This low-key college town has produced scores of legendary musicians: REM, Matthew Sweet, Widespread Panic, and the Drive-By Truckers all got their start here. Today, music is everywhere, and you can easily wander downtown, scoping out new acts that might be the next big thing. The town is close to plenty of hiking trails, and the university hosts plenty of world-renowned speakers and events that are often open to the public. In addition, the handful of used bookstores and coffee shops give you the opportunity to forget about the "real world" for a while.
