Best college town in every state

Best college towns in America: Champaign, Illinois (Home of University of Illinois)

Champaign, Illinois might not be on everyone’s “places to go” list today, but the city is growing quickly and people are making it a place to live. That could lead to an explosion of the population over the next decade, so before it loses a little bit of that “small town” college feel, take a trip to Champaign.

The campus of the University of Illinois has defined this city for years. The campus seems to keep the community feeling young, with trends across the community making sure everything stays up to date.

Crystal Lake Park is an “all in one” access point to Illinois nature. There’s are trails and animal encounters on the north side of the park, and then the actual Crystal Lake on the south side of the park. The lake itself is the main event, with swimming and pedal boats helping you get around. No, this is not the same Crystal Lake as the Friday the 13th movies, but it can be just as entertaining, especially as the sequels.

The downtown area has plenty of eclectic stores and even a children’s museum. Urbana’s Market at the Square takes place every Saturday morning, and it’s perfect to have some fresh eats before the massive intake of hot dogs that will come at the Fighting Illini tailgate.