9 Most Beautiful College Towns In Alabama

People love college towns for being swanky and vibrant, opening the culinary scene to flavors from around the globe, and lighting up the entertainment landscape with so much fun and flair. The campus grounds are often stunningly beautiful and feature historic red-brick buildings and unique attractions like museums, botanical gardens, and theatres. Keep reading to discover the 9 most stunning college towns in Alabama.

Montevallo

Montevallo is a scenic college town with lots of art, historic charm, and community events. It hosts the University of Montevallo, Alabama’s only public liberal arts university. The most interesting aspect of Montevallo is the presence of the educational and historical site within it: The American Village of Montevallo. The space features a bucolic landscape and beautiful 18th-century-style buildings, a layout that easily transports the mind to a town like Colonial Williamsburg. The 26-year-old (as of 2025) American Village is designed as a living history center to educate young people about the founding of the United States and the principles of democracy and freedom. Notable buildings include the Colonial Chapel, inspired by Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, and Washington Hall, a handsome replica of George Washington’s Virginia home, Mount Vernon. On Independence Day, the American Village offers over 50 historical activities, some extending deep into the evening. Orr Park provides a lovely creek and lots of sculptured trees, while Blue Phrog Gallery teems with unique items from local talent.

Florence

Home to the University of North Alabama, the oldest four-year public university in the state, Florence is beautifully set along the 652-mile-long Tennessee River, a setting that comes with an aura of nature's quiet power and rustic charm. The university was founded in 1830, over 3 decades before the outbreak of the Civil War, and hence, is a sacred slice of history by itself. Sunsets in Florence are magical, especially along the charm-soaked Florence Riverwalk, where the golden rays hit the water, creating a soft, iridescent reflection. You will also love the downtown area, an over 40-block space dotted with eye-catching Victorian architecture. The popular W.C. Handy Music Festival is a 10-day event that celebrates the town’s native son (WC Handy is considered the"Father of the Blues”) with blues, jazz, rock, country, and lots of other fun-filled stuff in between. You can't miss snapping a picture of the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in Alabama, known as the Rosenbaum House, and enjoying a peaceful hour at McFarland Park, a mind-calming space with lots of lovely views.

Jacksonville

Jacksonville, renamed to honor President Andrew Jackson in 1834, is quietly nestled in the Appalachian foothills with a backdrop of rolling hills and dense forests. It boasts the enticing energy of a college town but with a mist of small-town charm and intimacy. Jacksonville State University, also known as Jax State, is one of the town's most defining landmarks. Cheaha State Park, home to the state's highest point, is just about 40 minutes south of town. It is the oldest continuously operating park in Alabama. Start with delicious, cream-filled donuts at the aptly named Lickin Good, before hitting the road for Germania Springs Park, which offers a natural spring and direct access to the Chief Ladiga Trail, named for a Creek Indian leader who signed the Cusseta Treaty in the 1830s.

Troy

History buffs have obviously read about Troy, made famous in Homer’s Iliad in connection with the Trojan War. Although the incredibly picturesque town of Troy, Alabama, is not named for the ancient city in present-day Turkey, it is historic in its own weird and offbeat way. A town native once constructed a 4-foot-tall stone monument in honor of John Wilkes Booth, President Lincoln's assassin. It is believable to have been the only monument in America designed to celebrate a president’s assassin. Today, what remains of the bizarre monument is in Oakwood Cemetery, reportedly tilting to one side like the leaning Tower of Pisa. Troy University, founded in 1887, was recently ranked among the best regional universities in the South by the U.S. News and World Report. The campus has nice fountains, red-brick buildings, and green, manicured lawns. The town itself boasts well-preserved architecture, tree-lined streets, and a vibrant arts scene. Flo's Kitchen is a nice place to enjoy a hearty meal, especially with the lovely art all around, while Troy Arboretum is a 75-acre space filled with Native Alabama species. Check out Burlap & Silk if you are into antiquing, or the public library if you want a quiet hiding space with a good book.

