15 College Towns That Feel Like Stepping Directly into a Hallmark Movie

2. Oxford, Mississippi (University of Mississippi)

In Oxford, magnolia blossoms share the air with barbecue smoke and Faulkner’s ghost. The town square is lined with indie bookstores, porch-rocking diners, and shops lit by string lights year-round. Autumn means SEC football, sweater weather, and tailgates that feel more like homecomings. But between the game days and the ghost stories, Oxford has a literary heartbeat—quietly pulsing through the pages of old novels and the shelves of Square Books. It’s a place where Southern charm doesn’t feel scripted; it feels sincere. If there’s a front porch waiting for you somewhere, it might be here.