The 5 Most Charming And Walkable College Towns In The Midwest

In spring or fall, during homecoming or freshman week, there is a certain buzz and hope-filled air to college towns that attracts visitors of all ages. With the vast majority of Big Ten schools located in the Midwest, it should come as no surprise that college life is thriving across the region. On top of that, host towns usually tend to benefit greatly from the energy higher education institutions bring to the community. While many college cities predate their campuses, and were busy hubs of industry before the students moved in (take Ann Arbor in Michigan and Bloomington, Indiana), a few towns sprouted up alongside their academic chairs — and owe their existence to the disciplines that have been taught there for decades, or even centuries.

To come up with a list of the five most charming and walkable towns, we relied on editorial articles and independent user rankings, as well as painstakingly consulting walkability index websites, such as WalkScore, and manually inspecting actual walking times on Google Maps. All the locations listed below are college towns frequently mentioned for their welcoming campuses and positive atmosphere, and have a WalkScore of 85/100 and above.

There is a reason — well, many, actually — why Ann Arbor was named "America's best college town" by admission consultancy Crimson Education. With its riverfront trails, kid-friendly museums, and green spaces galore, the city makes for an ideal weekend getaway to enjoy solo, with your significant other, or with family. With its 67 city blocks spread on both sides of the Huron River, Ann Arbor is as quaint as it is walkable — with WalkScore awarding it a stellar 98/100. Its walkability is something resident Redditors highlight as a big positive, supported by an efficient public bus system. The municipality even has its own neat downloadable walking downtown map to help visitors navigate the must-see landmarks and main shopping streets on foot.

Many of Ann Arbor's attractions and places of interest are linked to the University of Michigan, from the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) with its diverse and immersive contemporary exhibitions, to Michigan Stadium, affectionately nicknamed "The Big House." Not only is the stadium the largest in the States, but it's also the third largest in the world. Less than half an hour's walk through leafy boulevards and campus buildings (such as the Law Library and the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology) separates the main campus from the stadium.

Football aside, Ann Arbor's campus is full of architecturally notable buildings, reflecting the college's rich history. For example, the Law Quad is not only a fine example of Tudor Gothic architecture, but it's also of historic relevance as the home of the first self-contained law school in the country. 

Indiana's seventh most populous city is a seventh heaven of diverse cuisine, with nearly 100 restaurants spread across a moderately-sized area. That is partly thanks to its multicultural student and teaching faculty population. Should you not be tempted by the feast on offer — from French and Italian to Afghan and Burmese restaurants — then maybe the accessible, renowned wineries and plentiful outdoors spaces will tempt you to visit Bloomington.

Home to Indiana University, this hilly town in southern Indiana has a historic campus that spreads across just under 2,000 acres and is best recognised by its warm-toned limestone Sample Gates. Due to its size, Bloomington is not the most walkable of the cities ranked, but its downtown and campus are the exception, achieving a more-than-respectable 88 out of 100 WalkScore. The IU campus in Bloomington even has its own arboretum, the Cox Arboretum, and a museum, the Eskenazi Museum of Art. You can walk from the heart of campus to downtown Bloomington in less than 15 minutes.

Out-of-towners who venture past the campus boundaries are rewarded with the stunning views and natural trails of Griffy Lake Nature Preserve, a 1,220-acre preserve with abounding fauna and flora right on the city's doorstep (4 miles from downtown), which adds to its overall charm.

Home to Ohio University, Athens' industrial pursuits were once rooted in coal production, psychiatric care, and higher education. The legacy of the latter two is still present, and their union is best exemplified by the storied building on campus known as The Ridges. Created in the 1800s as the Athens Lunatic Asylum – with the last patient transferred in the late 1990s – the building is now the property of Ohio University, housing research labs and classrooms. It is one of many architecturally impressive campus features, including the historic Vernon R. Alden Library and the much-revered red brick paths on which millions of students have walked since the University was founded in 1804 (though it didn't officially open to students until 1808).

The good news is you can enjoy the campus and downtown sites on foot. WalkScore gives Athens a wonderful score of 92 – in other words, this Ohio town is a "Walker's Paradise." And where your feet can't reach, a bike will do the rest. Athens, in fact, is part of a vibrant biking circuit in Ohio, with themed and clearly marked bike trails connecting the college town to the wider county and beyond. For example, you may opt for a breezy bicycle ride when crossing the Hocking River, where cultural attractions such as the Ohio University Observatory and Kennedy Museum of Art await.

Maybe it is the carefree and hope-filled breeze that comes with many college towns, or maybe it is all the walking and biking, but Madison proudly carries the title of "Wisconsin's Happiest City," with markets and independent shops to spare. This southern Wisconsin gem scores a 91 WalkScore and BikeScore, thanks to its many biking lanes and miles of scenic trails that are among the best in urban Wisconsin.

Home to around 40,000 students, the University of Wisconsin has its flagship campus in Madison, perched on the glistening Lake Mendota. While this renovated 19th-century campus may not share the same old-timey architecture as other ancient bearers of knowledge in the Midwest, it still has plenty of activities and highlights worth exploring. And if you need a dose of nature, a green conservation area, the UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve, is a great spot to go for a relaxing walk.

In walkable downtown Madison, you can visit the iconic Wisconsin State Capitol (which has the world's only granite dome), explore the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, or catch a collegiate ice hockey or basketball game at the Kohl Center – all without walking for more than 20 minutes. On the other side of town, the 12-acre James Madison Park is ideal for a lakeside stroll and sneaking a peek at the charming Victorian-style Gates of Heaven synagogue building.

In the northeastern corner of Minnesota, Duluth is home to two colleges: the public University of Minnesota and the private College of St. Scholastica. The city may not be as walkable as some other entries in this list, but it still scores a respectable 89 on WalkScore. Its location directly on Lake Superior also makes for amazing views — a nice counter to its dense, urban areas. And you can easily walk from the campus to downtown Duluth.

Undeniably, a lot of Duluth's charm comes from its access to the great outdoors and historic pier on the largest of the Great Lakes. Take Canal Park, where you can spend a pleasant sunny afternoon (weather permitting), simply strolling its 7.5-mile lakewalk, before heading to the steel Aerial Lift Bridge to watch ferries and ships go by. You can also enjoy the scenic skyline view from the Skyline Scenic Overlook, though that requires an uphill trek.

The University of Minnesota campus is slightly removed from Duluth's charming waterfront. That means you'll want to use public transit or bike between the two, as a one-way walk spans several miles. But there's still a vibrancy in downtown that comes with the proximity to a major university — and with outdoor adventures at your fingertips, it's a wonderful slice of the country to explore.

By combining research on the most enjoyable towns with rankings and reports of the most walkable college towns, we came up with a list of the top five towns that meet the criteria of being visit-worthy while remaining easily walkable. We relied on strong editorial output, including trusted sources such as USN and College Magazine, and we backed our research with walkability scores offered by WalkScore, plus a good dose of manual research via Google Maps.

We picked college towns that are featured as pleasant for day or weekend breaks and that received praise for their welcoming atmosphere. By focusing on small and medium-sized locations with a thriving college life and charming vibe (as opposed to big cities and metropolitan entities), we ensured that each place has plenty of attractions and activities beyond the college campus boundaries.