A visit to Corvallis in the fall is a beautiful thing. There is something about a college campus in the fall – with students with backpacks walking here and there, professors riding bicycles down leaf-covered streets, and the sounds of cheers coming from a sports field just out of sight.
We were on the campus of Oregon State University taking a college walking tour at the peak of Autumn colors. The trees everywhere where just stunning. The cool, crisp air combined with the colors and sounds made the atmosphere Hallmark-movie worthy. Public university campuses are a beautiful place to visit when you are looking for fall color.
We started the day exploring downtown Corvallis which, in my opinion, is the perfect size – just big enough to offer plenty of food options, but small enough to walk and not have trouble finding parking. It is the perfect little college town filled with locally owned businesses – you won’t find many national brand stores here. Each shop has character.
We had an hour before our college tour, so started looking for someplace for a quick bite. We chose The New Morning Bakery as I have a fairly severe weakness for baked goods. The name “bakery” might be a bit misleading as it is almost more like a deli with sandwiches, soups, salads in addition to pastries, breads, and desserts. But you can still get a good bear claw and latte if desired. We all found something to please us and refueled for the walking tour ahead.
We toured the campus with fallen leaves scattering underfoot, enjoyed the beautiful foliage, the academic atmosphere, and the overall campus feel. Even if you are an Oregon Duck fan, you can’t deny the beauty of the Oregon State campus with its tree-lined avenues and old brick buildings. I especially loved the details such as these doors entering one of the student hang-out areas. They take their mascot very seriously.
The football stadium, baseball stadium, and indoor sport facilities are right there on campus and on game day the entire campus is buzzing with roars and cheers. There wasn’t a home game the day we were here, but we have been here on game day before. It’s electric!
