If you love X, you might love…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evanston obviously is further from Chicago than Cambridge is from Boston, but there otherwise are similarities.

The U District (Seattle) is in between proximity-wise.

UMN might match, but I can't really speak to it.

Evanston seemed so so white bread when we visited. Like a suburban shopping center of chain stores in the guise of a town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know a place that feels like Harvard/Cambridge?

Loved Cambridge because: Suburb with proximity to a large city but not IN the city; the campus/town felt integrated/compact; lots of cute bakeries, coffee shops, eateries; - oh, and that bookstore!

Also really important: We were out a little late, and there was still lots of foot traffic, people out and about, dining al fresco, fairy lights everywhere.

One of my kid's preferred schools (not Harvard) is somewhat similar but we noticed is pretty dead at around 9pm.

Any ideas?

Vandy. Better bars. Better food. More fun. (Bookstore leaves a bit to be desired).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know a place that feels like Harvard/Cambridge?

Loved Cambridge because: Suburb with proximity to a large city but not IN the city; the campus/town felt integrated/compact; lots of cute bakeries, coffee shops, eateries; - oh, and that bookstore!

Also really important: We were out a little late, and there was still lots of foot traffic, people out and about, dining al fresco, fairy lights everywhere.

One of my kid's preferred schools (not Harvard) is somewhat similar but we noticed is pretty dead at around 9pm.

Any ideas?

Downtown Ann Arbor has little restaurants and some street cafes in warm weather. Bars are more likely to be frequented in the evening.

Ann Arbor is where the Borders bookstore originated. So at one point, there was a large bookstore right in the heart of town. With the rise of Amazon and the collapse of Borders, there is not anything matching the scale of the Cambridge bookstore you referenced. However, there are a couple of indie bookstores that are very pleasant for browsing.

So, I'd say it's like a mini version of the amenities you are looking for. There is a huge Barnes & Noble outside the central business district but students are unlikely to go there.

I would be curious about Madison, WI. I was recently there and there are many indie restaurants and an urban-ish streetscape. I didn't check out evening liveliness or bookstores. They have a nice plaza overlooking the lake by the student union.

TY! Michigan is on the list - we haven't visited yet though.

I love Ann Arbor so, so much. Signed Michigan alum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Evanston obviously is further from Chicago than Cambridge is from Boston, but there otherwise are similarities.

The U District (Seattle) is in between proximity-wise.

UMN might match, but I can't really speak to it.

Evanston seemed so so white bread when we visited. Like a suburban shopping center of chain stores in the guise of a town.

But at least it's not a hotbed of armed robberies a la Hyde Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you love CU Boulder, you might love University of Utah.

1. Mountains are closer.
2. Good football school.
3. Great scholarships for OOS and in-state tuition by sophomore year.
4. SLC is like Austin - a blue enclave in a sea of red.

This is a good one. Although is CU drastically harder to get in than Utah?

[Anonymous]

UW-Seattle and Cal are the Cambridge comparables although some would say UW is still in the city.

Personally, I prefer Berkeley, striking beautiful with amazing weather, but it is a matter of preference. Berkeley also has the Pacific Film Archive which screens an incredible array of domestic and international films.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know a place that feels like Harvard/Cambridge?

Loved Cambridge because: Suburb with proximity to a large city but not IN the city; the campus/town felt integrated/compact; lots of cute bakeries, coffee shops, eateries; - oh, and that bookstore!

Also really important: We were out a little late, and there was still lots of foot traffic, people out and about, dining al fresco, fairy lights everywhere.

One of my kid's preferred schools (not Harvard) is somewhat similar but we noticed is pretty dead at around 9pm.

Any ideas?

Downtown Ann Arbor has little restaurants and some street cafes in warm weather. Bars are more likely to be frequented in the evening.

Ann Arbor is where the Borders bookstore originated. So at one point, there was a large bookstore right in the heart of town. With the rise of Amazon and the collapse of Borders, there is not anything matching the scale of the Cambridge bookstore you referenced. However, there are a couple of indie bookstores that are very pleasant for browsing.

So, I'd say it's like a mini version of the amenities you are looking for. There is a huge Barnes & Noble outside the central business district but students are unlikely to go there.

I would be curious about Madison, WI. I was recently there and there are many indie restaurants and an urban-ish streetscape. I didn't check out evening liveliness or bookstores. They have a nice plaza overlooking the lake by the student union.

TY! Michigan is on the list - we haven't visited yet though.

PP. One thing to know about Michigan is that there is a secondary area for student eating out/hanging out at night that's separate from downtown. It's generally called "South U". It's a restaurant & convenience store district near a lot of apartments and dorms on the east side of central campus. This area can be quite lively in the evening and on game days. But it's not a place for bakeries and bookstores. It mainly serves the needs of undergrads.