Why Columbia, Missouri Is the Best College Town to Visit This Fall

Can you imagine looking up from your seat in a football stadium to see a giant tiger mascot leap from an airplane to take a whirling parachute dive into the field? This is how the University of Missouri–Columbia (commonly known as Mizzou) kicked off a game in 2023, and it’s just one example of the way Mizzou creates a vibrant sense of fun and community each fall in Columbia. Take the school spirit that comes with being the state’s flagship university, add a successful football program, some major campus beauty, a vibrant walkable downtown, plus the perfect autumnal weather, and you have the ultimate college town for a visit this fall.

I must admit I was a commuter student as an undergraduate and didn’t quite get into the school spirit or college town hype. I didn’t even buy a single piece of university gear. Then, I went on to earn a graduate degree from Mizzou, and suddenly, I got it! I fell in love with this energetic college town and wished I could rewind time to spend my young adult years there, as well. Instead, I now get to visit it frequently as the mom of a current student, which is a decent substitute.

First, there’s the football. Can you have an awesome college town without it, especially in the fall? In recent years, Mizzou has had a resurgence of success, resulting in several bowl victories and top national rankings. But, it's not just about the game itself. There's the boom of the drums shaking you to the core when Marching Mizzou enters the field, the precision dances from the Golden Girls, and then, there's Truman the Tiger, with his antics and signature tail twirling.

You know it’s game day in Columbia when the streets are flooded with folks wearing black and gold. You might even spot cars decked out with stuffed tiger tails swirling from the rear, as visitors from across the state converge on Columbia. I don’t know the first thing about football, but even I know something special is happening.

Next, the university campus makes Columbia a must-visit college town. I must admit that I am a sucker for college campuses, especially those with grand architecture and massive trees. Mizzou takes it a step further by having the campus itself serve as a botanical garden. 

With 18 specialty gardens, several tree trails, and numerous points of interest, the enchanting Mizzou Botanic Garden is gorgeous year-round, and fall brings a perfect golden crown to the towering trees. You can stroll along meandering pathways where the foliage provides picture-perfect framing for the grand architecture, including the iconic columns that have become a symbol of the university. 

Then, you have the town. Columbia has a quintessentially walkable downtown, with a 50-square-block area known as The District. Patchouli drifts from the Peace Nook bookstore, mingling with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and savory scents from the many local restaurants. You’ll find iconic classics like Shakespeare’s Pizza, The Heidelberg, and Booches Billiard Pub, which was once named the best college-town restaurant by Sports Illustrated for its awesome burgers.

In addition to great shops and restaurants, downtown Columbia has a lively music scene, another important element for any thriving college town. While Missouri’s largest cities see the biggest concerts, Columbia has an enviable calendar of live shows, particularly at The Blue Note downtown.

What really brings the magic is the fall weather in Missouri. After we’ve suffered through a sweltering summer, fall brings a palpable relief. The almost-wet air turns crisp and breezy, making perfect jacket weather. You just want to be outside and soak up the beauty before winter drives you inside, and Columbia offers many wonderful ways to do so, whether you’re hanging out at a game, walking around the Mizzou campus, hiking in the beautiful Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, or paddling around Finger Lakes State Park.

Missouri has other college towns, but none live and breathe the university in the same way that Columbia does. While love for Mizzou reaches its pinnacle on fall game days, the vibrancy continues throughout the year, thanks to the natural beauty of the campus and the energetic downtown area full of local businesses. Community pride stands tall alongside university pride. It was enough to convince me to buy some university gear (featuring a quirky 1960s version of Truman, of course) to celebrate my alma mater, and it is enough to make Columbia one of the best college towns in the nation.