It’s said that your environment has major effects on your mood and happiness, so when searching for colleges, you should look for schools that will bring you peace, invigorate you, and make you happy. If you love the outdoors and being away from busy city centers, then life by the water may be your best choice for a college location. Below is a list of colleges with beautiful campuses on or near lakes and rivers to give you the best of nature and the best education. You can connect with any schools of interest quickly and easily by clicking the green “Connect me” button below each listing. Start exploring and find a dreamy lacustrine hideaway today!
Grace College
Grace College is a Christian college and seminary on a 180-acre campus in Winona Lake, Indiana. Grace sits on the shores of picturesque Winona Lake and offers many recreational opportunities with a nearby resort town, The Village, just two blocks from campus. The area boasts the best of lakeside recreation, fine dining, artisan shops, cozy cafés, and biking the scenic Greenway Trails on your way to weekends of boating, skiing, paddle boarding, and more. The College offers more than 100 majors, minors, and concentrations as well as a variety of master’s programs to over 1,900 students.
Mercy University
Mercy University is a private nonsectarian college with a 66-acre main campus located in Dobbs Ferry, New York—25 miles from New York City—with branch campuses in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Yorktown Heights. Approximately 9,000 students are enrolled in five schools and over 90 degree and certificate programs led by faculty that include Fulbright Scholars, national best-selling authors, and leading experts. The University’s scenic, 66-acre campus is nestled along the Hudson River, just 30 minutes from Manhattan, giving students the best of both a small-town home and access to city life.
Ohio University
Ohio University is a comprehensive public university on a 1,800-acre campus in Athens, Ohio—75 miles southeast of Columbus. Named the best college town in the state, OHIO’s Athens campus—complete with its own golf course—offers a perfect combination of city life, rolling hills, flowing rivers, and a national forest, which provides access to hiking trails, camping locations, and more. The scenic Hocking River flows directly through the heart of campus, offering students picturesque views and a tranquil natural escape. The University also offers more than 250 programs and 500 student organizations to over 15,000 undergraduates.
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University is a public comprehensive land-grant research university on an 840-acre main campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma—70 miles west of Tulsa. OSU is home to more than 35,000 students who benefit from 30 on-campus housing options, study abroad programs in over 50 countries, more than 500 clubs and organizations, diverse student associations, and dozens of intramural sports teams. Beyond campus, Stillwater offers outdoor activities at nearby lakes, local boutiques downtown, and iconic dining spots.
Saint John’s University
Saint John’s University is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college for men on a 2,500-acre campus in Collegeville, Minnesota—75 miles north of Minneapolis. The campus sits among the woods and by a lake—with hiking trails, a private beach, and paved biking paths—while also offering access to the St. Cloud metropolitan area only an hour away from campus. The University has a close partnership with the College of Saint Benedict, a women’s-only college, to offer more than 37 majors and 40 minors in 60 areas of study to their combined 3,218 undergraduate students.
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit, Catholic institution situated on a historic 106-acre campus in Santa Clara, California. Known for its strong programs in Engineering, Business, and the Arts and Sciences, the University provides over 9,000 students with a rigorous academic environment rooted in Jesuit values. Located at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, the campus offers proximity to coastal wetlands and major city centers, blending a tranquil atmosphere with access to global innovation hubs.
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University of Illinois Springfield
The University of Illinois Springfield is a public comprehensive university in Springfield, Illinois—90 miles from St. Louis. UIS’s more than 4,000 students engage in the process of active teaching and learning through more than 100 degree-granting programs across four colleges. Springfield is home to more than 30 public parks for biking, hiking, disc golf, swimming, and more; Lake Springfield for boating, fishing, and water sports; and world-renown features like the botanical gardens, rose gardens, and two arboretums.
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont is a public comprehensive university on a 460-acre campus in Burlington, Vermont—220 miles northwest of Boston, 300 miles north of New York City, and 90 miles south of Montreal, Quebec. Just a mile from Lake Champlain, UVM students can take advantage of a beautiful waterfront park, a 12-mile bike path along the shore, and three beaches with stunning views. The University offers over 100 bachelor’s, 57 master’s, and 26 doctoral programs to 12,790 total students.
Viterbo University
Viterbo University is a Roman Catholic liberal arts university in La Crosse, Wisconsin—150 miles from the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. Viterbo offers more than 50 traditional and online academic programs to 2,400+ students, who also take advantage of the award-winning Identities Project program. The University's campus is close to thriving downtown La Crosse—home to live music events, shops, restaurants, theatre, and art—with the city nestled between scenic bluffs and the Mississippi River.
Not sure if lake life is your thing? That’s okay! You can explore even more colleges and universities in other beautiful locations with our lists of featured colleges by landscape.
