within 2,300-acre Saratoga Spa State Park—and the racecourse thrills. Horse racing season still brings the energy in summer, even as many students of Skidmore College vacate for the season.

Where to Stay: The last surviving grand dame from the Victorian era, The Adelphi Hotel channels old-time elegance through its architecture and front porch overlooking Broadway. Rooms and suites show off hardwood floors, antique furnishings, and modern luxurious like marble bathrooms with heated floors. The hotel’s three-season pergola patio, part of Morrissey’s Lounge, is perfect for people watching.