The Martha's Vineyard Times

Six great Northeast college towns

February 20, 2013

Photo courtesy of Hal Barth

Providence has great shopping and restaurants in historic buildings within walking distance of RISD and Brown [More Photos]

Since the practical thing to do is to see several schools in one off-Island jaunt at a time, it makes sense to stay over a weekend – and turn it into a mini-vacation. Most Islanders are familiar with Boston and the five-college Amherst/Northampton area, so we rounded up a few other great college towns in the Northeast, with some help from expert local sources, including parents of current college kids and Martha's Vineyard Regional High School guidance counselor Mary MacDonald, who says she's probably seen 40 schools with her own three children and as a scout for the high school.

Burlington, Vermont
Driving time from Woods Hole: under five hours
Local school: UVM
Nearby school: Middlebury, St. Michael's, Johnson State
Where to eat where students eat: Penny Cluse Cafe
Where to eat for a treat: The Farmhouse, farm-to-table, local, organic, affordable; everything from hamburgers to salmon to kale salad.
Don't miss: Tamara Weiss says there's a huge farmer's market in the spring – "a fun place to see UVM graduates and students selling their own hot sauces, or muffins."
For more info: uvm.edu/admissions/undergraduate/visiting

Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
Driving time from Woods Hole: About four hours
Local school: Bard
Nearby school: Skidmore (and the five-college Amherst/Northampton area is right on the way), Vassar
Where to eat where students eat: The Diner in Red Hook for breakfast
Where to eat for a treat: Mercato, Red Hook
Where to stay for a treat: The Madalin Hotel, in the village of Tivoli
Don't miss: Nearby villages of Red Hook, Tivoli, and Rhinebeck are packed with a variety of restaurants, inns and interesting shops and galleries; hikes in Ferncliff Forest, Rhinebeck.
For more info: bard.edu/visiting

Ithaca, New York
Drive time from Woods Hole: Just over six hours
Local schools: Ithaca College, Cornell University
Nearby schools: Hobart and William Smith, Wells College, SUNY Cortland, Keuka College
Syracuse, SUNY Binghamton, Colgate, Skidmore, Rensselaer, SUNY Albany
How you know you're in a college town: There are almost as many students (about 25,000) in Ithaca as there are residents (30,000).
Where to eat where students eat: Collegetown Bagels
Where to eat for a treat: The Moosewood Cookbook was hatched at the Moosewood Restaurant, founded by Cornell and Ithaca graduates and still serving a great vegetarian (and fish) menu downtown.
Where to stay for a treat: La Tournelle, a resort overlooking Lake Cayuga just outside town, has suites suitable for families, great food, and massage services perfect for post-college tour fatigue.
Don't miss: Beautiful local scenery ("Ithaca is Gorges!"), great hiking trails and Finger Lakes wineries.
For more info: cornell.edu/visiting

New London, Connecticut
Drive time from Woods Hole: Just over two hours
Local schools: Connecticut College, The Coast Guard Academy, Mitchell College
Nearby schools: Yale, Eastern Connecticut State, Trinity, Wesleyan, Southern Connecticut State, Albertus Magnus
How you know you're in a college town: "Coasties" in uniform, and Conn students carrying rowing shells down to the Thames River.
Where to eat where students eat: The Yolk, a great breakfast spot, "owned by a woman who does all the cooking herself while shooting marshmallows at her customers."
Where to eat for a treat: On the Waterfront
Don't miss: Mystic Seaport; the Arboretum at Connecticut College – a botanical refuge with miles of trails; soccer games at the Coast Guard Academy field, right on the river.
For more info: conncoll.edu/admission/visiting-campus

Keene, New Hampshire
Drive time from Woods Hole: Three hours
Local schools: Keene State College, Antioch
Nearby schools: Dartmouth
Where to eat where students eat: Zorn Dining Common at Keene State (good food, too!)
Where to eat for a treat: Nicola's in town, or Elm City Brewery, just outside town.
Where to stay for a treat: The Lane Hotel, on Keene's eclectic Main Street.
Don't miss: Hiking on Mt. Monadnock and downtown Keene's classic New England downtown, with students and professors mingling in coffeehouses and galleries.
For more info: admissions.keene.edu/visit-us

Providence, Rhode Island
Drive time from Woods Hole: Just over an hour
Local schools: Brown, RISD, Johnson and Wales, Providence College
Nearby schools: URI
Where to eat where students eat: La Creperie, on College Hill
Where to eat for a treat: Al Forno
Where to stay for a treat: The Old Court Bed and Breakfast on Benefit St.
Don't miss: Stroll along Hope Street, near Brown, for interesting shops (vintage jewelry, etc), cool restaurants and parks; the RISD Museum on Benefit Street has a vast collection, including French Impressionist paintings.
For more info: brown.edu/about/visit