<p>Fort Collins, Colorado. #1 town in the country baby!</p>
<p>How come Ray? Because you attend there?</p>
<p>Lots of unnecessary bias on this thread...</p>
<p>I think Denver, Boulder, Eugene, Seattle, Missoula, Lawrence, Orlando, Corel Gables, Santa Barbara, Arcata, Salt Lake City, Tucson, Tempe, and Some of the ones on the coast in New England would all be pretty nice.</p>
<p>Sakky:</p>
<p>That is true, but Honolulu tends to be....hostile to tourist who venture much outside the boundary of the "tourist areas", more so than Denver and Austin. It might be different for others. I just know that some people on Oahu tend to assume I'm local, while the friends that I bring to visit family are not because they are hispanic, black, white, etc...</p>
<p>It can be strange in the sense that it'd difficult to fit in if you're not Asian. Especially while in the water.</p>
<p>i was in boulder for other reasons other then college visiting i was there just to visit we had a wedding in denver and we shopped in boulder boulder is great...really love the Students lots of jobs for them in town(most of the people who helped me in stores and my waiter was From CU) And it was opening weekend so there was a ton of signs saying welcome back...on the windows of shops its a gorgeous town i love it if boulder wasnt so far away and my parents didnt want me to go to such a huge school i would go(i wouldnt mind go that far/to that huge of a school)</p>
<h1>20- Agreed 110%</h1>
<h1>22- Coral Gables is disgusting</h1>
<p>
[quote]
That is true, but Honolulu tends to be....hostile to tourist who venture much outside the boundary of the "tourist areas", more so than Denver and Austin. It might be different for others. I just know that some people on Oahu tend to assume I'm local, while the friends that I bring to visit family are not because they are hispanic, black, white, etc...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't know about that. Trust me, there are plenty of people who live just outside of Austin that have PRACTICALLY NEVER seen, say, an actual Asian person in real life. Denver - same. </p>
<p>Besides, this has nothing to do with the topic anyway. We are not talking about what is a FRIENDLIER place. We are talking about what is a SCENIC place. And I think it's extremely hard to dispute that Manoa, or Honolulu in general, is highly scenic. Frankly, I think even most Austin residents would concede that Honolulu is more scenic. The people in Austin are nice, 6th Street is obviously a lot of fun, and the culture is cool, but let's be perfectly honest here, there isn't exactly a whole lot in Austin that one could say is actually SCENIC. </p>
<p>Again, don't get me wrong, I like Austin a lot. I think it's one of the coolest cities in the country. But I would be hard-pressed to describe it as SCENIC. People travel to Austin for the cool music and youth culture, maybe tour the state capitol, etc. - but I doubt that a lot of people actually come because it is SCENIC.</p>
<p>Sakky:</p>
<p>Ummm....I have tons of Asian friends that live in Austin and Denver from Hawaii that would disagree.</p>
<p>It does depend on whether you limit scenic to the landscape...but, for me at least, it also means cultural diversions (from the non-majority), open space, etc....</p>
<p>We're not talking about the mystique of farawy places, but rather how SCENIC it is.</p>
<p>I'd say Honolulu is lush in the way Portland is lush....but there are highrises in Honolulu that block that sunset or rainbow. If your focusing on the North Shore, then I'd agree....but Honolulu?</p>
<p>The Hawaii Pacific University campus, the BYU campus, UH-West Oahu, yes...UH-Manoa, Chamanade, no so much.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It does depend on whether you limit scenic to the landscape...but, for me at least, it also means cultural diversions (from the non-majority), open space, etc....</p>
<p>We're not talking about the mystique of farawy places, but rather how SCENIC it is.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Definition of scenic:</p>
<ol>
<li>of or pertaining to natural scenery.<br></li>
<li>having pleasing or beautiful scenery </li>
</ol>
<p>So, no, by definition, 'scenic' does not include 'cultural diversions', as cultural diversions have nothing to do with the natural scenery. </p>
<p>Put another way. New York City has plenty of cultural diversions, in fact, arguably the most cultural diversions as any place in the world. But I would hesitate to say that NYC offers a whole lot of 'natural scenery, or 'beautiful/pleasing scenery'. </p>
<p>
[quote]
