9 Most Beautiful College Towns In Kentucky

Most college towns are vibrant, diverse, and filled with an eclectic menu of cultural attractions, whether museums filled with interesting exhibits or art galleries with thought-provoking works that fire the imagination. The best part is that most college towns also boast a culinary scene that ranges from cozy, student-friendly cafés to innovative restaurants that whip up flavors from across the globe: Thai, Mexican, name it. Fortunately, the "Bluegrass State" is dotted with a cornucopia of such locations, some of which are as photo-worthy as the imagination can grasp. From Berea to Frankfort, keep reading to discover the 9 most beautiful college towns in Kentucky.

Berea

It may look like a bedroom community to Lexington, but Berea is a cute little town that is so full of culture and hospitality. Berea College, named for a free-minded and curious community mentioned in the Bible, is known for its unusually rich and unconventional history. It was founded by a Christian abolitionist in the 1850s on the premise that Black people and White people should learn together, becoming the first interracial and coeducational college in the South. You may not believe it, but no Berea student has paid tuition since 1892. The Berea Pinnacles Hiking Trails—one of the best hikes in the South—is among the town’s most defining attractions. The Historic Boone Tavern Hotel & Restaurant, a staple of the town for more than 100 years, is a chic place to enjoy the iconic Kentucky Hot Brown. Berea is big on art, and places such as The Cabin of Old Town Artisan Gallery have beautiful handmade items to admire or buy.

Murray

USA Today's Reader's Choice Award for the Top 10 Best Small College Towns in the US for 2025 was recently released, and the beautiful town of Murray, unsurprisingly, grabbed an impressive fourth position. It was the only Kentucky college town on the list. The famed Calloway County Quilt Trail, which is one of the town’s highlights, features more than 60 quilt patterns painted on barns, homes, and other buildings throughout the countryside. Murray State University, which was founded in the Roaring '20s, is one of the most affordable choices for graduate programs and has been named among "America's Top 100 Best College Buys." With the spellbinding Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area just 20 minutes away, there is so much to keep one busy here. You have Kentucky Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes in the eastern United States, and Miller Memorial Golf Course, an excellent course with smooth greens and peaceful scenery. Meanwhile, the Murray State Arboretum is a relaxing place to snap pictures or chill for a while.

Highland Heights

Highland Heights is tucked away in the hills of Northern Kentucky and boasts quaint residential neighborhoods, several types of businesses, and a vibrant mix of restaurants, including Nittha Siam Kitchen, an awesome Thai restaurant that serves fresh and delicious Cancun rolls. The key thing is that you are at the doorstep of Northern Kentucky University (NKU), one of Kentucky’s fastest-growing post-secondary institutions. With downtown Cincinnati just 10 minutes down the road, you have immediate access to all kinds of cultural attractions. The Ohio River flows east of town, while the Licking River, which meanders through an area of numerous saline springs, hence the name, flows west of town. You also have the Highland Heights Nature Trail, if you want to burn your muscles and enjoy some epic outdoor action.

Wilmore

Wilmore is a small, neat town with a Mayberry feel located a few miles southwest of Lexington. It is home to Asbury University, a non-denominational Christian school that first opened its doors on September 2nd, 1890. The town is beautiful, safe (Safewise ranked it the sixth-safest town in Kentucky for 2024), and enticingly slow-paced. The 1898 Red Bud Bed and Breakfast, conveniently located on Lexington Avenue, is a lovingly restored turn-of-the-century home that is incredibly comfy, homey, and nostalgic. The 5-star rated property serves a delicious homemade breakfast and is loved for its charm and character. Kinlaw Park, on the other side, is a beautiful open space with a picnic shelter and lots of good trees for hammocks. To kickstart your adventure, grab an iced latte at Drinklings Coffee House, a 9-year-old establishment that pays attention to the quality of coffee it serves and, more importantly, the space in which patrons enjoy it.

