Best college town in Virginia?

[Anonymous]

I define the quintessential college town as a place that only exists because of the college. Where many businesses cater to students, and almost everyone has a connection to the college, whether it's as an employee, student, or attendee of sports/cultural events etc.
By that definition, it's Blacksburg by a mile. Charlottesville and Harrisonburg are close runners-up.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Do Tech upperclassmen have to drive to class? That would ruin the vibe for me.

They can drive or take the VT shuttle, which most do. Most universities have something similar.

Not the ones with a cohesive campus.

Name a major college in Virginia where students don't take the bus (other than ODU because it's too dangerous to live more than a block off campus)

I don’t know VA colleges but there are many college towns with walkable, off-campus housing.

Grad students are more likely to live further out but undergrads prefer to walk.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:William & Mary, lmao stop it people. Even introverted non party-er students admit it’s an incredibly boring town to be a college student in.

Virginia Tech is usually the most positively spoken about one.

If you’re interested in out of state, WVU is hands down best college town and better than any VA town

Nah Harrisonburg is more boring than Williamsburg. Town is a dump

DP. I disagree completely. Harrisonburg is a cute college town in a beautiful valley setting. Williamsburg is surrounded by swamps and amusement parks. Yuck.

Being "in a beautiful valley setting" doesn't magically make a place less boring??

In Williamsburg you have Busch Gardens + Water Country, multiple beaches, a lake with canoeing, miles of hiking and biking trails, the outlets + downtown if you like shopping, a ridiculous amount of good restaurants, bars downtown, tons of breweries elsewhere, a free pass to everything in Colonial Williamsburg

Harrisonburg is built like suburbia but in the middle of nowhere. It's not really walkable, all of the public transit is focused around connecting campus off campus housing (so good luck if you want to go elsewhere!), and beyond campus and downtown it's very dumpy.

Downtown Harrisonburg is bigger but it's not really more exciting vs somewhere like the Cville Corner. And it's really out of the way from most housing so good luck going out and then making the 2 mile walk back to Devon Lane.

Yes, all of my CWM friends loved walking or taking mass transit to Busch Gardens, Water Country, beaches, lakes, and hiking trails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William & Mary, lmao stop it people. Even introverted non party-er students admit it’s an incredibly boring town to be a college student in.

Virginia Tech is usually the most positively spoken about one.

If you’re interested in out of state, WVU is hands down best college town and better than any VA town

Nah Harrisonburg is more boring than Williamsburg. Town is a dump

DP. I disagree completely. Harrisonburg is a cute college town in a beautiful valley setting. Williamsburg is surrounded by swamps and amusement parks. Yuck.

Being "in a beautiful valley setting" doesn't magically make a place less boring??

In Williamsburg you have Busch Gardens + Water Country, multiple beaches, a lake with canoeing, miles of hiking and biking trails, the outlets + downtown if you like shopping, a ridiculous amount of good restaurants, bars downtown, tons of breweries elsewhere, a free pass to everything in Colonial Williamsburg

Harrisonburg is built like suburbia but in the middle of nowhere. It's not really walkable, all of the public transit is focused around connecting campus off campus housing (so good luck if you want to go elsewhere!), and beyond campus and downtown it's very dumpy.

Downtown Harrisonburg is bigger but it's not really more exciting vs somewhere like the Cville Corner. And it's really out of the way from most housing so good luck going out and then making the 2 mile walk back to Devon Lane.

Yes, all of my CWM friends loved walking or taking mass transit to Busch Gardens, Water Country, beaches, lakes, and hiking trails.

Guessing this is supposed to be sarcasm. People not taking advantage of things doesn't take away from them. There is objectively tons of things to do within a >20 min (free) bus ride or 10 min drive of campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William & Mary, lmao stop it people. Even introverted non party-er students admit it’s an incredibly boring town to be a college student in.

Virginia Tech is usually the most positively spoken about one.

If you’re interested in out of state, WVU is hands down best college town and better than any VA town

Nah Harrisonburg is more boring than Williamsburg. Town is a dump

DP. I disagree completely. Harrisonburg is a cute college town in a beautiful valley setting. Williamsburg is surrounded by swamps and amusement parks. Yuck.

