While vacationing, one of the things we incorporate into our travel is campus tours. This year we visited several schools, and some were quite mind-blowing. We had an opportunity to visit Howard, Georgetown, University of North Carolina, Duke, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Tennessee, University of Alabama Birmingham and The University of Alabama. The campuses were contrasting but definitely offered their own appeal, and I found myself mesmerized with each of them for distinctive reasons.

The campus that left me the most enthralled  was The University of Alabama. One thing that always pulls me in is the beauty of a campus. Alabama was spacious and aesthetically pleasing. I was so in awe; I only took one picture because I didn’t want to miss any part of the campus.

University of North Carolina was my second favorite campus simply because I am a Tarheel fan, and I love, love, love Carolina blue. The university runs into downtown, so it can appear slightly cluttered. The positive side is you have access to many of the amenities near the campus. Of course we had to visit the Dean Smith Center, and we had the opportunity to watch the Lady Tarheels practice.

Duke was my third favorite, and it is a campus for tourists. We visited the gardens which provided a nice picnic area and had a developing garden to showcase. The chapel was also one of our stops; while it was quite elegant, it was also slightly spooky. The highlight of the campus for a family of athletes was none other than the visit to Coach K’s court. To walk into the gym and have the opportunity to stand on the floor of Coach K’s court, receive an autographed basketball, and have the chance to shoot around was the climax of the visit.

Again, each campus offered something different to enjoy for each of our family members. The other campuses had their own highlights, and I would definitely visit each of them again if I were in the area. It is my desire, and I will make the extra effort to visit my three favorites again.