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9 Best Florida College Towns

9 Best Florida College Towns

Thanks to its year-round warm weather, great beaches, and plenty of other attractions, anyone would want to go to college in Florida. If you’re looking to advance your studies or you’re a parent whose kid is joining a college in the sunshine state, you may appreciate knowing the best Florida college towns.

Now, college life is such an amazing experience that every teen or young adult should get a chance to enjoy. When going to college, most students want a place that has all that they need. Also, most students begin their careers right in their college towns. If you have Florida in mind, let’s dive right into it to get you informed.

Here are nine of the best Florida college towns. 

1. Boca Raton

Of all college towns in Florida, you will probably like Boca Raton the most. To begin with, it’s home to some of the best universities in the country; the University of Miami and Florida International University. This means there is a variety of students from all walks of life, making the culture here diverse.

Just as any student would want, the nightlife in Boca Raton is just awesome. Being a college town, there are multiple outdoor activities to keep students feeling the college vibe throughout their years of study. The stunning beaches and all the fun that comes with them make the place fantastic. If you are looking for a fun place to go, you should definitely try Boca Raton out.

2. Clearwater 

Clearwater is the home to St. Petersburg College and the University of South Florida. The town gives you the urban feel that most students want to incorporate into their college life. There is a rumor that Clearwater beach is the most beautiful in the whole United States.

This alone qualifies the place to be among the best in Florida and the entire country. If you love shopping, swimming, surfing, and any other sport you can engage in on the beach, then Clearwater is the place you need to be checking out.

3. Tampa

One of the reasons it’s a great place for students in Florida is because Tampa is located further north, the weather is almost always excellent. NFL football is a popular example of this. College and professional sports make this an excellent place to raise a family!

Tampa is also home to numerous attractions, from beaches to hotels, and restaurants. You can watch as Tom Brady wins yet another Super Bowl championship trophy, or embark on a wine and dine cruise. Some incredible places to stay when moving to Tampa, Florida include Tampa South, Ybor City, and Hyde Park.

Tampa’s top colleges and universities include:

  • Miami-Dade College of Law
  • Tampa University
  • The University of Florida in St. Petersburg

4. Fort Myers 

You have probably heard of this town somewhere. If you have, you need to know it’s also one of the best college towns in Florida. Hosting Keiser University, Hodges University, and Florida Gulf Coast University Cohen Center, it’s full of the college vibe that most students want. Nightlife in this place is just out of this earth.

The town is also home to some of the best beaches globally, which means you can have all the fun you want in this place. Like all other places in the sunshine state, the weather here is warm all year round, so leave all your cold-weather clothing back home.

5. Pensacola 

Your parents will love this place because it is cheap to live in. It’s also home to Pensacola State College and The University of West Florida. There’s one other thing you should know when moving to Pensacola, FL for your studies. While it might lack the urban feel that most people look for in a college town, the place isn’t entirely lacking in fun. There is the Pensacola lighthouse to pay a visit to and a museum you could fall in love with. Also, unlike most other cities and college towns in the state, the beaches in Pensacola are not as crowded, which makes them ideal for you to have all the fun you crave.

6. Coral Gables 

Located in Florida’s Miami-Dade county, Coral Gables is another great college city in Florida. It is home to several famous colleges, including the Florida international university and the University of Miami. Also known as “The City Beautiful,” it’s one of Florida’s top college towns for a reason. It is home to numerous attractions. While there, you can:

  • Get some football in your life by attending a Miami Gators game!
  • In many outstanding restaurants, you’ll be treated like royalty.
  • Take a walk along the Old Cutler Trail, a 10-mile path with stunning scenery!

While attending school in Coral Gables, FL, you have a wide range of housing alternatives. Examples include Gables by the Sea, Hammock Oaks, and King’s bay.

7. Sarasota

Let’s begin with a fact: Sarasota was named by the U.S. News and World Report as the best to live in America for the year 2020. This means it’s one of the best places you could consider as a great college town.

Second, it’s home to the University of South Florida, Manatee Campus, and the Ringling College of Art and Design. Nightlife and shopping areas you please. It has one of the best beaches in the sunshine state, which tells you that you are not lacking fun. Whatever water sport you crave, you can experience it in Sarasota.

8. St. Petersburg 

Being home to the University of South Florida’s Main Campus and St. Petersburg College, Gibbs Campus, you can expect the best college vibe in this place. The cost of living here is also relatively lower. St. Petersburg is also home to some of the best beaches in the world.

There are great places to live in, whether you are a student or a young professional, all of which are pocket-friendly. The beaches offer a variety of sporting activities making your stay here fun. Some of the activities include parasailing and kiteboarding.

9. Winter Park, Florida 

Located a few minutes from Orlando, Winter Park is a popular destination in Florida, with approximately 30,000+ people living in the area. 11.4% of the dwellers here are undergraduates. The average apartment rent in Winter Park is about $1,183 per month.

Winter Park also has a great job market, with an unemployment rate of a whopping 346.5%. Moreover, it ranks the 18th-best city for crime. Some notable colleges here include Full Sail Uni Rollins, OTC-Winter Park, and Rollins College.

Conclusion 

As a student or a young adult, you want to make sure to enjoy life to the fullest and build a career that you can depend on later in life. This is why it’s good to go to a college and one that is in a location you can have all the fun you want to have.

Seniors in high school have a lot of work to do to be ready for college, including filling out financial aid applications and attending orientation. In addition, it is necessary to visit the university. For better or worse, this is where students will spend the next several years of their lives.

According to experts, the geographic location of the school should be taken into consideration while choosing a school, especially in terms of costs and other factors. Florida is home to a slew of universities! The above are just a few of the best college towns in Florida.

Here are nine of the best college towns in Florida 

  • 1. Boca Raton
  • 2. Clearwater
  • 3. Tampa
  • 4. Fort Myers
  • 5. Pensacola
  • 6. Coral Gables
  • 7. Sarasota
  • 8. St. Petersburg
  • 9. Winter Park, Florida
  • Conclusion

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