Being "in a beautiful valley setting" doesn't magically make a place less boring??

In Williamsburg you have Busch Gardens + Water Country, multiple beaches, a lake with canoeing, miles of hiking and biking trails, the outlets + downtown if you like shopping, a ridiculous amount of good restaurants, bars downtown, tons of breweries elsewhere, a free pass to everything in Colonial Williamsburg

Harrisonburg is built like suburbia but in the middle of nowhere. It's not really walkable, all of the public transit is focused around connecting campus off campus housing (so good luck if you want to go elsewhere!), and beyond campus and downtown it's very dumpy.

Downtown Harrisonburg is bigger but it's not really more exciting vs somewhere like the Cville Corner. And it's really out of the way from most housing so good luck going out and then making the 2 mile walk back to Devon Lane.

Yes, all of my CWM friends loved walking or taking mass transit to Busch Gardens, Water Country, beaches, lakes, and hiking trails.

Guessing this is supposed to be sarcasm. People not taking advantage of things doesn't take away from them. There is objectively tons of things to do within a >20 min (free) bus ride or 10 min drive of campus.

Also the lake is on campus...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My middle in Blacksburg goes to C'Ville to ski, hike, party etc. with the oldest. So this household says C'Ville. The preferred vibe is in the eye of the beholder and it really is futile to argue about it.

They go to ski at Wintergreen? And hike? Both an hour from Charlottesville - this thread is off the rails. Just need someone to say Newport News is a college town to really close it out.

Yes, as I said. Middle (VT) goes to C'Ville to for the weekends often to ski, hike, party with the older. Plenty of hiking immediately surrounding C'Ville and Wintergreen is only a 40 minute drive. They leave at 8 and back by 4 then hit the nightlife in C'Ville, they prefer it to Blacksburg. 40 minutes is a 10 mile drive in NOVA, not sure why this is a hard concept for you. Again as previously stated, if you prefer Blacksburg, great... My kid doesn't and Considers C'Ville more fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My middle in Blacksburg goes to C'Ville to ski, hike, party etc. with the oldest. So this household says C'Ville. The preferred vibe is in the eye of the beholder and it really is futile to argue about it.

They go to ski at Wintergreen? And hike? Both an hour from Charlottesville - this thread is off the rails. Just need someone to say Newport News is a college town to really close it out.

Yes, as I said. Middle (VT) goes to C'Ville to for the weekends often to ski, hike, party with the older. Plenty of hiking immediately surrounding C'Ville and Wintergreen is only a 40 minute drive. They leave at 8 and back by 4 then hit the nightlife in C'Ville, they prefer it to Blacksburg. 40 minutes is a 10 mile drive in NOVA, not sure why this is a hard concept for you. Again as previously stated, if you prefer Blacksburg, great... My kid doesn't and Considers C'Ville more fun.

I understand your framework I just disagree that attractions multiple jurisdictions away in the realm of college towns. And if your kids are making it from Central Grounds to the Wintergreen top in 40 minutes I’d have a talk with them about Nelson speeding tickets.

[Anonymous]

Harrisonburg. The views of mountains are incredible, and the fun places downtown require some insider knowledge to find but are excellent. It's also nice how it is so walkable from campus.
Williamsburg is great--you have to be a student there to really know the best spots, though, away from the tourists and all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My middle in Blacksburg goes to C'Ville to ski, hike, party etc. with the oldest. So this household says C'Ville. The preferred vibe is in the eye of the beholder and it really is futile to argue about it.

They go to ski at Wintergreen? And hike? Both an hour from Charlottesville - this thread is off the rails. Just need someone to say Newport News is a college town to really close it out.

I went to UVA and lots of students went to Wintergreen to ski. Or nearby to hike. There used to be a skiing course that met twice a week at Wintergreen. (Maybe there still is?) I’m not sure that lends to Charlottesville being a great town, though. As I recall, lots of JMU students skiied at Wintergreen, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William & Mary, lmao stop it people. Even introverted non party-er students admit it’s an incredibly boring town to be a college student in.

Virginia Tech is usually the most positively spoken about one.