Livingston

Livingston is the proud host of the University of West Alabama, a beautiful, long-running institution with a history that goes back to the 1830s, making it one of the oldest in Alabama. With its miss-draped oaks and historic buildings, Livingston deserves a spot on a list of the most beautiful college towns in the United States. You will want to sip nice views of the water at the nearby Mimosa Ridge, which overlooks a short but scenic section of the Tombigbee River. Within town, the aptly named Touch of Home Bakery gets rave reviews on its home-style Southern cooking, perfectly seasoned catfish, and poppy seed bread. Check if there is a show at the University Cinema, a small but lovely space to spend a slow and laughter-filled afternoon. The Bored Well is a historic site in Livingston, once believed to have healing properties. It contributed to the town’s reputation as a health spa destination in the 1800s. Today it is located on the Courthouse Square covered by a beautiful brick pavilion.

Marion

Marion, a tiny beauty known as the "College City," was once the home of both Alabama State University and Samford University. Today, it hosts the highly rated Marion Military Institute (MMI). The town is in the Black Belt section of the Coastal Plain Region, home to some of the richest agricultural lands in central Alabama. Marion Military Institute, centrally located along Washington Street, is the oldest military junior college in the nation. Outdoor pleasure spots in and around Marion include the Cahaba River, a rustic place to fish or float; Douglas-Moore Park, if you want to people-watch in a peaceful environment; and the Georgia Walker Memorial Walking Trail. Don't skip the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame, which honours Alabama's most outstanding women, including the indefatigable Helen Keller.

Talladega

Talladega is in the foothills of the southern Appalachian Mountains, about 55 miles east of Birmingham. It hosts Talladega College, Alabama's first private historically black liberal arts college. Founded months after the Civil War, Talladega College is in Talladega’s historic district and is well-known for its breathtaking historic buildings. Dr. William R. Harvey Museum of Art, named after a Talladega College alumnus, keeps remarkable murals by Hale Woodruff. They are known as the Amistad Murals because they depict events and scenes related to the historic slave revolt. Veterans Park is a few blocks away from the police station and is a nice, clean space with a quiet area and a pavilion. You will want to check out the Davey Allison Memorial, which keeps the beautiful history of NASCAR legends.

Athens

In this Tennessee River valley town, Athens State University opened its doors in 1822, making the institution the oldest college in the state of Alabama. The campus peers over the area from a scenic hill, which gives the town an aura of intellectual prestige. The town was named after Athens, Greece, and was celebrated by historians for shaping the course of Western civilization. Joe Wheeler State Park, just 20 minutes west of town, has some of the best campgrounds in the region. It boasts some scenic hiking trails to explore and the kind of sugary views to fill one with awe. There is the bass-filled Wheeler Lake, and the Alabama Veterans Museum, which keeps a small artifact from the USS Arizona that sank in the attack on Pearl Harbour.

Fairhope

Many love Fairhope for its coastal setting and nautical charm, not knowing its other underappreciated facet as a college town. Fairhope hosts the University of South Alabama Fairhope Campus, also known as the USA Baldwin County campus. It was established as a campus of the University in August 1984, meaning it has been a staple of the town for more than 40 years. Fairhope has an endearing name, and the appearance is no different. You will find flower-lined streets, golden sunsets by the water, and a thriving arts scene, especially with places such as the 5-star-rated Eastern Shore Art Center, as well as the Kiln Studio & Gallery, whose chatty owners keep a nice selection of pottery pieces. There is the Fairhope Museum of History, a free-to-enter space encapsulating the story of Fairhope, including its Utopian founding as a single-tax colony, and the Fairhope Pier, which offers stunning sunsets and opportunities to mingle with pelicans.

Alabama college towns, as elsewhere in the world, are seldom cut from the same cloth. You will find college towns that merely educate. On the flip side, a few educate, enchant, and stir the soul with unforgettable sights and feelings. Fortunately, the Cotton State is hiding a decent number of surprises. You will find college towns with poetic downtowns, heart-stirring backdrops, incredible artistic flair, and those with just the right touch of magic. Whether you pick Florence or Fairhope, you cannot miss finding a town with your name in it.