Most Beautiful College Campuses in the Southeast
Southern charm meets ferocious fanbases across the picturesque college campuses in the Southeast.
Welcome to college in the South. Southern hospitality and beauty are truly at their finest on campuses all around the region. From the brick to the boulevards to the bell towers, many of these schools have a lot to offer in the way of good ol’ Southern appeal. Grab a sweet tea, sit back (maybe on a porch somewhere) and read about nine of the most charming campuses in the Southeast, y’all!
In This Article
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa has even more going for it than just its championship Crimson Tide football team. From Greek Revival architecture to white picket fences to the red brick “Crimson Promenade,” the campus has beauty at every turn.
Some of the prettiest old buildings cluster around the Science and Engineering Quad and the Woods Quad — which has so much installation artwork that it’s now referred to as the Sculpture Garden. For outdoorsy types, The Park at Manderson Landing is an 8-acre park set along the Black Warrior River with woods and walking trails. It also serves as the home base for the paddleboard club, crew club and rowing team. And if you are a football fan, you might find the Bryant-Denny Stadium to be among the most beautiful places on campus, especially after its $92.5 million renovation. Besides, it’s where the magic happens. Roll Tide!
Flagler College
St. Augustine, FL
With its location in St. Augustine, Florida, one of the oldest cities in the country, Flagler College already has a lot of history and character. Its red stuccoed architecture, mosaic tiles, fountains and tropical vegetation give it the appearance of an old Spanish town, which is historically its primary influence. The Ponce de Leon Hall is a massive and stately building, used mainly as a residence hall and featuring the world’s most extensive collection of Tiffany stained glass. Everywhere on campus is meticulously landscaped, and Spanish-style plazas and courtyards adorn the grounds. The West Lawn has green space where students often hang a hammock or join organized outdoor activities, and the central location right in the old part of downtown provides easy access to shops, restaurants and St. Augustine charm. As if it couldn’t get better, the beach is also nearby.
Furman University
Greenville, SC
South Carolina’s Furman University is conveniently situated minutes from both downtown Greenville and Travelers Rest and just an hour from the wildly popular city of Asheville, North Carolina. But its prime location is not even its best asset.
The stunning campus has beauty in so many forms: the lake, gardens, a charming old bell tower, wooden bridges and endless fountains everywhere. There are plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy fresh air and scenery, whether it’s a lawn on the quad, a patio or terrace outside a building or the Swamp Rabbit Trail where students walk, hike or bike. The countless trees put on their colorful attire this time of year, and the campus takes on a whole new dimension.
Duke University
Durham, NC
Located in the highly-educated city of Durham, Duke University has a campus full of character. Next to its stellar educational opportunities, Duke is also known for its amazingly beautiful architecture, including Collegiate Gothic and Georgian styles. Take, for instance, the magnificent Duke Chapel, which is more cathedral than church, or the wooden-beamed ceiling and lancet windows of the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library’s Gothic Reading Room. The several Duke libraries on campus together hold almost 7 million books.
On Abele Quad, Flagstone pathways diverge among emerald green lawns, connecting castle-like Gothic stone buildings. Duke even has its own special namesake stone that is used to construct its gorgeous buildings. Drawn from local quarries, Duke Stone has a rare mix of colors (blue, gray, tan, rust) not seen in architecture elsewhere. Beyond campus, students can check out the town of Durham, which often ranks as one of the best places to live in the U.S., at their front door or spend some time in nature at a nearby state park.
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home is located in Charlottesville — as is the University of Virginia, a beautiful college that Jefferson himself founded in 1819. Therefore, it is no surprise that UVA has a bit of a Monticello aesthetic and a classic Virginia feel, visible in the many “Jeffersonian” buildings on campus. Jefferson definitely had a look that he was going for. The iconic Rotunda building, the domed heart of the campus, was allegedly built with the Greek Pantheon in mind. Along with the red brick and white columns seen in the architecture throughout campus, UVA’s attractiveness comes from the many green spaces, the brick walkways and plazas, the 13 lovely libraries, the many sculptures and the Greek-style Amphitheater right in the center of campus. This stunning campus is just one of the many historical sites you must visit during a trip to Central Virginia.