If you’re interested in out of state, WVU is hands down best college town and better than any VA town

Nah Harrisonburg is more boring than Williamsburg. Town is a dump

Harrisonburg is trash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My middle in Blacksburg goes to C'Ville to ski, hike, party etc. with the oldest. So this household says C'Ville. The preferred vibe is in the eye of the beholder and it really is futile to argue about it.

They go to ski at Wintergreen? And hike? Both an hour from Charlottesville - this thread is off the rails. Just need someone to say Newport News is a college town to really close it out.

Yes, as I said. Middle (VT) goes to C'Ville to for the weekends often to ski, hike, party with the older. Plenty of hiking immediately surrounding C'Ville and Wintergreen is only a 40 minute drive. They leave at 8 and back by 4 then hit the nightlife in C'Ville, they prefer it to Blacksburg. 40 minutes is a 10 mile drive in NOVA, not sure why this is a hard concept for you. Again as previously stated, if you prefer Blacksburg, great... My kid doesn't and Considers C'Ville more fun.

I understand your framework I just disagree that attractions multiple jurisdictions away in the realm of college towns. And if your kids are making it from Central Grounds to the Wintergreen top in 40 minutes I’d have a talk with them about Nelson speeding tickets.

Not sure why you're so obtuse. Your missing the point. They leave Blacksburg because they enjoy the C'Ville experience more. That includes the city of C'Ville and the vibe as well as the close proximities to activities they enjoy doing.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kids hated Blacksburg. I think Lexington wins. The publics in VA aren’t in great towns. Except for richmond, they all mostly feel like strip malls and suburbs.

How can college kids hate Blacksburg? Do they have something against fun?

I don’t know - I visited while I was a college student and wasn’t overly impressed

When was this? Decades ago? Blacksburg is indeed a fun little town.
DP

well, I was in college in the 90s, so, yeah....

I have been a couple times since then (our nephew graduated from a nearby high school, so we visited with him). It was ok as a town, but they still can't help that there isn't much else there.

FWIW, though, Metallica is bringing their shows there next year. The shows I saw at Soldier Field in Chicago.

How is there not much to do for a college kid in Blacksburg? There’s tons of bars, restaurants, shops, parties, immediately off campus. What else would a college kid want to do?

[Anonymous]

Fairfax and GMU! The Smithsonian museums, Sequoias, Tony and Joes, Ski Liberty, Great Falls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:William & Mary, lmao stop it people. Even introverted non party-er students admit it’s an incredibly boring town to be a college student in.

Virginia Tech is usually the most positively spoken about one.

If you’re interested in out of state, WVU is hands down best college town and better than any VA town

I think WVU is a dump of a mountain town. I was very happy when my son decided to transfer.

Sadly agree. The only part of that place I liked when we visited was the little walk along the river where there were a couple restaurants.

I also am pretty bitter about some drunk townie skank ranting at my teenage daughter when she and her dad went to see a game a few years back - he's a TX fan, and that is about as close as they normally come to the DC area. She was cursing at my kid who did NOTHING to her in front of HER young kids. The verbal abuse was so bad that even WVU fans were coming to my daughter's defense, telling her to STFU. My husband said it took everything in him not to grab the woman by the neck and take her down.

I know it could happen anywhere, but it certainly left a VERY bad impression on all of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do Tech upperclassmen have to drive to class? That would ruin the vibe for me.

They can drive or take the VT shuttle, which most do. Most universities have something similar.

Not the ones with a cohesive campus.

Name a major college in Virginia where students don't take the bus (other than ODU because it's too dangerous to live more than a block off campus)

No, it’s not. I live a few blocks from ODU in a very nice neighborhood. Lots of students live in the surrounding neighborhoods. The only time I’ve been a crime victim in my life was as a student in Charlottesville. Bad stuff can happen anywhere.

(That said, Norfolk is far from a nice college town.)

Yeah well there's a reason the ODU shuttles don't really go off campus

We've spent time in Norfolk and its surroundings. There is plenty to do in and around ODU. Yes, you may not want to go too far afield on foot, but the area down near the water is nice. And Virginia Beach is fun.

I would have been perfectly happy had my kid decided to go there. Much more exciting than her other in state option, Radford. Cute campus there, but the surrounding area is only somewhat OK because they can go hang out in Blacksburg with the kids at Tech.