15 Fun College Towns in the South

What makes a good college town?

A university’s stated purpose may be to educate young adults and prepare them for their future careers, but its role in the community tends to far exceed that. Colleges, particularly major universities with big-time athletic programs, can instill a sense of pride and cohesiveness to the surrounding area.

In so-called “college towns,” the student population typically has a major impact on the city’s population as well as its culture and social scene. In bigger cities with more than one university, the school pride may not be as focused, but the influx of a younger population can still make for a fun scene and create an enjoyable environment for young people.

“I think when the town is driven by the college, that really makes something special,” says Alex Boylan, executive producer and host of The College Tour, an internet-based television show that provides free virtual tours of college campuses. “When it’s a real college town, what happens is everyone is in it. Everyone is part of this journey.”

Whether the draw is sports, culture, food or everything in between, here are 15 fun college towns in the South. These are just a sampling; of course there are many more fun college towns that are worth a visit.

Athens, Georgia

Home to the University of Georgia, Athens is full of energy when the Bulldogs football team plays on Saturdays. The tailgate scene on game day is as good as anywhere, says Matt Hayes, a national college football columnist for the blog Saturday Down South. But that’s not all that Athens has to offer. “It’s the live music, it’s the downtown area, it’s the campus,” he says. “It’s beautiful.” Voted No. 1 on Southern Living’s 2022 list of best college towns in the South, Athens has long been renowned for its music scene, which launched popular bands like Widespread Panic and R.E.M., and the historic Georgia Theater attracts a variety of well-known acts. “It’s just a really nice town,” Hayes says. “It’s what you think of when you think of college.”

Auburn, Alabama

As the name of the school might indicate, Auburn University and the city of Auburn are inextricably linked. The 1,875-square foot campus sits in the center of town and, like its Southeastern Conference counterparts, comes alive on Saturdays during football season. Toomer’s Corner, located near campus, is home to several popular shops and restaurants, one of which is the legendary Toomer’s Drugs, an Auburn tradition since 1896 known for its iconic lemonade. Tigers fans also cover the area with toilet paper after every home football victory. Food lovers will have no problem finding spots that serve brisket or barbecue. Hayes says he enjoys Auburn so much that he strongly considered moving to the city at one point. “It’s an unbelievable town,” he says. “It’s an old Southern town and they’re proud of it.”

Austin, Texas

A popular destination for young adults, ranking No. 18 in U.S. News’ list of Best Places for Young Professionals to Live, Austin is home to the University of Texas at Austin and full of hip restaurants, live music and outdoor events. With the Colorado River running through the middle of the city, swimming holes all around and lakes both downtown and within driving distance, there are plenty of opportunities for students to be on the water. The city is full of hiking and biking spots as well, Boylan says. One thing that’s unmistakable is the city’s passion for the Longhorns. “When you’re in Austin, everyone’s wearing burnt orange,” Boylan says. “Everyone bleeds Texas. I think there’s just something really special there.”

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Deep in the heart of Cajun country, Baton Rouge is home to Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge, traditionally one of the most successful athletic schools in the SEC. The football tailgates are some of the best in the SEC, Hayes says, but so are the live music venues and local restaurants that highlight the city’s Cajun and Creole culture and love for blues music. The state’s capital city, located on the Mississippi River, offers plenty of nightlife spots and restaurants for students near campus. This city’s love for the LSU Tigers runs deep, as an average of over 100,000 fans packed Tiger Stadium at home games during the 2022 season, according 247 Sports.

Boone, North Carolina

For many college football fans, Appalachian State University put itself on the map in 2007 when the Mountaineers defeated traditional powerhouse University of Michigan–Ann Arbor on its home field. Since then, the school, located in Boone, North Carolina, has seen a steady ascension to FBS success, claiming four Sun Belt Conference championships and six bowl game wins, and fans regularly pack Kidd Brewer stadium. “They’re absolutely nuts about that team,” Hayes says. “Whenever you have that kind of buy-in from the campus and the city, that’s a great place.” But there’s more to Boone than football. The small mountain town has abundant access to hiking trails, backcountry camping and other outdoor pursuits. Nearby is Grandfather Mountain, one of the tallest peaks in the Blue Ridge, with a wheelchair-accessible mile-high swinging bridge.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has built one of the most recognizable brands in college sports thanks to its success on the basketball court. The men’s basketball program has won six national championships, one with basketball legend Michael Jordan starring on the team, and the women’s program has won one. The city loves the Tar Heels and the campus provides students a picturesque setting to attend classes. Students have plenty of choices for food and nightlife, including the legendary He’s Not Here bar, located just across the street from campus. The city, and the surrounding area, has become synonymous with music, so students can find plenty of live acts in their favorite genre at one of the city’s many venues, like Cat’s Cradle, where indie rock bands like Superchunk and Ben Folds Five launched their careers.

Clemson, South Carolina

Like Auburn, Clemson University is named after its city, located in northwest South Carolina. It’s also home to one of the most tradition-rich and successful college football programs in the country. Fans of these Tigers also cover the city in orange both on game days and throughout the week. But the two schools have more than just a primary color and mascot in common, says Hayes, who adds that the two could be sister cities. “One road in, one road out. I love those towns,” he says. Popular spots include local bar and restaurant The Esso Club and and Lake Hartwell, located near campus. Here students have their pick of outdoor activities like kayaking, waterskiing, camping, swimming or playing beach volleyball.