I'd say Honolulu is lush in the way Portland is lush....but there are highrises in Honolulu that block that sunset or rainbow. If your focusing on the North Shore, then I'd agree....but Honolulu?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And have you actually hung around downtown Austin or Denver? Tell me that those places aren't full of highrises too. </p>
<p>My point is simple. I completely fail to see how you can exclude a place like Manoa under the rubric of 'scenic', but somehow manage to include Denver and Austin. Any reasonable definition of scenic that includes those 2 cities (which are not that scenic, especially Austin) would, by definition, have to include Manoa.</p>
<p>Bard College--right by the Hudson and Catskills. Very scenic.</p>
<p>Dartmouth - Hanover, NH area
College of Charleston - Charleston, SC
W&L - Lexington, VA
UNC-CH - Raleigh/Durham, NC</p>
<p>How come Ray? Because you attend there?</p>
<p>Because of this:</p>
<p>By surrounding area, does the OP mean geographic features, like mountains and rivers, or the "town" as in the architecture and layout of the buildings?</p>
<p>For the latter, i vote for princeton because i'm bias, though it is small, i admit. For landscape, i personally think rural northeast schools would be top, like middlebury, cornell, etc. Actually, ithaca/cornell would rank rather highly on both lists, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Sakky:</p>
<p>So you're saying that inhabitants, cultural scenery and the like is not considered "natural" to a developed area? Any developed city is planned, which means it is staged to take advantage of certain characteristic as per the definition one, two, and four of scenic. Thus a colloquial, or common usage that depends on how people define it rather that the static one that often appear in dictionaries, is most often used as language and meaning are not themselves static but living and morphing. Hence the question about how the word scenic is defined.</p>
<p>Madison Wisconsin-UW-Madison.</p>
<p>Hmm some of the colleges up in New England have VERY pretty campuses. I think Penn State's Abington campus is really pretty; lots of trees and grass, beautiful area, I just love it. I think Duquesne has a pretty campus too, especially since we get a great view of the mountains and bridges.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Sakky:</p>
<p>So you're saying that inhabitants, cultural scenery and the like is not considered "natural" to a developed area? Any developed city is planned, which means it is staged to take advantage of certain characteristic as per the definition one, two, and four of scenic. Thus a colloquial, or common usage that depends on how people define it rather that the static one that often appear in dictionaries, is most often used as language and meaning are not themselves static but living and morphing. Hence the question about how the word scenic is defined.</p>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So if that's the case, then we might as well be talking about cities like New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, Milan, Sydney, Tokyo, Frankfort, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Heck, under your definition of the word 'scenic', if you want to include inhabitants and culture, it's hard to see how ANY of these cities would not be right at the top. I think we can all agree that there is no way in heck that a place like Denver can beat any of these cities in terms of "cultural scenery" or in terms of inhabitants. After all, to compare the culture of New York or Paris to a city like Denver - that is not a close call by any stretch of the imagination. I think even the people of Denver would concede this point.</p>
<p>FROM USA TODAY:</p>
<p>10 great places to enjoy a textbook getaway
Updated 8/18/2005 6:02 PM ET </p>
<p>As college students head off to school, college towns across the country — some of them delightful destinations in their own right — are poised for the onslaught of students and their families. "Many of these towns leverage their geography as an attraction along with charm, dining, activities, high-caliber students and faculty, so you get the best of all worlds," says Keith Bellows, editor in chief of National Geographic Traveler magazine. He shares with USA TODAY's Shawn Sell some small-to-medium-size college towns that "have a real ability to keep the young and the young-at-heart engaged in culture and fun."</p>
<p>Charlottesville, Va.</p>
<p>"Not too far from Washington, D.C., or Monticello, the manicured, Thomas Jefferson-designed University of Virginia is located on one of the most gorgeous campuses and towns around," Bellows says. "It's a place that has history, bookishness and beauty" plus good eateries, pubs and the nearby Wintergreen Ski Resort. 877-386-1102; charlottesvilletourism.org</p>
<p>Hanover, N.H.</p>
