This CNY City Is One of America’s Most Beautiful College Towns

You don't have to travel across the country to find one of America's prettiest college towns. Apparently, we have one right here in Central New York.

House Beautiful just released its list of the 11 Most Beautiful College Towns Across the U.S., and Syracuse earned a spot alongside coastal California cities, historic Southern destinations and some pretty impressive college communities.

Syracuse came in at No. 9 in the country.

And considering some of the places it beat out, that's a pretty nice compliment for a city that spends several months of the year buried under snow.

Syracuse Named One of America's Most Beautiful College Towns

House Beautiful says the best college towns have more going for them than just a beautiful campus.

Read More: New York Has the Best Quality of Life in America, New Study Says 

The magazine looked for places with natural scenery, inviting neighborhoods, local shops, coffee spots, restaurants and plenty to do when students aren't sitting in class. That's where Syracuse apparently made the grade.

Home to Syracuse University, the city was praised for its beautiful East Coast scenery, outdoor recreation and lively downtown.

And if you've ever driven through Syracuse in October, you probably understand why. Between the historic buildings, tree-lined neighborhoods and Central New York fall colors, Syracuse can look pretty spectacular when Mother Nature cooperates.

There's Plenty to Do Beyond the Syracuse University Campus

House Beautiful also pointed to all the things students, and the rest of us, can do around Syracuse.

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There are opportunities for hiking and kayaking, along with a downtown packed with restaurants, craft breweries, museums, historic buildings and a growing arts and culture scene.

College Towns That Made the List

Syracuse was the only New York college town to make House Beautiful's list.

It landed among some destinations you might normally associate with a vacation rather than move-in day.

The full list includes:

1. Ames, Iowa — Iowa State University
2. Madison, Wisconsin — University of Wisconsin-Madison and Edgewood College
3. Charleston, South Carolina — College of Charleston and Charleston Southern University
4. Santa Barbara, California — University of California, Santa Barbara and Westmont College
5. Georgetown, Washington, D.C. — Georgetown University
6. Bellingham, Washington — Western Washington University
7. Santa Cruz, California — University of California, Santa Cruz
8. Manhattan, Kansas — Kansas State University
9. Syracuse, New York — Syracuse University
10. Wellesley, Massachusetts — Wellesley College and Babson College
11. Greenville, South Carolina — Furman University and Greenville Technical College

Syracuse beating out Wellesley and Greenville is impressive enough. But simply landing on a list with places like Charleston, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz?

We'll take it.

Central New York Doesn't Always Get Enough Credit

It's easy to complain about the snow, potholes and approximately six minutes of sunshine we get between November and March.

Read More: New York’s Adirondacks Named the No. 1 Fall Foliage Destination 

But lists like this are a good reminder that Central New York really is beautiful.

Syracuse gives college students something a lot of bigger university cities can't: a real city experience without being overwhelmingly huge, plus easy access to some of Upstate New York's best outdoor scenery.

And once those leaves start changing around Syracuse University? We can see why it made the list.

So whether you're sending a kid off to college, planning a campus visit or you're a proud Syracuse alum, you officially have another reason to brag. Syracuse is one of the most beautiful college towns in America.