Greatest Midwestern College Towns

America’s flyover states are often overlooked by travelers. However, they’ve got something going for them other than miles of cornfields and flat terrain — they boast some of the country’s greatest college towns. I mean, what else do you expect them to do there if not throw incredible parties?

Bloomington, Indiana

Bloomington, Indiana, is home to the main campus of Indiana University and the infamous Little 500, one of the largest college parties in the nation. Though it’s technically a bike race, these days the Little 500 is little more than a front for an enormous, non-stop party that lasts for an entire week. It doesn’t hurt the town itself is stunningly beautiful and progressive.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor is often touted as the quintessential college town. The beautiful little city boasts some of the best sporting events in the nation, alongside plenty of bars, restaurants and festivals. It combines a small urban appeal with an impressive amount of greenery, which you can explore through the hundreds of hiking and bike paths around town.

Champaign, Illinois

Champaign-Urbana, home of the Fighting Illini, boasts an incredible history of academic achievement, with more than 30 Nobel laureates to its name. But just because they’re all a bunch of geniuses doesn’t mean the locals don’t know how to have a good time. The urban environment sets the stage for a ton of museums and theatrical centers, along with more bars than you can ever visit in one trip.

Columbia, Missouri

Mizzou is one of the oldest universities west of the Mississippi and offers some spectacular architectural views. Walk through the Francis Quadrangle to see the campus’s iconic columns before relaxing in the Shelter Gardens or by Stephens Lake. The town is surrounded by beautiful parks, and the downtown area is one of the most vibrant in the Midwest. Be sure to swing by Shakespeare’s Pizza, once voted the Best College Hangout in America.