<p>"A world-class cultural center in a rural setting, the home of Dartmouth College is ideal if you're an outdoors person," Bellows says. "There's great golf and hiking, plus skiing, kayaking and every other kind of outdoor sport." Not to miss: Hood Museum of Art and the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts. 603-643-3115; hanoverchamber.org</p>
<p>Ann Arbor, Mich.</p>
<p>"Although it's a little isolated, there is a lot of cosmopolitan appeal here in AA," Bellows says of the University of Michigan's campus town. "There are so many record, book and antique stores to visit," plus coffee shops, music venues, a museum and an arboretum. "Perfect if you want a world-class university with a gritty urban feel." 734-995-7281; annarbor.org</p>
<p>Princeton, N.J.</p>
<p>Buildings green with ivy and traditional tree-lined streets make the colonial town and Princeton University "a beautiful, quintessential Ivy League place," Bellows says. "Find great theater in this diverse, tidy community, a hotbed of intelligence with the academic vigor that Princeton brings." 609-924-1776; princetonchamber.org</p>
<p>Madison, Wis.</p>
<p>"The University of Wisconsin is big, but there's a small-town feel here in the state's capital (you can't get away from the cheese, but you can go ice fishing on any winter's day)," Bellows says. "When you think of Madison, wedged between Mendota and Monona lakes, you think of a backwater place, but really there's an incredible eclectic urban feel to it. It's an interesting town with buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright." 800-373-6376; visitmadison.com</p>
<p>Boulder Convention & Visitors Bureau
In Boulder: Outdoor and cultural activities abound in this college town northwest of Denver.</p>
<p>Boulder, Colo.</p>
<p>"This politically hip, health-conscious city right by the mountains has everything," Bellows says, including the Celestial Seasonings tea factory, diverse cuisines, the University of Colorado's cultural life, concerts and lectures, "plus outdoor offerings like hiking, tubing and whitewater rafting." 800-444-0447; bouldercoloradousa.com</p>
<p>Flagstaff, Ariz.</p>
<p>"This is one of my favorites," Bellows says of this non-conformist mountain town with an elevation of 7,000 feet. Northern Arizona University is here, as well "as some of the Southwest's most beautiful scenery." Visit the Painted Desert and Grand Canyon (each an hour away) or hike in nearby Coconino National Forest. "Students, artists, new-age liberals and tree huggers rock the night away at brewpubs and pool rooms. You'll see lots of characters walking down the street." 800-842-7293; flagstaffarizona.org</p>
<p>Chapel Hill, N.C.</p>
<p>"An old place (chosen in the 1790s as the site for the University of North Carolina) that's now a huge Tar Heels sports and party town (catch a bluegrass band at one of the bars on Franklin Street)," Bellows says. "It's a pretty town permeated with history, energy and, of course, you have to remember that Michael Jordan went here." 919-929-9700; downtownchapelhill.com</p>
<p>Eugene, Ore.</p>
<p>"The running capital of the world is also a hippie haven," says Bellows, who characterizes Eugene as an easygoing place with an eclectic blend of runners, green activists, loggers and students. "The home of the University of Oregon is a gorgeous place, great for those who love the outdoors." Hike in the Willamette National Forest or stop at U of O's Museum of Natural and Cultural History. 800-547-5445;travellanecounty.com</p>
<p>Berkeley, Calif.</p>
<p>Come and get the counterculture. "It's a hippie haven, always has been," Bellows says, "but a great place to stay plugged in." Berkeley is the oldest of the University of California campuses and the scene on Telegraph Avenue is a mélange of "artists, students, moms with kids and aging hippies, all together in farmers markets, bookstores, cafes, record shops and ethnic restaurants." 800-847-4823; visitberkeley.c</p>
<p>Sakky:</p>
<p>Yep...I do. And, yes if we're speaking only about culture than I'd agree that Denver is lower on the list of cities than NYC. But, it's a combination of "geographic", "natural", and "man-made" beauty that makes a city scenic. So that is not necessarily so.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And, yes if we're speaking only about culture than I'd agree that Denver is lower on the list of cities than NYC. But, it's a combination of "geographic", "natural", and "man-made" beauty that makes a city scenic. So that is not necessarily so
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Exactly right. Which is why we come back to Honolulu. A combination of geographic, natural, and man-made beauty.</p>
<p>Palo Alto, Seattle, Hanover.</p>