Morehead

For more than 130 years, the bucolic campus of the historic Morehead State University has drawn students from Appalachia seeking to gain knowledge and better their lives. In the 1940s, it became the first college in Kentucky, and one of the first in the nation, to be selected for the Navy College Training Program. Today, it is a thriving, nationally recognized university with over 60,000 alumni. Yet the college, beautifully nestled in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest, is just one among Morehead’s attractions and landmarks. Morehead is an official Kentucky Trail Town and boasts over 100 miles of multi-use trails. Cave Run Lake is just south of town and is a cool place to go swimming, especially on a hot summer afternoon. There is the Kentucky Folk Art Center, which displays beautiful ceramics, paintings, quilts, and sculptures. Finally, the Morehead Railroad & Historical Museum is a fun place to learn about the different train wheels and their capabilities, and bits of interesting local history.

Williamsburg

University of the Cumberlands may have become a university in 2005, but its history dates back to 1888, with the founding of the Williamsburg Institute by a group of Baptist Ministers. The college is nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and is one of Kentucky's most beautiful college campuses. Although the campus is often a huge draw, it is not the only reason to fall in love with Williamsburg, a restful town with an epic outdoor landscape. You can fish in the Cumberland River, a wild but scenic waterway above the headwaters of Lake Cumberland, view the nationally famous Cumberland Falls, nicknamed the "Niagara of the South," or spend time on the water at the beautiful Laurel River Lake. As for food, the Brick Oven on Main Street serves delicious oven-baked pizza with amazing crusts.

Danville

Danville’s Centre College, which the Washington Post has called "one of the premier intellectual gathering points in its region," has a checkered history that dates back to 1819. It survived the Civil War, although with nothing much left except the walls, and in 1921, staged one of the most historic upsets in sports history when its football team defeated Harvard, then the national champions. Today, Danville is beautiful and lively, partly because of the presence of the iconic campus. If you miss the Great American Brass Band Festival, a free music-themed carnival that lights up the town the first weekend of June each year, you can still enjoy cultural attractions such as the Great American Dollhouse Museum, which displays several different dollhouses in a variety of styles, or the world-class Art Center of the Bluegrass, loved for its beautiful glass work exhibits. Just don’t miss the iconic Pioneer Playhouse, a cool place to enjoy delicious food or a memorable afternoon play.

Richmond

Richmond, home to the 151-year-old Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), is a masterful blend of historic charm, beautiful natural scenery, and a well-preserved small-city atmosphere. Set in the rolling Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, Richmond has a charming downtown filled with eye-catching 19th-century buildings, including the Madison County Courthouse, one of Kentucky’s noteworthy examples of antebellum public buildings. The nationally famous Fort Boonesborough State Park, a swoonworthy space that features a fort, a river, and a beach, is 15 minutes north of town. Lake Reba Park, an angler’s paradise, is a 600-acre lakeside property with a golf course, trails that run in different directions, and an aquatic center. Check out the EKU Center for the Arts because you may just chance upon an unforgettable afternoon show.

Frankfort

Kentucky State University (KSU, and KYSU), founded in 1886 as the State Normal School for Colored Persons, is the second-oldest state-supported institution of higher learning in Kentucky. The campus has landscaped lawns with plenty of trees and seasonal flowers, while Frankfort, which reclines along a winding section of the Kentucky River with postcard views, is a neat state capital with historic streets and decadent bourbon balls. Buffalo Trace Distillery, whose history predates Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, is among the oldest continuously operating distilleries in America. It is also Frankfort’s topmost tourist destination. The Kentucky State Capitol, one of the most beautiful in the nation, is always a great place to visit and tour, especially with a good portable camera. Outdoor attractions include the Kentucky River, a 259-mile waterway that adds a mist of rustic charm to an already charming location.

However beautiful a location is, there is an element of youthful energy and culture that it will lack unless it doubles up as a college town. Kentucky is speckled with a decent number of vibrant college towns. However, some combine natural beauty and culture in a way that makes them easily stand out. Think of wandering a Civil War-era street and popping inside a family-owned Thai restaurant serving delicious green curry like a sacred offering. The next time you are watching a matinee with tens of students in a historic theatre that predates the Great Depression by several years. From Murray to Morehead, Kentucky’s most beautiful college towns travel the whole gamut.