Best College Towns In Chesapeake Bay
While still an important commercial waterway,聽Chesapeake Bay is best known today for its picturesque scenery, with a shoreline dotted by lovely waterfront towns and a few port cities, most notably Baltimore. While the Chesapeake Bay is not immediately known for its college towns, the college towns it does have are perfectly situated in a region filled with historical significance, cultural vitality, and natural beauty. Whether you are looking for a lively city that is further enhanced by its college scene, or a small town with a college as its centerpiece, the Chesapeake Bay area has the best college towns for you.
Annapolis, Maryland
The United States Naval Academy is not your typical college, so it makes sense that聽Annapolis聽(population 40,000) is not your typical college town. One of the most historic and picturesque small cities in the United States, Annapolis鈥� narrow, colonial era, shop-lined streets lead from its postcard-pretty waterfront to the impressive 1772 Maryland State House. Along with the many tourists, downtown Annapolis gets a vibrant boost not just from the Naval Academy but also from St. John鈥檚 College, a small liberal arts institution founded in 1696. Annapolis is a unique kind of college town in which a student can enjoy a drink at a cafe housed in an eighteenth-century building while watching sailboats pass in and out of the marina.
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore, situated where the Patapsco River empties into the northern section of Chesapeake Bay, thrived for centuries as a transportation center and international port and is working on adding a technology, medical, and cultural hub to that legacy. With its beautiful Inner Harbor, numerous museums and historical sites, proximity to Washington, D.C., and population of about 620,000, Baltimore has many attractive features. Baltimore is also, despite not being dominated by any single university, a college town. Among more than a dozen institutions of higher learning in the city, Johns Hopkins University is the most renowned, while other standouts include the University of Maryland-Baltimore, Coppin State University, and Morgan State University.
Chestertown, Maryland
Founded in 1706, picturesque Chestertown sits along the Chester River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay only a few miles downstream. The town is the seat of Kent County and has a population of around 5,000. Downtown Chestertown retains many colonial-era buildings and houses a lively arts and entertainment scene. On the waterfront, Chestertown has an annual Tall Ship and Wooden Boat Festival, as well as an annual reenactment of the town鈥檚 own 1774 鈥渢ea party鈥� protest against British rule. Washington College, founded in 1782 and the oldest existing college chartered after American independence, fits perfectly into Chestertown鈥檚 historic scenery, while its 1,500 students add to the town鈥檚 youthful vitality.
Hampton, Virginia
One of several cities that make up聽Hampton Roads, located near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and one of the nation鈥檚 most vital seaports, the city of聽Hampton聽was founded in 1610 and has a current population of about 137,000. The city鈥檚 attractive beaches, historic Fort Monroe, and the Virginia Air And Space Science Center make Hampton an appealing tourist destination. Hampton is also a lively college town due to the presence of Hampton University, a historically black (HBCU) institution founded in 1868 that has a student population of around 3,500. Additionally, nearby communities are home to institutions, including Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, and Christopher Newport University.
Mary鈥檚 City, Maryland
The first English settlement and colonial capital in Maryland, St. Mary鈥檚 City, has been around since 1634. Despite having 鈥渃ity鈥� in its name, it is a small, utterly charming town of about 1,000 year-round residents, located near the southern tip of the state鈥檚 Western Shore along the Chesapeake. The historic town center has become a 鈥渓iving history鈥� area, with reconstructed buildings, historical interpreters in period clothing, and four museums. Much of the rest of town is home to St. Mary鈥檚 College of Maryland, a public institution that has the look, feel, and academic reputation of an elite private liberal arts college. The town and college combine to operate one of the most highly-regarded archaeological field schools in the nation.
Salisbury, Maryland
The largest municipality on Maryland鈥檚 Eastern Shore, the city of Salisbury (population 33,000), sits near the border with Delaware on the聽Delmarva Peninsula聽between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Salisbury, therefore, serves as a gateway to Maryland鈥檚 Atlantic beach towns (such as聽Ocean City) but also draws in visitors with attractions like the Salisbury Zoo and the monthly 鈥淭hird Friday鈥� festival held downtown. Salisbury University, a public institution with about 7,000 students, has been around since 1925. Originally founded as a teacher鈥檚 college, Salisbury University has grown rapidly in recent decades, adding a welcome boost to the vitality of the commercial and cultural scenes of the city and its surrounding area.
Williamsburg, Virginia
Founded in 1632 and Virginia鈥檚 colonial capital for over 80 years,聽Williamsburg (population 15,000) is one of the oldest and most historic towns in the United States. A big part of this history includes the College of William and Mary, founded in Williamsburg in 1693 (making it the second oldest higher education institution in the nation). When not pursuing their rigorous courses of study, William and Mary鈥檚 9,500 students can explore the area鈥檚 history at Colonial Williamsburg or enjoy a coffee and conversation at one of the town鈥檚 many charming cafes. Williamsburg鈥檚 location also offers easy access to attractions like Busch Gardens, the Hampton Roads cities, and Virginia Beach.
The Chesapeake Bay region鈥檚 best college towns are a diverse lot, from tiny and historic St. Mary鈥檚 City to big and vibrant Baltimore. But they all share the advantage of being located in one of the most picturesque parts of the United States, with the beautiful waters and shorelines of the Chesapeake always nearby. Whether you are planning to attend college or love the atmosphere of a great college town, make sure to give the Chesapeake Bay region a good look!
