Even though my college days are long gone, I still love being on college campuses, especially beautiful ones. Probably because the college campus represent youth and learning to me. Also because your college years are a time in life of great promise, of great dreams, of reaching for the seemingly impossible–to earn your degree. A time of great discoveries, including self-discovery and academic discovery. This is especially true if you are the first generation in your familia to attend college, like I was.
One of the prettiest campuses in Southern California is at the Claremont Colleges. There are seven colleges clustered together. The Claremont Colleges campus is very pedestrian friendly with lots of lush landscaping and walkways, and the students are extremely friendly. And, you won’t get run over by a bicycle like you would at UCSB. Stop by and check out the Claremont Colleges some time. Its an open campus. Take a walk at the Colleges and then stop for coffee in the Village.
Archway on the Pomona College campus, Claremont, CA
Another view of the archway on the Pomona College campus, Claremont, CA, empty, except for a parked bicycle
Columns at Pomona College, Claremont, CA
The police will not harass you (unlike at UCLA where the student got tasered for refusing to leave the library). Check out these neighborhood boys just climbing a tree, enjoying a pleasant Saturday afternoon, probably talking about girls, music or movies.
Now, this is what I call studying! Nothing better than to cuddle up with a good book and a good friend on an old couch out in the middle of campus.
Pomona College Gate
Tacos y Palabras 
gorgeous campus. Reminds me of the Stanford campus. And there is also the issue of nitting a biker with your car at UCSB.
Que bonito! My older brother is a Pomona alum, so that campus was my first exposure to college.
Punk Rock Mom, very true, forgot about that.
Chicana Skies, thanks for your comment. Glad to hear your brother is an alumnus. When I was on campus I saw a student wearing a Roosevelt Roughriders jacket and a few Latino students.
FIVE colleges, not seven! Scripps, Harvey Mudd, Pomona, Pitzer, and Claremont McKenna 🙂 Check out Scripps campus in particular if you are looking for beauty.
Actually, seven is correct. There are two graduate schools: Claremont Graduate University and Keck Institute…all the undergrads forget about those. I attended CGU, and often miss Claremont.
I’m a tour guide and work for Pomona, as well as a student just beginning sophomore year. This campus has so much culture, history, intelligence, bravery, and wit. Anyone who chooses Harvard or Yale over Pomona is missing an experience of religious proportion.
I’ve walked nearly the entire campus with my mother. She recently passed from cancer but the last two years we had were spent enjoying walking from Foothill blvd to 1st St.. Our last “discovery” about 6 months ago was the Pomona College organic farm and chicken coop in the woods behind the outdoor theater.
She liked to pick the kumquats. Last summer, a student gardener gave us some carrots she had been growing in a secluded corner.
A young girl from Seattle, She was very nice to us both.
Thank you for posting these pictures, it brings back good memories and I do believe the campus beauty and serenity extended my moms life by a year and brought her much peace and joy.