The Best College Town in Maine: Why Students and Travelers Love Brunswick

There’s no shortage of wonderful college towns here in Maine.

Whether it’s great hamlets like Orono or Farmington, or the cities that some schools call home like Portland and Bangor, you’re bound to find many wonderful things to do and enjoy.

However, one town here in Maine flies higher than the rest, and is even being recognized for it. This town is home to one of Maine's most prestigious schools, Bowdoin, and is full of everything one could want in a perfect college town. This town is Brunswick.

What Makes Brunswick, Maine so Special?

Located 30 minutes north of Portland, Brunswick is a Midcoast Maine gem. The town features a beautiful downtown village that sits right between the Androscoggin River and Bowdoin’s campus. It’s loaded with shops, restaurants, cafes, food carts, green space, and all those little features that make college towns unique. There’s even one of the best indoor markets in the state every Saturday during the winter, which truly shows off the best of Maine.

It’s simply a beautiful downtown. It seamlessly intertwines with the campus, which is one of the prettiest in the region. It also makes it easy for Bowdoin students to enjoy all that Brunswick’s downtown has to offer, considering it’s an easy walk.

Students can also enjoy some of Maine's great outdoors, with the rocky coastline not too far away. Plus, who wouldn't love a day at one of the breweries at the old naval air station, and a burger at the iconic Fat Boy Drive-In?

Brunswick is the prototype of the college town so many of us yearn for. Just imagine walking the quad on a brisk autumn day, then strolling right into the village to grab a coffee before hitting the books. It’s idyllic in every way.

In fact, Brunswick is so perfect that a popular travel site even chose it as Maine’s best.

Popular Travel Site Names Brunswick Maine's Best College Town

Far & Wide decided to take a look at college towns from across the country. The goal was to find the best spot in every state. I’m sure this process took quite a while, considering there are nearly 6,000 colleges in America. However, they made the same choice that many of us already know and unsurprisingly went with Brunswick for many of the reasons I have already discussed.

READ MORE: Explore 20+ Stunning Lighthouses Along Maine’s Coast

Honestly, this is a no-brainer selection by Far & Wide. Brunswick is in a class by itself when it comes to Maine college towns. Heck, I would put it up with any other state’s best, too. It’s the perfect encapsulation of what a college town—or really any town—should be.