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1. University of California-Irvine

Laguna Beach, California

Richard Cummins—Getty Images/Lonely Planet Image

Irvine sometimes gets a bad rap for lacking a “college town” feel. But if you’d rather spend your time on the sand than on Main Street, it’s a tough spot to beat. There's surfing at Huntington Beach, the boardwalk and pier at Newport Beach, peace and quiet at Corona del Mar, and the glamor of Laguna Beach. All of those locales, with iconic California beach vistas, are within 20 minutes of campus, and upperclassmen often live off campus, just a couple-minute walk to the sand.

Money Best Colleges rank: 13

Distance to nearest beach: 7 miles

Graduation rate: 86%