Sewanee
Sewanee, TN
The first thing you’ll see at this college, even from a distance, is the pointed spires of Gothic stone buildings jutting out above the countless trees on the campus of Sewanee: The University of the South. Sewanee, the university, is located in the small, cozy southern town with its same namesake — Sewanee. The lush quad is surrounded by more of this architecture — tan-colored stone and pointed arches in buildings resemble gorgeous palaces, cathedrals and citadels. The building interiors are equally impressive, with their atriums, rotundas and stained glass.
Sewanee’s campus has almost nothing but historic, European-style architecture. Even the newest buildings are built in this style, and all the cutting-edge facilities and modern amenities are incorporated seamlessly so that this classic beauty remains unbroken. If you’re craving nature, Sewanee has a 13,000-acre “Domain,” or undeveloped land, to explore, with a program designed to help students get outside and take advantage of the beautiful natural surroundings.
University of Mississippi
Oxford, MS
The University of Mississippi, frequently referred to as Ole Miss, is located in the stunning city of Oxford. Like many of the schools on this list, it has a blend of the several elements that give a campus pizazz: It has some very pretty old buildings — such as the Greek Revival-style Lyceum — and some quite attractive newer ones as well. Its grounds are the proper mix of green space and quads, scenic walkways, trees and flowers, all held together through eye-catching landscaping and an extraordinary design and layout. An example of this is The Circle, a unique round arrangement of university buildings, with pathways connecting them to an interior center point like the spokes of a wheel. There are statues and art pieces that provide character as well as inspiration, including the James Meredith statue.
But, the most well-known tradition on this stunning campus is game day in the Grove. Dubbed by College GameDay’s Kirk Herbstreit as the tailgating “Mecca,” The Grove features the best tailgating scene in the country. Others agree, as the 10-acre plot is often found at the top of the lists for must-see tailgating locations. And Ole Miss has easy access to the many perks of the town. Oxford is frequently ranked as Mississippi’s most beautiful city, with plenty of things to see and do, and Lamar Park is right near campus for students seeking outdoor activities.
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
Founded in 1785, the University of Georgia in Athens claims to be the birthplace of public higher education in the U.S. That means they’ve had a beautiful campus for a lot longer than most, so they’ve had ample time to get it right. Whether it’s the circular fountain in Herty Field, the Founders Memorial Garden, the chapel and its bell tower (which students ring in times of celebration or team spirit) or the miles of brick in buildings and promenades, there’s plenty on Georgia’s campus that looks good. The Bulldog Nation (aka Dawgs) loves the Bolton Dining Hall, and right across the street is the multi-winged masterpiece of architecture known as the Terry College of Business, along with the other beautiful red brick buildings of the Business Learning Community. The North Campus melds into the cute town of Athens, which is an added bonus.
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
Nestled among gorgeous and historic mansions in Uptown New Orleans is Tulane University. Tulane is a serene oasis in the heart of a beautiful city — and amazing views of both are available from the upper floors of the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. Among the green quads of campus is plenty of stunning old architecture and over 200 Spanish-moss-draped live oaks. For a different take on that same theme, the Mardi Gras tree, on which students hang thousands of strings of beads, is a Tulane icon. Bordering campus is Saint Charles Avenue — not only one of the liveliest thoroughfares in town but also one of the prettiest. Students can take the historic streetcar running along the avenue to get from campus to shops, restaurants or the French Quarter. Right across Saint Charles Avenue from Tulane is one of the biggest and most beautiful parks in all of New Orleans: Audubon Park, which has plenty of options for getting outdoors, exercising or connecting with nature.