Canada's 'prettiest' university campuses have ocean views, historic architecture, and more
You can explore greenhouses, arboretums, and museums on these campuses.
University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver. Right: Queen's University campus in Ontario.
There are a lot of Canadian universities, but only a few were ranked as having the "prettiest" campuses.
These schools have historic architecture, greenhouses, arboretums, ocean views, and more to explore.
Narcity asked people to share which universities in Canada have the "prettiest" campuses, and more than a dozen schools across the country were mentioned.
According to Canadians, the most beautiful university campuses in the country are:
- University of British Columbia
- Queen's University
- McGill University
- Western University
- University of Guelph
These campuses have gardens, greenhouses, museums, historic architecture, ocean and lake views, and more.
So, here's what you need to know about the prettiest university campuses in Canada, including what you can explore even if you're not a student.
University of British Columbia
UBC's Vancouver campus is located at the western tip of the Point Grey Peninsula and spans more than 400 hectares.
The campus is surrounded by forests on three sides and the ocean on the fourth, with mountains just beyond the water.
Even if you're not a student, you can take in the stunning sights of the campus.
It features museums, galleries, and the Nitobe Memorial Garden, which has a traditional tea house and is considered one of the top five Japanese gardens outside of Japan.
Queen's University
Queen's University is located in Kingston, Ontario.
The campus has historic limestone architecture, modern buildings, an arboretum with rare and unique trees, and more.
Those historic buildings from the 1800s are in Georgian, Norman Romanesque, Victorian Romanesque, and more architectural styles.
Also, Queen's is right on the shores of Lake Ontario and near a few beaches!
Someone told Narcity that the Queen's University campus is "really pretty in the fall."
McGill University
McGill University's campus is located at the foot of Mount Royal between downtown Montreal and Mount Royal Park.
It's known as "a green oasis in the middle of downtown Montreal."
The campus has more than 100 buildings in various architectural styles, making it one of the largest collections of heritage buildings outside of Old Montreal and Quebec City.
Western University
Western University is located in London, Ontario, which is known as the "Forest City."
The campus spans more than 1,300 acres with lots of green space and a combination of modern and historic architecture.
Also, the city of London's trail system along the Thames River is part of Western's campus.
You can use the trail for walking, running, cycling, and more as you explore the campus.
University of Guelph
Located in Guelph, Ontario, the University of Guelph has historic architecture, a circa 1800 cannon, and an expansive network of greenhouses.
There is also a 408-acre arboretum with gardens, walking trails, natural woodlands, wetlands and meadows, and more that you can explore.
On the University of Guelph campus, you can find a huge Gryphon statue. The beak is completely shiny because rubbing the beak is a tradition to bring good luck at the start of the semester and before exams!
"Guelph is so pretty and reminds me of an English country estate," someone told Narcity. "It has a beautiful farm atmosphere."
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.