One of my favorite things about life near Athens, GA, is being able to walk around the beautiful University of Georgia campus. This is among the nation's most historic and beautiful college campuses, and it's completely free and open to the public throughout the year. The Classic City is home to a number of excellent parks, but honestly, the UGA campus can compete with any of them as far as curated gardens and natural beauty. I visited this spring, and while I was a little bit early to see most of the flowers at their most beautiful, a trip any time over the next few weeks in late March or April should allow you to see plenty of lovely colors!

I was visiting with my mother, who uses a wheelchair, but thankfully, the campus pathways are paved, so we didn't have much trouble getting around.

My trip took me through the north campus area, which is the oldest part of campus and home to a number of beautiful gardens.

The

Founders Memorial Garden is my favorite section of campus. It's incredibly peaceful and a great place for a nap or afternoon reading session.

The 2.5-acre garden is full of beautiful blooms in the springtime, but it's a stunning sight at any time of year.

My trip was timed a bit too early to see most of the flowers at their peak, but even so, there were still plenty of lovely colors about.

The verdant greenery makes you feel like you're at a botanical garden instead of a college campus.

The entire North Campus area is full of unique fountains and statues, and it feels like there's something special to be seen at every turn.

I'm not quite well-versed enough in botany to identify many of the plants I saw, but one of the great things about the campus is that many of the trees have signs so you can identify different plant species.

Keep your eyes peeled both above and below - there's so much to see here!

From scurrying chipmunks to hawks searching for prey, there's also lots of wildlife around that make a spring visit to UGA a perfect outing.

Another area that definitely belongs on any visitor's bucket list is the Trial Gardens near Stegeman Colisseum.

I didn't get a chance to visit the Trial Gardens area on my trip, but I've been before and they're gorgeous, with dozens of award-winning plants. The gardens also host plant sales throughout the year, so you can even bring some home for your garden!

Have you ever visited the gardens at the University of Georgia campus? This is such a beautiful area! Share your favorite campus gardens in the comments.

There's so much to do in Athens, GA, in the springtime, and the area is home to tons of great vacation rentals. Check out some of the top Vrbo rentals in Athens, GA.