College Station, Texas

With a student population of nearly 57,000, Texas A&M University is the heartbeat of College Station, a southwestern Texas city of nearly 125,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Kyle Field provides one of the best in-game atmospheres in college football, Hayes says, but the school spirit starts long before the game kicks off. The night before every home game, more than 25,000 fans fill the stadium for one of the school’s biggest traditions, the Midnight Yell. The “yell leaders,” which are typically upperclassmen elected by the student body, and the band lead the crowd through a number of cheers and chants, as well as the singing of “The Aggie War Hymn,” and fire each other up about how they will beat their opponent, according to the school’s website. Away from campus, the Northgate Entertainment District and Century Square development give students plenty of options for hip restaurants and bars, outdoor social spaces, shops and modern apartments.

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, Fayetteville is home to the University of Arkansas. The hilltop campus gives students picturesque views and plenty of choices for fun and nightlife. Dickson Street runs through the heart of campus and gives runway for popular spots like George’s Majestic Lounge, the oldest and longest-running live music venue in Arkansas, according its website. Fans of this SEC school also pack the campus for tailgates on Saturdays to watch the Razorbacks, and their men’s basketball team has also seen a run of success in recent years, reaching the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight in 2022 and 2021. The city ranked No. 10 in U.S. News’ list of Best Places to Live for 2023-2024, in part for its abundance of parks and walking trails, “first-class” performing arts center, live music venues and active local food movement.

Gainesville, Florida

Though not on the beach, Gainesville, Florida, offers students of the University of Florida plenty of sunshine and fun nightlife. The school of nearly 35,000 students is the heartbeat of the town, especially when Gators sports teams are competing. Away from campus, students can see a play at the Hippodrome Theater or visit the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Rainforest. Nearby Bivens Arm Nature Park and Newnans Lake offer spots for hiking, camping, boating, fishing, jet skiing and other outdoor activities.

Jacksonville, Florida

Just up the road a little over an hour from Gainesville is Jacksonville, home of Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida. JU is located on the St. Johns River and gives students a view of downtown, which is just two miles away and full of restaurants, shops and other popular spots. Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach are a short drive away and are even closer for UNF students. These beaches are “some of the quaintest, most fun beaches in town,” says Boylan, a Jacksonville alum. JU students not wanting to drive that far can visit Kurzius Beach, a small on-campus beach on the St. Johns River, while UNF students can enjoy Candy Cane Lake, which runs through the middle of campus. With nearly 1 million residents, Jacksonville is larger than other quintessential college towns, but Boylan says students benefit from having a National Football League team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, nearby as well as other big-city amenities like plenty of choices for bars and nightlife spots. It also ranked in the Top 20 in U.S. News’ Best Places for Young Professionals and No. 16 in Best Places to Live.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Whether your interests are in sports, music, nature, food or all the above, you’d be hard-pressed to find a college town that offers as much in those areas as Knoxville, home to the University of Tennessee. Just a short drive from Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge (home to Dollywood) and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee students have their pick of things to do. But one of the best sights, some football fans would say, is the Vol Navy, a tailgate party that floats along the Tennessee River on game days, right past Neyland Stadium, the famous home of the Volunteers football team, known as “the Vols.” Whether it’s game day or not, your visit to Knoxville, ranked No. 21 in U.S. News’ list of Best Places to Live, will likely leave you seeing “Tennessee Orange.”

Nashville, Tennessee

Known for its bustling country music scene, Nashville has become a popular spot for young adults in recent years and ranks No. 22 on U.S. News’ list of Best Places for Young Professionals. SEC school Vanderbilt University may be the most well-known college in town, but plenty of famous musicians have gotten their start at Belmont University and stayed in the area to pursue their music career. Tennessee State University and Lipscomb University are two other Division I schools that dot the city. Nearly every major music act comes through Nashville on tour, playing at one of the many famous venues in town like the Ryman Auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry, and lower Broadway is packed with famous country bars, known as “honky tonks.” You may even get a glimpse of a celebrity or country star who lives in town, as many frequent (or own) bars there.

Oxford, Mississippi

The University of Mississippi is the crown jewel of the tiny town of Oxford, located in the northern part of the state. The city had a population of just over 26,000 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the university itself enrolled more than 16,000 students in the fall of 2021, according to U.S. News data. Though small, the city packs a punch when it comes to student life and college environment. The Grove at Ole Miss hosts one of the most iconic tailgating scenes in all of college football, and the city itself is also home to Rowan Oak, where famed American author William Faulkner lived and wrote many of his works. Square Books, a local bookstore, and Saint Leo restaurant are also popular spots in this charming college town.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

If you find yourself in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, you really only need to know two words: “Roll Tide.” The University of Alabama has won 18 football national championships, and every year the Crimson Tide figures to be in the conversation to win another. Nearly 100,000 fans packed Bryant Denny Stadium at home games in 2022, according to 247 Sports, creating one of the most iconic game day and tailgating atmospheres in all of college football. Those not interested in sports can still find plenty to do, with concerts at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater or smoked ribs from the famous Dreamland Bar-B-Q’s flagship location.

Other Campus Resources

Learn more about college living by checking out the U.S. News guide to campus resources. Connect with U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter to get more advice on making the college decision.

Fun College Towns in the South

— Athens, Georgia

— Auburn, Alabama

— Austin, Texas

— Baton Rouge, Louisiana

— Boone, North Carolina

— Chapel Hill, North Carolina

— Clemson, South Carolina

— College Station, Texas

— Fayetteville, Arkansas

— Gainesville, Florida

— Jacksonville, Florida